Aligned Data Centers Launches State-of-the-Art Glendale Facility: Technical Overview & Cisco Integration

Aligned Data Centers, a leader in hyperscale and enterprise-grade data center infrastructure, has officially commenced construction on its newest facility located in Glendale, California. This article provides a comprehensive, expert-level technical analysis of the Glendale data center project, focusing on its product overview, detailed specifications, advanced features and benefits, and ordering information for Cisco networking and infrastructure products integral to the facility’s design and operation.

1. Product Overview

Aligned Data Centers’ Glendale facility represents a paradigm shift in data center design, leveraging modular, scalable, and energy-efficient architectures to meet the growing demands of hyperscale cloud providers, enterprise IT, and edge computing applications. The facility is engineered to support high-density workloads with a focus on sustainability, operational efficiency, and seamless integration with Cisco’s cutting-edge networking and data center solutions.

1.1 Strategic Location and Market Positioning

Situated in Glendale, California, the new data center benefits from proximity to major cloud service providers, content delivery networks (CDNs), and enterprise customers in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. This location offers low-latency connectivity options, robust fiber infrastructure, and access to renewable energy sources, aligning with Aligned’s commitment to green data center operations.

1.2 Modular Data Center Architecture

The Glendale facility employs Aligned’s proprietary modular design, which enables rapid deployment and flexible scaling. This approach integrates prefabricated data center modules that include pre-engineered power, cooling, and networking components. The modularity reduces construction timelines and capital expenditures while allowing for incremental capacity expansion aligned with customer demand.

1.3 Cisco Integration Strategy

Aligned’s Glendale data center is architected to leverage Cisco’s comprehensive portfolio of data center networking, security, and management solutions. This includes Cisco Nexus switches for high-performance Layer 2/3 switching, Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) for software-defined networking (SDN), and Cisco UCS (Unified Computing System) for converged compute infrastructure. The integration ensures optimized network performance, automation, and security compliance.

2. Product Specifications

The Glendale facility’s technical specifications reflect the latest advancements in data center engineering, designed to support hyperscale workloads with maximum uptime and operational efficiency.

2.1 Facility Size and Capacity

The initial build-out encompasses approximately 200,000 square feet of white space, with a planned power capacity exceeding 60 megawatts (MW). The design supports high-density racks with power densities ranging from 15 kW to 30 kW per rack, accommodating compute-intensive applications such as AI/ML training, big data analytics, and cloud-native services.

2.2 Power Infrastructure

The Glendale data center features a robust power distribution system engineered for redundancy and efficiency:

• Utility Feed: Dual diverse 138 kV utility feeds from independent substations ensure high availability.
• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): Modular UPS systems with N+1 redundancy provide clean, continuous power with a target availability of 99.999%.
• Backup Generators: Multiple diesel generators with automatic transfer switches (ATS) capable of sustaining full load for 72 hours.
• Power Distribution Units (PDUs): Intelligent PDUs with real-time monitoring and remote management.

2.4 Cooling and Environmental Controls

Aligned employs advanced cooling technologies to optimize energy efficiency and maintain optimal operating conditions:

• Cooling Architecture: A combination of indirect evaporative cooling and chilled water systems designed for a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) target of 1.2 or better.
• Hot/Cold Aisle Containment: Physical containment systems to prevent air mixing and improve cooling efficiency.
• Environmental Monitoring: Sensors for temperature, humidity, airflow, and particulate matter integrated with Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA) Center for real-time analytics.

2.5 Network Infrastructure

The Glendale facility’s network backbone is built on Cisco’s high-performance data center switching and routing platforms:

• Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches: Supporting 100GbE and 400GbE interfaces with programmable ASICs for low latency and high throughput.
• Cisco ACI Fabric: Enabling policy-driven automation, micro-segmentation, and multi-tenant network virtualization.
• Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series: For edge aggregation and campus connectivity.
• Network Security: Cisco Firepower Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) and Cisco Secure Network Analytics for threat detection and mitigation.

2.6 Physical Security and Compliance

The Glendale data center incorporates multi-layered physical security controls:

• 24/7 on-site security personnel with biometric access controls.
• Video surveillance with AI-powered analytics for anomaly detection.
• Compliance with industry standards including SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

3. Features and Benefits

The Glendale facility’s design and technology stack deliver numerous benefits tailored to meet the evolving needs of enterprise and hyperscale customers.

3.1 Scalability and Flexibility

Aligned’s modular approach allows customers to scale capacity rapidly without disruption. The facility supports a