A Brief History Of Colocation

A Brief History Of Colocation



How colocation has changed over the years.


By Paul Schlattman  
OTHER PARTS OF THIS ARTICLEPt. 1: Data Center As A Service (DCaaS), Colocation Offer Data Center Flexibility, Expandability Pt. 2: Tips for FMs Who Run Colocation and DCaaS Data CentersPt. 3: QTS Chicago: Colocation Data Center Features Low Latency, High Reliablility, and Redundant InfrastructuresPt. 4: This Page


1998 - 2002: First Generation

Retail co-lo data centers emerge. Businesses that move their racks and servers out of their offices and into a co-lo data center are charged on a per rack basis. Average demand: 20kVA to 175 kVA. NOTE: This type of arrangement is still viable today for small to mid-size companies.

2003 - 2016: Second Generation

Wholesale data centers enter the market. With larger footprints — more square footage — and greater Kw capacity, wholesale data centers provide a way for larger businesses to defray the costs of an enterprise data center while still operating with state-of-the-art data center technology. Average demand: 10,000 sq. ft., 750kW-1.8MW

2016-Present: Third Generation

Today’s 3rd generation data center functions at a hyperscale level, as drivers are based on the mega processing needs of today’s big businesses. Offering cloud services, the 3rd generation data center is being driven by the IoT as well as big data. Average demand: 4-12MW.




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  posted on 2/10/2017   Article Use Policy




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