What Is a Data Center? Working, Types, Architecture, and Best Practices

A data center is defined as a room, a building, or a group of buildings used to house backend computer systems (without a user interface) and supporting systems like cooling capabilities, physical security, networking appliances, and more. This article defines and describes the workings of a data center, including its architecture, types, and best practices.

What Is a Data Center?

A data center is a room, a building, or a group of buildings used to house back-end computer systems (without a user interface) and supporting systems like cooling capabilities, physical security, networking appliances, and more. Remote data centers power all cloud infrastructure. 

A data center is a physical facility providing the computing power to operate programs, storage to process information, and networking to link people to the resources they need to do their tasks and support organizational operations.

Due to a dense concentration of servers, which are often placed in tiers, sometimes data centers are called server farms. They provide essential services like information storage, recovery and backup information management, and networking.

Almost every company and government agency needs either its own data center or access to third-party facilities. Some construct and operate them in-house, and others rent servers from co-location facilities. In contrast, others still leverage public cloud-based services from hosts such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

In general, there are four recognized levels of data centers. The numerical tiers allocated to these data centers represent the redundant infrastructure, power, and cooling systems. Commonly assigned to these levels are the following values or functionalities: 

• Tier 1: Offers no built-in redundancies to assure optimum availability and several hours of annual downtime.
• Tier 2: Reduced yearly downtime due to the incorporation of partial redundancies to ensure that electricity and air conditioning continue to support operations.
• Tier 3: Ensures greater uptime and protection against power and cooling issues, with less than a couple of hours of downtime annually.
• Tier 4: Offers 99.995% uptime annually and less than an hour of downtime annually.

The storage and computing capabilities for apps, information, and content are housed in data centers. Access to this data is a major issue in this cloud-based, application-driven world. Using high-speed packet-optical communication, Data Center Interconnect (DCI) technologies join two or more data centers across short, medium, or long distances.

Further, a hyper-converged data center is built on hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), a software architecture consolidating the compute, network, and storage commodity hardware. The merging of software and hardware components into a single data center streamlines the processing and management process, with the added perk of lowering an organization’s IT infrastructure and management costs.

See More: Want To Achieve Five Nines Uptime? 2 Keys To Maximize Data Center Performance 

How Do Data Centers Work?

The working of a data center is based on the successful execution of data center operations. Operations of a data center consist of the systems and processes that maintain the data center on a daily basis.

Data center operations consist of establishing and managing network resources, assuring data center security, and monitoring power and cooling systems. Different kinds of data centers, differing in size, dependability, and redundancy, are defined by the IT needs of enterprises that operate data centers. The expansion of cloud computing is driving their modernization, including automation and virtualization.

Data centers comprise real or virtual servers linked externally and internally via communication and networking equipment to store, transport, and access digital data. Each server is comparable to a home computer in that it contains a CPU, storage space, and memory but is more powerful. Data centers use software to cluster computers and divide the load among them. To keep all of this up and running, the data center uses the following key elements:

1. High-availability systems and redundancy

Availability in a data center refers to components that are operational at all times. Periodically, systems are maintained to guarantee future activities run smoothly. You may arrange a failover in which a server switches duties to a distant server to increase redundancy. In IT infrastructure, redundant systems reduce the risk of single-point failure.

2. The network operations center

Network Operation Center (NOC) is a workspace (or virtual workplace) for employees or dedicated workers tasked with monitoring, administering, and maintaining the computer resources in a data center. A NOC can supply all of the data center’s information and update all activities. The responsible person at a NOC may see and control network visualizations that are being monitored.

3. Uninterrupted power supply

Unquestionably, power is the most critical aspect of a data center. Colocation equipment or web hosting servers use a dedicated power supply inside the data center. Every data center needs power backups to ensure its servers are continually operational and that overall service availability is maintained.

4. Physical safety measures

A safe data center requires the implementation of security mechanisms. One must first identify the weaknesses in your DC’s infrastructure. Multi-factor ID identification, monitoring across the whole building, metal detectors, and biometric systems are a few measures that one may take to ensure the highest level of security. Also necessary to a data center are on-site security personnel.

5. Robust cooling systems

Power and cooling are equally crucial in a data center. The colocation equipment and web-hosting servers need sufficient cooling to prevent overheating and guarantee their continued operation. A data center should be constructed so that there is enough airflow and the systems are always kept cool.

6. Systems for power backup

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS), as well as generators, are components of backup systems. During power disruptions, a generator may be configured to start automatically. As far as the generators have fuel, they will remain on during a blackout. UPS systems should provide redundancy so that a failed module does not compromise the overall system’s capability. Regular maintenance of the UPS and batteries decreases the likelihood of failure during a power outage.

7. Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) for data centers

CMMS is among the most effective methods to monitor, measure, and enhance your maintenance plan. This program enables the data center management to track the progress of maintenance work performed on their assets and the associated costs. This program will aid in lowering maintenance costs and boosting internal efficiency.

In a modern data center, artificial intelligence (AI) also plays an essential role in its working. AI enables algorithms to fulfill the conventional Data Center Infrastructure Manager (DCIM) tasks by monitoring energy distribution, cooling capacity, server traffic, and cyber threats in real-time and automatically adjusting efficiency. AI can shift workloads to underused resources, identify possible component faults, and balance pooled resources. It accomplishes this with minimal human intervention.

See More: What Is Enterprise Data Management (EDM)? Definition, Importance, and Best Practices

Types of Data Centers

The different types of data centers include:

1. Enterprise-grade data centers

Organizations construct and own these private data centers for their end customers. They may be placed both on and off-site and serve a single organization’s IT processes and essential apps. An organization may isolate business activities from data center operations in a natural catastrophe. Or, it may construct its data center in a cooler environment to reduce energy consumption.

2. Colocation facilities

Multi-tenant data centers (called colocation data centers) provide data center space to organizations desiring to host their computer gear and servers remotely.

These spaces for rent inside colocation centers are the property of other parties. The renting company is responsible for providing the hardware, while the data center offers and administers the infrastructure, which includes physical area, connectivity, ventilation, and security systems. Colocation is attractive for businesses that want to avoid the high capital costs involved with developing and running their own data centers.

3. Edge computing data centers

The desire for immediate connection, the Internet of Things (IoT) expansion, and the requirement for insights and robotics are driving the emergence of edge technologies, which enable processing to take place closer to actual data sources. Edge data centers are compact facilities that tackle the latency issue by being located nearer to the network’s edge and data sources.

These data centers are tiny and placed close to the users they serve, allowing for low-latency connection with smart devices. By processing multiple services as near-to-end users as feasible, edge data centers enable businesses to decrease communication delays and enhance the customer experience.

4. Hyperscale centers

Hyperscale data centers are intended to host IT infrastructure on a vast scale. These hyperscale computing infrastructures, synonymous with large-scale providers like Amazon, Meta, and Google, optimize hardware density while reducing the expense of cooling and administrative overhead.

Hyperscale data centers, like business data centers, are owned and maintained by the organization they serve, although on a considerably broader level for platforms for cloud computing and big data retention. The minimum requirements for a hyperscale data center are 5,000 servers, 500 cabinets, and 10,000 square feet of floor space.

5. Cloud data centers

These dispersed data centers are operated by 3rd party or public cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. The leased infrastructure, predicated on an infrastructure-as-a-service approach, enables users to establish a virtual data center within minutes. Remember that cloud data centers operate as any other physical data center type for the cloud provider managing it. 

See More: What Is a Data Catalog? Definition, Examples, and Best Practices

6. Modular data centers

A modular data center is a module or physical container bundled with ready-to-use, plug-and-play data center elements: servers, storage, networking hardware, UPS, stabilizers, air conditioners, etc. Modular data centers are used on building sites and disaster zones (to take care of alternate care sites during the pandemic, for example). In permanent situations, they are implemented to make space available or to let an organization develop rapidly, such as installing IT equipment to support classrooms in an educational institution.

7. Managed data center

In a managed data center, a third-party provider provides enterprises with processing, data storage, and other associated services to aid in managing their IT operations. This data center type is deployed, monitored, and maintained by the service provider, who offers the functionalities via a controlled platform.

You may get managed data center services through a colocation facility, cloud-based data centers, or a fixed hosting location. A managed data center might be entirely or partly managed, but these are not multi-tenant by default, unlike colocation.

See More: What Is Data Modeling? Process, Tools, and Best Practices

Data Center Architecture

The modern data center design has shifted from an on-premises infrastructure to one that mixes on-premises hardware with cloud environments wherein networks, apps, or workloads are virtualized across multiple private and public clouds. This innovation has revolutionized the design of data centers since all components are no longer co-located and may only be accessible over the Internet.

Generally speaking, there are four kinds of data center structures: meshes, three or multi-tier, mesh points of delivery, and super spine mesh. Now let us start with the most famous instance. The multi-tier structure, which consists of the foundation, aggregation, and access layers, has emerged as the most popular architectural approach for corporate data centers.

• Core: It permits connectivity to several aggregation modules and a network for packet switching between multiple aggregation units.
• Aggregation: It includes service module integrations, setups for layer two domains, extending across tree analysis, and redundant default gateways.
• Access: It provides physical-level access to system resources and operates either in layer 2 and layer 3 modes. Moreover, it is essential for handling particular server requirements, such as NIC stacking, clustering, and broadcasting containment.

The mesh data center architecture follows next. The mesh network model refers to the topology in which data is exchanged between components through linked switches. It can provide basic cloud services due to its dependable capacity and minimal latency. Moreover, because of its scattered network topologies, the mesh configuration can quickly materialize any connection and is less costly to construct.

This mesh point of delivery (PoD) comprises several leaf switches connected inside the PoDs. It is a recurrent design pattern wherein components improve the data center’s modularity, scalability, and administration. Consequently, data center managers may rapidly add new data center architecture to their existing three-tier topology to meet the extremely low-latency data flow of new cloud apps.

In summary, super spine architecture is suitable for large-scale, campus-style data centers. This kind of data center architecture handles vast volumes of data through east-to-west data corridors.

The data center will comprise a facility and its internal infrastructure in these architectural alternatives. The site is where the data center is physically located. A data center is a big, open space in which infrastructure is installed. Virtually every place is capable of housing IT infrastructure.

Infrastructure is the extensive collection of IT equipment installed inside a facility. This refers to the hardware responsible for running applications and providing business and user services. A traditional IT infrastructure includes, among other elements, servers, storage, computer networks, and racks.

There are no obligatory or necessary criteria for designing or building a data center; a data center is intended to satisfy the organization’s unique needs. However, the fundamental purpose of any standard is to offer a consistent foundation for best practices. Several modern data center specifications exist, and a company may embrace a few or all of them.

• EN 50600 series: IT cable and network standardizations include various infrastructure redundancy and reliability concepts premised on the Tier Standards of the Uptime Institute.
• Uptime Institute Tier Standard: Using data center design, construction, and commissioning, the facility’s resiliency is established.
• ANSI/TIA 942-B: Including building design, planning, construction, and commissioning, fire protection, information technology, and maintenance.

See More: What Is Kubernetes Ingress? Meaning, Working, Types, and Uses

Data Center Best Practices

When designing, managing, and optimizing a data center, here are the top best practices to follow:

1. Plan for the future

When developing a data center, it is crucial to provide space for growth. To save costs, data center designers may seek to limit facility capacities to the organization’s present needs; nevertheless, this might be a costly error in the long run. Having a room available for new equipment is vital as your needs change.

2. Optimize energy utilization by measuring PUE

One cannot regulate the things you do not measure; thus, monitor energy usage to explain the system efficiency of your data center. Power usage effectiveness (PUE) is a statistic used to reduce non-computing energy use, like cooling and power transmission. Frequently measuring PUE is required for optimal use. Since seasonal weather variations greatly influence PUE, gathering energy information for the whole year is considerably more essential.

3. Invest in predictive maintenance

Inspections and preventative maintenance are often performed at time-led intervals to prevent the breakdown of components and systems. Nonetheless, this technique disregards actual operating conditions. Utilizing analytics and intelligent monitoring technologies may alter maintenance procedures. A powerful analytics platform with machine learning capabilities can forecast maintenance needs.

4. Revisit and cleanse datasets regularly

Even with the declining price of computer memory, global archiving incurs billions of dollars annually. By deleting and retaining data, the IT infrastructure of data centers is freed of its burden, resulting in decreased conditioning expenses and energy consumption and more effective allocation of computing resources and storage.

5. Boost uptime by building redundancies

For data centers, creating backup pathways for networked gear and communication channels in the event of a failure is a big challenge. These redundancies offer a backup system that allows personnel to perform maintenance and execute system upgrades without disturbing service or to transition to the backup system when the primary system fails. Tier systems within data centers, numbered from one to four, define the uptime that customers may expect (4 being the highest).

See More: Why the Future of Database Management Lies In Open Source

Takeaway

Data centers are the backbone of modern-day computing. Not only do they house information, but they also support resource-heavy data operations like analysis and modeling. By investing in your data center architecture, you can better support IT and business processes. A well-functioning data center is one with minimal downtime and scalable capacity while maintaining costs at an optimum. 

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