• 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 / Cloud / Switch to Build Huge Data Center Campus at Dell HQ Near Austin

Switch to Build Huge Data Center Campus at Dell HQ Near Austin

By Rich Miller - June 2, 2021

Switch to Build Huge Data Center Campus at Dell HQ Near Austin

An illustration of the first data center buildings at Switch's new campus in Round Rock, Texas, which it has dubbed The ROCK. (Image: Switch)

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

Switch wants to be Big in Texas, and two locations are not enough. The data center developer has unveiled plans to build a 1.5 million square foot data center campus adjacent to the Dell Technologies global headquarters in Round Rock.

Last month Switch announced plans to enter the Texas market with the acquisition of Data Foundry for $420 million, which included existing data centers in Austin and Houston and land to expand in both sites.

Switch, a Las Vegas based digital infrastructure company, is super-sizing those plans with the addition of the new campus, which will be built on land it has acquired from Dell. Switch says the Round Rock operation will be the “primary location” of its fifth Prime – Switch’s term for a multi-building data center hub – data center hub, and will be called “The Rock.”

“This is another transformative milestone in the growth of our company to further expand our geographic diversity to the central region of the U.S.,” said Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy. “To be strategically located alongside the Dell Technologies global headquarters is an opportunity to continue broadening our offerings of the world’s most advanced data center infrastructure to current and future Switch clients.”

Preliminary plans call for Switch to build up to 125 megawatts of data centers on parcels of land bordering Dell’s HQ campus in Round Rock, a suburb about 15 miles north of Austin, and about 25 miles north of the Data Foundry campuses near the Austin airport.

Expanding a Partnership With Dell

The deal illustrates a growing trend for data center providers to work with corporate partners with substantial real estate holdings, creating new options for site selection and accelerated expansion into new markets.

Switch is already partnering with Dell and FedEx to create an edge computing network for enterprise customers, deployed Switch modular data centers on FedEx real estate, with Dell providing hardware and managed services. The land purchase and proximity of the new Switch campus create new opportunities between the two tech innovators.

“Since Dell was founded in 1984, we’ve seen Central Texas grow into a technology and innovation hub to the benefit of the entire community,” said Michael Dell, the CEO and Chairman of Dell Technologies. “With this agreement, we welcome Switch to a wonderful neighborhood and at the same time continue to expand our relationships with leading data center service providers.”

The Data Foundry acquisition provided Switch with properties capable of delivering over 500,000 square feet and 60 megawatts in Austin and Houston. With the new land buys in Round Rock, Switch’s Texas presence can scale to more than 2 million square feet and 185 megawatts of power upon completion.

Switch operates one of the largest cloud campuses in the world at its Las Vegas CORE Campus, where Roy introduced pioneering concepts in high-density cooling and aisle containment, as well as custom multi-mode cooling systems. The company has added three more purpose-built campuses – the Citadel Campus in Reno, the Pyramid Campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Keep Campus in Atlanta.

Switch expects to begin site preparation and permitting at The Rock Campus in the summer of 2021, and says it intends to continue its industry-leading commitment to sustainability by powering these facilities with 100 percent renewable energy.

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

Tagged With: Austin, Dell Technologies, switch, Switch 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

Mitigate Risk, Improve Performance and Decrease Operating Expenses through Data Center Self-Performance

Mitigate Risk, Improve Performance and Decrease Operating Expenses through Data Center Self-Performance If a vendor conducts the actual work in your data center, then you or your operator aren’t maximizing your current operating resources and are experiencing incremental cost and risk. Chad Giddings of BCS Data Center Operations, explains the importance of your data center provider having a high-degree of self-performance.

White Papers

Minneapolis data center markets

Data Center in Minneapolis?

Tax incentives and relatively low electricity costs are just two of the factors driving growth in the Minneapolis data center market. A new white paper from Stream Data Centers outlines 5 reasons why data center providers should consider the Minneapolis market.

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

  • Electrical Commissioning Engineer - Los Angeles, CA
  • Data Center Construction Project Manager - Ashburn, VA
  • Critical Power Energy Manager - Data Center Development - Dallas, TX
  • Data Center Facilities Operations VP - Seattle, WA
  • Senior Electrical Engineer - Data Center - Dallas, TX

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 Endeavor Business Media© 2022