If you’ve been paying attention to global tech trends, you might have noticed a shift: the Middle East isn’t just about oil anymore. It’s fast becoming a hotspot for data centers — the very places where the world’s digital life is stored, processed, and delivered. And for businesses, that’s worth keeping an eye on.

A survey of 15+ companies at GITEX provided us with answers to questions such as: which criteria companies use to choose a data center, what matters most to them, and how they see the future of data centers. Check out the results below.

What are the main criteria for you when choosing a data center?

1. Reliability and uptime (93.8%)

• Tier classification (I–IV) according to the Uptime Institute.
• SLA (Service Level Agreement) — guaranteed uptime percentage.
• History of outages and incidents.

2. Cost (18.8%)

• Colocation or server rental fees.
• Electricity and cooling costs.
• Hidden expenses (transportation, integration, SLA penalties).

3. Location (12.5%)

• Proximity to main markets and users to minimize latency.
• Regional stability (geopolitical and economic).
• Access to infrastructure — transport, network, electricity.

4. Scalability and Flexibility (87.5%)

• Ability to expand server capacity and floor space.
• Support for colocation as well as private module rentals.
• Hybrid cloud support.

5. Security (Physical & Cybersecurity) (81.3%)

• Physical protection: guards, video surveillance, biometrics.
• Protection against natural disasters and fire.
• Cybersecurity measures and certifications like ISO 27001, SOC 2, etc.

How important is data center certification (Tier, ISO, Uptime, etc.) for you?

Data center certification plays a key role in ensuring the reliability, security, and efficiency of their operations. Having certifications such as Uptime Institute Tier or ISO 27001 confirms that the infrastructure meets international standards for quality and information security. This increases customer trust, reduces the risks of downtime and data breaches, and helps optimize operational processes. Moreover, it serves as an important competitive advantage and a guarantee of IT service stability — a fact confirmed by our survey.

Which risks do you consider most critical for data center operations?

Data centers face a number of critical risks that can significantly impact their performance, security, and reputation. The main ones include:

Power supply and electricity failures — interruptions, UPS malfunctions, or generator failures can lead to downtime and data loss.

Equipment failure — breakdowns of servers, storage systems, network devices, or cooling equipment can disrupt service availability.

Overheating and cooling system failures — rising temperatures in server rooms can cause hardware damage.

Cyberattacks and data breaches — hacking, DDoS attacks, or insider threats can compromise data confidentiality and availability.

Human error — mistakes by operators, engineers, or contractors are a common cause of incidents.

Natural and man-made disasters — earthquakes, floods, fires, or infrastructure accidents can completely disable a facility.

Network and connectivity issues — loss of communication with providers or internal network failures lead to service unavailability.

Non-compliance with standards and requirements — lack of certification and quality control increases infrastructure vulnerability.

Which technologies do you find most promising for data centers?

Here are some of the most promising technologies shaping the future of data centers:

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) — used for automation, equipment failure prediction, and optimization of cooling and energy consumption.

Immersion and liquid cooling — significantly improves energy efficiency and allows for higher computing density.

Modular and container data centers — provide flexibility, rapid deployment, and scalability of infrastructure.

Renewable energy and energy efficiency — integration of solar, wind, and other sources reduces carbon footprint and operating costs.

Edge computing — moves processing closer to end users, reducing latency and easing the load on central data centers.

Optical and quantum communications — promise breakthroughs in data transmission speed and network resilience.

Automation and smart management systems (DCIM 2.0) — integrate engineering and IT systems into a single platform for resource monitoring and optimization.

Next-generation cybersecurity — applies Zero Trust architecture, AI-driven analytics, and behavioral models to protect data and networks.

How do you see the future of data centers in the next 5–10 years?

Over the next 5–10 years, data centers will undergo major transformation, becoming more intelligent, sustainable, and distributed. Artificial intelligence will play a key role in infrastructure management — from predicting failures to automatically balancing workloads and optimizing energy consumption. Increasingly, facilities will adopt renewable energy sources and liquid cooling to reduce their carbon footprint and improve efficiency. At the same time, edge data centers will expand to support 5G, IoT, and autonomous systems, bringing computing closer to data sources. The data centers of the future will evolve from simple information repositories into self-managing ecosystems that deliver stable, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure for the modern world.