How to map data centers

Introduction

A data center is a building or facility used to house computer and network equipment.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for mapping data centers in OpenStreetMap using both the iD web editor(version 2.41.2) and the Vespucci mobile editor(version 22.1.0).

Getting started

Create an OpenStreetMap account

Before you can contribute, you need to create a free account:

1. Go to openstreetmap.org
2. Click "Sign Up" in the top right corner
3. Fill in your details and verify your email
4. You're ready to map!

OSM homepage with Signup button

OSM Signup page

Choose your editor

OpenStreetMap offers several Editors. For this guide, we'll focus on iD and Vespucci.

Identifying data centers

Before mapping, you need to identify data centers. They can be spotted on aerial images based on several characteristics, or directly through a site visit or field survey.

Aerial view of a data center with iD's default background layer

Note: Depending of the country or department, you must select the appropriate background layer. This will allow for a more precise and accurate selection of the area.

Aerial view of a data center with another background layer

Mapping with iD Editor

The iD Editor is the easiest way to start mapping OpenStreetMap data.

Accessing iD Editor

1. Go to openstreetmap.org
2. Navigate to the area you want to map
3. Click "Edit" in the top menu
4. The iD editor will load

OSM homepage with Edit button

Understanding presets and NSI

The iD editor uses presets from the Name Suggestion Index (NSI) to help you add data centers with consistent tagging. The NSI maintains a canonical list of common brands and features.

Important note about presets:

• NSI presets appear automatically in iD when you search for common data center operators
• There may be a delay between when a preset is added to NSI and when it appears in iD due to update cycles
• If a preset doesn't appear, you can still manually add tags (see steps below)

You can browse available data center presets at nsi.guide under the telecom/data_center category.

NSI guide showing telecom/data_center category

Step-by-step: Adding a data center with iD

Step 1: Draw the building

1. In the iD editor, zoom in to the data center location
2. Click the "Area" tool
3. Click around the perimeter of the building to create a polygon
4. Double-click or press Enter to complete the shape

area selected with tool

Step 2 | Case 1: Unknown data center operator

1. With the area selected, look at the left panel
2. Search for "data center" or "telecom"
3. Select "Data Center"

Or

prefilled tags from data center feature type

Step 2 | Case 2: Using NSI presets

If the data center operator is in the NSI database:

1. With the area selected, look at the left panel
2. Start typing the operator name
3. iD will suggest matching presets from NSI
4. Select the appropriate preset
5. The preset will automatically apply recommended tags

Then

Step 3: Add or custom basic information

If known, fill in the essential fields :

• Name - The official name of the data center (e.g., "Equinix PA3")
• Operator - The company operating the facility (e.g., "Equinix", "Digital Realty")
• Reference - The operator's reference code (e.g., "PA3")

Basic tagging panel in iD

Note: In OSM, it is not mandatory to fill in all the tags. But some tag are, such as telecom=data_center to describe a data center.

Step 4: Add additional information (optional)

You can add more details in the Fields category:

• Address - Click "Add field" → "Address"
• Website - Click "Add field" → "Website"
• Phone - Click "Add field" → "Phone"
• Opening hours - For visitor access times
• ...

Basic tagging panel in iD

Or even directly in the Tags category, using "add new tag" then for example "source"

Then

Step 5: Save your changes

1. Click the "Save" button in the top right
2. Add a descriptive comment (e.g., "Add data center: Equinix PA3")
3. Click "Upload" to submit your changes

Save button in iD

Then

Note : Your changes will be visible after 15 minutes on openstreetmap.org.

Mapping with Vespucci (Mobile)

Vespucci is a powerful mobile editor for OpenStreetMap, perfect for field mapping or editing on the go.

Installation and setup

For Android:

1. Install Vespucci from Google Play Store or F-Droid or Amazon Appstore
2. Open the app and grant necessary permissions
3. The app will download OSM data for your current location

Step-by-step: Adding a data center with Vespucci

Step 1: Navigate to the location

1. Use the search bar or map to navigate to your data center location

Step 2: Create a new object

1. Tap the "lock icon" to allow edit mode
2. Tap the + button
3. Select "Add area" for a building footprint

Step 3: Draw the building

1. Tap on the map to place vertices around the building
2. Complete the area by tapping the first point or using the "Complete" button
3. Adjust points as needed by dragging them

Step 4: Add tags

1. With the area selected, tap "Edit tags"
2. Tap the + button to add new tags
3. Add the following tags:

Required:

• Key: telecom | Value: data_center

Recommended:

• Key: name | Value: [data center name]
• Key: operator | Value: [operator name]
• Key: ref | Value: [reference code]
• Key: building | Value: data_center

Step 5: Using presets in Vespucci

Vespucci also supports presets:

1. When adding tags, you can search for preset categories
2. Look for "Telecom" or "Building" categories
3. Select "Data Center" if available

Step 6: Upload changes

1. Tap the "Upload" button (cloud icon with arrow)
2. Add a changeset comment
3. Confirm the upload

Additional useful tags

Key	Value	Description
owner=*	[owner]	Owner of the facility (if different from operator)
website=*	[URL]	Official website
phone=*	[phone number]	Contact phone number
email=*	[email]	Contact email
addr:*=*	[address]	Address details such as city, housenumber, ...
source=*	[source]	Data source (e.g., "Bing", "survey")
wikidata=*	[QID]	Wikidata identifier
wikipedia=*	[article]	Wikipedia article link

Lifecycle prefixes

Use Lifecycle prefixes to indicate the status of a data center:

Under construction:

construction:telecom=data_center
building=construction
start_date=2024-01
opening_date=2025-06

Planned/Proposed:

proposed:telecom=data_center
proposed:building=data_center
start_date=2025

Note : These tags are not include in iD's dropdown because they are not yet widely used.

See also

Resources

• Tag:telecom=data_center - Main tag documentation
• Tag:building=data_center - Building tag
• Key:telecom - Telecom key documentation
• Lifecycle prefixes - For construction/proposed status
• Name Suggestion Index - NSI documentation
• Beginners' guide - General OSM guide
• LearnOSM - Step-by-step tutorials
• iD - iD documentation
• Vespucci - Vespucci documentation
• Overpass turbo - Overpass turbo documentation
• */telecom/data_center - Browse NSI presets for data center operators

Community

• OSM Community Forum
• OSM Discord/IRC

Related projects

• WikiProject Telecoms - Telecom infrastructure mapping
• Open Infrastructure Map - Infrastructure visualization
• OpenDatacenter Map - Data center specific map