• About Us
  • Partnership Opportunities
  • Privacy Policy

Data Center Frontier

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing.

  • Cloud
    • Hyperscale
  • Colo
    • Site Selection
    • Interconnection
  • Energy
    • Sustainability
  • Cooling
  • Technology
    • Internet of Things
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Edge Computing
    • Virtual Reality
    • Autonomous Cars
    • 5G Wireless
    • Satellites
  • Design
    • Servers
    • Storage
    • Network
  • Voices
  • Podcast
  • White Papers
  • Resources
    • COVID-19
    • Events
    • Newsletter
    • Companies
    • Data Center 101
  • Jobs
You are here: Home / Edge Computing / DartPoints Maps Regional Strategy for Edge Computing Growth

DartPoints Maps Regional Strategy for Edge Computing Growth

By Rich Miller - July 29, 2020

DartPoints Maps Regional Strategy for Edge Computing Growth

Several concept drawings of DartPoint data centers. (Images: DartPoints)

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

DartPoints was one of the first service providers to target the market for edge computing. With a new capital partner and CEO, the company says it is ready to move ahead with its vision for a regional network of edge colocation centers.

Private equity firm Astra Capital Management recently acquired a majority interest in DartPoints, and says it will invest significant capital to create a network of regional edge infrastructure in the U.S.

“We’re going to have an aggressive deployment plan, and an aggressive acquisition plan,” said Scott Willis, the new President and CEO of DartPoints. “We’re looking for prospective targets that are good fit in our strategy.”

As a first step, DartPoints has expanded into Eastern Iowa, working with local telco South Slope Cooperative and IT service provider Aureon to deploy a carrier-neutral interconnection point in North Liberty, about 100 miles east of Des Moines. It is the first project outside Texas for DartPoints, which is based in Dallas.

There will be more to come. Astra has several investments in the IT and communications sector, and sees an opportunity in edge computing.

“They’re committed to investing in the (edge computing) space,” said Willis. “DartPoints is the initial platform, and we’re sharpening and clarifying our strategy. We’ve got a phased plan right now and a solid list of markets that are priorities.

“We’re looking for acquisition targets in these regional markets that will allow us to accelerate our strategy,” Willis continued. “We’re probably looking for smaller, pinpointed opportunities.”

Willis said DartPoints will focus on building its infrastructure in four regions of the U.S. – the Southwest, Southeast, Upper Midwest and Mid-Atlantic region. The company plans to steer clear of the Northeast and the West Coast. “Those are hyper-competitive markets,” he said. “The regions we’ve outlined represents about 30 of the 50 states.”

Building for the Present

DartPoints is among a number of providers targeting the edge computing sector as the emergence of the Internet of Things and AI reinforces the need for data centers in new places.

DartPoints began planning a distributed network of micro data centers in 2012, making it one of the early players in the edge computing sector. After slow growth in its early years, the company’s strategy has evolved amid growing interest in low-latency edge services.

Free Resource from Data Center Frontier White Paper Library

Gaming
From Console to Cloud
This white paper from Iron Mountain explores the current challenges, drivers, and opportunities for gaming digital infrastructure.
We always respect your privacy and we never sell or rent our list to third parties. By downloading this White Paper you are agreeing to our terms of service. You can opt out at any time.

Get this PDF emailed to you.

Although next-generation technologies like autonomous cars may drive the future of edge computing, Willis said DartPoints is ready to build for use cases of the present.

“You’ve got to build a business around the needs of today, not driverless cars or the applications that aren’t here yet,” he said. “We are bringing what hyperscale and Tier 1 (data center) providers are doing today, and bringing that into the tier two and three markets. Our goal is to keep data local, so that you don’t have to backhaul.”

Willis sees a three- to four-year rollout for DartPoints’ initial round of edge facilities, and says the pandemic is a factor in demand for data center services. The newly-distributed workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the case for edge computing, which extends data processing and storage closer to the growing universe of devices and sensors at the edge of the network.

“The dynamics in the market have shifted a little bit, and I think we’ll see an acceleration of the move towards edge,” said Willis. “COVID is an element of that

Not Just Modular Anymore

After initially focusing on a repeatable modular design with a standard form factor, Willis emphasizes that DartPoints is branching out and will offer a range of options for customers.

“(Modular) is an element of our portfolio,” said Willis. “We are going to deploy the asset that best serves a market. It might be modular, or it might be buying a building, or we might lease office space and build a hybrid. We’re going to identify the best solution for each situation.”

“We are vendor agnostic,” said Loren Long, “The capacity, customer and purpose will all drive what we deploy. There is no cookie-cutter form factor. The repeatable part of our model is the customer service they can expect. It’s about the capability and the ecosystem we’re creating.”

That ecosystem will include cooling specialist TMGcore, which recently launched a data center enclosure that uses robots to swap high-density servers immersed in coolant fluid. It’s one of the most ambitious efforts yet to create a “lights out” autonomous data center.

“We have an ecosystem of partners, and are creating a marketplace,” said Willis. “TMGcore is one of them. You’re going to see some more announcements, come out shortly.”

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

Tagged With: DartPoints, Edge Computing, Edge Data Centers

Newsletters

Stay informed: Get our weekly updates!

Are you a new reader? Follow Data Center Frontier on Twitter or Facebook.

About Rich Miller

I write about the places where the Internet lives, telling the story of data centers and the people who build them. I founded Data Center Knowledge, the data center industry's leading news site. Now I'm exploring the future of cloud computing at Data Center Frontier.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Voices of the Industry

Overcoming Supply Chain Roadblocks: How to Avoid Disruptions in Your Data Center

Overcoming Supply Chain Roadblocks: How to Avoid Disruptions in Your Data Center The data center industry continues to experience significant global supply chain problems. Brett Williams of Service Express, explores the importance of leveraging the secondary hardware market to overcome supply chain roadblocks.

White Papers

Government Data Centers

Federal and State Government Data Centers: Balancing Modernization and Servicing Imperatives

The purpose of this new Vertiv white paper is to help federal and state agency decision makers, including data center operations, IT, facilities and desktop technology managers, and communications room operators, consider whether to service new and existing equipment. Get the full report today.

Get this PDF emailed to you.

We always respect your privacy and we never sell or rent our list to third parties. By downloading this White Paper you are agreeing to our terms of service. You can opt out at any time.

DCF Spotlight

Data center modules on display at the recent Edge Congress conference in Austin, Texas. (Photo: Rich Miller)

Edge Computing is Poised to Remake the Data Center Landscape

Data center leaders are investing in edge computing and edge solutions and actively looking at new ways to deploy edge capacity to support evolving business and user requirements.

An aerial view of major facilities in Data Center Alley in Ashburn, Virginia. (Image: Loudoun County)

Northern Virginia Data Center Market: The Focal Point for Cloud Growth

The Northern Virginia data center market is seeing a surge in supply and an even bigger surge in demand. Data Center Frontier explores trends, stats and future expectations for the No. 1 data center market in the country.

See More Spotlight Features

Newsletters

Get the Latest News from Data Center Frontier

Job Listings

RSS Job Openings | Pkaza Critical Facilities Recruiting

  • Critical Power Energy Manager - Data Center Development - Ashburn, VA
  • Site Development Manager - Data Center - Ashburn, VA
  • Data Center Facility Operations Director - Chicago, IL
  • Electrical Engineer - Senior - Dallas, TX
  • Mechanical Commissioning Engineer - Calgary, Alberta

See More Jobs

Data Center 101

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Open Spectrum, brings our readers a series that provides an introductory guidebook to the ins and outs of the data center and colocation industry. Think power systems, cooling, solutions, data center contracts and more. The Data Center 101 Special Report series is directed to those new to the industry, or those of our readers who need to brush up on the basics.

  • Data Center Power
  • Data Center Cooling
  • Strategies for Data Center Location
  • Data Center Pricing Negotiating
  • Cloud Computing

See More Data center 101 Topics

About Us

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing. We write about what’s next for the Internet, and the innovations that will take us there. We tell the story of the digital economy through the data center facilities that power cloud computing and the people who build them. Read more ...
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Our Founder

Data Center Frontier is edited by Rich Miller, the data center industry’s most experienced journalist. For more than 20 years, Rich has profiled the key role played by data centers in the Internet revolution. Meet the DCF team.

TOPICS

  • 5G Wireless
  • Cloud
  • Colo
  • Connected Cars
  • Cooling
  • Cornerstone
  • Coronavirus
  • Design
  • Edge Computing
  • Energy
  • Executive Roundtable
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Hyperscale
  • Interconnection
  • Internet of Things
  • Machine Learning
  • Network
  • Podcast
  • Servers
  • Site Selection
  • Social Business
  • Special Reports
  • Storage
  • Sustainability
  • Videos
  • Virtual Reality
  • Voices of the Industry
  • Webinar
  • White Paper

Copyright Data Center Frontier LLC © 2022