When you picture today’s cloud infrastructure, you’re probably imagining an urban center with neon signs, sleek cars, and more. The truth is a bit more surprising: one of the densest locations of data centers hosting today’s cloud is actually in Northern Virginia, in the United States. Loudoun County, home to the city of Ashburn, is a picturesque blend of rural beauty and suburban development.
Over the last 20 years, Loudon County, Virginia, has famously become “Data Center Alley,” with one of the highest densities of data centers in the world. This makes it one of the most popular locations for cloud services. If you are looking for Virginia cloud services, Ashburn is the place.
In fact, NetActuate’s 2023 ITDM Global Network and Infrastructure Outlook Report found that US East locations, including Ashburn, were currently deployed to by 60% of all respondents. Another 43% planned to expand there in the coming years. If you are looking to launch or grow your footprint in Ashburn, we invite you to learn more about NetActuate’s current Virginia cloud services, including VMs, bare metal, colocation, and more.
So why Loudon County? According to Loudon County’s Economic Development website:
- 3,500 different technology companies host equipment in data centers in Loudon County
- There are more than 25 million square feet of data centers, and more being added every day
- In 13 years, there hasn’t been a single day without data center construction
Loudon County is a Strategic US East Location
Loudoun County has become a very strategic and popular location for infrastructure and cloud services. It is located just miles from Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Close proximity to so many government agencies and major businesses provides customers in Ashburn rapid access to a dense and diverse range of end users. The county also has invested heavily in extensive fiber-optic infrastructure and connectivity, which allow for high speed data transfers between facilities, to and from the capital, as well as nearby regional markets.
Unparalleled Data Center Density, and Home to Major Providers
An extraordinary number of data centers are in Loudoun County. Inside of just Ashburn’s 15 square miles, there are a whopping 54 data centers, according to Data Center Map. Some of the world’s largest technology companies, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google own data centers there. The county’s dedication to supporting data center development include a six-percent sales and use tax exemption on servers, generators, chillers, and server-related equipment.
One of the Best-Connected Locations in the US
Cloud services rely on robust network infrastructure to be fast and reliable. Loudoun County has built a vast network of high-capacity fiber-optic cables, making it one of the best-connected regions in the United States. The massive bandwidth these cables provide allow data to travel quickly and efficiently between data centers, businesses, and consumers, ensuring that Virginia cloud services remain stable and responsive.
Looking for Virginia cloud services? Ashburn is a great choice
Loudoun County has become the beating heart of today’s cloud computing industry. Its strategic location, data center density, and fiber-optic connectivity have combined to make it a global epicenter for cloud technology. As the cloud continues to grow and evolve, Loudoun County will remain a vital player, shaping the digital landscape of the future.
If you’d like to learn more about NetActuate’s services in Virginia, check out our Ashburn data center or schedule a call with an infrastructure engineer today.