A Portable Modular Data Center (PMDC) is a type of modular data center designed for portability. PMDCs are typically built into 20, 40, or 53-foot intermodal containers (shipping containers). Designed to be weather-resistant and well insulated, PMDCs can be placed in many environments.[1] They can be stored and then deployed when needed to augment traditional data centers or provide backup functionality in the event of a disaster.
Portable Modular Data Centers are often used for edge computing applications such as 4G and 5G broadband cellular network deployments.[2] This is because PMDCs are comparatively easy to deploy and they are able to provide service at a lower latency due to their physical proximity to customers.
A typical Portable Modular Data Center includes a diesel generator for power, servers, and other computing resources, along with cooling units to manage the heat from high-density computing. PMDCs also feature internet connectivity, often through satellite uplinks.