Waters Rankings 2014: Best Datacenter Provider — Equinix

Redwood City, Calif.-based Equinix is one such operator, and it is no surprise that it has once again emerged top in the best datacenter provider category in the Waters Rankings. The firm’s International Business Exchange (IBX) facilities can be found in 32 markets across 15 countries. It has multiple points of presence in global financial centers, including London and its surrounding areas, New York, Tokyo, Singapore, Frankfurt and Chicago. It offers co-location services for those firms that rely on being the fastest, with a variety of scaled options relating to rack and cabinet set-up, power requirements, and more esoteric demands. Its IBFlex service line ensures that firms’ repair parts are located close to datacenters where they need to be, and even its support operations staff is optimally located through the use of pooled facilities.

But in an age where security is king, Equinix leads the market. It has multiple entry protocols that need to be negotiated before visitors can even get near server rooms, temperature-controlled facilities with advanced fire detection and prevention functions, and individual cages and unbranded buildings with blast-proof doors that conform to local seismic guidelines. Once firms become Equinix clients, they can benefit from a variety of neighboring providers and contemporaries in Equinix’s ecosystem, including 450 cloud providers, 600 service providers, 480 financial services firms, and 975 networks.

Moreover, the company has continued to stay on top of market trends and has advanced services in a number of areas. Recent examples include the launch of its cloud exchange in Asia, providing support for firms utilizing hybrid cloud models, while partnerships with Microsoft and other third-party technology providers expand its cloud credentials. On the environmental side, Equinix is justifiably proud of its efforts to build and run “green” datacenters, illustrated by its recent sustainability award for the work relating to the AM3 datacenter in Amsterdam. 

“We’re delighted with this award, which recognizes our continued efforts to deliver world-leading solutions to the financial services community. The past several years have seen dramatic changes in the financial industry, and datacenter strategies have become central to realizing business objectives as these facilities become ever more valuable sources of both revenue generation and cost efficiencies for market participants.” —Stewart Orrell, managing director of global financial services, Equinix