# Data center

Concept · [Cloud, hosting and security](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/cloud)

Also called: data centre, datacenter, data centers, server farm, AI data center

A building that houses the computers, storage and network equipment that run online services, along with the power and cooling they need.

**For example:** A [founder](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/founder)'s app runs on rented [servers](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/server). Those servers sit in a data center that [the cloud](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/terms/cloud) provider owns, in a region the founder chose.

## Connects to (16)

- [Region](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/region): A geographic location where a cloud provider groups its data centers.
- [Server](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/server): A computer that stays on and connected to the internet so it can run your app and answer requests from people's phones and browsers.
- [Cloud provider](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/cloud-provider): A company that rents out computing services, such as servers, storage and databases, over the internet and on demand.
- [GPU](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/gpu): Graphics processing unit.
- [Hyperscaler](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/hyperscaler): An informal name for the very largest cloud providers, which run huge fleets of data centers.
- [Edge](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/edge): Running code and storing data in many locations close to users, instead of in one distant data center, mainly so responses arrive faster.
- [Google](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/google): The company behind Google Search, Gemini and Google Cloud.
- [Meta](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/meta): The company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
- [On-premises](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/on-premises): Running software on servers an organization owns and keeps in its own building or data center, instead of in the cloud.
- [Google Data Center Community AI Fellowship](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/google-ai-fellowship): A fellowship run by the Watson Institute and funded by Google for community leaders in places that host Google data centers.
- [AMD](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/amd): A chip company that makes processors for computers and servers and AI accelerators for data centers.
- [NVIDIA](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/nvidia): NVIDIA makes GPUs, chips that help computers train AI models and run them to produce answers.
- [Grand River Dam Authority](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/grda): Oklahoma's largest public power utility, funded by its electricity and water sales rather than taxes.
- [OG&E](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/oge): Oklahoma Gas and Electric, an electric utility that has powered Oklahoma since 1902 and also serves part of western Arkansas.
- [Oklahoma Corporation Commission](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/oklahoma-corporation-commission): The Oklahoma state regulator for fuel, oil and gas, public utilities and transportation.
- [Public Service Company of Oklahoma](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/pso): An electric utility headquartered in Tulsa and part of American Electric Power.

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/data-center