Switch (company)
| Company type | Private (since December 2022) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Data centers, telecommunications, cloud computing |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Rob Roy |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Key people | Rob Roy (CEO, founder, chief engineer) |
| Products | Colocation, telecommunications, cloud solutions, content delivery networks |
| Parent | DigitalBridge and IFM Investors (since 2022) |
| Website | switch |
Switch, Inc. is a U.S.-based enterprise located in Las Vegas, Nevada, focused on creating and managing SUPERNAP data center complexes. The company provides services including colocation, telecommunications, cloud solutions, and content delivery networks.
History
Established in 2000 by Rob Roy—who serves as CEO, founder, and chief engineer—Switch purchased a former Enron facility in Nevada for $930,000 in 2002. This acquisition granted the company access to a vital fiber optic backbone, enabling it to compete with leading technology firms. By 2008, Switch unveiled plans for a $350 million SUPERNAP facility aimed at exceeding the capacity of rivals such as Microsoft and Google.
Functioning as a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), Switch offers a broad range of telecommunications services. By 2015, the company was notable for its gender-balanced leadership team—women held half of the top 14 executive roles—and its workforce consisted of 70% military veterans.
In 2015, Switch became the first U.S. data center operator to join President Barack Obama's American Business Act on Climate Pledge. The company commenced building two solar farms to supply renewable energy to its data centers, achieving full reliance on clean energy by 2016. That same year, it also became a signatory to the WWF/WRI Renewable Buyers’ Principles.
Switch has received commendations from Greenpeace for its commitment to renewable energy adoption. In 2020, it launched a 555 MW solar initiative in Nevada, including 127 MW of behind-the-meter capacity at its Citadel facility.
In December 2022, Switch underwent privatization through an $11 billion acquisition by DigitalBridge and IFM Investors, marking a pivotal development in its corporate trajectory and financial achievements.
Data centers
The company introduced SUPERNAP 7 data center in 2008. In 2017, LAS VEGAS 10 added roughly of additional space. The Core Campus in Las Vegas consists of eleven data centers totaling over , with expansion plans targeting more than across twelve buildings.
Powering these operations are two solar installations—Switch Station 1 and 2—generating a combined output of 179 megawatts. Initially developed alongside First Solar and NV Energy, these assets were acquired by EDF Renewable Energy in 2017. After initiating a $30 million legal dispute with NV Energy concerning power rates, Switch was authorized in 2016 to transition to self-owned solar plants by paying a $27 million exit fee.
In January 2015, Switch announced a $4 billion expansion project for the Citadel Campus located within the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) in Storey County. Covering over , this campus is anticipated to surpass in size upon completion. The inaugural facility, TAHOE RENO 1, commenced operations in February 2017 with over , delivering 130 MVA power capacity along with state-of-the-art cooling technologies, establishing it as the largest data center campus globally.
Switch’s Pyramid Campus in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which opened in May 2017, is projected to reach , positioning it as the largest data center complex in the eastern United States.
SUPERNAP International
In 2014, Switch launched SUPERNAP International through a partnership with ACDC Fund and its limited partners Orascom TMT Investments and Accelero Capital to promote Tier IV-certified data center designs worldwide. Two significant SUPERNAP campuses under development include Siziano, Italy—scheduled to open late 2016—and Chonburi Province, Thailand—planned for early 2017.
The Siziano facility covers , equipped with 40 megawatts of power supplied via dual 132kV transmission lines. The Thailand campus represents an investment of US$300 million (11 billion THB), featuring capacity for over 6,000 server racks across nearly 12 hectares. It is strategically positioned just 27 kilometers from an international cable landing station that connects telecom and IT carriers.
Locations
Switch's main office is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, complemented by data centers and Innovation Centers throughout both northern and southern regions of Nevada. The company has also grown its footprint into Grand Rapids, Michigan, and revealed intentions to establish a sizable data center campus in Atlanta, signaling notable expansion and increased market presence.
Customers
Serving a diverse clientele of several hundred organizations, Switch counts many Fortune 1000 corporations among its customers. Its services cater to industries demanding stringent security and extensive data capabilities, including projects involving covert operations, spam filtering, utility computing, casino data management, simulation modeling, online gaming platforms, and e-commerce enterprises.
Additionally, Switch created a $5 trillion purchasing cooperative that allows clients to jointly acquire telecommunications and other essential services across all Switch locations, thereby strengthening the company’s competitive edge and market reach.
Certifications and awards
The SUPERNAP 8 facility has achieved Tier IV Gold Operational Sustainability, Tier IV Constructed Facility, and Tier IV Design certifications from the Uptime Institute. Likewise, SUPERNAP 9 has been awarded the same Tier IV Gold Operational Sustainability, Design, and Constructed Facility certifications.
Supercomputers
In 2014, Switch collaborated with Intel and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to grant researchers access to the iSupercomputer Cherry Creek. This supercomputer is hosted on Switch’s campus and connected through its SUPERNAP telecommunications infrastructure.
In 2017, Switch donated $3.4 million worth of data center services to support the University of Nevada, Reno’s Pronghorn supercomputer project. The system is housed within the TAHOE RENO 1 data center, with initial hardware installations finalized in September 2017.
Collaborative centers
Switch established a collaborative innovation hub in Las Vegas and joined forces with the University of Nevada, Reno to open a facility in northern Nevada in September 2015. These centers promote partnerships among students, entrepreneurs, businesses, investors, and nonprofit organizations under the "inNEVation Center" brand.
The Reno location includes the Nevada Advanced Autonomous Systems Innovation Center (NAASIC), which was funded through a state grant aimed at advancing commercialization efforts in robotics, unmanned vehicles, autonomous cars, and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
Relevant patents
- U.S. Patent-Integrated wiring system and thermal shield support apparatus for a data center Patent 8,072,780 (Dec 6, 2011)
- U.S. Patent-Server system with heat dissipation device Patent 8,300,402 (Oct 30, 2012)
- U.S. Patent-Data center air handling unit Patent 8,469,782 (Jun 25, 2013)
- U.S. Patent-Electronic equipment data center or co-location facility designs and methods Patent 8,523,643 (Sep 3, 2013)
- U.S. Patent-Data center facility design configuration Patent 9,198,331 (Nov 24, 2015)
External links
- Inside a Tour of the Vegas SuperNAP, Data Center Knowledge
- Articles with short description
- Networking firms in the United States
- Businesses located in Enterprise, Nevada
- Internet mirror service providers
- Nevada establishments from 2000
- American enterprises founded in 2000
- Initial public offerings in 2017
- Companies previously traded on the New York Stock Exchange
- Nevada-based cooperatives
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- American companies established in 2000