Data centers are an important part of modern computing, and their history is eerily similar to that of Los Angeles. Most people associate data centers with large warehouses filled with computers where vital information is stored and managed. While this is not entirely correct, Los Angeles has been a data center hub since the 1950s. Let’s take a look at how these powerful tools have evolved over time.
Lockheed Martin Corporation built the first data center in Los Angeles in 1953 to support its missile programs. This facility was crucial in early space exploration efforts and helped pave the way for the modern computing era that would follow.
It wasn’t until 1987 that another major player entered the scene: AT&T built a facility like this to house their “long-distance switching equipment” at their Westwood campus, which was near UCLA at the time. Other companies, such as IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), began building data centers throughout California in the years that followed, and these facilities quickly became critical components of an increasingly technology-dependent society.
Today, data centers are critical for a wide range of businesses and organizations, from financial institutions to healthcare providers to universities, making them an invaluable part of our technological infrastructure. And, thanks to advances in cloud computing solutions such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), businesses no longer need to buy physical hardware or build their own data center; instead, they can rent virtual machines from AWS’s server farm, which is located right here in Los Angeles!
So, while it may appear that data centers have only recently become important, this is not the case; they have been around since before we even considered spaceflight as a possibility! From launching Lockheed’s first rockets to connecting us via email and storing our music libraries, the history of data centers in Los Angeles is filled with inspiring stories.