GDS Group is a leading global integrated IT service provider that offers a wide range of products and services related to data centers, cloud computing, and digital solutions. The company has operations across China and in international markets. GDS Group serves a diverse customer base that includes internet companies, financial institutions, telecommunications carriers, and government agencies.
Data Center Services
One of the core offerings from GDS Group is data center services. The company operates and manages high-performance data centers across China’s Tier 1 markets like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Some of the major data center services provided by GDS Group include:
- Colocation services – Providing secure space, power, cooling and physical security infrastructure for customers to install their own IT hardware like servers and storage equipment.
- Managed hosting services – Managing and monitoring of customer-owned IT infrastructure housed within GDS data centers.
- Hybrid cloud services – Enabling seamless connectivity between colocated infrastructure and public cloud services.
- Interconnection – Providing direct, private connections between enterprises housed in GDS data centers.
GDS Group currently operates over 30 self-developed data centers across China offering around 300,000 square meters of colocation space. Some of the notable data centers operated by GDS include Beijing 1, Shanghai 5, Shenzhen 4, Guangzhou 2, etc. The company focuses on high-tier data centers built to Tier III and Tier IV standards for resiliency and uptime.
Customer Base
GDS Group serves over 500 customers from diverse industries through its data center offerings. Some of the major customers include:
- Leading Chinese internet companies like Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance.
- Top financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies and securities firms.
- Major domestic and international IT service providers.
- Telecommunications carriers like China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom.
- Government agencies and state-owned enterprises.
Data Center Features
GDS data centers provide enterprises with high-quality colocation infrastructure featuring:
- High power density up to 20kW per cabinet.
- Redundant utility feeds and backup power infrastructure.
- Carbon neutral operations using green power sources.
- Robust physical security with video surveillance, controlled access zones, etc.
- High-speed network connectivity from multiple tier-1 carriers.
- Remote hands support for managing on-site IT infrastructure.
Cloud Services
In addition to data center colocation and hosting, GDS Group also provides a range of cloud computing services to customers. The major cloud services offered include:
GDS Cloud
GDS Cloud is the company’s public and hybrid cloud platform built on top of its nationwide data center infrastructure. It offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) capabilities. GDS Cloud is compliant with regulatory requirements in China. Key features include:
- Instant provisioning of virtual machines, storage, security services, etc.
- Auto-scaling based on usage and traffic.
- Disaster recovery across multiple availability zones.
- Direct interconnectivity to major Chinese internet players.
- Integrated marketplace for purchasing third-party SaaS apps.
Managed Public Cloud
GDS offers integrated services for managing and securing infrastructure hosted with major public clouds like Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud and AWS China. This includes:
- Cloud management platform for provisioning and orchestration.
- Security services like firewalls, intrusion detection, etc.
- Backup and disaster recovery services.
- Monitoring, analytics and cost optimization.
- Multi-cloud management across different providers.
GDS Stack
GDS Stack is a managed container platform that allows customers to easily deploy and run containerized applications at scale. Key capabilities include:
- Kubernetes cluster deployment and management.
- Private container image registry.
- Auto-scaling of container resources.
- Monitoring, logging and alerting.
- CI/CD integration.
Digital Solutions
To complement its core data center and cloud offerings, GDS Group also provides specialized digital solutions tailored for industry verticals like financial services, media, healthcare, education, etc. Some examples include:
Blockchain Solutions
GDS offers blockchain-based solutions for financial services enterprises that need to build applications like digital wallets, trade finance platforms, supply chain systems, etc. This includes providing the underlying blockchain network infrastructure along with development capabilities.
Digital Media Solutions
For companies in the media and entertainment industry, GDS provides content delivery network (CDN) services, media asset management platforms, online video platforms, and other solutions to support creation and distribution of digital content.
Internet of Things (IoT) Platform
GDS’s IoT enablement platform helps enterprises implement smart city, smart manufacturing, connected vehicles, and other IoT initiatives by offering capabilities like device management, data collection, analytics, and intelligent decision-making.
International Expansion
While China remains the primary market, GDS Group has been steadily expanding its global footprint to serve customers in international markets. Some highlights include:
- Operating data centers in key hubs like Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia.
- Expanding to developed markets like Japan through joint ventures.
- Targeting emerging markets such as India, Indonesia, Thailand through strategic partnerships.
- Leveraging cloud to deliver services internationally.
GDS Group has built strong partnerships with major Chinese companies to support their international growth plans through overseas data center, cloud and digital solutions.
Conclusion
In summary, GDS Group is a leading integrated IT service provider offering a broad portfolio of infrastructure and technology solutions. The company’s core competencies lie in data center services spanning colocation, hosting, interconnection, hybrid cloud, etc. GDS also provides extensive cloud computing capabilities via its GDS Cloud, Managed Public Cloud and GDS Stack offerings. Additionally, the company offers tailored digital solutions for different verticals and is expanding globally to serve Chinese enterprises abroad. With its extensive infrastructure footprint, technical expertise and strategic partnerships, GDS Group is well positioned to capitalize on the rapid digital transformation occurring in China and beyond.
