Top Data Center Management Issues

The backbone of every successful network is the data center. Without it, emails would not be delivered, data would not be stored, and hosting multiple sites would not be possible.

Spending on data center systems is anticipated to reach 212 billion US dollars in 2022, an increase of 11.1% from the year before. ~ Statista

Data centers often support thousands of small and large individual networks and can run several other business-critical applications. Many things however can go wrong within the data center, so you should know what exactly to look out for. Here are some significant data center issues and how to fix them.

What is a Data Center?

A data center is an industrial facility where people store, process, and transmit computer data.

A data center is typically a large complex of servers and associated devices, as well as the physical building or buildings that house them. Data centers are usually integrated with other services, such as telecommunications and cloud computing.

Unlike general-purpose facilities such as warehouses and office buildings, data centers are generally dedicated to one user. The major types of data centers are:

• Private enterprise data centers, which corporations or other private organizations own;
• Public enterprise data centers, which government agencies own;
• Community enterprise data centers (CEDCs), which groups of individuals own;
• Hybrid enterprise data centers (HEDCs), which combine private and public ownership.

Challenges of Data Center Management

The data center is one of the most critical components of an organization’s infrastructure. With the growing demand for cloud services and business agility, the data center has become one of the most complex systems in any enterprise.

The increasing complexity is a result of numerous factors, such as:

1. Maintaining Availability and Uptime

The primary focus of any IT organization is to ensure that its services are available at all times. This means they need to have a disaster recovery plan in place in case there is a failure within the system.

Technology Advancement

Managing data centers has become more complex due to technological advancements. Various new technologies have been introduced into the market that require efficient management for their practical use. State-of-the-art systems require proper maintenance and management to deliver the desired results. This can be difficult if the required expertise is unavailable within an organization.

2. Energy Efficiency

The cost of powering an entire building can be very high. Therefor it makes sense for an organization to invest in new technology and equipment that reduces power consumption while still performing at an acceptable level.

3. Government Restrictions

Data centers are becoming critical for businesses, but various regulations have restricted their operations in certain countries. For example, there are some countries where it is illegal to store data within their borders. This makes it difficult for businesses to operate within those countries because they have no real options other than moving their servers elsewhere or hiring local staff who can handle their cybersecurity.

4. Managing Power Utilization

Data centers require a lot of power to run their operations smoothly and efficiently. If not managed properly, this could lead to wasted energy consumption, increasing costs significantly over time. To avoid this, organizations should invest in energy-efficient equipment like rack-mounted UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) systems.

Monitoring software should also be installed that will alert companies when something goes wrong so they can react quickly and prevent any potential damage caused by power failure or overloads in the electrical grid.

5. Recovery From Disaster

Data centers have seen an increase in disasters caused by hurricanes and earthquakes as well as man-made disasters like power outages or fires. These events can destroy or even compromise equipment and systems that will take weeks, possibly months to repair or replace. This can leads to losses in productivity and revenue if critical servers or storage devices are affected.

Tips to Overcome Challenges in Data Center Management

Taking the time to ensure the building is safe, your personnel are knowledgeable about cyber security prevention, and you satisfy compliance standards goes a long way in protecting your assets from bad actors. ~Shayne Sherman, CEO of TechLoris.

Here are some tips to help you overcome common challenges in managing your data center:

1.  Audit Your Security Posture Regularly

The first step in overcoming data center management challenges is regularly auditing your security posture. This will give you an idea of where you stand and allow you to identify your vulnerabilities before they become threats. You can do this by using a third-party assessment service or hiring a qualified person to assess your current situation and have them provide recommendations.

2.  Use a DCIM System to Manage Uptime

A DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) helps you to identify issues before they become problems by providing visibility into the health of your equipment. This allows you to proactively address issues before they impact operations or cause downtime.

3.  Scheduled Equipment Upgrades

Scheduled upgrades ensure minimal downtime during planned upgrades while also ensuring that any unforeseen issues are resolved before significantly affecting operations.

4.  Implement Data Center Physical Security Measures

Using these measures will allow you to control who has access to your facility and what they can do once inside. They also help to limit unauthorized access by preventing cyber-criminals from entering through any possible open doors or windows.

5.  Use the Right Tools to Secure Your Data and Network

You must ensure that your network is secure when it comes to data security. This means using the right tools and resources to protect your network from cyber threats. For example, you can install a firewall to block attacks or malware from entering into your system.

Final Words

Data centers are far from being stationary. New challenges are emerging while old ones are still evolving due to technological innovation and changes to data center infrastructures. Spending on data center management solutions is increasing due to other difficulties in addition to managing power, data storage, and load balancing.

Protected Harbor offers the best-in-class data center management with a unique approach. You can expect expert support with 24/7 monitoring and advanced features to keep your critical IT systems running smoothly. Our data center management software enables us to deliver proactive monitoring, maintenance, and support for your mission-critical systems.

We focus on power reliability, Internet redundancy, and physical security to keep your data safe. Our staff is trained to manage your data center as if it were our own, providing reliable service and support.

Our data center management solutions are tailored to your business needs, providing a secure, compliant, reliable foundation for your infrastructure. Contact us today to resolve your data center issues and switch to an unmatched data service solution.

What Is a Managed Data Center Service?

When it comes to data center services, managed services are becoming more and more popular. Many people don’t understand what a managed data center service does or how it can help them. It’s understandable why some people might feel this way – after all, there are so many other managed data center service available that you may not at first see the point of this service.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of IT infrastructure, businesses are increasingly relying on colocation data centers for enhanced performance, security, and scalability. This blog explores the intricacies of managed data center services, shedding light on key aspects such as colocation data center, data center management, data center services, and data center solutions. Dive into the world of managed data centers to discover how businesses leverage these services to streamline operations, ensure data security, and achieve optimal performance for their digital ecosystems.

Managed Data Center Service Definition

A managed data center service is a service that provides you with a fully managed data center environment. When you sign up for this service, you do not need to worry about the data center itself – the service provider will take care of all aspects of the physical data center and many IT-related aspects of your business. It is designed to make your data center operations more accessible and effective.

Some companies also offer ongoing IT support as part of the package, so you can have everything you need under one roof. It is different from a colocation or managed hosting service in several ways: managed hosting and colocation both require you to have your data center and take care of the physical space, while with a managed data center service, the physical data center is managed by the service, with you being provided with a remote access connection.

Why Use a Managed Data Center Service?

There are many reasons why an IT company would recommend a data center service over other IT services. Here are just some of the main ones:

• A managed services provider can offer better uptime because they manage the physical data center, making it easier for them to keep everything running smoothly.
• Data security is often better as they’re more aware of and can react quickly to any potential security issues.
• It can reduce costs because they’re more efficient and often provide better value for money than other managed services.

These aspects make a data center service an excellent option for many businesses.

3 Things To Look For In A Managed Data Center Service

When comparing data center services, there are several factors you should look out for. Here are the key things you should consider:

1. Security and compliance – A managed service should have strong data security and compliance capabilities. You want to be sure that your data is safe and that it’s being handled in a way that meets your compliance needs.
2. Technical skills and Experience – You want to ensure the service has the technical skills to handle your data center effectively. A skilled data center team can keep things running smoothly and ensure your data remains secure and accessible.
3. Customer service – You also want to ensure the service has good customer service capabilities. You’ll deal with the team a lot, so it’s essential to have a good relationship with them and feel like they’re always responding well to your needs.

How To Find the Right Managed Service?

Finding the right service is essential, as it can make a big difference to your business. You can do a few things to find exemplary service: – Contact potential services and ask them about their offerings. Find out what they offer and what their rates are. You can ask for a referral from a friend or business. They might recommend an experienced service provider. Compare different managed service providers and their offerings. Also, look at the above criteria to find a service that’s the best fit for your company.

Final Words

Managed data center services can hugely benefit many businesses, especially those with complex IT needs or large amounts of data. This service can offer many advantages over other managed services, including better uptime, data security, and reduced costs. When comparing these services, look at the above criteria to find the best service for your company.

As data centers become more crucial and companies are expected to meet new business requirements, the need for modern data center solutions is increasing. Data centers, from application delivery to the cloud, have become integral to businesses and their operations. These solutions help companies protect, manage, and cost-effectively secure their data. To deliver these solutions and keep your company’s operations running smoothly, you need a professional team of Data Center Engineers. A Data Center Engineer has data and cloud solutions expertise and can help you achieve your goals.

Protected Harbor offers solutions to help you get your data center operations and security up and running. We are a company based in the United States, with data center experts on staff who have deep experience with many of the top data center operators in the world. We stay in close contact with our customers, working together to develop solutions that meet their unique requirements.

Contact us today to set up a free IT Audit and consultation with our data center engineer.

Data as a Service – Everything You Need to Know

As the volume of data that businesses encounter increases, so does the necessity for efficient data governance. For data management, many enterprises are turning to cloud service providers. In this environment, Data as a Service, also known as DaaS, is becoming an indispensable instrument for data integration, data storage, and data analytics management.

Data as a Service is the latest buzzword, promising to deliver ready-made data sets to organizations looking for ready-to-use business systems.

While it has been around for a few years now, it has recently reached a tipping point with far more high-profile services becoming available. It’s tempting for companies to just sign up for DaaS, ditch their data team, and never look back.

What is Data as a Service?

Data as a Service is a cloud-based platform that provides companies with the necessary tools to manage their data. It’s a subscription-based model that allows users to access unlimited resources at an affordable cost.

The global market for Data as a Service is anticipated to reach a revenue of 10.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, representing a steady increase over the following years. DaaS uses cloud computing technologies to provide data-related services such as storage, integration, and processing. ~Statisita

There are two types of desktops available in DaaS:

• Non-persistent desktops are temporary, and you can delete them at any time. They will also automatically be deleted when the lease period expires, usually around 15 minutes.
• Persistent desktops are always available and cannot be deleted by users. You can only delete a persistent desktop if it has been idle for more than 24 hours or if it has become inactive, for example, during a reboot.

Use Cases for Data as a Service

Data as a Service is a niche solution offering the ability to analyze data without worrying about the infrastructure. It can be used for many different purposes, including:

• Benchmarking – comparing your company to others within the same industry or across different industries.
• Business intelligence – using data to make better business decisions, including predictive analytics and reporting.
• Data marketplaces – buying and selling data, such as government datasets, corporate databases, and social media streams.

What are the Benefits of Data as a Service?

Data as a Service can help your business by providing a wide range of benefits, including:

Improved Accessibility

The first benefit that DaaS offers is improved accessibility. This means that users can access their data anywhere, regardless of location or device type.

Improved Scalability and Security Posture

One of the most significant advantages is its scalability. You only pay for what you use, whether it’s storage space or processing power, so there’s no need to buy extra servers or upgrade equipment every time your business grows (or shrinks). This helps to keep costs down while ensuring that your IT infrastructure remains secure and reliable.

Lower Operating Costs

Another essential benefit is lower operating costs. This is because you don’t need to worry about maintaining your own data center or ensuring its security and compliance with regulations. Instead, you can focus on your core activities while IT experts handle all the other tasks related to managing your virtual desktops and applications.

Increased Agility

Cloud-based data access provides an affordable option for businesses that want to take advantage of new technologies without investing in hardware or software. This allows them to quickly adapt to changes in their business environment and respond more rapidly to market demands.

Improved Business Intelligence

Data is the foundation of a successful business, but accessing it can be challenging when multiple applications are involved. Cloud-based DaaS integrates your company’s enterprise applications into one seamless interface, allowing users to view all relevant information from one place. This enables faster decision-making across multiple departments and improves operational efficiencies by eliminating duplicate workflows and manual processes.

Higher Workstation Lifetime Value

Another benefit is a higher Workstation Lifetime Value (WLV). WLV refers to how long a computer will last before it needs repairing or replacement; this value increases when fewer parts are needed because they have been replaced by software only or, in this case, virtual machines. The longer a computer lasts before needing repair or replacement, the more money an organization will save in the long run.

Final Words

In the end, businesses can benefit from Data as a Service in several ways. Query response times are sped up, which is a massive benefit for reporting on a business. There’s also more flexibility in how data sets can be structured and processed, making it easier for organizations to work toward their goals and move faster as they do so.

Some enterprises already use Data as a Service to improve data integration and governance, speed up the process of extracting insights from data, and do so more efficiently. These companies can then use better data governance and integrity to maintain a competitive advantage over rivals and expedite internal processes.

Protected Harbor makes it simple to use cloud-based data management solutions and on-premises infrastructure (if needed) to gather, regulate, transform, and distribute trusted data. Additionally, it provides the fastest, most secure, and most inexpensive data solutions with the most flexibility for creating a cloud-based data solution customized to your organization’s needs.  Consumers can choose which particular data products they employ or just embrace the complete platform all at once.

Try Protected Harbor today and use a dependable, secure cloud-based data solution that operates at your organization’s speed.

Best Data Center Managed Services 2022

Data centers are no longer isolated and individual units but have become part of integrated, collaborative, and, more importantly, digital infrastructure. It has experienced exponential growth in the last decade and continues to grow at an accelerated pace. Various factors, such as adopting digital services, cloud computing, and IoT, have triggered this growth.

Data center managed services are one of the fastest-growing segments within the industry. A managed data center service is a broad term that covers a range of data center operations, monitoring, reporting, and other support services that third parties provide to businesses that want to outsource these responsibilities.

As businesses adopt new technologies and upgrade their data centers, managed services will become an even more critical element in the ecosystem. This blog looks at the best-managed data center services in 2022.

Why Managed Data Center Services?

The global adoption of digital services, IoT, and cloud computing has resulted in exponential growth in the data center industry. The increased requirement for data center management services, infrastructure, and facilities drives the service demand. There has been an evolution in the way data centers are being managed. Businesses now prefer managed data center services to reduce capital investment and operational expenditure.

Data centers house mission-critical IT infrastructure that guides the daily operations of companies of every size. The security and integrity of this infrastructure must be monitored and maintained at all times, or it could lead to severe financial losses in the case of a breach. The best way to do this is by outsourcing data center operations to a managed services provider.

Colocation facilities are an increasingly popular option for companies looking to modernize their data centers. These facilities provide a secure, reliable, and scalable infrastructure for housing IT equipment, allowing organizations to focus on their core business activities.

2022 Data Center Managed Service Industry Trends

Colocation data center services are evolving to provide end-to-end infrastructure solutions, integrating with physical infrastructure seamlessly. Previously, data center management primarily focused on infrastructure services, including IT infrastructure, colocation, and managed services, with minimal interaction with customers’ end-to-end physical infrastructure. However, the landscape is shifting, with traditional data center providers now offering fully managed and integrated services.

Cloud computing services are increasingly merging with data centers, a trend set to dominate the data center services industry in the next decade. Organizations are opting for hybrid cloud environments, blending on-premises data centers with cloud service providers. This shift allows data center providers to differentiate themselves by offering higher-value services to clients.

Datacenter redesign is crucial for modernizing IT infrastructure. It involves updating the layout and technology to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Fault tolerance is a critical aspect of successful data center redesign, ensuring continuous operation during hardware or software failures. This necessitates redundancy in critical components, including power supplies, network connectivity, and storage devices.

Effective data management and security are paramount for organizations reliant on IT infrastructure. With escalating cyber threats, ensuring data security is vital. Data center solutions encompass robust physical security measures like access controls, CCTV, and alarms, alongside cybersecurity measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and antivirus software.

Best Data Center Managed Services 2022

As discussed above, the technology industry is proliferating. Organizations of every size rely heavily on cloud services for their day-to-day operations. This is increasing the demand for data center-managed services.

Here are the Top Managed Service Vendors for Data Centers in 2022.

1. IBM – The fully managed, highly secure, and production-ready cloud environment offered by IBM Cloud Managed Services is built to deliver performance and availability at the level of an enterprise. Users may protect data and applications with built-in security, which includes alternate-site disaster recovery for the most critical workloads.
2. Accenture – Global management consulting company Accenture provides various services and products in strategy, consulting, technology, and operations. Regarding management consulting, it ranks alongside IBM as the largest and most well-known organization on this list. Accenture wants to work with clients to develop high-performance organizations and governments.
3. Infosys– In terms of consulting, technology, outsourcing, and next-generation services, Infosys is a world leader. Infosys helps its clients in more than 50 countries stay on the cutting edge of innovation. Infosys assists businesses in reinventing themselves and finding new ways to make money.
4. Rackspace – Since its founding in 1998, Rackspace has been a pioneer in the data center cloud industry, returning to the ASP (application service providers) era. With the help of the company’s hybrid cloud-based services, organizations can operate their workloads in either a public or a private cloud.
5. Protected Harbor – Enterprises can get strategic foresight on the future from Protected Harbor. We have experience in almost every area of information technology, which is essential for projects involving the movement of data centers. Protected Harbor can scale up or down a customer’s resources extremely quickly and help the customer find the best financial solutions for each project.
   It works with clients to modernize their commercial, operational, and technological models for the digital age. Its clients may imagine, create, and operate more cutting-edge and effective data centers thanks to its industry-based consulting approach.

Conclusion

Due to the increased digitalization, digital realty, and adoption of cloud services, the industry has seen exponential growth in the last decade. Data centers have evolved from being just mere units to delivering integrated service paas and fully-managed services.

Protected Harbor is among the top managed data canter service companies that provide managed hosting services and data centers for cloud computing and IT enterprises. We provide a single-provider solution for managing and safeguarding mission-critical IT services, such as cloud computing, infrastructure, platform, colocation, and data centers. According to Goodfirms, Protected Harbor is routinely regarded as one of the world’s most admired companies and the top Cloud Computing company in the US.

Click here to talk with our engineer and learn more about cloud-managed data center services and how we solve your cloud problems.

Core Components of Data Center Infrastructure and Facilities

The data center is a critical part of any IT infrastructure. Data center infrastructure services include computing, networking, and storage resources necessary to support an organization’s virtualized applications and services.

Regardless of your company’s size or scope of operations, dedicating resources to a data center is essential for maintaining a secure, reliable IT infrastructure that can support your business for years.

This blog post will discuss the core data center infrastructure components and facilities and critical considerations when planning your own data center.

What is Data Center Infrastructure?

Data center infrastructure refers to the essential physical or hardware-based resources and components that make up a data center, including all IT infrastructure applications, devices, and technologies. It is modeled and named in a design plan that contains a detailed description of all the infrastructural parts required to build a data center.

Components of Data Center Infrastructure

We’ve determined that facilities house the environmental architecture (power, cooling, etc.) and the data center’s IT infrastructure. However, this article will refer to the server, storage, and network hardware as the “core elements.”

1. Data Center Components of Server Infrastructure

Rack, blade, and tower servers that store data and applications are called server infrastructure. Servers can also be fully virtualized environments inside actual machines, but because they are not physical infrastructure, they aren’t part of the data center components discussed in this article.

2. Data Center Components of Storage Infrastructure

Network Attached Storage (NAS), Direct Attached Storage (DAS), Solid State Drive (SSD) flash arrays, tape storage, etc., are all examples of storage infrastructure. Some well-known storage device manufacturers are HPE, Dell EMC, NetApp, and IBM.

3. Data Center Components of Network Infrastructure

Hardware like routers, switches, security devices, and firewalls make up the network infrastructure. The connection and integration of the various data center hardware systems depend on these data center assets. Some major network infrastructure brands are Cisco, Brocade, Juniper, and F5 Networks.

Types of Data Center Facilities

Numerous types of data center facilities have grown and been categorized as a result of the development of data center infrastructure.

Enterprise Data Center Facilities- Facilities with a traditional organizational structure, known as enterprise data center facilities, are run and owned solely by one company. These are often on-site; an internal team is in charge of network monitoring, hardware upgrades, IT deployments, and maintenance.

Colocation Data Center– These offers shared data center space businesses can rent for their servers and other hardware needs. The advantage of colocation over internal data centers is that the colocation facility handles the building, power, HVAC, internet bandwidth, and physical security; you (the customer) are still responsible for providing and maintaining the equipment.

Managed Data Center – In a managed service data center arrangement, a business leases the building’s physical infrastructure, and a third-party managed service provider looks after the facility’s hardware and operations. 

Cloud Data Center- Data centers with a cloud-based architecture have grown in popularity recently. A cloud data center is an off-premises location that your business may access over the Internet, but you are not liable for the infrastructure’s upkeep.

What is Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM)refers to the set of tools, software, and processes used to manage the physical infrastructure of modern data centers. This includes everything from uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and fiber channel switches to storage systems and data center security.

DCIM tools provide real-time visibility into the performance and health of all these components, enabling administrators to quickly identify and resolve issues before they can impact services. With the rise of cloud services and high-speed networks, DCIM has become increasingly important to ensure data center resources’ reliability, availability, and scalability.

DCIM is a critical aspect of modern data center management, helping organizations to optimize their infrastructure and achieve better performance and efficiency. It is a platform that mixes IT and Data Center Ops and may be used to achieve the best possible performance from a data center. Data center operations managers may better manage the physical components of the data center by using DCIM’s discovery, monitoring, reporting, and visualization tools.

Third-Party Maintenance, Managed Service Providers, or DCIM software can all be used in part or in whole to maintain the infrastructure of a data center.

Types of Data Center Components

The main components of any data center can be divided into the following categories:

Facility- The term “facility” describes the area used to set up all IT equipment. Data centers are the most energy-intensive buildings because they provide constant access to vital information.

Core Components- These are all the hardware and programs needed to run IT operations, store data, and run applications. Additionally, it could include servers, storage devices, network infrastructure, and information security components.

Support Infrastructure- This consists of all the hardware that helps provide the maximum uptime sustainability.

Operational Staff- The labor needed to monitor operations and continuously repair IT and infrastructure equipment is known as operational staff.

Conclusion

Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. It’s a fluid process, not a one-time project. You must have a partner who understands this and stays on top of the latest cloud, software, and hardware technology developments. Only then can you ensure you’re getting the best technology to meet your business goals.

Protected Harbor partners with businesses to help them future-proof their data centers and transform their IT infrastructure with the latest technologies. By partnering with us, your business will receive the highest level of support and increase its reliability and scalability.

Contact us today to learn how we can serve your data center needs.

What is a Data Center Architecture, and how to design one?

Traditional data centers consisted of multiple servers in racks and were difficult to manage. These centers required constant monitoring, patching, updating, and security verification. They also require heavy investments in power and cooling systems. Data center architects have turned to the cloud and virtualized environments to solve these issues.

However, these cloud solutions are not without their own risks. These challenges have led to a new approach to data center architecture. This article describes the benefits of a virtualized data center and how it differs from its traditional counterpart.

Types of Data Center Architecture

There are four primary types of data center architecture, each tailored to different needs: super spine mesh, mesh point of delivery (PoD), three-tier or multi-tier model, and meshwork.

1. Mesh Network System: The mesh network system facilitates data exchange among interconnected switches, forming a network fabric. It’s a cost-effective option with distributed designs, ideal for cloud services due to predictable capacity and reduced latency.
2. Three-Tier or Multi-Tier Model: This architecture features core, aggregation, and access layers, facilitating packet movement, integration of service modules, and connection to server resources. It’s widely used in enterprise data centers for its scalability and versatility.
3. Mesh Point of Delivery: The PoD design comprises leaf switches interconnected within PoDs, promoting modularity and scalability. It efficiently connects multiple PoDs and super-spine tiers, enhancing data flow for cloud applications.
4. Super Spine Mesh: Popular in hyperscale data centers, the super spine mesh includes an additional super spine layer to accommodate more spine switches. This enhances resilience and performance, making it suitable for handling massive data volumes.

Fundamentals of a Data Center Architecture

What is a data center architecture?

In simple terms, it describes how computer resources (CPUs, storage, networking, and software) are organized or arranged in a data center. As you may expect, there are almost infinite architectures. The only constraint is the number of resources a company can afford to include. Still, we usually don’t discuss data center network architecture in terms of their various permutations but rather in terms of their essential functionality.

A data center is a physical facility where data and computing equipment are stored, enabling central processing, storage, and exchange of data. Modern data center architecture involves planning how switches and servers will connect, typically during the planning and construction phases. This blueprint guides the design and construction of the building, specifying the placement of servers, storage, networking, racks, and resources. It outlines the data center networking architecture, detailing how these components will connect. Additionally, it encompasses the data center security architecture, ensuring secure operations and safeguarding data. Overall, it provides a comprehensive framework for efficient data center operations.

Today’s data centers are becoming much larger and more complex. Because of their size, the hardware requirements vary from workload to workload and even day to day. In addition, some workloads may require more memory capacity or faster processing speed than others.

In such cases, leveraging high-end devices will ensure that the TCO (total cost of ownership) is lower. But because the management and operations staff are so large, this strategy can be costly and ineffective. For this reason, it’s important to choose the right architecture for your organization.

While all data centers use virtualized servers, there are other important considerations for designing a data center. The building’s design must take into account the facilities and premises. The choice of technologies and interactions between the various hardware and software layers will ultimately affect the data center’s performance and efficiency.

For instance, a data center may need sophisticated fire suppression systems and a control center where staff can monitor server performance and the physical plant. Additionally, a data center should be designed to provide the highest levels of security and privacy.

How to Design a Data Center Architecture

The question of how to design the architecture of data center has a number of answers. Before implementing any new data center technology, owners should first define the performance parameters and establish a financial model. The design of the architecture must satisfy the performance requirements of the business.

Several considerations are necessary before starting the data center construction. First, the data center premises and facility should be considered. Then, the design should be based on the technology selection.  There should be an emphasis on availability. This is often reflected by an operational or Service Level Agreement (SLA). And, of course, the design should be cost-effective.

Another important aspect of data center design is the size of the data center itself. While the number of servers and racks may not be significant, the infrastructure components will require a significant amount of space.

For example, the mechanical and electrical equipment required by a data center will require significant space. Additionally, many organizations will need office space, an equipment yard, and IT equipment staging areas. The design must address these needs before creating a space plan.

When selecting the technology for a data center, the architect should understand the tradeoffs between cost, reliability, and scalability. It should also be flexible enough to allow for the fast deployment and support of new services or applications. Flexibility can provide a competitive advantage in the long run, so careful planning is required. A flexible data center with an advanced architecture that allows for scalability is likely to be more successful.

Considering availability is also essential it should also be secure, which means that it should be able to withstand any attacks and not be vulnerable to malicious attacks.

By using the technologies like ACL (access control list) and IDS (intrusion detection system), the data center architecture should support the business’s mission and the business objectives. The right architecture will not only increase the company’s revenue but will also be more productive.

Data center tiers:

Data centers are rated by tier to indicate expected uptime and dependability:

Tier 1 data centers have a single power and cooling line, as well as few if any, redundancy and backup components. It has a 99.671 percent projected uptime (28.8 hours of downtime annually).

Tier 2 data centers have a single power and cooling channel, as well as some redundant and backup components. It has a 99.741 percent projected uptime (22 hours of downtime annually).

Tier 3 data centers include numerous power and cooling paths, as well as procedures in place to update and maintain them without bringing them offline. It has a 99.982 percent anticipated uptime (1.6 hours of downtime annually).

Tier 4 data centers are designed to be totally fault-tolerant, with redundancy in every component. It has a 99.995 percent predicted uptime (26.3 minutes of downtime annually).

Your service level agreement (SLAs) and other variables will determine which data center tier you require.

In a data center architecture, core infrastructure services should be the priority. The latter should include data storage and network services. Traditional data centers utilize physical components for these functions. In contrast, Platform as a Service (PaaS) does not require a physical component layer.

Nevertheless, both types of technologies need a strong core infrastructure. The latter is the primary concern of most organizations, as it provides the platform for the business. DCaaS and DCIM are also a popular choice among the organizations.

Data Center as a Service (DCaaS) is a hosting service providing physical data center infrastructure and facilities to clients. DCaaS allows clients remote access to the provider’s storage, server and networking resources through a Wide-Area Network (WAN).

The convergence of IT and building facilities functions inside an enterprise is known as data center infrastructure management (DCIM). A DCIM initiative aims to give managers a comprehensive perspective of a data center’s performance so that energy, equipment, and floor space are all used as efficiently as possible.

Data Center Requirements

To achieve operational efficiency, reliability, and scalability, a data center setup must meet stringent requirements. The following are critical considerations:

1. Reliability and Redundancy– Ensuring high performance and uninterrupted services necessitates robust data center redundancy. This includes having redundant power sources, networking infrastructure, and cooling systems. Data center redundancy is crucial to mitigate the risk of downtime and maintain continuous operations.

2. Scalability– With data volumes growing exponentially, data centers must be scalable to accommodate future growth without compromising performance. Scalable infrastructure allows for seamless expansion and adaptation to increasing demands, ensuring long-term operational effectiveness.

3. Security– Data center security is paramount due to the sensitive information stored within these facilities. To protect data integrity and privacy, stringent security measures such as access controls, continuous monitoring, and encryption are essential. Robust data center security protocols help safeguard against breaches and unauthorized access.

4. Efficiency– Optimizing data center efficiency is essential for reducing operational expenses and minimizing environmental impact. Efficient energy use in data centers lowers costs and promotes sustainability. Implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices enhances overall data center efficiency, contributing to a greener operation.

By focusing on data center security, efficiency, and redundancy, organizations can ensure their data centers are well-equipped to handle current and future demands while maintaining high performance and reliability.

Conclusion

Data centers have seen significant transformations in recent years. Data center infrastructure has transitioned from on-premises servers to virtualized infrastructure that supports workloads across pools of physical infrastructure and multi-cloud environments as enterprise IT demands to continue to migrate toward on-demand services.

Two key questions remain the same regardless of which current design strategy is chosen.

• How do you manage computation, storage, and networks that are differentiated and geographically dispersed?
• How do you go about doing it safely?

Because the expense of running your own data center is too expensive and you receive no assistance, add in the cost of your on-site IT personnel once more. DCaaS and DCIM have grown in popularity.

Most organizations will benefit from DCaaS and DCIM, but keep in mind that with DCaaS, you are responsible for providing your own hardware and stack maintenance. As a result, you may require additional assistance in maintaining those.

You get the team to manage your stacks for you with DCIM. The team is responsible for the system’s overall performance, uptime, and needs, as well as its safety and security. You will receive greater support and peace of mind if you partner with the proper solution providers who understand your business and requirements.

If you’re seeking to create your data center and want to maximize uptime and efficiency, The Protected Harbor data center is a secure, hardened DCIM that offers unmatched uptime and reliability for your applications and data. This facility can operate as the brain of your data center, offering unheard-of data center stability and durability.

In addition to preventing outages, it enables your growth while providing superior security against ransomware and other attacks. For more information on how we can help create your data center while staying protected, contact us today.