Data centers are used to process, store and disseminate large amounts of data. They also provide redundant power, cooling, office space, and telecommunications services. These services are essential to modern businesses. But what exactly are the functions of a data center?
Organize, Process, Store, And Disseminate Data.
Data centers are places where companies and organizations collect, organize, store and disseminate large amounts of data. These facilities contain thousands of highly powerful servers that operate 24 hours a day. Most of them are closely guarded data centers. Therefore, data centers should be located near reliable power sources and high-speed network connectivity.
These facilities are vital for organizations that manage enormous amounts of data. They also provide network space and other infrastructure necessary for business operations—these facilities store and process enterprise data across various media, including tape and solid-state drives. Multiple backups are made to ensure data integrity.
Provide Redundant Power And Cooling
Redundant power and cooling in data centers can mitigate various risks, including the threat of wider-scale disasters. These systems typically consist of two or more units, known as N+1 redundancy. N+1 redundancy refers to the availability of an additional unit, usually an extra unit with the same capacity if the primary unit fails. Redundant power and cooling in data centers are important components for the proper functioning of the center. It helps prevent systems from being down or crashing. In addition, these systems include backup components or entire systems that can take over in the event of system failure due to human error, maintenance, or upgrade needs.
Provide Office Space
Data centers are buildings that house hundreds or even thousands of computers and servers and are connected to both physical and digital networks. Some data centers are smaller than office cupboards and can be as large as a large campus. Switch, for example, owns one of the largest data center campuses in the world.
Data centers are important to the digital economy. Their prime locations are near large populations, such as business centers, and are often near transport routes and 100-year flood zones. They should also have access to Internet infrastructure and reliable power. Some centers are underwater or underground, where the power supply is uninterrupted.
Data centers are expensive, so tenants often opt for long leases to amortize the buildout cost.
Provide Telecommunications Services
Data centers perform many different functions for various types of businesses. For example, large corporations often lease office space within these facilities, often equipped with amenities like conference rooms. In addition, during a disaster, tenants can continue working in the center. Therefore, data centers are a great option for companies who want to maintain a continuity of operations.
Apart from hosting websites, data centers also manage e-mails and instant messaging services, support cloud storage applications and e-commerce transactions, and connect communication networks. A data center can be as large as a whole building or as small as a single room. Data centers have evolved dramatically since the early days of computers, which were huge machines. As time passed, the size and equipment required for running such systems became smaller, but the demands increased.
