Amazon’s data center operation is much larger than previously imagined, totaling more than 900 facilities in more than 50 countries, according to documents analyzed by Bloomberg and investigative site SourceMaterial.
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Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud computing division, is best known for its sprawling data center hubs in Virginia and Oregon. But these types of giant complexes, which the company owns or operates with long-term leases, do not represent its full footprint.
The cloud computing unit also distributes architectures to home (rack) servers in so-called data centers. Placementleasing space that last year provided about a fifth of Amazon’s available computing capacity, according to the documents.
Colocation data centers are spaces provided by a specialist provider for companies to install their own IT equipment.
These leased data centers are called “colos” in the industry, and are usually divided between different customers. AWS’s presence in these facilities ranges from a few server racks in a dedicated room to most — or even all — megabuildings in places like Frankfurt and Tokyo.
AWS does not disclose the location of individual data centers for security reasons and to keep operational details out of the reach of competitors. The documents shed light on Amazon’s cloud computing operations at a time when investors are seeking to understand whether AWS has enough capacity to meet the massive computational demand for artificial intelligence.
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It also shows that AWS is one of the largest tenants of the space Placement In the world, which indicates that the company has the flexibility to provide customers with a variety of services around the world.
“There are big data centers that everyone talks about, but the reality is that there are also these smaller, invisible cloud resources,” said Nick Penders, chief technical strategist at New Relic, which helps companies manage their technology infrastructure. – Cloud providers don’t want to tell you where they are located.
As of early 2024, AWS relies on more than 440 data centers. Placement. The company’s presence in some of these locations is designed to give customers the ability to quickly route data from their own servers — or those of other cloud providers — to Amazon’s infrastructure.
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Amazon’s approach to data centers “balances ownership with flexibility” and is driven by growing demand for AWS services, AWS spokeswoman Aisha Johnson said.
“While we own and operate the majority of our data centers, we strategically leverage third-party options when they provide additional capacity or geographic scale,” she said in an email statement. “This long-term planning approach allows us to make accurate decisions that align with our customers’ evolving needs.”
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AWS is the world’s largest seller of rented computing capabilities, although that lead is being challenged by competitors such as Microsoft and Google, which have seen their sales rise as AI services expand. However, Amazon’s cloud unit generated $33 billion in revenue in the third quarter, and remains the company’s most profitable division, contributing $11.4 billion to operating profits in the period.
Environmental groups and consumer advocates warn that the rapid expansion of data centers by Amazon and its largest competitors is straining electrical grids and extending the life of fossil fuel-powered plants.
Amazon has been the biggest corporate backer of renewable energy projects in recent years, as part of its goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. Meanwhile, its mega projects in places like Indiana and Mississippi are helping drive construction of new natural gas plants.