What is a Data Center?

As we spend more time online exchange and sharing of digital information is becoming more vital to ensure that businesses are running. Digital exchanges require massive computing and networking equipment that is located in a centralized physical location called a data center.

A data center is a specialized computer room that houses storage and computing equipment for a company or organization. The fundamental components of a data centre include servers that house the power to process raw data into useful data, and storage devices that store this data on either robotic tapes or hard disk drives. A data center also depends on communication and networking equipment like routers, switches and miles of cables to aid in the flow between servers.

In the 1990s, as IT operations grew and companies began Data Center Types – Which One is Right for You to employ low-cost networking equipment to house their networking hardware in an central location, the term “data center’ was first used. Nowadays, companies can choose to construct their own data centres on their premises or partner with third-party service providers who provide colocation, managed and cloud services. Third-party providers typically offer an energy-efficient and cost-effective alternative to data centers on premises.

Many of these third-party options also offer greater flexibility in the management of policies. A data center, for instance offers multiple policy environments from one location. This allows IT to manage data workload by establishing distinct policies that satisfy the requirements for compliance across different geographies as well as businesses. This can drastically reduce security risks as well as improve overall information governance.