Startups offering micro data center solutions are filling the void created by growing demand to process data closer to the network edge.

FREMONT, CA: Once upon a time, a corporate data center included software and hardware from a handful of pioneering companies and no one else. But today, there is a major revolution going on. Enterprises are shipping more and more data to the cloud, and are developing a complete IT infrastructure within a stand-alone, secure enclosure for protection of critical business data by building what is known as micro data centers. Over the last few months, microdata centers have emerged as a technology of choice for helping to manage the growing computing needs across edge environments. Microdata center solutions can be used to simplify core business challenges. Below is a list of 8 startups intending to drop micro data centers at the base of every tower they can gain access to.

• Axellio

Axellio has twenty years of experience in innovating enterprise IT infrastructure systems and solutions, providing the highest reliability, quality, service standards, and system performance enterprise infrastructure. Axellio’s FX-MicroDataCenter removes the sprawling servers, switches, and SANs into one small footprint. Whether an enterprise environment needs GPU, CPU, RAM, or storage to excel, FX-MicroDataCenter can handle the data storing and processing needs. Firms can ingest and analyze more data than ever before with Axellio, often revealing business intelligence that is previously unimaginable.

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• Compass Datacenters

Compass entered the data center market in 2018. The company has developed Edgepoint data centers to provide companies with a powerful platform to support the edge and network extension activities. Edgepoint units are available to support firms’ need to do anything from extending the network to adding new revenue-generating capabilities and services while preserving firms’ in-place investment. Using Compass’ own advanced monitoring and control capabilities, firms can have the ability to view the status of critical functions of each Edgepoint unit and reduce the cost of unit maintenance by performing maintenance operation through a single pane central console. Edgepoint edge data centers are rapidly deployable and can be located anywhere, including firms’ existing locations, easements, and rooftops.

• DartPoints

Understanding the requirement of a full ecosystem approach to enable customers to connect at the micro-edge, DartPoints has assembled a consortium of the leaders in connectivity, internet and cloud exchange, and server infrastructure that can deliver any of the services required at the edge. DartPoints has experience in deploying and operating micro edge data centers in several locations. DartPoints micro data center solution provides flexible components that allow customers to choose those capabilities they require to meet their objectives. DartPoints brings with it critical infrastructure expertise to manage the micro-edge data centers, ad multiple levels of hands-on, remote and augmented technical services to handle their customers' deployment and operations at their sites. DartPoints is revolutionizing the way companies leverage data center services that integrate current and next-generation technologies. 

• EdgeConneX

EdgeConneX builds and operates highly-proximate, high-powered, purpose-built data centers developed to the optimal size, power, and location requirements for any deployments anywhere in the world. The company offers a full range of data center solutions, and it has the experience in delivering the demand at any scale, in any market rapidly. As every customer is different and they define edge differently, EdgeConneX works with its customers to identify and respond to their unique business requirements. 

• EdgeMicro   

EdgeMicro enables the future mobile internet by allowing content, computation, and connectivity to occur at the extreme network edge. It helps deploy micro data centers that merge Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Content Providers (CPs) at the edge to improve customer experience and reduce customer churn. With EdgeMicro’s tower-based data center solutions, end users can have immediate access to the most critical content. After successfully launching its first micro data center in Denver, the startup recently announced that it has three more microdata centers up and running in new regional markets.

• MetroEdge

MetroEdge is focused on building state-of-the-art, high-performing, micro-scalable data center computing facilities in urban and metro areas. This solves low latency data transmission needs of the evolving IoT industry, smart cities, and advancing autonomous vehicle needs as well. MicroEdge’s micro data center product is a modular unit that can be deployed in office buildings, college campuses, and industrial sites. This startup intends to use software-defined networking to connect micro data centers to its NOC and link them together into a nationwide grid.

• Scale Matrix

By rethinking how a data center works, Scale Matrix has developed future-proofed colocation and high-performance cloud services, which will deliver firms a competitive edge in today’s changing IT landscape. With adding Instant Data Centers, ScaleMatrix has extended its edge portfolio and is able to aim edge use cases where conventional datacenter resources are scarce. With the acquisition of micro-data-center provider, Instant Data Centers, ScaleMatrix is now able to drop a micro data center into environments, including remote and harsh environments.

• Vapor IO

Founded by industry experts with deep domain expertise in edge computing, data centers, and infrastructure management, Vapor IO provides the industry’s first infrastructure edge computing solution. Its Kinetic Edge is a new kind of infrastructure architecture that uses software and high-speed connectivity to combine multiple micro data center facilities into a single logical data center. For developers and operators, this presents a geographically-dispersed collection of micro data centers as a unique virtual facility with multiple availability zones.

The global micro data center market is growing with the rising adoption of modular storage solution centers for SMBs and enterprises. This expanded market opportunity is leading to the mushrooming of micro data center startups. The innovative solutions offered by these entrants are anticipated to impact the micro data center market over the coming years positively.