Brightlio Blog

Introduction

In the heart of the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland is a pivotal player in the digital revolution. Data centers in Maryland serve as the backbone of a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Baltimore is the largest colocation market in the state. Baltimore data centers offer a unique blend of strategic geographic positioning, advanced infrastructure, and a thriving tech ecosystem. 

This article delves into the myriad benefits of Maryland colocation data centers with a particular focus on the exceptional offerings of Baltimore’s data center facilities. Let’s get started!

An Overview of the Maryland Data Center Landscape

Maryland is often recognized for its pivotal role in the nation’s history and varied landscape. It is also carving out a niche as a key player in the data center industry. Central to this landscape is Baltimore, a city rapidly transforming into a digital infrastructure and technology hub.

Baltimore stands out as the crown jewel in Maryland’s colocation scene. As the largest city in the state, it boasts a thriving economy, a burgeoning tech sector, and a strategic position along the Northeast Corridor. This makes it an attractive spot for data centers. The city’s proximity to Washington D.C. further elevates its status, offering seamless connectivity to various government agencies and contractors who demand the highest data security and reliability. Baltimore’s robust fiber-optic network infrastructure ensures high-speed data transfer and connectivity, a vital component for modern businesses.

Beyond Baltimore, there are data centers in other Maryland cities, including Frederick, Beltsville, Silver Spring, Laurel, and Rockville. These areas, nestled close to the nation’s capital, offer their strategic advantages, including access to a dense network of potential clients and partners in the government and private sectors. The presence of highly educated talent, courtesy of nearby universities and research institutions, provides a supportive ecosystem for innovation and growth in the data center sector.

In summary, while Baltimore shines as the central hub for colocation in Maryland, the surrounding regions contribute their unique strengths to the state’s overall attractiveness for data center investment. Together, they create a compelling narrative for Maryland as a prime destination for businesses seeking reliable, secure, and strategically located colocation services.

Maryland Offers Geographic Advantages

Maryland enjoys a central position between the bustling commercial hubs of the Northeast and the growing markets of the South. The proximity to major East Coast markets such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston ensures that data centers in Maryland can provide low-latency services to a vast and densely populated area. Maryland is also a bridge to major Southern markets like Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Nashville.

Adding to Maryland’s geographical allure is its proximity to Northern Virginia, widely recognized as the largest data center market on earth. This region, often called “Data Center Alley,” hosts the highest concentration of data centers globally. Maryland’s data centers can leverage this proximity to offer enhanced connectivity options, tapping into the extensive network of services, providers, and potential partners in Northern Virginia. This unique positioning allows businesses in Maryland’s data centers to enjoy the best of both worlds – the tranquility and cost-effectiveness of a less congested market combined with the technological prowess and network richness of the data center capital.

Moreover, Maryland is close to Washington D.C. This is a pivotal advantage, particularly in data center operations catering to government and related industries. Data centers in Maryland are in a prime position to serve the unique and stringent requirements of federal agencies, defense contractors, and numerous other entities that are part of the federal ecosystem. This ensures that data centers can meet the exacting standards required by government contracts and opens doors to opportunities for collaboration and service provision within the federal sphere.

Enhanced Connectivity: A Strategic Asset for Maryland’s Data Centers

Maryland’s strategic location along the East Coast serves as a major conduit for Internet traffic. This ensures that data centers in Maryland, particularly in the Baltimore area, provide optimal access to some of the world’s most significant Internet exchange points. Access translates into high-speed, reliable data transmission, a critical factor for businesses that depend on real-time data access and rapid communication.

A dense network of fiber-optic cables bolsters Maryland’s advanced telecommunications infrastructure. The presence of multiple carriers in the region promotes a competitive environment, driving improvements in service quality and price and benefiting end-users of colocation services. This high level of redundancy in connectivity providers ensures that data center operations can continue seamlessly, maintaining uninterrupted service for businesses.

Advantages of Baltimore Colocation

Baltimore, MD is the center of the state’s data center market. Baltimore colocation services present numerous tangible benefits. Here are some of the key advantages:

Baltimore is Cost Effective

Baltimore offers a cost-advantageous environment for colocation services. Compared to other major cities on the East Coast, the cost of real estate, power, and overall operations in Baltimore is relatively lower. This allows data centers to pass these savings on to their clients. Moreover, Maryland’s tax incentives for data centers and businesses investing in information technology infrastructure further enhance the cost benefits.

Baltimore is a Technology Hub

Baltimore is one of 31 “Tech Hub” regions in the US as designated by the US Department of Commerce. The city has been singled out to develop predictive healthcare, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence innovations. This is expected to create 52,000 jobs and generate $4.2 billion in revenue by 2030. This rich ecosystem enables businesses to stay ahead of technology trends and tap into a deep talent pool.

Baltimore is a Great Disaster Recovery Location

Baltimore’s mild climate and geographical stability significantly make it a prime location for colocation services. The city is notably situated in a region less prone to extreme natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes, common in other parts of the United States. Coupled with its central location, this makes Baltimore data centers a great fit for disaster recovery initiatives.

Maryland Data Centers We Recommend

Below are a few data centers Brightlio recommends in Maryland. For Maryland and Baltimore colocation pricing, contact us.

Expedient

Expedient operates two Baltimore data centers: Owings Mills and Tidepoint. Combined they offer 55,000 square feet of data center space and 2.3 Megawatts of critical IT load.

Why we recommend Expedient’s Baltimore data centers:

• Expedient offers flexible space options, including 1U, half rack, full rack, and private cages.
• The facilities meet multiple compliance requirements, including SOC 1, SOC 2, HITRUST, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.
• Expedient has an excellent national footprint, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 data center markets. These include Boston, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh. This makes Expedient a good partner for a national colocation strategy.

Tierpoint

Tierpoint also operates two Maryland data centers: Tierpoint Baltimore and Tierpoint BWI. The first is in the Baltimore city center, while the second is in Linthicum Heights.

Why we recommend Tierpoint Baltimore data centers:

• The carrier-neutral facilities offer multiple cloud onramps directly connecting to hyperscale clouds in Ashburn, VA.
• High reliability, including a 100% uptime SLA.
• Tierpoint Baltimore offers other hybrid IT services, including cloud, disaster recovery, and managed services.

Databank

Databank’s BWI1 data center is located in downtown Baltimore in a secure carrier hotel. The highly connected site offers a data center footprint of 4,080 square feet.

Why we recommend Databank:

• They have 69 data center locations to choose from in markets including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and San Diego. This provides them with the largest footprint of data centers in the United States.
• Onsite access to the Databank cloud and five carriers.
• N+1 power and cooling design, plus 100% uptime SLA.

Brightlio Delivers Maryland Colocation Solutions!

If you are looking at Maryland and Baltimore data centers, Brightlio can help. We leverage our network of data center partners to deliver colocation services optimized to meet your needs and budget. Additionally, we offer connectivity, cloud, unified communications, value-added resale, and advisory services. This allow us to deliver a complete solution for your technology needs.

Get started on your data center journey today with Brightlio!

If you liked this article, you may also enjoy our articles on other states:

• California Data Centers: Brightlio’s Ultimate Guide to Colocation in the Golden State
• Data Centers in Connecticut: Six Reasons to Colocate in the Constitution State
• Data Centers in Florida: Colocation in the Sunshine State
• The Iowa Data Center Market: Colocation In America’s Heartland
• Data Centers in Massachusetts: Six Reasons to Colocate in the Bay State
• New Jersey Data Centers: Powering the Digital Future of the Garden State
• Data Centers in New York: The Gateway to Colocation in the Empire State
• Data Centers in Oregon: 5 Reasons to Colocate in the Pacific Northwest
• Data Centers in Texas: Colocation in the Lone Star State
• Data Centers in Northern Virginia: Brightlio’s Guide to Colocation in the Mid-Atlantic
• The Ohio Data Center Advantage