As we spend more of our lives online and exchange of digital information becomes increasingly necessary to keep businesses running. Digital exchange requires huge network and computer equipment, which is located in the central physical location known as a datacenter.
A data center is a specialized computer room which is home to the storage and computing equipment used by a company. The primary elements of a Data Center include servers, which contain the power to process raw data into useful information and storage devices that store the data on hard disk drives or robotic tape. Data centers also rely on communication and networking equipment like routers, cables, and switches to facilitate the flow of data between servers.
In the 1990s, as IT operations grew, and companies began to use inexpensive networking equipment to house their networking equipment in central locations, the term “data center’ was first used. Nowadays, companies can choose to create their own data centers on their own premises, or work with third-party data center service providers that offer cloud, managed and colocation services. Third-party options are usually more efficient in terms of energy and cost. They are also a cheaper alternative to facilities on premises.
Many of these third-party options also offer greater flexibility in policy management. For example, a data center can provide multiple policy environments in one location that allows IT to limit the workload of data with specific policies that meet requirements for compliance across geographical regions and business units. This can reduce security risks and improve the information governance.