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Cyrus One: A Data Center Blooms in the Desert

The Phoenix project, and its super-sized specs, are part of an ambitious growth plan for CyrusOne. The company, which is the data center arm of Cincinnati Bell, is readying a public stock offering. In the meantime, CyrusOne is also building big in the Dallas area, where it recently opened the first phase of a 700,000 square foot data center in Carrollton, Texas. The Chandler site may eventually be larger, and is seen as a key facility in the company's expansion. “The CyrusOne Phoenix data center will be a marquee facility and one of the most advanced data centers in the industry, featuring energy-efficient technology, cutting-edge design, and enterprise-class standards — all designed to exceed our customers’ needs both now and in the future,” said Gary Wojtaszek, president of CyrusOne.

Here's a look at the interior of the first phase of the Phoenix project.

This corridor runs down the center of the building, separating the two data halls. It's also the "bottom" of the V-shaped roof, where rainwater is collected and channeled into large pipes (seen at top) that exit the front of the building. Since water must remain on the property, it is stored in 10-foot wide underground pipes beneath the front parking lots and eventually re-enters the aquifer. (Photo by Colleen Miller)

CyrusOne has completed the first data hall, a 38,000 square foot area atop a three-foot raised floor. The design used in Phoenix is flexible enough to also accommodate a slab design, but the company is using a raised floor for its first phase. At the rear of the space you can see the contour of the V-shaped roof. (Photo by Colleen Miller.)

The office area features two observation galleries that provide views of the data center floor (seen through the grid supporting the lighting fixtures). By housing the cooling units outside the data center, the design allows a large expanse of space that is uninterrupted by columns. (Photo by Colleen Miller.)

A bird's eye view of the data center area, with the raised floor tiling visible through the maze of wires and the framework for the grid. (Photo by Colleen Miller.)

The Chandler facility includes expansion space for a second, identical data hall that can be built out as CyrusOne needs additional space. (Photo by Colleen Miller.)

See page one of The Birth of a Data Center