Where is the best place, in the US, to build a data center?
Hello,
While we're starting our software development in Illinois, we want to build our data center in the best place. We're starting with at least 1,000 PC's in the data center and will grow to 5,000 or more. The criteria we are looking for is: cheap land, dry climate, good low cost power, don't have to worry about eathquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes, ability to add windmills and/or solar panels to our property, ability to use geothermal cooling for the AC's, a business friendly state concerning taxes, cost effective state/location to live in, high speed internet preferably fiber, and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting.
What I'm looking for is if any of you could recommend a firm who could research this information and give us the top 10 places to build our data center based on our criteria. We want to build our data center our way, not buy.
So, do any of you know of a firm who could do this search or location you'd recommend?
Consider the Atlanta, Georgia area. Great technical workforce, more fiber than any other city in the world, geologically stable, terrific airport, extremely low cost/reliable electrical power. Many technology based companies have chosen Atlanta for their corporate headquarters.
You may be out of luck for geothermal and wind power though in Atlanta.
I would highly recommend many cities in Iowa. Like other posters I am biased because I live in Iowa, but thanks to the Boyd study I have some stats to back up my preference. Cities like Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids or Cedar Falls are all great locations. Cheap power, lots of fiber and an awesome cost/quality of living.
I would be happy to provide any other information or thoughts to you offline.
Chicago has tons of fiber running through it and attracts many clients but power and space is very expensive there so you might want to find a location like Atlanta like suggested.