Cologix (COL3-S) Data Center

Cologix has launched its new COL3 facility with an investment exceeding $130 million, positioning it as the largest carrier-neutral (network-neutral) data center in Ohio. The facility is directly interconnected with its existing Columbus data centers, COL1 and COL2, strengthening data mobility and ecosystem reach. COL3 holds the Tier III Certification of Constructed Facility, verifying that its build meets stringent design and construction requirements needed to deliver high availability and operational performance.

COL3, along with other Cologix Ohio locations, is recognized as the most connected digital infrastructure hub in the state. Customers benefit from access to 45+ network service providers, including connectivity to the Ohio-IX Internet Exchange, as well as 20+ cloud service providers. A major advantage of this facility is the on-site AWS Direct Connect node, which delivers the lowest-latency private cloud on-ramp to the AWS US East 2 (Ohio) region, also known as AWS-East-2. This direct connection improves performance, enhances reliability, and helps enterprises reduce networking costs by bypassing the unpredictable latency of public internet routes.

COL3 was engineered to meet the requirements of hyperscale cloud providers and enterprises with high performance expectations. The data center supports a fully built-out power capacity of 18 MW and follows a concurrently maintainable design, enabling maintenance without disruption. UPS redundancy is configured in a 2N model, leveraging four 750 kVA Mitsubishi UPS units per data hall, per side, operating in parallel to support uninterrupted power delivery. The cooling infrastructure is built with N+1 redundancy and includes maintainable A and B distribution paths. For backup generation, COL3 uses 2N standby power redundancy, supplied by two 2 MW Caterpillar generators per side.

COL3 stands apart in resilience, featuring an EF-4 tornado-rated hardened structure for high-level disaster protection. The facility includes a K-rated perimeter fence, 24×7 staffed security guards, and a secure mantrap entry system to prevent unauthorized tailgating or access. Continuous surveillance is maintained through 24×7 CCTV monitoring, while multi-factor access is enforced using biometric authentication and secure card-based entry controls. Fire detection and suppression utilize pre-action systems with multi-stage activation, zoned targeting, localized delivery, and zoned, localized dry pipe architecture to prevent accidental water discharge.

The facility provides extensive colocation flexibility to serve varied workloads — from single cabinets to multi-megawatt enterprise deployments. Available colocation models include full and partial cabinets, shared rackspace, private cages, enterprise suites, and dedicated footprints. Racks support a maximum power density of 5 kW per rack, accommodating both traditional and high-performance compute deployments. Additionally, for AWS Direct Connect SLA requirements, the COL location may also be considered associated with the AWS GovCloud (US-East) region, helping customers satisfy minimum network configuration compliance where applicable.

COL3 maintains enterprise-grade compliance and operational assurance, backed by certifications including Tier 3 Design Certification, PCI-DSS Certified under DSS-PCI standards, ISO 27001 for information security management, HIPAA for healthcare data compliance, and SOC 1 Type II and SOC 2 Type II for audited operational controls. The structure is purpose-built with a raised floor capable of supporting 300 Lb/sq.f. load capacity. For digital peering and traffic exchange, COL3 hosts 21 peering networks and 1 carrier-neutral Exchange Point tied to Ohio-IX, and also includes a dedicated Meet-Me-Room (MMR), which serves as the facility’s central interconnection and peering hub.