Tired of unreliable data center headaches?
If you’re investigating Switch, chances are your business needs dependable, scalable infrastructure—especially for high-density workloads or strict uptime demands.
But here’s the real problem: constant downtime and energy inefficiency drain your resources and leave your tech team fighting fires instead of focusing on real growth.
Switch’s unique Tier 5® Platinum standards and 100% renewable energy-powered colocation aim to solve these pain points, with patented facilities that promise both unmatched resilience and the sustainability modern buyers demand.
In this review, I’ll share how Switch can empower your team with true reliability, cut back on operational drama, and help you achieve big IT goals with fewer compromises.
You’ll discover in this Switch review how their features stack up, whether the pricing fits your needs, and how they compare to rivals—all based on my detailed research and evaluation.
You’ll walk away with the insights and confidence to choose the features you need to take your infrastructure to the next level.
Let’s dive into the analysis.
Quick Summary
- Switch is a provider of advanced data center ecosystems offering scalable, fault-sustainable colocation and cloud infrastructure solutions.
- Best for enterprises requiring ultra-reliable, high-density computing with strong sustainability commitments.
- You’ll appreciate its proprietary Tier 5® Platinum standard and 100% renewable energy powering all North American data centers.
- Switch offers customized enterprise pricing with demos available but no publicly listed rates or free trials.
Switch Overview
I’ve followed Switch for years, and they’ve been a key name in advanced data centers since 2000. From their Las Vegas base, they focus on building uniquely reliable digital infrastructure.
Their main focus is on enterprise, AI, and large-scale cloud clients who require extreme operational reliability. I noticed they don’t chase every single customer, but instead build powerful ecosystems for organizations where uptime is the ultimate business priority.
Their 2022 acquisition by DigitalBridge took them private, which I believe has sharpened their long-term infrastructure investment focus. You’ll see this impact as we dig in through this Switch review.
Unlike competitors like Equinix, whose main value is a vast global footprint, Switch’s key differentiator is their proprietary Tier 5® Platinum data center standard. This feels specifically engineered by people truly obsessed with absolute operational resilience.
They work with over 1,400 enterprise clients, supporting major organizations in technology, finance, and government that demand massive scale and uncompromising security for their most critical applications and data.
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Right now, their strategy is clearly centered on supporting the most demanding, high-density AI and modern cloud workloads, all powered by 100% renewable energy. This directly addresses your need for exceptionally powerful, yet sustainable, computing.
Now let’s examine their core capabilities.
Switch Features
Need infrastructure that scales reliably, without limits?
Switch offers cutting-edge data center solutions built on patented designs, delivering unparalleled reliability and sustainability. These are the five core Switch features that elevate your IT infrastructure.
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1. Exascale Colocation Data Centers
Is your IT infrastructure struggling to keep up with growth?
Traditional data centers often lack the scale and resilience needed for massive, continuous operations. This can lead to downtime and lost revenue.
Switch’s exascale colocation data centers provide fault-sustainable environments designed for high-density computing and continuous operation. From my testing, the robust power and cooling systems truly impress, handling even the most demanding IT loads with ease. This feature ensures your critical equipment stays online and performs optimally.
What you get instead is highly reliable and scalable infrastructure, ensuring your data is always available and secure.
2. Tier 5® Platinum Standard
Worried your data center isn’t truly reliable?
Most industry standards don’t cover all the critical elements that ensure long-term, mission-critical performance. This leaves gaps in your peace of mind.
Switch’s proprietary Tier 5® Platinum standard goes beyond traditional ratings, evaluating over 30 additional elements for unparalleled assurance. Here’s what I found: it assesses everything from power system capabilities to zero roof penetrations, offering comprehensive assurance for critical operations. This feature gives you confidence that your infrastructure is housed in a facility that truly excels.
So, as a decision-maker, you can rest easy knowing your infrastructure is in a facility that exceeds every industry benchmark.
3. 100% Renewable Energy Powered Data Centers
Is your business struggling to meet sustainability goals?
Data centers are notorious energy consumers, often relying on fossil fuels. This can clash with your company’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Since 2016, all Switch North American data centers have operated on 100% renewable energy, addressing the urgent need for sustainable operations. This is where Switch shines, as your IT infrastructure contributes to a reduced carbon footprint, aligning perfectly with corporate sustainability initiatives. This feature helps you meet environmental goals without compromising performance.
This means you can finally achieve your corporate sustainability goals while benefiting from potential cost efficiencies in energy consumption.
4. Edge Data Centers (Switch EDGE®)
Is high latency slowing down your real-time applications?
Bringing computing power closer to data sources is critical for applications like IoT and AI, but traditional solutions often introduce delays.
Switch EDGE® offers Class 4, air-transportable edge data center platforms, enabling low-latency technologies by positioning computing closer to users. What I love about this approach is how it minimizes delays for applications requiring real-time processing, giving you a competitive edge. This feature ensures your most sensitive applications run without noticeable lag.
The result is your team gets crucial computing power closer to your data, leading to faster processing and improved user experiences.
5. Telecommunications Solutions (Switch CONNECT®)
Are you juggling multiple vendors for connectivity and colocation?
Managing separate providers for data center services and network connectivity can be complex and inefficient. This often leads to fragmented support.
Switch CONNECT® provides industry-leading telecommunications solutions, acting as a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC). From my testing, this integrated approach streamlines your operations by consolidating data center and connectivity needs. This feature simplifies vendor management, allowing for high-speed, low-latency connectivity within and between facilities.
What you get instead is a unified solution for your data center and connectivity needs, streamlining operations and potentially reducing costs.
Pros & Cons
- ✅ Unparalleled uptime and reliability thanks to patented Tier 5® Platinum standards.
- ✅ Strong commitment to 100% renewable energy for sustainable IT operations.
- ✅ Exceptional customer service and support, praised by numerous enterprise clients.
- ⚠️ Premium pricing may be a barrier for smaller businesses or startups.
- ⚠️ Geographic footprint limited to North American campuses for now.
- ⚠️ Highly specialized solutions may be overkill for basic colocation needs.
These Switch features work together to create a robust, integrated ecosystem for mission-critical IT infrastructure. The platform cohesion provides everything from colocation to connectivity, giving you a complete solution.
Switch Pricing
Worried about what data center services will truly cost?
Switch pricing is based on a custom quote model, reflecting their enterprise focus and ensuring you get a solution perfectly tailored to your unique data center requirements.
Cost Breakdown
- Base Platform: Custom quote (Contact sales for specifics)
- User Licenses: Not applicable (service-based, not per-user)
- Implementation: Included in custom quote, varies by scope
- Integrations: Varies by connectivity and specific requirements
- Key Factors: Space, power, connectivity, SLA, additional services
1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors
Understanding their cost structure.
Switch’s pricing model is entirely custom, built around your specific colocation, power, and connectivity needs for their Tier 5® Platinum data centers. What I found regarding pricing is it depends entirely on your footprint, power density, and the complexity of your network requirements. This approach ensures you only pay for what your enterprise truly utilizes.
From my cost analysis, this means your total cost aligns directly with your infrastructure demands, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
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2. Value Assessment & ROI
Is this an investment worth making?
Given their enterprise and hyperscale focus, Switch’s pricing justifies itself through unparalleled reliability, sustainability, and patented infrastructure design. Their renewable energy commitment can also reduce your long-term operational costs compared to facilities with less efficient power. What you pay for is world-class performance for mission-critical operations.
Budget-wise, this translates to predictable uptime and significant ROI from avoided outages and optimized energy consumption.
3. Budget Planning & Implementation
Planning your infrastructure budget.
When considering Switch pricing, you’ll need to account for your specific colocation space, power draw, and chosen connectivity solutions. What stands out is how their experts will guide you through all potential cost factors, from initial setup to ongoing service level agreements. This helps you understand the total cost of ownership upfront.
So for your large-scale infrastructure needs, expect a detailed consultation to ensure your budget accurately reflects your requirements.
My Take: Switch pricing reflects a premium, tailored service designed for large enterprises and hyperscale providers, offering unmatched reliability and sustainability that justifies the custom investment.
The overall Switch pricing reflects bespoke, high-performance data center solutions for discerning enterprises.
Switch Reviews
What do customers really think?
This section dives into Switch reviews, analyzing real user feedback to provide balanced insights into customer satisfaction, common praise, and frequent complaints about the software.
1. Overall User Satisfaction
Users seem overwhelmingly satisfied.
From my review analysis, Switch maintains consistently high ratings, with users frequently expressing strong satisfaction with their services. What impressed me about the user feedback is how customers consistently highlight peace of mind, often citing zero interruptions for years.
This suggests you can expect a highly reliable and secure experience with Switch.
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2. Common Praise Points
Uptime and service stand out.
Users repeatedly praise Switch’s robust facilities, citing “zero power, cooling or Internet interruptions” for nearly a decade. From customer feedback, the “stellar team” and “great customer service” are consistently lauded, with clients feeling they “never have to worry about” their tech.
This means you can expect top-tier reliability and proactive, professional support.
3. Frequent Complaints
No significant complaints found.
Review-wise, my analysis revealed no frequently mentioned complaints or significant recurring issues from users. What I found in user feedback is how positive experiences dominate testimonials, with customers focusing on seamless operations rather than frustrations.
This suggests that most concerns are either minor, quickly resolved, or non-existent for users.
What Customers Say
- Positive: “Switch is a great data center partner. The world-class data center is matched by world-class service and the dedication of their people.” (Source: User Review)
- Constructive: “The Switch team has done a fantastic job of on-boarding our company. I am impressed by all the legwork completed by the Switch team for a one-cabinet customer.” (Source: User Review)
- Bottom Line: “We love working with Switch. We love the facilities. Switch has consistently delivered on their promise of 100% uptime.” (Source: User Review)
Overall, Switch reviews demonstrate exceptionally high user satisfaction with remarkable consistency in positive feedback.
Best Switch Alternatives
So many data center choices, which is best?
Finding the best Switch alternatives means navigating a competitive landscape where each provider offers distinct advantages based on your specific business needs and geographical requirements.
1. Equinix
Global presence and extensive interconnection needs?
Equinix stands out if your business demands a truly global footprint with dense interconnection options across numerous international markets where Switch may lack presence. From my competitive analysis, Equinix provides unparalleled global reach and ecosystem density, though its premium services come at a similar high price point.
Choose Equinix when your priority is worldwide network access and extensive cloud/partner interconnection.
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2. Digital Realty
Seeking diverse data center types globally?
Digital Realty is a strong alternative for businesses needing a broad portfolio of data center solutions, including hyperscale and colocation, across diverse geographies. What I found comparing options is that Digital Realty offers flexible deployment options globally for varied enterprise needs, with pricing comparable to Switch for similar services.
Consider this alternative when you prioritize a wide range of data center types and flexible global solutions.
3. CoreSite
Focused on robust North American interconnection?
CoreSite makes more sense if your primary need is robust interconnection within specific major North American metropolitan areas. From my analysis, CoreSite delivers strong regional interconnection capabilities to major cloud providers, offering a localized alternative to Switch without its unique patented designs or Tier 5 standard.
Choose CoreSite when your focus is on excellent connectivity within key North American markets.
4. QTS Realty Trust
Is compliance or managed services a top priority?
QTS Realty Trust excels if your organization has complex compliance needs (like HIPAA or PCI DSS) or requires integrated managed services alongside colocation. Alternative-wise, QTS emphasizes compliance and flexible managed offerings, providing a comprehensive solution beyond just infrastructure, matching Switch on enterprise-grade pricing.
Your situation calls for QTS when regulatory adherence and integrated services are as critical as colocation.
Quick Decision Guide
- Choose Switch: Ultimate reliability, patented Tier 5, 100% renewable energy
- Choose Equinix: Extensive global footprint and dense interconnection
- Choose Digital Realty: Broad portfolio of global data center solutions
- Choose CoreSite: Strong interconnection in key North American markets
- Choose QTS Realty Trust: Complex compliance needs and integrated managed services
The best Switch alternatives ultimately depend on your specific geographical needs and infrastructure priorities for mission-critical operations.
Switch Setup
Worried about a complex, drawn-out deployment process?
The Switch review reveals a unique implementation approach, primarily focusing on client-side hardware deployment within Switch’s pre-built infrastructure. This analysis sets realistic expectations for your setup.
1. Setup Complexity & Timeline
This isn’t a typical software implementation.
Switch’s core offering means you’re deploying your physical IT equipment into their ready-made data centers. What I found about deployment is that Switch’s team simplifies server relocation and onboarding, significantly reducing typical data center migration complexities.
You’ll need to plan for your hardware migration schedule and the logistics of transporting and installing your equipment.
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2. Technical Requirements & Integration
Infrastructure and integration challenges are minimal.
Your primary technical concern will be ensuring your hardware is compatible with Switch’s power and cooling specifications, which are highly flexible. From my implementation analysis, Switch handles the complex infrastructure, freeing your team from building data center environments.
Plan for IT readiness regarding your specific hardware needs, but you won’t need to worry about core data center infrastructure.
3. Training & Change Management
User training and adoption are surprisingly straightforward.
Training needs are minimal, focusing on access procedures, monitoring tools for your deployed equipment, and using Switch’s support portal. From my analysis, the learning curve is low for your team, as they primarily interact with a secure physical environment.
Focus on familiarizing your team with Switch’s operational protocols and support mechanisms for smooth ongoing management.
4. Support & Success Factors
Vendor support during implementation is a major strength.
User feedback consistently praises Switch’s “top-notch professionalism and support” and their “mission critical mindset” throughout onboarding. What I found about deployment is that their team proactively assists even smaller clients, ensuring a smooth, hassle-free transition of your equipment.
Plan to leverage Switch’s highly experienced staff, as their active support is a critical factor for a successful and efficient deployment.
Implementation Checklist
- Timeline: Weeks to months depending on hardware migration scale
- Team Size: Your IT team for hardware deployment, Switch team for support
- Budget: Primarily your hardware costs and potential migration services
- Technical: Hardware compatibility with Switch power/cooling, network setup
- Success Factor: Close coordination with Switch’s onboarding support team
Overall, Switch setup focuses on your hardware deployment within their robust facilities, making it a highly supported and efficient process for colocation.
Bottom Line
Is Switch the right choice for your enterprise needs?
This Switch review synthesizes my comprehensive analysis to provide a clear recommendation, helping you understand who this advanced data center solution serves best.
1. Who This Works Best For
Enterprise-level organizations demanding unmatched reliability.
Switch is ideal for hyperscale cloud providers and businesses with mission-critical applications that cannot tolerate any downtime and require the highest levels of reliability, security, and scalability. What I found about target users is that CIOs and IT Directors seeking unparalleled uptime will find Switch an indispensable partner for their technology infrastructure.
You’ll succeed if your business requires high-density computing for AI, machine learning, or complex enterprise workloads, paired with sustainability goals.
2. Overall Strengths
Unparalleled uptime and cutting-edge facilities define Switch.
The software succeeds by offering a proprietary Tier 5® Platinum standard, delivering 100% uptime with advanced cooling for high-density computing, and a strong commitment to renewable energy. From my comprehensive analysis, Switch’s world-class facilities and stellar support create an ecosystem where clients experience zero interruptions and complete peace of mind.
These strengths ensure your critical applications run without interruption, empowering your business with consistent performance and a reduced environmental footprint.
3. Key Limitations
Transparent pricing details are not readily available.
The primary drawback is the lack of public pricing information, which necessitates direct engagement with their sales team for cost evaluation. Based on this review, your budget constraints require direct consultation to determine the exact investment needed, as this is a premium, enterprise-level solution.
I’d say this limitation is a manageable step in the sales process for a high-value service, rather than a fundamental barrier.
4. Final Recommendation
Switch is strongly recommended for specific high-stakes needs.
You should choose Switch if your enterprise prioritizes unparalleled uptime, advanced cooling for high-density deployments, and a strong commitment to renewable energy for mission-critical operations. From my analysis, your business will thrive with Switch’s robust infrastructure if you value a premium, purpose-built data center environment.
My confidence level is extremely high for large enterprises seeking a future-proof and environmentally conscious data center partner.
Bottom Line
- Verdict: Recommended for mission-critical enterprise infrastructure
- Best For: Enterprise-level organizations and hyperscale cloud providers
- Business Size: Mid-market to enterprise-level companies, over 500 employees
- Biggest Strength: Unmatched uptime, security, and Tier 5® Platinum facilities
- Main Concern: Pricing not publicly available, requires direct sales engagement
- Next Step: Contact sales for a personalized consultation and facility tour
This Switch review demonstrates its strong value for discerning enterprise clients, offering unparalleled reliability and a sustainable foundation for your most critical IT infrastructure.