Houston businesses looking for data center services face a clear choice between two very different providers. When comparing Digital Realty Houston vs. TRG, the differences become immediately apparent – TRG offers a local, hands-on approach, while Digital Realty brings massive global scale to the table.
The Local Player vs. The Giant
TRG runs one facility in Houston – a 150,000 square foot building with serious engineering behind it. Tallvine Partners bought them in August 2025, injecting fresh capital into what was already a profitable operation. With just 11 employees generating $1.8 million annually, they’re small but focused.
Digital Realty is the opposite – a publicly traded giant managing 310+ data centers worldwide. They’re the seventh-largest REIT in America, with Houston being just one piece of their massive portfolio. Their local facilities serve 35+ customers across 4.6k square meters.
Infrastructure Differentiators
TRG’s Houston facility stands out for what you won’t find anywhere else in the city – indoor generators. While other data centers leave their backup power exposed to Houston’s brutal weather, TRG houses multiple 1.5 MVA Rolls Royce systems inside hurricane-resistant enclosures.
They’ve also eliminated water entirely from their cooling systems. No chillers, no distribution loops, no risk of leaks taking down your servers. Digital Realty uses traditional water-cooled systems with roof-mounted equipment.
TRG’s building was engineered for 185+ MPH winds with dual-layer leak protection. When Hurricane Harvey hit during construction, they never lost power. Digital Realty’s retrofitted buildings may not handle extreme weather as well.
Service Philosophy
The biggest difference shows up in how these companies treat customers. TRG includes remote hands support at no extra cost and never charges for cross-connects. Need someone to reboot a server at 2 AM? It’s covered. Want to connect to a new carrier? Free.
Digital Realty charges for both services. Remote hands requests cost extra, and cross-connects add up quickly. They offer more carrier options globally, but you’ll pay for access.
TRG backs everything with a 100% uptime guarantee – any downtime means a full refund for affected services. Digital Realty uses standard industry compensation that scales with outage length.
Location Matters
TRG positioned their facility strategically near I-45 and I-99, outside flood zones with easy access from anywhere in Houston. Digital Realty’s campus sits in Greenspoint, an area known for higher crime rates and flood risk.
Both providers connect to multiple power substations, but TRG secured Critical Load designation from CenterPoint Energy, meaning priority restoration during widespread outages.
Who Fits Where
TRG works best for mid-market companies wanting personalized service and innovative infrastructure. Their customers often migrate from larger providers seeking better support and lower costs – they claim 25-50% savings are typical.
Digital Realty targets enterprise and hyperscale customers needing global reach and massive capacity. With 2,900 MW deployed and land for 6,700 MW total, they handle requirements TRG simply cannot.
Market Timing
Houston’s data center market is growing at 4.7% annually, reaching 122 megawatts by 2030. The Stargate AI project announced by President Trump will inject $100 billion starting with OpenAI, Softbank, and Oracle, creating enormous demand.
Power remains the limiting factor. ERCOT doesn’t expect data centers to participate in demand response programs, making reliable infrastructure crucial.
Making Your Choice
Pick TRG if you want included services, innovative engineering, and a partner who knows your business. Choose Digital Realty if you need global scale, established enterprise processes, or massive deployments.
TRG’s recent acquisition gives them growth capital while maintaining their customer-first approach. For Houston businesses tired of being just another account number, TRG’s combination of cutting-edge infrastructure and genuine customer service offers a refreshing alternative.