What Is a Datacenter? Facts About Networks, Storage, and Computing Infrastructure

If you were to compare the current computing infrastructure that is available right now to what it was a few decades ago, you may be surprised at just how much the industry has grown. One key area, in particular, that has undergone a massive revolution is the datacenter industry.

The need to find better and more secure storage solutions for vital financial data has been the driving force behind the advancement of global datacenters. These days, some businesses are willing to spend millions of dollars for guaranteed safety of their data. 

If you are wondering what datacenters are, and how they may affect your business, you have come to the right place. NetNut has a wide range of datacenter proxies that will give you peace of mind regarding the security of your critical and proprietary assets. Read on to find out more!

What Is a Datacenter?

What is a datacenter

Also called a data center, a datacenter is a complex network of computers, infrastructure, and storage systems that businesses rely on to disseminate, store, process, and assemble huge packets of important organizational data.

That definition is certainly a mouthful, but in reality, datacenters are quite easy to understand. If you are part of an organization that relies on a lot of data, you can simply think of datacenters as the ultimate solution to your storage needs.

These days, datacenters house a huge amount of some of the most important organizational information that businesses need to function daily. As such, they have become a vital part of any organization’s business structure.

With organizations that are so large that they are spread across the globe, datacenters provide a solution for shared access to vital information in a safe and secure environment. The design and level of security that is followed by modern datacenters is in response to the industry standards, and the nature of the data that is being stored. 

Modern technology has evolved in so many different ways, from industries relying on proxy servers to the use of cloud technology as a storage solution. As such, the definition of what a data center is, will likely keep on changing as the industry continues to evolve. 

How Do Datacenters Work?what is a datacenter and how does it work

How a data center works is usually determined by the nature of the data it is entrusted with and the requirements of the client. In most cases, data centers simply enable an organization to collect all its infrastructure and resources for easier storage, processing, and communication. 

When an organization uses a data center, it will be able to gain access to the following:

  • The physical infrastructure required for storing and managing large packets of data
  • Systems for accessing, sharing, and storing data across an organization of any size
  • Business-critical utilities, such as uninterrupted power and network security

With all these resources in place, an organization will be able to better focus on its growth, knowing that its data security is in the hands of a capable data center. 

Why Are Datacenters Important?

Almost every business these days relies on computers on some level. With very large organizations, the computational demand may be very high. In some cases, it may even be too much for the organization to handle on its own, meaning it has to outsource some of the computational burden.

This is where data centers can assist. With the right data center providing support, an organization can have access to support for its network and business applications, data storage, and all other computational requirements. 

As businesses rely more and more on computers in order to run efficiently, the data center becomes almost as important as the business itself. Organizations that are completely reliant on IT may even say that the data center and the business are the same thing. 

Some of the common business applications that a modern data center is able to support include:

  • Email and file sharing
  • Virtual desktops, communications, and collaboration services
  • Productivity applications
  • Huge data packets, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
  • Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and databases
  • Customer relationship management (CRM)

The Important Components of a Datacenter

There is no steadfast rule when it comes to how a datacenter is designed. As such, you will find that datacenters can have very different architecture depending of the particular services that the center hopes to provide.

A datacenter that is dedicated to providing maximum data security, such as an important government facility, will likely have a very different architecture compared to a cloud-based datacenter designed to support online retail business. One is more concerned with security protocols, while the other is based of the need to provide secure shared access.  

However, despite the differences that will invariably exist between each datacenter, there are some important components that are likely to remain the same. If a datacenter is to provide effective support, the following components have to be there:

The Facility

It goes without saying that a datacenter will need a secure facility to hold its physical infrastructure. While it is true that computers are getting smaller and more powerful, when it comes to a huge datacenter designed to house large amounts of data, the IT equipment can be quite extensive.

As such, the first requirement for any datacenter is a proper facility. With all this IT equipment also comes the need to control the internal environment, have a reliable cooling systems, and access to huge amounts of energy needed for the datacenter’s processing power. 

Core Components 

Nothing but the very best in IT equipment will do for any modern datacenter. This means the center will need the latest processing units, servers, network infrastructures, storage units, routers, and next-generation firewalls. All these must be at the cutting-edge of technology to enable the datacenter to keep up with the rapid developments in the industry. 

Support Infrastructure

Proper support infrastructure will be required to help the datacenter maintain a very high level of availability. This means the datacenter will need to guarantee the following support systems:

  • Physical security systems, such as video surveillance systems and biometrics
  • Environmental control provided by air conditioners, ventilation, and exhaust systems
  • Uninterruptible power sources (UPS), in the form of, for example, electricity generators and batteries

Datacenter Personnel

Finally, regardless of how advanced the datacenter is, or whether it was designed to rely on an AI system, there is a need to have the right personnel maintaining the IT infrastructure and continuously monitoring the various datacenter operations. This is because it has been discovered that protecting data centers still requires a personalized approach, which is why it is important to always have the right people for the job.

Six Types of Datacenters

Types of Data Centers

To cater to the diverse needs of different business that require the services of a datacenter, many different types of datacenters are available. If you are thinking of outsourcing some of your computational and storage requirements, you will need to carefully consider what your goals are as a business.

In general, there are six types of data centers that you can choose from, and these are:

Enterprise Datacenters

An enterprise datacenter is built and operated by a company that relies heavily on datacenter services, and want to handle everything in-house. This is usually only possible with large organizations that have the capacity to afford a project of such a magnitude, and that have sensitive data they want to protect at all costs. 

Enterprise datacenters have the advantage of being custom-made to fit the exact requirements of the organization. Depending on the availability of space, an enterprise datacenter can be housed at the same location as the business, or at another facility.

Managed Services Datacenters

One of the most common types of datacenters are managed services datacenters. These are owned and managed by a third party datacenter service provider. As such, it does not require the company to set aside any money for building or running a datacenter. This is usually a better option for smaller organizations or those that do not have computational requirements that are big enough to justify investing in an enterprise datacenter.

Colocation Datacenters

With a colocation datacenter, a company will rent a physical premises at a secure location where it will house its storage facility. Colocation datacenters require the company to host its own infrastructure, manage the utilities, as well as run the activities at the datacenter. However, unlike an enterprise datacenter, with colocation centers, the companies do not build/own the premises.

Cloud Datacenters

The latest development in the datacenter industry is the use of cloud storage. You may already have come across similar technologies as these are used by many mobile devices to store the users photos, videos, and other important data.

Cloud datacenters employ the same technology and allow companies to store and easily access their data through a secure internet-based platform. Then cloud datacenter is run by a third party service provider.

Edge Datacenters

In most cases, edge datacenters are much smaller than the other types, and are usually located much closer to the data sources. 

Hyperscale Datacenters

Some examples of hyperscale datacenters are those used by huge companies, such as Google, Meta, and Amazon. They are largescale storage and data sharing facilities that are designed to minimize cooling and administrative overhead costs, while maximizing the hardware density. 

What Does the Modern Datacenter Look Like?

A lot of developments have happened in a very short time when it comes to how the internet operates, and how data is stored and shared. These days, anyone can use proxy servers form the comfort of their home, which was not a common occurrence a decade ago. 

This level of development has also been seen when it comes to how datacenters are designed and operated. The latest in cutting edge technology in the datacenter industry is moving more and more towards cloud datacenters, rather than the traditional enterprise datacenters.

One reason for this might be because of how much easier it is to access and share information that is stored on a cloud server rather than that which is secured in a physical facility. It is also the more cost effective solution because it means companies do not have to spend a fortune building physical structures. The need for more and more flexibility when running businesses means that there is likely to be a lot more development in the cloud datacenter industry.

However, there are still a lot of question marks regarding the security of data that is stored on cloud servers compared to that which is in a secure physical facility. Even with the best encryption systems on guard, incidents of hackers gaining access to private data are not unheard off. 

As such, for businesses that that need to protect very sensitive data, sticking to traditional data centers may seem like the better option for now. However, as cloud datacenters continue to improve, security may soon no longer be an issue.

The Four-tier Standard for Datacenter Infrastructure

ANSI/TIA-942 is the most widely accepted standard that is followed by most datacenters when it comes to the development of infrastructure. It is based on the following four-tier system:

  • The first tier is for basic infrastructure, which offers limited protection against physical events.
  • Tier 2 is for redundant-capacity component site infrastructure, and provides much better protection against physical events.
  • Concurrently maintainable site infrastructure is the third tier, and aims to provide protection against virtually all physical events.
  • Lastly, there is tier 4, which is fault-tolerant site infrastructure. It will provide the highest level of protection.

How Is Security Managed at Datacenters?

One of the most important features of any datacenter is its security protocols. If a datacenter cannot guarantee proper security measures to safeguard clients’ data, they would rather keep their data secure at home or at work.

As such, you have to look carefully at how the security is managed before putting your trust in a datacenter. One of the main issues is that with the arrival of cloud datacenters, the storage facilities are no longer closed environments that can be easily protected. 

This means, for a datacenter to guarantee proper security, it must have perimeter security, network security, and well as have reliable personnel running the datacenter. As technology continues to advance, and hackers become more and more skilled, the datacenter must also evolve continuously to keep up with the security demands. 

Looking for Datacenter Support? Visit NetNut Right Now

There are many places where you can find datacenter proxies online, but not all of them are reliable. If you want to put your data in the right hands, you have to choose a company that is well known for providing the latest in cutting-edge technology, as well as having a reliable support team in place.

NetNut has been in the datacenter proxy business for a long time now, and is available to offer you with the best solutions for all your datacenter needs. Regardless of the size of your business, you can visit NetNut today, and take a look at the kind of services that are on offer.

FAQs

Which Factors Should You Consider When Selecting a Datacenter?

One of the most important things that every datacenter needs is trustworthiness. If you cannot trust a datacenter to keep your data private and secure, then it does not matter how good its infrastructure is. You have to be able to have peace of mind knowing that your data’s security is guaranteed. 

This is why you should consider looking at customer reviews before choosing a datacenter. Seeing what kind of experience other customers have had will help you decide whether this is the right datacenter for you.

However, once you have seen that the datacenter is trustworthy, you need to start looking at other factors too. The datacenter has to have the right security protocols, be easily accessible, and have the capacity to handle a business of such as yours. Only when all these things are guaranteed can you begin to consider using the services of any datacenter. NetNut has the ability to deliver on all fronts, and if you value the security of your data, you can consider taking a look at its datacenter proxies.

What Is the Main Concern of  a Datacenter?

With the increase in incidents of hacker activities online, as well as the level of sophistication being exhibited by some cybercriminals, having proper security protocols in place should be one of the biggest concerns for any datacenter. 

It is a constant struggle to stay one step ahead of the dangerous elements who may be trying to gain access to confidential information which can be sold or used for other illegal activities.  

What Are the Five Core Elements of a Data Centre?

Every datacenter is different, and its structure is usually determined by the kind of services it provides. However, there are some things that are universal, and every data center should have these. The five core elements of a datacenter are  connectivity, storage, host, applications, and DBMS. If you are on the hunt for a reliable datacenter, these are the things you should look out for.

    What is a data center? Tiers, Types and More
    Senior Growth Marketing Manager
    As NetNut's Senior Growth Marketing Manager, Or Maman applies his marketing proficiency and analytical insights to propel growth, establishing himself as a force within the proxy industry.