5 Features to Look for in a Data Center Key Takeaways
The USA has the highest number of data centers as compared to the world with more than 5000 in numbers. Data centers consumed 7.4 Gigawatts of power in 2023, a 55% increase from the 4.9 Gigawatts in 2022. While picking the right data center, you must focus on its cooling tech, location, redundant power supply, compliance, and scalability. Choosing a data center is one of the most significant decisions you can make. It touches every area of your business. Without a good record, you simply can’t operate.
Fortunately, there are plenty of good machine rooms out there, and you just have to know what to look for when you’re shopping around.
With that being said, read the write-up till the end to know more about them.
Cooling Technology A feature many overlook during the time they search for a data center is how they are cooled. The traditional way to cool a machine room is through the use of air cooling, which is the same way we cool other spaces, like our homes and businesses. However, it’s not the most effective cooling method.
Liquid cooling enables record rooms to operate with higher power densities at higher temperatures . It comes with other benefits too. It:
Increases the lifespan of hardware Is more environmentally friendly Is more cost-efficient Reduces noise It’s also an indication that it prioritizes using new technology to offer the best experience for its customers.
Location When data centers can be located anywhere all over the world, worrying about where yours is located may seem like a waste of time. The truth is that location matters .
It’s not necessarily about if you have access to the center, although that is something to think about if you want to choose a center that’s close by. Instead, it will be required to consider things like access to utilities, access to a skilled labor pool, and the likelihood of a disaster shutting the center down.
For example, if the data center is in the middle of nowhere, it has less access to utilities compared to it that’s closer to the city. If skilled employees are paramount, you might seek options on the West Coast and need to avoid using that in a hurricane-prone area.
This graph shows the countries with the highest number of data centers as of 2023.
Redundant Power Sources Your business cannot foster its full potential if it does not have an operational data center. That’s why it’s so necessary to search for a center that takes network redundancy seriously.
You’ll want to go for an option that utilizes generators, but also enjoy storing all the data somewhere that takes things a step further with multiple sources. In the time when multiple sources are hooked up to the same central element , you can step up and take over should another one fail.
The machine room will more than likely be hooked up to the electrical grid, but many utilize other sources of power as well, like solar or wind energy.
Not only does it allow for finding redundant sources, but also seeks connectivity redundancy. With multiple network devices set up to take over if you fail, you’ll never have to worry about access to the information stored at the data center.
Compliance Compliance is an extremely important consideration if you operate in the healthcare or banking industries. You must pick a record room that understands how to keep sensitive information safe according to local and national regulations.
You ought still to consider compliance issues even if you aren’t in the healthcare or banking industry. The staff need to be adequately trained and regularly screened for potential security risks, and they have to be up-to-date on the latest regulatory requirements.
They have a plan in place for staying compliant with an ever-changing industry, and they must be able to articulate exactly how they stay up-to-date whenever you ask.
DID YOU KNOW? Data centers consumed 7.4 Gigawatts of power in 2023, a 55% increase from the 4.9 Gigawatts in 2022.
Scalability Scalability is also something that should be top-of-mind when you’re searching for a data center. You want to be able to expand the business without having to migrate the data to a different center.
Search for a center that has the capabilities to expand, and avoid centers that offer one-size-fits-all service packages. That ensures scaling up quickly if the need arises, but it also allows you to scale down. If you decide to split or shrink operations, you don’t need to get stuck paying for a massive data plan that is no longer in use.
Shopping for a data center isn’t glamorous, but it is a pertinent thing you can do for the business. The moment you make sure they use the latest technology, they are up-to-date on all the latest regulatory requirements, and they can provide you with the service that is needed now and in the future.
Conclusion Finally, by reading this article till this point, you must have gotten the idea of how useful a data center is for your business. Therefore, explore the market with different alternatives, and look for the above-mentioned 5 qualities in each of them.
