2016 Data Center 100: 20 Data Center Services Providers

Data Center Services Without The Data Center

Taking advantage of leading-edge, flexible and cost-effective data center services does not always require actually owning a data center.

Indeed, third-party providers of data center services including co-location, managed hosting, Web hosting, private and public clouds, business continuity, and disaster recovery bring to customers the opportunity to take advantage of those services as an operating expense without the need to invest in their own infrastructure or expertise. That, in turn, lets such customers focus resources on their areas of expertise while leaving the mundane operations in the hands of experts.

Here’s a look at the data center services providers on this year's Data Center 100 list.

365 Data Centers

John Scanlon, CEO

Headquarters: Emeryville, Calif.

365 Data Centers is a data center solution provider for cloud, content, carriers and enterprises in Tier 2 markets, and operates 14 U.S. data centers to provide secure, carrier-neutral edge co-location services with 100 percent uptime and industry compliance.

AT&T

Randall Stephenson, Chairman, CEO

Headquarters: Dallas

AT&T provides managed hosting, co-location hosting, utility computing, cloud, application, network, content delivery and other services to go with its wireless, Wi-Fi and Internet services to companies ranging in size from small businesses to enterprises via its worldwide network of data centers.

CentriLogic

Robert Offley, President, CEO

Headquarters: Toronto

CentriLogic provides data center solutions including dedicated and co-location hosting, cloud hosting, hybrid hosting, managed services, disaster recovery and Web application development. It expanded in 2015 with the acquisition of Advanced Knowledge Networks, a provider of managed infrastructure, cloud and private network services.

CenturyLink

Glen Post, President, CEO

Headquarters: Monroe, La.

CenturyLink is a telecom and network services provider providing hosted VoIP, business applications, Internet and networking, and cloud services. CenturyLink could be in for major changes this year as it mulls the possibility of selling its data center and co-location business.

Cologix

Grant van Rooyen, CEO

Headquarters: Denver

Cologix provides scalable network-neutral interconnection services and secure, reliable co-location services. They include services focused on co-location via 24 data centers across North America, intra-data center and dark fibre connections, and access to local Internet exchanges.

DataBank

Timothy Moore, CEO

Headquarters: Dallas

DataBank provides enterprise-class data center space for co-location services via six data centers in Texas, Minnesota and Kansas. The company offers managed security, data, network, infrastructure and compliance services as well as multiple cloud services via private and hybrid clouds.

Digital Realty

A. William Stein, CEO

Headquarters: San Francisco

Digital Realty provides co-location and other services via data centers located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company in 2015 acquired Telx, a provider of data center co-location, interconnection and cloud enablement solutions that doubled its data center footprint.

Equinix

Stephen Smith, President, CEO

Headquarters: Redwood City, Calif.

Equinix is the largest provider of co-location, interconnection, network cloud and other services thanks to its 140-plus data centers worldwide. The company in 2015 expanded its reach with acquisitions of European data center operator TelecityGroup, Japan-based Bit-isle, and hybrid cloud solution provider Nimbo.

Expedient

Charlie Watkins, CEO

Headquarters: Pittsburgh

Expedient’s 11 enterprise-class data centers in seven cities in the Midwest and East Coast provide a base for the company to offer public, private and hybrid cloud services as well as managed services including co-location, data protection, compliance, disaster recovery, security and more.

Faction

Denver

Luke Norris, Founder, CEO

Faction, formerly known as Peak, is a unique enterprise-class Infrastructure-as-a-Service cloud service provider in that 100 percent of its business goes through channel partners. It provides white-label cloud services, a services marketplace and full engineering support.

Level 3 Communications

Jeff Storey, President, CEO

Headquarters: Broomfield, Colo.

Level 3 Communications is a global provider of services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. The company’s managed solution portfolio includes fiber and infrastructure solutions, IP-based voice and data communications, wide-area Ethernet services, video and content distribution, and data center and cloud-based solutions.

NaviSite

Sumeet Sabharwal, Group VP, GM

Headquarters: Andover, Mass.

NaviSite, a Time Warner Cable Company, provides enterprise-class managed services including application, hosting and cloud services. The company in 2015 expanded its desktop-as-a-service and Microsoft Office 365 capabilities, and is working with Time Warner Cable Business Class on unified business communications and IT solutions.

NTT Communications

Kazuhiro Gomi, CEO, NTT America

Headquarters: New York

NTT Communications provides co-location, managed server hosting and managed services, as well as public, private and hybrid cloud services, to help enterprises globally optimize their information and communications technology environments. The company’s worldwide infrastructure includes a leading global Tier 1 IP network.

OneNeck IT Solutions

Phil LaForge, President, CEO

Headquarters: Scottsdale, Ariz.

A network of Tier 3 data centers in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon and Wisconsin gives OneNeck IT Solutions a nationwide base from which to offer hybrid IT solutions including cloud and hosting solutions, managed services, ERP application management, professional services and IT hardware.

Qualitytech

Chad Williams, Chairman, CEO

Headquarters: Overland Park, Kan.

Qualitytech has a worldwide network of 24 data centers through which it offers custom data center services, co-location, cloud and managed services, connectivity, and critical facilities management. The company also provides solutions for enterprise, health-care, government, financial, and IT and digital media clients.

TierPoint

Jerald Kent, Chairman, CEO

Headquarters: St. Louis

TierPoint grew since its 2002 founding thanks to the combination of 10 different data center services providers, giving the company a nationwide footprint of 28 data centers through which it provides co-location, cloud computing, backup and business continuity, managed security and professional services.

Vantage Data Centers

Sureel Choksi, CEO

Headquarters: Santa Clara, Calif.

Data centers owned by Vantage Data Centers in California and Washington let the company offer build-to-suit data center space, powered shells and turnkey operations to clients who require help from design and customization to move-in, operation, management and staff augmentation.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions

Christopher Formant, SVP, Global President

Headquarters: Basking Ridge, N.J.

Verizon Enterprise Solutions provides co-location, custom data center configurations, and managed hosting services using the company’s Tier 3 facilities. Verizon has more than 50 cloud-enabled data centers in nearly 20 countries with 10 top-tier network access points worldwide.

ViaWest

Nancy Phillips, President, CEO

Headquarters: Greenwood Village, Colo.

With 29 enterprise-class data centers in the U.S. and Canada, ViaWest provides a comprehensive suite of co-location and networking services, managed services, cloud computing and security services. The company in 2015 acquired cloud and security services provider INetU and security and compliance consultant AppliedTrust Engineering.

vXchnge

Keith Olsen, Chairman, CEO

Headquarters: Tampa, Fla.

vXchnge uses its nationwide network of data centers to provide services for customers starting with its Micro Data Center, a software-defined infrastructure alternative to standard co-location services. The company in May acquired eight data centers from Sungard Availability Services.