We’ve been fantasizing about virtual worlds for decades, and the promise of the metaverse allows us to create any universe we can imagine.

The idea behind the metaverse was to create a new world that is fully interactive and connected via a shared virtual reality space. The metaverse will blend the digital and physical realms without the use of a headset by utilizing interactive technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) and the most cutting-edge innovative tools.

The metaverse’s progressive status may not be obvious at first glance. Some believe it will never be fully realized, while others believe it will eventually replace real life.

After all, the concept of the metaverse has been discussed for years, but the excitement surrounding it has never been greater than it is today – owing to the fact that we already live in a highly digital, highly connected world.

Many corporations are investing in the metaverse’s potential in some form or another, attempting to create various versions of mixed reality environments. To name a few, Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and EPIC Games are all attempting to develop and shape the metaverse based on their respective business strengths and strategies, each using the same word to articulate different visions. With these investments, there will be an abundance of resources dedicated to the development of the future virtual world.

Data Will Be More Important Than Any Other Building Block in the Metaverse

The metaverse is a collection of interconnected systems, each with its own set of rules and capabilities. It is made up of interconnected worlds with no geographical boundaries, allowing anyone with an internet connection to access it. The massive amount of data that the metaverse will necessitate will put a strain on networks and data centers’ ability to process and transmit the data.

Continuous, instantaneous, high bandwidth data transfers will be required in the metaverse. Metaverse data centers must be located in close proximity to users, and network speeds must be lightning fast. Today’s data centers and networks lack the speed and capacity to support such an immersive experience.

The key to powering the metaverse is edge computing. Edge computing, in essence, reduces latency, improves response times, and saves bandwidth, making it ideal for many metaverse use cases. It also brings applications and data as close to users as possible, providing them with the local computing power they require while minimizing network-based latency and network-congestion risk.

Edge locations are the bridge between the virtual and physical worlds, according to the Global Interconnection Index (GXI), an annual study commissioned by Equinix; enterprises deploy infrastructure in these locations to get as close to as many users as possible.

Moving data back and forth between users and centralized IT hubs creates unacceptable levels of latency when data sets are as large as those created by the metaverse. Infrastructure at the edge allows data to remain local, reducing latency.

Metaverse Will Necessitate A Massive Structure,  and Colocation Leasing Could Be A Significant Driver in the Future

While collaboration between IT and facilities has always been a critical theme for data center operations in the cloud and at the edge, business imperatives will require full alignment across their various business functions now more than ever.

The metaverse is tomorrow’s technology, and we won’t be able to build it with today’s IT infrastructure. Enterprises will not be able to deliver on the true promise of the metaverse until they break free from the traditional approach to IT and replace it with modernized, distributed digital infrastructure.