Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Colocation and Data Centers : How many DC are there world wide?

[iwod]

Just Wondering because Now even Mozilla are having one. Are there always shortage of DC space?

[bigtimbers]

that's an impossible question to answer, as it depends hugely on what your definition of "data center" is.

The US gov't alone, for example, has well over 2,000 - if you count small <1,000 SF server closets in office buildings as data centers, as they do.

Even if you narrow the focus to facilities that are predominately utilized as data centers (which would probably cut the total number by 80% or more) you run into other problems. Digital Realty has 100+ data centers / 20+ million SF. Many of those, like 350 E Cermak, have multiple customers' data centers in them. Does 350 count as 1 data center, or 20 data centers?

There's really no way to answer the number question.

Is there always a shortage? The fact that there is > $5 billion in data center construction currently underway might answer that question...

[Henrik Holben]

Originally Posted by bigtimbers

Is there always a shortage? The fact that there is > $5 billion in data center construction currently underway might answer that question...

Yes, absolutely there is very big growth in demand that increases year by year, but I think the biggest growth and higher profit margins and huge opportunities is in the 25-28+ Emerging Markets around the world there is so much potential in those areas and still little per capita penetration...

[jroc]

Mozilla did not build a facility - they are in a private suite of a wholesaler.

[NEMON]

You can look some of the datacentars here

http://www.datacentermap.com/

For example it's saying USA have 1100+ (on that map)

But I am sure everything you see on that map - is not even close to what is actually out there and still growing.