Switzerland Data Center Market Analysis
The Switzerland Data Center Market size is estimated at 578.3 MW in 2025, and is expected to reach 700.6 MW by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.91%. Further, the market is expected to generate colocation revenue of USD 638.1 Million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 964 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.60% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
Switzerland's data center landscape is experiencing significant transformation driven by rapid digitalization across industries. The country's position as a major financial hub and its strong focus on data security have made it an attractive destination for data center investments. The adoption of cloud services has reached unprecedented levels, with 95% of companies implementing cloud data center solutions by 2022, while cloud expenditure has already surpassed CHF 4.93 billion. This widespread cloud adoption has created a robust ecosystem for data center operators, particularly in key metropolitan areas like Zurich, which serves as the primary hub for data center development.
The market is witnessing substantial infrastructure expansion through new facility developments and modernization initiatives. In January 2023, Green Data Center launched a new facility in Zurich's Dielsdorf neighborhood, demonstrating the market's growth trajectory. The construction of buildings N and O commenced in early 2023, reflecting the increasing demand for modern data center infrastructure. These developments are particularly focused on supporting the digital transformation of various sectors, including financial services, healthcare, and telecommunications, while maintaining Switzerland's reputation for high-quality infrastructure and operational excellence.
Social media and digital content consumption are driving significant demand for data center services in Switzerland. The country recorded 7.54 million social media users in 2022, representing 86.2% of the population, while major platforms like YouTube.com attracted approximately 273.8 million monthly visits. This digital consumption trend has prompted data center operators to enhance their capabilities in content delivery and edge computing, ensuring optimal performance for content-heavy applications and streaming services. The market is responding with increased investments in high-density computing solutions and enhanced connectivity options.
The Swiss startup ecosystem is playing a crucial role in shaping the Switzerland data centers market's evolution. In 2022, Swiss startups received record funding of CHF 3.4 billion, indicating strong growth in technology-driven enterprises. This surge in startup activity, particularly in fintech, healthcare technology, and artificial intelligence sectors, is driving demand for flexible and scalable data center solutions. The market is adapting by offering more diverse colocation options and enhanced connectivity services, with approximately 90% of homes and companies now connected to ultra-fast broadband services, enabling efficient access to cloud and data center resources.
Switzerland Data Center Market Trends
Increasing consumption of data in social media usage, video-on-demand and online gaming drives the demand for market
- The total data traffic per smartphone in the country is expected to witness a CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period to reach a value of 44.5 GB by 2029. The consumption of data by multiple end users motivates this trend. For instance, as of 2021, in Switzerland, time spent on the internet was 3.6 hours per day by young people, and the average time spent on smartphones was 2 hours and 29 minutes per day. Considering the above factors, such as an increase in data consumption, time spent on smartphones, and growth of digitalization across all end users, leads to the rise of data traffic per smartphone.
- The growing average data volume due to rising OTT subscription numbers for smartphones and mobile gaming is further driving the demand for data processing and storage facilities for the live streaming of games and video content. In 2020, 42% of Swiss consumers accessed pay-per-view video-on-demand services like Netflix, Swisscom TV, and Amazon Prime. This represented an increase of 33% over the prior year, 2019.
- The mobile games business has tremendous growth potential in the coming year, despite already being the largest video game segment. The mobile gaming phenomenon Pokémon Go, games like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and Nintendo's expanding support for mobile games are key growth drivers for the industry. Additionally, the expansion of the market is greatly influenced by the mobile versions of the well-known online games Fortnite and PUBG. Thus, the needs of the end users are changing, and the demand for more data storage contributes to the growth of the data center market in Switzerland.
Rising smartphone ownership and increase in number of app downloads boost the market growth
- The total number of smartphone users in the country is expected to witness a CAGR of 1.6% during the forecast period to reach a value of 9 million by 2029. Digital usage is expanding rapidly in Switzerland. Consumer behavior has been impacted by the quick adoption of the internet and smartphone technology in various businesses. For instance, purchasing power parity (PPP) increased from USD 68.8 thousand in 2016 to USD 71 thousand in 2021. As a result, more people can purchase smartphones, which results in a growing number of smartphone users.
- The internet penetration of the country increased from 89% in 2016 to 96% in 2021, while at the same time, the number of smartphone users increased from 6.9 million in 2016 to 7.9 million in 2021. Owing to such extensive use, digital payment services were promoted, and their application increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Due to its high GDP and location between France, Italy, and Germany, Switzerland has a significant market for luxury goods and a high demand for cross-border e-commerce. Cash is still common, while cards are frequently used in Switzerland. Invoices are famous for e-commerce payments, while TWINT is a new and increasingly popular local payment method with 3 million users. Used for both e-commerce and at the point of sale, TWINT combines mobile payments with QR technology, which is predicted to have a long-term impact on the market. The rising use of smartphones in the Swiss market results in a constant increase in data, necessitating an increase in storage space and data centers must manage the sheer amount of data. Thus, the requirement for racks in Swiss data centers may increase as the number of smartphone users rises.
OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Increasing network investments to expand 5G network by provider such as Ericsson and increase in online service is boosting the market demand
- Increasing fiber cable network across country with increasing investments by provider such as Lumen Technologies leads to the growth in the market
- Surge in the usage of FTTx and FTTTH in household and enterprises is boosting the market demand
Segment Analysis: Data Center Size
Massive Segment in Switzerland Data Center Market
The massive segment dominates the Switzerland data center market, holding approximately 35% market share in 2024, with an IT load capacity of around 188 MW. This segment consists of eight data center facilities primarily concentrated in Zurich, with major players like STACK INFRASTRUCTURE leading with 39 MW capacity, followed by Green Datacenter with 27.6 MW and Zugernet with 23.5 MW. The segment's prominence is driven by the growing demand for cloud services and e-commerce applications, requiring substantial processing power and storage capabilities. The massive segment is also experiencing the fastest growth trajectory, projected to expand at approximately 6% through 2029, driven by increasing digitalization across industries and the rising adoption of cloud computing services. This growth is further supported by several planned expansions, with more than 70 MW of new capacity expected in Zurich and 21 MW in other regions during the forecast period.

Medium Segment in Switzerland Data Center Market
The medium segment represents a significant portion of the Swiss data center landscape, with around 24 facilities spread across various locations. These facilities cater to diverse business requirements and demonstrate strong operational efficiency with varying tier certifications - approximately 61% being Tier 3 certified, 30% Tier 4 certified, and 9% having Tier 1&2 certification. Notable facilities in this segment include ewl energie wasser luzern data center with 13.2 MW capacity, Equinix Inc. with 7.86 MW across three facilities, and NTS Workspace AG with 8 MW. The segment's growth is supported by increasing demand from regional businesses and the strategic positioning of facilities across key business hubs, ensuring reliable data center services for medium-sized enterprises and organizations requiring scalable infrastructure solutions.
Remaining Segments in Data Center Size Market
The large and small segments complete the Swiss data center market landscape, each serving distinct market needs. The large segment maintains a significant presence with 23 facilities, primarily concentrated in strategic locations like Zurich, Munchenstein, and Geneva, offering comprehensive solutions for enterprises requiring substantial computing resources. Meanwhile, the small segment caters to specialized requirements and niche markets, with facilities operated by companies like Aspectra AG, SWISS DATALINK AG, and BitHawk AG. These segments play crucial roles in providing diverse options for businesses with varying infrastructure needs, from specialized small-scale operations to large enterprise deployments, contributing to the overall robustness of Switzerland's data center ecosystem.
Segment Analysis: Tier Type
Tier 3 Segment in Switzerland Data Center Market
The Tier 3 segment dominates the Switzerland data center market, commanding approximately 75% market share in 2024. This significant market presence is attributed to the segment's optimal balance between reliability and cost-effectiveness for most enterprise applications. Currently, there are over 54 Tier 3 certified data center facilities operating across Switzerland, with a particularly strong concentration in Zurich holding nearly 66% of these facilities. The segment's prominence is further reinforced by major industry players like Green Datacenter, Equinix Inc., and NorthC who continue to expand their Tier 3 facilities, particularly focusing on the development of new data center infrastructure in both Zurich and other Swiss regions to meet the growing demand for reliable data center services.
Tier 4 Segment in Switzerland Data Center Market
The Tier 4 segment is experiencing remarkable growth in the Switzerland data center market, projected to expand at approximately 15% CAGR from 2024 to 2029. This substantial growth is driven by increasing demand for fault-tolerant facilities from financial institutions, government agencies, and large enterprises requiring the highest levels of data center reliability. The segment's expansion is supported by significant investments from key market players, with several new Tier 4 facilities under development. These new facilities are incorporating advanced technologies and redundancy features to ensure maximum uptime and reliability, catering to the growing needs of businesses handling mission-critical operations and sensitive data processing requirements.
Remaining Segments in Tier Type Segmentation
The Tier 1 and Tier 2 segments represent the basic level of data center infrastructure in the Swiss market. These segments primarily serve small-scale operations and organizations with less demanding reliability requirements. However, these lower-tier facilities are experiencing minimal growth as businesses increasingly migrate towards higher-tier facilities for better reliability and performance. The limited expansion of Tier 1 and 2 facilities reflects the market's overall shift towards more sophisticated data center infrastructure, with most new developments focusing on higher tier certifications to meet evolving business requirements and industry standards.
Segment Analysis: Absorption
Retail Segment in Swiss Data Center Market
The retail segment maintains its dominant position in the Swiss data center market, accounting for approximately 25% of the total IT load capacity in 2024. This segment primarily caters to small-scale businesses and startups operating in the media, communication, and information industries, with typical contract lengths ranging from one to three years and deal sizes between 5-250 KW. The segment's strength is driven by Switzerland's robust SME ecosystem and growing startup landscape, particularly in sectors like fintech, healthcare technology, and digital services. The retail colocation data center services are particularly attractive to businesses seeking flexible infrastructure solutions without significant capital investments, while benefiting from professional data center management and security services.
Hyperscale Segment in Swiss Data Center Market
The hyperscale segment is experiencing remarkable growth in the Swiss data center market, projected to expand at approximately 16% during 2024-2029. This explosive growth is driven by increasing demand from cloud service providers, large enterprises, and government organizations requiring fault-tolerant facilities capable of handling consistently high traffic and processing demands. The segment's expansion is further fueled by Switzerland's position as a key financial hub and the growing adoption of cloud services across industries. The surge in digital content consumption, coupled with the widespread penetration of internet services and consumer electronics, continues to drive the demand for hyperscale facilities across the region.
Remaining Segments in Data Center Absorption Market
The non-utilized and wholesale segments complete the Swiss data center absorption market landscape. The non-utilized segment represents available capacity in data center facilities that provides flexibility for future expansion and helps maintain market equilibrium. The wholesale segment serves as a middle ground between retail and hyperscale offerings, catering to medium to large enterprises requiring significant data center space but not at hyperscale levels. These segments play crucial roles in maintaining market diversity and ensuring that various business needs across different scales of operation are effectively met within the Swiss data center ecosystem.
Switzerland Data Center Industry Overview
Top Companies in Switzerland Data Center Market
The Swiss data center market is characterized by significant investments in data center infrastructure expansion and technological advancement by leading players. Companies are actively pursuing sustainability initiatives, with many operators focusing on green energy options and carbon-neutral operations through innovative cooling systems and renewable power sources. Strategic facility locations near business hubs and the implementation of advanced security measures have become key differentiators. Operators are increasingly offering customizable data center solutions, from basic design to specialized configurations, while expanding their interconnection capabilities through partnerships with major cloud providers. The market has seen a strong push toward carrier-neutral facilities and enhanced connectivity options, with providers developing comprehensive product portfolios spanning colocation, cloud connect, and managed services to meet evolving customer demands.
Market Dominated by Global Infrastructure Specialists
The Swiss data center market landscape exhibits a mix of global infrastructure providers and specialized local operators, with international players holding significant market share through their established presence in key metropolitan areas. The market structure shows moderate consolidation, with major global operators leveraging their extensive experience and financial resources to expand their footprint through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. These established players have created high barriers to entry through their sophisticated infrastructure networks and long-standing relationships with key clients in the financial services and technology sectors.
The market has witnessed several strategic acquisitions and partnerships, particularly targeting facilities in prime locations near financial centers and technology hubs. Global operators have shown particular interest in acquiring local providers to gain immediate market access and established customer relationships. This consolidation trend is driven by the need to achieve economies of scale, expand geographic coverage, and enhance service offerings to meet the sophisticated demands of Swiss enterprises and international clients requiring high-reliability data center solutions.
Innovation and Sustainability Drive Future Growth
Success in the Swiss data center market increasingly depends on operators' ability to deliver sustainable, energy-efficient solutions while maintaining high reliability and security standards. Providers must focus on developing innovative cooling technologies, implementing renewable energy solutions, and offering flexible scaling options to meet varying customer requirements. The ability to provide seamless hybrid and multi-cloud connectivity, coupled with advanced security features and compliance with strict Swiss data protection regulations, will be crucial for maintaining competitive advantage and capturing market share.
Market participants must also consider the growing importance of edge computing capabilities and the need for specialized solutions catering to specific industry verticals. Future success will depend on building strong partnerships with cloud providers, telecommunications companies, and technology vendors while maintaining operational excellence through automated data center management systems and predictive maintenance capabilities. Companies that can effectively balance these factors while maintaining cost competitiveness and service quality will be best positioned to capture growth opportunities in this evolving market landscape.
Switzerland Data Center Market Leaders
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Equinix Inc.
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EXA Infrastructure
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Green Datacenter
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Interxion (Digital Reality Trust Inc.)
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NTT Ltd
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Switzerland Data Center Market News
- January 2023: A new data center facility was opened in Zurich's Dielsdorf neighborhood owing to Swiss data center operator Green. On a 46,000 sq. m (495,150 sq. ft) site, the Zurich Metro campus will eventually consist of three buildings (M, N, and O).
- September 2022: In Zurich, Switzerland, Equinix expanded the size of one of its data centers. An extra 850 sq. m (9,150 sq. f) of whitespace and more than 200 cabinets were added to the colocation giant's ZH4 IBX.
- June 2022: The second data center in Zurich will be erected in the Beringen industrial district, on the site of a former tennis club, according to STACK Infrastructure ("STACK"), the digital infrastructure partner of the enterprises and a global developer and operator of data centers.
Free With This Report
We provide a complimentary and exhaustive set of data points on the country and regional level metrics that present the fundamental structure of the industry. Presented in the form of 50+ free charts, the sections cover difficult to find data on various countries on smartphone users, data traffic per smartphone, mobile and broadband data speed, fiber connectivity network, and submarine cables.
Switzerland Data Center Market Report - Table of Contents
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & KEY FINDINGS
2. REPORT OFFERS
3. INTRODUCTION
- 3.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition
- 3.2 Scope of the Study
- 3.3 Research Methodology
4. MARKET OUTLOOK
- 4.1 It Load Capacity
- 4.2 Raised Floor Space
- 4.3 Colocation Revenue
- 4.4 Installed Racks
- 4.5 Rack Space Utilization
- 4.6 Submarine Cable
5. Key Industry Trends
- 5.1 Smartphone Users
- 5.2 Data Traffic Per Smartphone
- 5.3 Mobile Data Speed
- 5.4 Broadband Data Speed
- 5.5 Fiber Connectivity Network
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5.6 Regulatory Framework
- 5.6.1 Switzerland
- 5.7 Value Chain & Distribution Channel Analysis
6. MARKET SEGMENTATION (INCLUDES MARKET SIZE IN VOLUME, FORECASTS UP TO 2030 AND ANALYSIS OF GROWTH PROSPECTS)
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6.1 Hotspot
- 6.1.1 Zurich
- 6.1.2 Rest of Switzerland
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6.2 Data Center Size
- 6.2.1 Large
- 6.2.2 Massive
- 6.2.3 Medium
- 6.2.4 Small
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6.3 Tier Type
- 6.3.1 Tier 1 and 2
- 6.3.2 Tier 3
- 6.3.3 Tier 4
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6.4 Absorption
- 6.4.1 Non-Utilized
- 6.4.2 Utilized
- 6.4.2.1 By Colocation Type
- 6.4.2.1.1 Hyperscale
- 6.4.2.1.2 Retail
- 6.4.2.1.3 Wholesale
- 6.4.2.2 By End User
- 6.4.2.2.1 BFSI
- 6.4.2.2.2 Cloud
- 6.4.2.2.3 E-Commerce
- 6.4.2.2.4 Government
- 6.4.2.2.5 Manufacturing
- 6.4.2.2.6 Media & Entertainment
- 6.4.2.2.7 Telecom
- 6.4.2.2.8 Other End User
7. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
- 7.1 Market Share Analysis
- 7.2 Company Landscape
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7.3 Company Profiles (includes Global Level Overview, Market Level Overview, Core Business Segments, Financials, Headcount, Key Information, Market Rank, Market Share, Products and Services, and Analysis of Recent Developments).
- 7.3.1 DATAWIRE AG
- 7.3.2 Equinix Inc.
- 7.3.3 ewl Energie Wasser Luzern Holding AG
- 7.3.4 EXA Infrastructure
- 7.3.5 Green Datacenter
- 7.3.6 Interxion (Digital Reality Trust Inc.)
- 7.3.7 NorthC Datacenters III BV
- 7.3.8 NTS Workspace AG
- 7.3.9 NTT Ltd
- 7.3.10 Stack Infrastructure Inc.
- 7.3.11 Vantage Data Centers LLC
- 7.3.12 Zugernet (Acdalis AG)
- 7.4 LIST OF COMPANIES STUDIED
8. KEY STRATEGIC QUESTIONS FOR DATA CENTER CEOS
9. APPENDIX
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9.1 Global Overview
- 9.1.1 Overview
- 9.1.2 Porter’s Five Forces Framework
- 9.1.3 Global Value Chain Analysis
- 9.1.4 Global Market Size and DROs
- 9.2 Sources & References
- 9.3 List of Tables & Figures
- 9.4 Primary Insights
- 9.5 Data Pack
- 9.6 Glossary of Terms
List of Tables & Figures
- Figure 1:
- VOLUME OF IT LOAD CAPACITY, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 2:
- VOLUME OF RAISED FLOOR AREA, SQ.FT. ('000), SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 3:
- VALUE OF COLOCATION REVENUE, USD MILLION, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 4:
- VOLUME OF INSTALLED RACKS, NUMBER, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 5:
- RACK SPACE UTILIZATION, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 6:
- COUNT OF SMARTPHONE USERS, IN MILLION, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 7:
- DATA TRAFFIC PER SMARTPHONE, GB, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 8:
- AVERAGE MOBILE DATA SPEED, MBPS, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 9:
- AVERAGE BROADBAND SPEED, MBPS, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 10:
- LENGTH OF FIBER CONNECTIVITY NETWORK, KILOMETER, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 11:
- VOLUME OF IT LOAD CAPACITY, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 12:
- VOLUME OF HOTSPOT, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 13:
- VOLUME SHARE OF HOTSPOT, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 14:
- VOLUME SIZE OF ZURICH, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 15:
- VOLUME SHARE OF ZURICH, MW, HOTSPOT, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 16:
- VOLUME SIZE OF REST OF SWITZERLAND, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 17:
- VOLUME SHARE OF REST OF SWITZERLAND, MW, HOTSPOT, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 18:
- VOLUME OF DATA CENTER SIZE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 19:
- VOLUME SHARE OF DATA CENTER SIZE, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 20:
- VOLUME SIZE OF LARGE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 21:
- VOLUME SIZE OF MASSIVE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 22:
- VOLUME SIZE OF MEDIUM, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 23:
- VOLUME SIZE OF SMALL, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 24:
- VOLUME OF TIER TYPE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 25:
- VOLUME SHARE OF TIER TYPE, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 26:
- VOLUME SIZE OF TIER 1 AND 2, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 27:
- VOLUME SIZE OF TIER 3, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 28:
- VOLUME SIZE OF TIER 4, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 29:
- VOLUME OF ABSORPTION, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 30:
- VOLUME SHARE OF ABSORPTION, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 31:
- VOLUME SIZE OF NON-UTILIZED, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 32:
- VOLUME OF COLOCATION TYPE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 33:
- VOLUME SHARE OF COLOCATION TYPE, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 34:
- VOLUME SIZE OF HYPERSCALE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 35:
- VOLUME SIZE OF RETAIL, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 36:
- VOLUME SIZE OF WHOLESALE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 37:
- VOLUME OF END USER, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 38:
- VOLUME SHARE OF END USER, %, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 39:
- VOLUME SIZE OF BFSI, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 40:
- VOLUME SIZE OF CLOUD, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 41:
- VOLUME SIZE OF E-COMMERCE, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 42:
- VOLUME SIZE OF GOVERNMENT, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 43:
- VOLUME SIZE OF MANUFACTURING, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 44:
- VOLUME SIZE OF MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 45:
- VOLUME SIZE OF TELECOM, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 46:
- VOLUME SIZE OF OTHER END USER, MW, SWITZERLAND, 2018 - 2030
- Figure 47:
- VOLUME SHARE OF MAJOR PLAYERS, %, SWITZERLAND
Switzerland Data Center Industry Segmentation
Zurich are covered as segments by Hotspot. Large, Massive, Medium, Small are covered as segments by Data Center Size. Tier 1 and 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 are covered as segments by Tier Type. Non-Utilized, Utilized are covered as segments by Absorption.Hotspot | Zurich | |||
Rest of Switzerland | ||||
Data Center Size | Large | |||
Massive | ||||
Medium | ||||
Small | ||||
Tier Type | Tier 1 and 2 | |||
Tier 3 | ||||
Tier 4 | ||||
Absorption | Non-Utilized | |||
Utilized | By Colocation Type | Hyperscale | ||
Retail | ||||
Wholesale | ||||
By End User | BFSI | |||
Cloud | ||||
E-Commerce | ||||
Government | ||||
Manufacturing | ||||
Media & Entertainment | ||||
Telecom | ||||
Other End User |
Market Definition
- IT LOAD CAPACITY - The IT load capacity or installed capacity, refers to the amount of energy consumed by servers and network equipments placed in a rack installed. It is measured in megawatt (MW).
- ABSORPTION RATE - It denotes the extend to which the data center capacity has been leased out. For instance, a 100 MW DC has leased out 75 MW, then absorption rate would be 75%. It is also referred as utilization rate and leased-out capacity.
- RAISED FLOOR SPACE - It is an elevated space build over the floor. This gap between the original floor and the elevated floor is used to accommodate wiring, cooling, and other data center equipment. This arrangement assist in having proper wiring and cooling infrastructure. It is measured in square feet (ft^2).
- DATA CENTER SIZE - Data Center Size is segmented based on the raised floor space allocated to the data center facilities. Mega DC - # of Racks must be more than 9000 or RFS (raised floor space) must be more than 225001 Sq. ft; Massive DC - # of Racks must be in between 9000 and 3001 or RFS must be in between 225000 Sq. ft and 75001 Sq. ft; Large DC - # of Racks must be in between 3000 and 801 or RFS must be in between 75000 Sq. ft and 20001 Sq. ft; Medium DC # of Racks must be in between 800 and 201 or RFS must be in between 20000 Sq. ft and 5001 Sq. ft; Small DC - # of Racks must be less than 200 or RFS must be less than 5000 Sq. ft.
- TIER TYPE - According to Uptime Institute the data centers are classified into four tiers based on the proficiencies of redundant equipment of the data center infrastructure. In this segment the data center are segmented as Tier 1,Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4.
- COLOCATION TYPE - The segment is segregated into 3 categories namely Retail, Wholesale and Hyperscale Colocation service. The categorization is done based on the amount of IT load leased out to potential customers. Retail colocation service has leased capacity less than 250 kW; Wholesale colocation services has leased capacity between 251 kW and 4 MW and Hyperscale colocation services has leased capacity more than 4 MW.
- END CONSUMERS - The Data Center Market operates on a B2B basis. BFSI, Government, Cloud Operators, Media and Entertainment, E-Commerce, Telecom and Manufacturing are the major end-consumers in the market studied. The scope only includes colocation service operators catering to the increasing digitalization of the end-user industries.
Keyword | Definition |
---|---|
Rack Unit | Generally referred as U or RU, it is the unit of measurement for the server unit housed in the racks in the data center. 1U is equal to 1.75 inches. |
Rack Density | It defines the amount of power consumed by the equipment and server housed in a rack. It is measured in kilowatt (kW). This factor plays a critical role in data center design and, cooling and power planning. |
IT Load Capacity | The IT load capacity or installed capacity, refers to the amount of energy consumed by servers and network equipment placed in a rack installed. It is measured in megawatt (MW). |
Absorption Rate | It denotes how much of the data center capacity has been leased out. For instance, if a 100 MW DC has leased out 75 MW, then the absorption rate would be 75%. It is also referred to as utilization rate and leased-out capacity. |
Raised Floor Space | It is an elevated space built over the floor. This gap between the original floor and the elevated floor is used to accommodate wiring, cooling, and other data center equipment. This arrangement assists in having proper wiring and cooling infrastructure. It is measured in square feet/meter. |
Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) | It is a device used to monitor and maintain the temperature, air circulation, and humidity inside the server room in the data center. |
Aisle | It is the open space between the rows of racks. This open space is critical for maintaining the optimal temperature (20-25 °C) in the server room. There are primarily two aisles inside the server room, a hot aisle and a cold aisle. |
Cold Aisle | It is the aisle wherein the front of the rack faces the aisle. Here, chilled air is directed into the aisle so that it can enter the front of the racks and maintain the temperature. |
Hot Aisle | It is the aisle where the back of the racks faces the aisle. Here, the heat dissipated from the equipment’s in the rack is directed to the outlet vent of the CRAC. |
Critical Load | It includes the servers and other computer equipment whose uptime is critical for data center operation. |
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) | It is a metric which defines the efficiency of a data center. It is calculated by: (𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐷𝑎𝑡𝑎 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛)/(𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐼𝑇 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛). Further, a data center with a PUE of 1.2-1.5 is considered highly efficient, whereas, a data center with a PUE >2 is considered highly inefficient. |
Redundancy | It is defined as a system design wherein additional component (UPS, generators, CRAC) is added so that in case of power outage, equipment failure, the IT equipment should not be affected. |
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) | It is a device that is connected in series with the utility power supply, storing energy in batteries such that the supply from UPS is continuous to IT equipment even during utility power is snapped. The UPS primarily supports the IT equipment only. |
Generators | Just like UPS, generators are placed in the data center to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, avoiding downtime. Data center facilities have diesel generators and commonly, 48-hour diesel is stored in the facility to prevent disruption. |
N | It denotes the tools and equipment required for a data center to function at full load. Only "N" indicates that there is no backup to the equipment in the event of any failure. |
N+1 | Referred to as 'Need plus one', it denotes the additional equipment setup available to avoid downtime in case of failure. A data center is considered N+1 when there is one additional unit for every 4 components. For instance, if a data center has 4 UPS systems, then for to achieve N+1, an additional UPS system would be required. |
2N | It refers to fully redundant design wherein two independent power distribution system is deployed. Therefore, in the event of a complete failure of one distribution system, the other system will still supply power to the data center. |
In-Row Cooling | It is the cooling design system installed between racks in a row where it draws warm air from the hot aisle and supplies cool air to the cold aisle, thereby maintaining the temperature. |
Tier 1 | Tier classification determines the preparedness of a data center facility to sustain data center operation. A data center is classified as Tier 1 data center when it has a non-redundant (N) power component (UPS, generators), cooling components, and power distribution system (from utility power grids). The Tier 1 data center has an uptime of 99.67% and an annual downtime of <28.8 hours. |
Tier 2 | A data center is classified as Tier 2 data center when it has a redundant power and cooling components (N+1) and a single non-redundant distribution system. Redundant components include extra generators, UPS, chillers, heat rejection equipment, and fuel tanks. The Tier 2 data center has an uptime of 99.74% and an annual downtime of <22 hours. |
Tier 3 | A data center having redundant power and cooling components and multiple power distribution systems is referred to as a Tier 3 data center. The facility is resistant to planned (facility maintenance) and unplanned (power outage, cooling failure) disruption. The Tier 3 data center has an uptime of 99.98% and an annual downtime of <1.6 hours. |
Tier 4 | It is the most tolerant type of data center. A Tier 4 data center has multiple, independent redundant power and cooling components and multiple power distribution paths. All IT equipment are dual powered, making them fault tolerant in case of any disruption, thereby ensuring interrupted operation. The Tier 4 data center has an uptime of 99.74% and an annual downtime of <26.3 minutes. |
Small Data Center | Data center that has floor space area of ≤ 5,000 Sq. ft or the number of racks that can be installed is ≤ 200 is classified as a small data center. |
Medium Data Center | Data center which has floor space area between 5,001-20,000 Sq. ft, or the number of racks that can be installed is between 201-800, is classified as a medium data center. |
Large Data Center | Data center which has floor space area between 20,001-75,000 Sq. ft, or the number of racks that can be installed is between 801-3,000, is classified as a large data center. |
Massive Data Center | Data center which has floor space area between 75,001-225,000 Sq. ft, or the number of racks that can be installed is between 3001-9,000, is classified as a massive data center. |
Mega Data Center | Data center that has a floor space area of ≥ 225,001 Sq. ft or the number of racks that can be installed is ≥ 9001 is classified as a mega data center. |
Retail Colocation | It refers to those customers who have a capacity requirement of 250 kW or less. These services are majorly opted by small and medium enterprises (SMEs). |
Wholesale Colocation | It refers to those customers who have a capacity requirement between 250 kW to 4 MW. These services are majorly opted by medium to large enterprises. |
Hyperscale Colocation | It refers to those customers who have a capacity requirement greater than 4 MW. The hyperscale demand primarily originates from large-scale cloud players, IT companies, BFSI, and OTT players (like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO+). |
Mobile Data Speed | It is the mobile internet speed a user experiences via their smartphones. This speed is primarily dependent on the carrier technology being used in the smartphone. The carrier technologies available in the market are 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, where 2G provides the slowest speed while 5G is the fastest. |
Fiber Connectivity Network | It is a network of optical fiber cables deployed across the country, connecting rural and urban regions with high-speed internet connection. It is measured in kilometer (km). |
Data Traffic per Smartphone | It is a measure of average data consumption by a smartphone user in a month. It is measured in gigabyte (GB). |
Broadband Data Speed | It is the internet speed that is supplied over the fixed cable connection. Commonly, copper cable and optic fiber cable are used in both residential and commercial use. Here, optic cable fiber provides faster internet speed than copper cable. |
Submarine Cable | A submarine cable is a fiber optic cable laid down at two or more landing points. Through this cable, communication and internet connectivity between countries across the globe is established. These cables can transmit 100-200 terabits per second (Tbps) from one point to another. |
Carbon Footprint | It is the measure of carbon dioxide generated during the regular operation of a data center. Since, coal, and oil & gas are the primary source of power generation, consumption of this power contributes to carbon emissions. Data center operators are incorporating renewable energy sources to curb the carbon footprint emerging in their facilities. |
Research Methodology
Mordor Intelligence follows a four-step methodology in all our reports.
- Step-1: Identify Key Variables: In order to build a robust forecasting methodology, the variables and factors identified in Step-1 are tested against available historical market numbers. Through an iterative process, the variables required for market forecast are set and the model is built on the basis of these variables.
- Step-2: Build a Market Model: Market-size estimations for the forecast years are in nominal terms. Inflation is not a part of the pricing, and the average selling price (ASP) is kept constant throughout the forecast period for each country.
- Step-3: Validate and Finalize: In this important step, all market numbers, variables and analyst calls are validated through an extensive network of primary research experts from the market studied. The respondents are selected across levels and functions to generate a holistic picture of the market studied.
- Step-4: Research Outputs: Syndicated Reports, Custom Consulting Assignments, Databases & Subscription Platforms