While data centers can be used to provide a wide range of services, not a single one will work without first ensuring the data center has a solid infrastructure.


"Infrastructure," in this case, means hardware, ranging from the same kind of server, storage, networking, and similar technologies used in corporate data centers to the specialized cooling, power distribution, fire suppression, physical security and other equipment designed specifically for data centers.


The infrastructure side of the data center business is where vendors with longtime ties to the channel can be found, making infrastructure the best way for solution providers to dip their toe into the data center market.


Here we at look at the 20 infrastructure providers included in this year's Data Center 100.