A hyperscale data center is a type of data center specifically designed to meet the massive computing requirements of a hyperscaler. A hyperscaler refers to a company or organization that provides cloud computing infrastructure at a massive scale.
These hyper-scale data centers were designed to provide extreme scalability capabilities for better optimization, network connectivity, and reduced latency, along with resilient and secure data storage infrastructure to help withstand any potential man-made disasters.
In this blog we dive into the need and requirements of a hyperscale data center. To know about the workings of a data center, refer comprehensive guide on data center.
What is a Hyperscale Data Center?
A hyperscale data center is designed to manage vast amounts of data and handle extensive traffic with enhanced efficiency and security by utilizing numerous servers.
This type of data center is characterized by its extensive infrastructure and is typically employed by large enterprises that operate across multiple locations worldwide, necessitating significant computational capabilities supported by advanced technologies.
As traditional data centers have evolved, the demand for facilities that meet current requirements and accommodate future needs has become increasingly evident. With the continuous growth of data, there is a pressing need for a cost-effective data storage infrastructure. This is where hyperscalers have stepped in to provide a solution.
Some companies desire higher levels of control, physical setbacks, and dedicated power and cooling infrastructure for their data management and storage needs. As a result, hyperscale data center facility providers are constantly building data storage and computing capacity in multiple locations.
There are around 439 hyperscale data centers across the world. On the other hand, there are around 2505 upcoming data center projects across the world according to Blackridge research's Global data center database.
Let us now explore some of the key characteristics of hyperscale data centers are:
High Density:
It refers to the amount of computing power, networking, and storage capacity resources that are provided by the data center. In the case of power, it is vital for the hyperscaler to operate at low power using effectiveness (PUE) ratings.
Here are the key metrics for the density of hyperscale data centers:
| Power density | Capacity(Average) |
| Average power density | 10-20 kW/rack |
| High-density areas | Up to 40-60 kW/rack in high-performance computing(HPC) or Artificial intelligence zines |
| Total power capacity | 10-100 MW or more |
Recently, power consumption and resource utilization have become key focus points, as hyperscale data centers have an extensive energy footprint. According to the data, data centers account for approximately 3% of global energy consumption.
Moreover, hyperscale data center providers are also committed to sustainability and eco-friendly power sources, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, to generate their energy. Hydroelectricity plays a critical role in landing hyperscale tenants.
Furthermore, many hyperscalers are operating on 100% renewable energy generation resources to scale up their data strategies.
| Server Density | Capacity(Average) |
| Average server density | 20-40 servers/rack |
| High-density areas | Up to 60-80 servers/rack in HPC or AI zones |
| Total server count | 10,000 to 100,000 servers or more per facility |
| Storage density | Capacity (Average) |
| Average storage density | 100-500 TB/ rack |
| High-density areas | Up to 1-2 PB/ rack in high-capacity zones |
| Total storage areas | 100 PB - 1 EB or more |
| Networking density | Capacity (Average) |
| Average networking density | 40 GbE ports/rack |
| High-density areas | Up to 100-400 GbE ports/rack in high-demand zone |
| Total networking capacity | 100 GbE to 1 TbE or more |
Large Scale:
They are huge facilities, often exceeding 1 million square feet in size. Wholesale data center providers have shifted to more extensive facilities between 35,000 to 85,000 sq.ft to help them compete for more significant deals.
Developers worldwide are redefining their construction techniques, providing a better power capacity at less cost over large areas. Here are the key scale metrics of hyperscale data centers:
| Area | Size |
| Land area | 10-100 acres or more |
| Floor space | 500,000-2 million sq.ft or more |
| height | 2-4 stories or more |
Hyperscale data centers go beyond single data centers. They sometimes span across continents, located strategically to avoid any potential risks of power outage and natural disasters. In addition, they are designed and located in accordance with the regional compliance norms.
Some of the biggest hyperscale data centers provider have room for up to 7 buildings of approximately 450,000 Square feet of area. This new design outlook has also been reflected in new units built by data center REITs, with a long-term roadmap.
Cooling:
Hyperscalers constantly focus on providing more cooling and less energy consumption to help them optimize efficiently.
| Cooling infrastructure | Capacity(average) |
| Cooling capacity | 10-50 MW or more |
| Count of cooling systems | 2-6 or more; some facilities use up to 12 |
| Cooling towers used | 2-6 up to 12 or more |
Moreover, hyperscalers like Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn have adapted to membrane-based evaporative cooling systems, Kyoto-cooling, water-to-chip, or rear-door chilling units to redefine air conditioning strategies.
IT Equipment:
Hyperscale data services providers have resorted to adapting resilient software networks and connectivity. This also includes the use of AZs (availability zones) by cloud platforms such as Amazon web services.
AZs are clusters of data centers in a specified region that allow clients to run instances of an application in several isolated locations to avoid a single point of failure.
| IT equipment | Capacity (Average) |
| Count of servers | Up to 100,000 or more |
| Count of storage systems | Up to 10,000 or more |
| Count of network devices | Up to 10,000 or more |
In addition, Software automation is the nerve of hyperscale data centers, they ensure efficient workload mobility. This adaptation is critical for distributing tasks and balancing the load. Software automation enhances network agility and automation configuration
Who are the key hyperscale players in the data market?
Basically, there are two sets of customers in the hyperscale market
- Tier 1: Mega-hyperscale operators
- Tier 2: SaaS, platform companies, and cloudlets
They both have slightly different characteristics and requirements.
TIER -1:
They are dominant players in cloud services and social media. In some instances, They might also have a shared resource pool. This includes Amazon Web Services, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple and Google. Their sizes can range from 10 MW to 70 MW.
TIER- 2:
They include SaaS platform companies and cloud platforms. The major players include companies like Oracle and China Telecom, along with SaaS providers like Salesforce, Workday, and Paypal, as well as platform companies like Lyft and Uber.
Top Hyperscale Data Center Companies:
Let us explore the some of the top hyperscale data centers of the world.
AWS: Amazon Web Services is a pioneer hyperscale data center company built to function securely and withstand man-made disasters. AWS uses automated systems and third-party audits. Capacity: 3000 MW (2023)
Microsoft Azure: Microsoft's cloud computing platform. Its facilities include SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS, offering more than 600 services. Capacity: 2200 MW (2023)
Google Cloud Platform: One of the largest cloud service provider. Users can upload and copy 750GB to drive within 24 hours, and it has virtually unlimited cloud storage. Capacity: 3500 MW (2023)
Meta: The company is part of Meta’s global infrastructure that enables sustainability and support to its social media and online services. Capacity: 2500 MW (2023)
Alibaba: Alibaba is the leading hyperscale data center in Asia-Pacific regions such as China, Japan, Singapore, and the USA. Capacity: 1200 MW (2023)
Why are Hyperscale Data Centers a Better Choice for Big Companies?
Hyperscale data centers can handle enormous amounts of data, having a size of 100,000 meters sq.+, and are built almost as big as the Vatican City or equal to 57 football fields merged together. Their main task is colocation, which is computing capacity for a significant global network that is enough to grow with the increasing market demand. Let us now understand its differentiating factors.
Before 2016, the data center market rarely saw deals larger than 10 MW, but the demand has drastically changed. Enterprise’s interest in cloud connectivity has also influenced the colocation sector to support hybrid IT strategies, making some services premium facilities. The main differentiating characteristics that make hyperscale data centers a better choice are discussed below.
- Size: more extensive than any typical data center, often spanning over thousands of square feet of land and having several servers.
- Scalability: They are designed to rapidly scale up the ever-increasing computing needs that are wider than any typical data center scale.
- Suitability: primarily by large globally functioning companies and MNCs
- Security: multi-layered security and a strong surveillance system resistant to any possible harm.
- Budget: hyperscale data centers require large amounts of investment but are cost-effective.
Hyperscale data centers are not merely about size, they are designed to adapt seamlessly to user experience to ensure our online experience remains smooth irrespective of data traffic.
Conclusion:
Hyperscale data centers are the upcoming next-generation space enriched with vast computing and efficient and highly reliable digital infrastructure.
Its demand is forecasted to grow with time as companies and businesses are growing fast, and there is a need to store data even for their day-to-day functioning. According to a report, by 2025, hyperscaler will account for 60% of the global datasphere, reflecting the enormity of hyperscale data centers.
As a result, hyperscale data centers will play a decisive role in the currently competitive global economy, where physical and digital infrastructure play key roles.
Moreover, Countries are also resorting to localized data storage capacity to ensure their user’s data safety and security.
Hyperscale operators want dependability in delivery, and consistency in design and performance. And resilience and security in their storage units.