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Colocation facilities provide businesses with a secure and reliable place to house and manage critical company data and infrastructure. With the increasing demand for data center services, choosing the right location for a colocation facility is important. This article explores why an Oakland data center might fit your colocation needs.

Oakland, California, has a growing colocation industry that offers many advantages. Located near Silicon Valley, a global epicenter of technology, Oakland is strategically located. Other benefits include robust fiber networks, a favorable business culture, and a reliable power supply. Here are seven reasons why Oakland data centers are the right fit for your business.  

Oakland Data Centers Are Strategically Located

Oakland is strategically located in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the world’s largest and most influential technology hubs. San Francisco’s East Bay is also 45 miles from the heart of Silicon Valley. Colocating in proximity to the world’s technology leaders gives your business low-latency access to an excellent potential customer base. Silicon Valley is known as the global epicenter of technology innovation. Global technology giants call Silicon Valley home, including Alphabet, Apple, Cisco, eBay, HP, Intel, LinkedIn, Meta, Nvidia, PayPal, Zoom, VMware, and more.

San Francisco, located across the Bay from Oakland, is the sixth largest economy in the United States, with a GDP of $577 billion. The city’s major employers include Salesforce, Wells Fargo, Sutter Health, and Uber Technologies. Locating your data center in Oakland’s East Bay region provides access to some of the most innovative customers in the world.

In addition to Oakland, the East Bay is home to other technology-forward cities. Oakland is approximately 5 miles away from the Berkley colocation facilities, 26 miles away from the Fremont colocation facilities, and 3 miles away from the Emeryville colocation facilities.

Oakland is Close to Major Universities

Some of the most important universities in the United States are a short drive from Oakland. Located in the East Bay city of Berkeley, The University of California Berkeley is one of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. It is also a hub for technological innovation. The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing is one of the leading research centers in theoretical computing.

Additionally, Stanford University is located about 40 miles from the East Bay. Stanford is one of the top universities in the world, boasting 29 Turing Award laureates. The Turing Award is given for contributions of lasting and significant technical importance in the field of computer science. Stanford was home to the ARPANET, a precursor to the internet, and to the original designs of the internet. Google also began as a research project on Stanford’s campus.

Other universities are in San Francisco Bay Area, and the surrounding areas are: 

• The University of California San Francisco 
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 
• San Francisco State University 
• DeVry University 
• University of San Francisco

With these significant universities all in one area, it is easier to attract some of the best engineering talents in the world.

Oakland Enjoys Robust Fiber Internet Connectivity

One of the most critical factors for successful colocation is low-latency connectivity to customers and end users. Oakland’s highly developed infrastructure includes fiber-optic networks and multiple internet service providers. These companies provide fast and reliable connections data centers can utilize.

Oakland is also one of the most connected cities in the Bay Area, with over 88% fiber availability and over ten internet providers. Top internet providers in the city include AT&T, Fiber Internet Center, Earthlink, and Sonic. Although public cloud providers like Amazon and Microsoft do not have cloud nodes in Oakland, the city’s government continues to develop strategies that guarantee reliable internet connection.

Oakland Has a Cheaper and Greener Energy

While electricity costs in Oakland are more than in places like Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, or Atlanta, electricity in Oakland is cheaper than the California average. Average electricity costs in Oakland are around 24 ¢/kWh, which is 18% cheaper than the state as a whole. This puts electricity costs in Oakland close to the national average of 23 ¢/kWh. Electricity in Oakland is considerably cheaper than San Francisco (30 ¢/kWh), Los Angeles (26 ¢/kWh), or San Diego (36 ¢/kWh). As power prices are one of the major drivers to colocation costs, Oakland’s cost of power make it one of the better places to colocate in California.

While prices may be slightly higher than the national average, the region is committed to green energy, helping you meet sustainability goals. In 2012, the city adopted an Energy and Climate Action Plan to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050. Oakland is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting environmentally friendly practices, making it an attractive option for data centers.

In addition, the East Bay Municipal Utility District supplies Oakland with electricity from various renewable sources. These sources include wind, solar, hydro, biomass, and biowaste. All these sources allow Oakland to provide consistent, environmentally friendly power that colocation facilities can rely on.

Oakland Has a Tech-Friendly Business Environment

Data centers benefit from Oakland’s favorable, tech-friendly business environment. With a strong focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, the city offers a variety of resources and support services to help data centers grow and succeed. 

For example, data centers can use the Smart Lights Program incentives to become more energy efficient and reduce costs. Other governmental assistant services include access to funding, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities, which are all critical components of a successful business.

Oakland Enjoys Great Weather

Average temperatures in Oakland typically vary from 44°F to 75°F and are rarely below 37°F or above 85°F. Even in the city’s coldest month of January, average lows only dip to 45°F.

Although California experiences a lot of wildfires during the late summer and early autumn, Oakland has experienced few fires. The last recorded wildfire in the city was in 1991. As an additional measure, the Oaklandside committee regularly develops wildfire guides to help businesses protect themselves from fires.

Overall, Oakland data centers enjoy relatively stable weather compared to other cities in the United States. This stable weather pattern bids well for businesses interested in colocation services because Oakland data centers are less likely to experience downtime due to harsh weather conditions.

Oakland Has a Growing Colocation Industry

The colocation industry in Oakland is still experiencing a lot of growth. Major colocation providers in the city include Digital Realty (OAK10 in Oakland) and Evocative Data Centers (OAK1 in Emeryville). With a combined space of over 137,000 square feet and over 15,000 kW of power, these data centers offer reliable colocation services to the East Bay community and Silicon Valley.

Oakland is guaranteed to benefit from other prominent colocation industries in the Bay Area. The city is close to Berkeley, Fremont, and Emeryville, which have a thriving data center industries. As many major tech companies establish a presence in California, Oakland is expected to see a surge in requests for retail colocation services. 

Leading Data Center Providers in Oakland

If you are looking for a data center provider in Oakland, here are a few trusted vendors Brightlio recommends. Contact us for the best pricing on these and other providers.

Evocative Data Centers

Evocative’s OAK1 site is located in Emeryville, a suburb of Oakland. This carrier-neutral facility offers 15,000 square feet of total colocation space.

Why we like Evocative:

• Over 20 interconnected locations, including sites in Los Angeles, El Segundo, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Silicon Valley, and Northern Virginia, allowing businesses to build a national colocation strategy with Evocative with premium interconnection services.
• Customers benefit from compliance certifications including SOC 2, SOC 3, and PCI.
• A robust ecosystem for carrier connectivity with numerous on-network service providers.
• Other services including bare metal server hosting and high density cloud.
• Scalable offering form quarter cabinets up to custom built cages.

Digital Realty

Digital Realty is one of the world’s high tech powerhouses with hundreds of facilities globally where the world’s leading businesses meet. Their OAK10 facility, located at 720 2nd Street, boast 122,000 square feet of space and 14,500 Watts of total power capacity.

Why we like Digital Realty:

• Carrier neutral facility with 15+ on network service providers.
• World class remote hands with 2 hour response time during business hours and 4 hour response after hours.
• Can support high density cloud and server deployments.
• Premium interconnection services tailor for the needs of the enterprise.

How Can Brightlio Help With Colocation in Oakland?

Brightlio provides competitive quotes for Oakland and other global markets via our network of industry-leading partners. As a carrier-neutral telecommunication broker, we find the right provider for your needs and budget. Our comprehensive technology portfolio makes Brightlio the perfect partner for your technology needs, including cloud solutions, SD-WAN services, unified communications, and network connectivity.

Contact the team to get started today! We welcome the opportunity to partner with you.