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Amazon’s data center network surpasses 900 facilities worldwide

Summarize

Expansion strategy

AWS’s global presence and capacity

The documents reveal that AWS’s global footprint is not just limited to its own massive data center hubs.
The cloud unit also operates in hundreds of colocation facilities, which contribute about 20% of its computing power.
These rented data centers are usually shared among different clients and can range from a few server racks in a dedicated room to occupying entire buildings in cities like Frankfurt and Tokyo.

Infrastructure details

AWS’s colocation and edge locations

As of early 2024, AWS was using over 440 colocation data centers.
The company also had over 220 additional rented “edge” locations, which are network access points close to major cities, often within third-party telecommunications hubs.
These sites allow customers to quickly transfer data from their own servers or those of other cloud providers onto Amazon’s infrastructure.

Strategic balance

AWS’s data center strategy and market position

AWS spokesperson Aisha Johnson said Amazon’s data center strategy “balances ownership with flexibility,” driven by the rising demand for AWS services.
She added that while the company owns and operates most of its data centers, it strategically uses third-party options when they provide additional capacity or geographic reach.
Despite competition from Microsoft and Google‘s AI services, Amazon’s cloud unit generated $33 billion in revenue in Q3, making it the company’s most profitable division with an operating income of $11.4 billion.

Market influence

AWS’s global reach and colocation partnerships

When an AWS customer rents computing power from Amazon, they do so from any of 38 regions around the world.
Each region is powered by at least three data centers, further dividing Amazon’s network into what the company calls availability zones.
Amazon partners with at least 180 different entities in its colocation arrangements, including Equinix Inc., NTT Inc., and Markley, which operates a data center in Boston.

Sustainability concerns

AWS’s energy consumption and environmental impact

Environmental groups have raised concerns over the rapid data center expansion by Amazon and other tech giants, saying it is straining electricity grids and extending the lifespan of fossil-fuel power plants.
However, Amazon has been a major corporate supporter of renewable energy projects in recent years as part of its goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The company is investing billions of dollars in carbon-free energy projects, including renewables.