Data centers, whether virtual or physical, are usually not renowned for their architecture. Well, this article is here to show you how some data centers around the world can be powerful, efficient, and beautiful all at once!

1. The Switch Pyramid in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Imagine having your data protected in a high-tech pyramid—must make you feel like a modern day Pharoah! That’s exactly what happened with this 50 million dollar, 22,500 sq ft renovated pyramid, originally built in 1989. Switch executive VP even stated, “There’s not a single point of failure in the system. Everything is about future proofing.” Personally, we think that sounds a little too optimistic, but with a data center so different, how could you not be? What is the cost of this data center’s operations, we wonder…

2. Green Mountain Data Center, Norway

Green is in the name, though that’s only the second most interesting thing about this data center.  Though its power is sourced entirely from renewable energy providers, making it incredibly environmentally friendly (green, see?) the coolest part is that it’s literally in the side of a mountain. Wow! Talk about an underground aesthetic. There are about 21,000 sq meters of floor space inside the mountain, making the data inside closely protected, but also hard for anyone to get to. That’s one way to protect your business from hackers!

3. Salem Chapel, Leeds, UK

Imagine renting a data center where hundreds of years of history had taken place! AQl built a data center in 2009 within the Salem Chapel, the oldest surviving non-conformist chapel in Leeds. The English also recognize it as something even greater—the place where the Leeds United Football Club began! While uploading your data, you can think about how far we’ve come since Salem Chapel was built in 1791. Imagine trying to explain the difference between the public and private cloud—or even what a virtual data center is!

There is a lot to think about when considering a data center location, and how it looks is probably low on your list. While these places are definitely worth seeing, there are always other ways to keep your business running smoothly. Instead of a physical location across the world, maybe a virtual data center you can access no matter where you are, or simply a location you can depend on. After all, there is something that Coloco has that these fancy buildings don’t, and that’s the best possible service imaginable. If you’re ready to prioritize efficiency over beauty, check us out today!