We use smart devices and computers to read, stream and share on a daily basis. But behind the curtains are massive data centres that store all of this information.
Even in the UK there are dozens of massive data centres that enable the ebb and flow of information over the internet.
So here are the biggest UK data centres that you’ve most likely never heard of! Lets get stuck in!
Top 13 Biggest UK Data Centres By Size & Data
1. KAO Data Campus
The KAO Data Campus is one of the UK’s largest data centers and consists of four data centers with a total of 150,000 square meters of server space.
The KAO Data is located in Harlow, Essex, in the London-Stanstead-Cambridge corridor. It has received a lot of investment totalling £33 million, which is expected to rise to over £ 200 million. The facility is also equipped with 16 halls that contain all 500 server rack locations per suite.
KAO Data Campus is also the first of its kind in the carrier-neutral data center in the center of Birmingham. It was officially commissioned in the summer of 2016 with the first phase with the first hall of 1.5 MW customer service on a ready-to-install 10,000 square meter net installation.
The site is also one of the few in the UK with an official UTI (Uptime Institute) Tier 3 design certification.
Location: Harlow, Essex
Size: Over 150 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total customer power 100MW
2. Next Generation Data Centre
Completed in 1998, the range of data centers at the Next Generation Data Centre stands out as the largest data center in the whole of Europe.
They are equipped with over 19,000 servers that are combined with an impressive catalog of storage setup that spans across three floors. These data centers are also capable of hosting private data center hubs. Its huge shell space can accommodate installations containers.
The operating site is originally meant for the LG semiconductor plant, which says a lot as to why the BT and Logica are the main customers of Next Generation up till the present moment. There are two 75, 000 Sq. Ft. halls onsite.
Logica utilizes the facility for meeting IT-related requirements by the government. In a bid to improve its Communication capacity, BT has got a ton of server racks purposefully for IT related purpose.
Location: Wales, Uk
Size: 750,000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total customer power 250MW
3. GTP 3 Data Centre
Situated at a site not too far from East of Birmingham’s New Street Station, this data center sits nicely on a 5-acre lot bordered by the Great Barr Street on the North and the Glover Street on the West.
Equipped with two-phase setup, the GDP 3 first phase comprises of two halls with each at 10,000 Sq. Ft. and the second phase under construction close to completion.
Location: Palmer Street, Birmingham, B9 4EX
Size: 10,000 sqft – 40,000 sqft
Estimated Total customer Power 1.5MW up to 6MW
4. Telehouse North
The Telehouse North was constructed to be a DR site for Japanese banks as originally designed. Now the facility stands as seven floors building with close to 100,000 sq. ft. of technical capability. This is spread across five of the seven floors mentioned earlier.
Colocation rack space is accessible in collections and some dedicated caged space is available, however, that is only possible when a present client frees up space. Cross-connects are easier to arrange than previously and copper/Cat5 is often possible between rooms (distance check needed) where fiber is not required.
Telehouse North has suffered from high occupancy in the past, to the extent that in certain times the data center is sold out. Its power per rack can be somewhat light, given that it has come of age.
However, Telehouse makes up for this with the periodical renovation of the rooms to a more sophisticated and better design. North is still seen as a data center that offers the highest carrier choice by many. Therefore, for those clients after connectivity choices, North represents a better option.
Location: North London
Size: 100,000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total Customer Power
5. VIRTUS Data Centre
Virtus has its headquarter in London. It stands as the flagship UK centric data center by delivering mission-critical facilities with its operational base located in and on London’s metro area.
Virtus’ focuses on diversifying its operation as this is evidenced by their expansion plans to steadily deliver top quality services to its customers.
Virtus’s London2 is not only a flagship data center in London, UK but it also caters to the demands of the ever-growing customer base with their capable on-demand colocation services. Its current capacity is 160MW of data center space.
Its first of its kind new groundbreaking fresh-air, evaporative cooling technology in London reduces energy consumption reducing site power usage effectiveness (PUE) to below 1.2 hence supplying substantial TCO reductions their customers.
It also brings on board new innovative real-time monitoring dashboards and self-service tools for clients. This can either be used remotely or in dedicated rooms on site.
To learn more, you can also see my guide on dedicated server hosts for those in the UK.
Location: Hayes, London
Size: Nearly 350,000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated 160MW of Customer Service
6. Telehouse Metro
Being one of the data center outlets for the Telehouse in London, Telehouse Metro, London is firmly rooted in the heart of the City. It is perfect for customers in need of secure, high quality, data center space and offers the right environment for both primary and secondary site operations.
As a modern facility, the facility maintains a very high level of security, has strong connectivity and support for your optimum service and operation.
There are diverse carrier services that are provided via on-site. The 24-hour cable repair and installation is available for the maintenance of their servers to provide optimum conditions. With a setup of fire alarm panel that is equipped with fire suppressions to keep up with the standard of security maintenance.
This setup is provided with a card access reader and a CCTV with an on-site monitor system. The added specification on the center is the site service desk that delivers a remote mode operation for the staff.
Location: 65 Clifton St, Hackney, London EC2A 4JE, UK
Size: 35, 000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total of 50MW customer power
7. Ark – Cody Park, Farnborough
The Ark focuses on providing high-grade security site equipped with a typical customer power of 500kw upwards. This can go as high as multiple MW developments for high-grade clients. Their major client includes the BT Global Services, Crown Hosting, and the Exponential-e that rely on 100% uptime servers to maintain operations.
Situated not far from the Cody Technology Park (former base of the research-based company, QinetiQ), the Ark data center is initially designed to be implemented on over 36-acre campus with the site all incorporated in a network of high-level security buildings.
However, the latest design is aimed at providing more power with less site space consumed. This means that the site now comprises of 5 separate data centers with each operating at 50MW of customer load. It is supplied by three 33kv power supply stations with an output of over 20MVA increase in power output from the initial design.
Location: Cody Park, Farnborough
Size: 36-acre campus space
Estimated Total of 50MW customer power
8. Ark Data Centres – Spring Park Campus
A high-level security campus composing of 5 sites. They are designed to provide up to 30MW of customer load. Ark decides to focus on the bigger picture, with their wholesale data center services providing retail colocation space to their customers. By operating on a 200,000 sq. ft. area, their operation is further enhanced by the ultra-high presence of security features.
The original site building operates on a 31,000 sq. ft. overall technical area. As at the summer of 2019, the present three building sites that operate with 4.5MW of customer power is ideal for server operations at the very top quality.
Their plan of adding two additional centers to the existing 3 centers is in compliance with their goal of providing over 40MW of customer power.
Location: Spring Park Campus, Corsham Wiltshire
Size: Nearly 200,000 sq ft
Estimated Total of 40MW customer power
9. Dockland Data Centre
Strategically located in London Docklands, the Docklands Data Centre provides over 23,000 square feet of onsite space for operations.
Due to the fact that they are contracted by top-level telecommunications networks, and in order to make sure that their data are in safe hands, they provide high-level security with top of the line telecommunications equipment and network setup.
Their data network setup gives their customers highly effective solutions that give a lot of options and a wide array of network carrier selection for a global network solution.
They maintain a connection with key players in the London Data Center network, they are operating with a fully optimized transmission network that makes use of the Dark Fibre ring (fast speed cable network) and the latest technology as regards data service operations.
Location: London Docklands
Size: 23,000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total of 45MW customer power
10. Redcentric London Data Centre
Redcentric London Data Centre is located in the Tech city of Shoreditch, is readily available and accessible to the outside airport community with its onsite parking feature a welcome idea for their customers. Its colocation center in London provides very reliable hosting services.
As a portable data center site that is experienced in providing a complex system that is monitored on a regular basis, they are able to ensure the efficient operation of the facility’s overall maintenance to deliver top-notch operations to their clients.
Redcentric makes use of 100 percent green electricity with their double substations offering over 11kv of power supply. This dual mains supply is supplied by either the four diesel generators or the UPS supply.
This ensures that there is all round supply of power for maintaining uptime. Their private suite colocation is a distinct feature offered by very few data centers in the industry.
Location: Tech City in Shoreditch
Size: 15,000 Sq. Ft
An estimated total of 80MW customer power.
11. Equinix
Equinox prides themselves as the Global Platform for your all things digital to reach everywhere, interconnect everyone, and integrate everything.
At Equinix, they believe in the power of interconnection. The rise of digital business has led to innovative commerce and collaboration models and whole new ways of competing.
Globally deploying infrastructure and services wherever opportunity leads. Directly and privately interconnect to your most important clouds, services, and networks. Activate edge services on demand to scale for success.
On Platform Equinix, you’ll reach everywhere, interconnect everyone and integrate everything you need to create your best future.
Location: London
Size: 10,000 Sq. Ft. combined
Estimated Total of 15MW customer power
12. RedWire
Redwire’s first data center is based in Ealing, West London and provides customers with an ideal location whether they are based in the City, in the West Technology Triangle or overseas, so requiring easy access from airports. It is located in West London with 24/7 access to the central city and international airports.
The data center has been purposely designed to meet Tier 3 requirements and ensure higher rack power densities for modern services and storage. Supported by several experts in the industry, their data center setup offers a very reliable mode of operation.
Their colocation services provide all you need to ensure the uptime, integrity and effective operation of your data center hosting and effective management and monitoring of your IT assets.
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Location: Ealing, West London
Size: 20, 000 Sq. Ft.
Estimated Total of 33MW customer power
13. Volta
Volta is the fastest growing independent data centre in the UK. Operating since 2013 in Farringdon, Central London, it has a 100% up time record—something that’s very important to its portfolio of international clients.
The 8,450 square metre Volta Data Centre is situated in the former Reuters Building, and features more than 20 diverse building entry points for complete connectivity, total security and maximum power.
From high-performing rack density to flexible service level agreements, Volta is designed to equip your business infrastructure with everything it needs to excel in its industry.
Location: Farringdon, Central London
Size: Nearly 9,000 Sq.Ft
Estimated Total of 30MW customer power
NB: The data centres are not in any particular order. Bit they certainly represent some of the biggest data center sites in the UK, with the Telehouse, VIRTUS, and Next Generation Data Centre being the picks of the lot.