NSQ 2 digital - Flipbook - Page 20
Digital infrastructure
in Mexico
large-scale digital infrastructure.
Real capacity VS. perception
By Alan Olivo
When companies evaluate the viability of
nearshoring services, the conversation
usually focuses on talent, labor costs, or
geographic proximity. Yet there is another,
less visible factor that determines the stability
of many operations: digital infrastructure.
In modern operations—ranging from
technology support to financial services and
data analytics—the ability to store, process,
and transmit information becomes as
important as physical infrastructure. Without
reliable data centers, robust connectivity, and
access to enterprise cloud services, much of
the global services model simply cannot
operate with stability.
For many years, perceptions of Mexico in
this area were somewhat ambiguous. Some
observers viewed the country as lagging
behind other technology markets. Others
pointed to the rapid growth of its digital
ecosystem, though with limited clarity about
its actual capacity. Reality tends to lie
somewhere in between. Mexico's digital
infrastructure has grown significantly in recent
years, although its development remains
concentrated in a number of strategic nodes.
The shift became more visible toward the
end of the last decade, when several global
cloud providers announced major
investments in the country. Since then,
expansion has continued through the
development of new cloud regions, the growth
of data center capacity, and the strengthening
of high-capacity connectivity networks.
One of the most notable announcements
came when Amazon Web Services confirmed
the construction of its cloud region in
Querétaro, accompanied by an investment
commitment of approximately $5 billion in
infrastructure over the coming years. This
investment extends beyond servers and
physical facilities to include networks, power
systems, and the technological architecture
required to operate large-scale cloud services
within the country. Microsoft followed a similar
strategy with its Mexico Central cloud region,
designed to deliver enterprise services from
infrastructure located within Mexican territory.
Google Cloud also established a cloud region
in Mexico, expanding the country's access to
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Digital Edition
MARCH 2026
The arrival of these platforms has changed
the digital architecture available to companies
operating in Mexico. Instead of relying
exclusively on data centers located in the
United States, many organizations can now
deploy digital infrastructure directly within
Mexico, reducing latency and facilitating
compliance with certain data-related
regulatory requirements. This development
has been accompanied by the expansion of
specialized data center operators.
Companies such as KIO Networks, Equinix,
ODATA, Ascenty, and other regional
operators have increased their presence in
cities including Querétaro, Mexico City, and
Monterrey.
Querétaro has emerged as the most visible
hub of this expansion. The combination of
energy availability, connectivity with the
country's capital, and proximity to major
industrial corridors has favored the
concentration of data center projects in the
region. Industry analyses place Mexico as the
second-largest data center market in Latin
America, behind only Brazil. This growth is not
driven solely by local demand. It is part of a
broader reconfiguration of global digital
infrastructure.
Technology companies increasingly
distribute their processing capacity across
multiple regions to reduce risk, improve
response times, and bring digital services
closer to the markets where users operate. In
that context, Mexico offers geographic and
connectivity advantages that make it
attractive for infrastructure oriented toward
the North American market.
Mexico's digital infrastructure can be
understood as a system composed of several
layers. One layer consists of data centers.
These facilities house servers, storage
systems, and networking equipment that
support much of today's digital services. The
concentration of data centers in certain cities
reflects the importance of factors such as
electricity availability, physical security, and
network connectivity.
Another layer is made up of cloud regions.
Unlike traditional data centers, regions
operated by global providers allow companies
to deploy applications, store data, and run
digital processes within highly scalable
infrastructures.
A third layer is network connectivity. The
ability to interconnect data centers, cloud
