A data center is the core intelligence of a company – a space where the most critical operations are performed. Way back, more than 5 or 6 decades ago, computers were so huge they had to be housed in individual rooms specially set aside to accommodate them.

Gradually miniaturization set in, packing more power in significantly smaller computers, but the requirement of space did not undergo any change.

The reason being, the IT companies’ scope of work increased significantly requiring large spaces. Today, without any exception, all data centers have complex IT infrastructures with substantial amount of hardware.

Many of us presume data centers are run by large companies or government agencies.

This is not necessarily true.

With the advent of cloud computing, data centers’ functions are increasingly expanding to serve small and medium businesses. Any facility to house computer systems has to be engineered to perfection. At first glance installing a computer center may appear straightforward, but there are several aspects of the systems that require careful thought and design.

An optimally designed computer facility has the following characteristics.

Simplicity in design

All the components like storage systems, cables, servers and power connections must be labeled or marked. Nothing must be left for conjecture, as   incorrect assumptions have proved to be one of the leading causes of system outages.

The facility must be scalable

There still is no any “rule of the thumb” to design a data center facility. Business ethics stipulate that any establishment must be sized to accommodate future growth.

It is not so easy for a business to forecast IT growth accurately and then install a facility that will also take care of impending needs. With virtual computing taking over, the task of sizing a computer facility has become even more difficult.

Yet, IT managers have to take a decision. A commonly accepted concept is to plan the mechanical and electrical rooms   that are at least 50 % greater than the technology room space.

The design must be modular

The facility must be modular as far as possible. One key advantage of having a modular design is Information Technology managers allow the facility to be a converged infrastructure that can provide scalable business efficiencies.

Security

Security is by far the most important feature a computer facility must have. The key components of a data security include:

• Access – A typical data center is monitored 24 x 7 and 365 days a year. A single person access to authorized individuals is the best approach to put in place security. Biometric scans or custom-configured ID cards provide good authentication.
• Data access – An intrusion detection system in place will monitor inward data and any suspicious activities. Firewalls created by different vendors protect data in the facility. While exchanging files with customers or other entities, an encrypted format is used. Transmission of data is safe via fiber-optic cables.
• Hardware – In a computer facility, all virtual servers, storage units and networks access a collection of physical hardware. If a component fails, the workload is allocated to another component without compromising on system stability.  And in case of hardware failure, a backup system takes care of recovery of data.
• Data privacy – A good data center in India ensures proper compliance to data protection rules and provisions. However data from cloud falls under the authority of the respective customer and is not transmitted to third parties.

Today, all IT initiatives focus of applications and/ or devices. But nothing will work if the network is not functional.

Companies by now have realized that to achieve corporate objectives, their network must be durable, high performing and seamlessly available.

A state-of-the-art facility will;

• Support new business platforms with agile networks
• In a multi-vendor environment, the facility visualizes to gain the capability to support numerous users, equipment and workloads.
• Enhances customer or users’ network agility and performance.

In this rapidly transforming IT space, companies need network that can adapt to their on-premise IT infrastructure and meet their continually changing business needs and new technologies.

To help companies support their increased demand of applications and devices, a comprehensive data center facility is indispensable in today’s competitive business environment.