Definition of Data
Data is simply a collection of information.
A Data Center refers to a physical location where equipment used for collecting, processing, storing, networking and distributing large amounts of data is concentrated.
How does a Data Center operate?
A data center could be located in a building specially made to house all the machines that collect, process, store and distribute data for a company or organization. Data may be in fact stored in the cloud.
Whichever form a company, client, or organization chooses to store their data, it is up to them.
Information is of utmost importance especially to businesses around the world, hence, it is important that it be stored securely as data somewhere, preferably, the internet. On this note, it is very important that business owners find the appropriate location to keep their data. Proper management of data is very essential to companies irrespective of the size of the company in question. Therefore, this is what makes data centers a very important asset.
Out of the numerous options existent, how can a business owner find the right data center for his or her business?
First of all, you must bear in mind that it is very necessary to understand what your needs are. This will help you choose the right data center that will meet those needs. You need to consider these factors when choosing your data center, in a bid to ensure that you would end up with the right one.
You must consider the location of the data center
The location of your data center is very important as a result of properties such as latency, downtimes, etc. There are factors to consider when choosing the right location for your data center.
In terms of wiring and distance, it is important to note that the distance of your data center from your company will likely affect the speed of the internet. If you are dealing with copper cables, then bear in mind that any distance beyond 330 feet will lead to shaky signals as the signals transmitted via copper begin to attenuate after a while. Using fiber would be a better option as you can get almost 25 miles and still maintain a very good signal.
If you are dealing with areas that are prone to natural disasters, it will be advisable to locate your data center as far away as possible from potential risk.
And finally, your data center should be easily accessible so as to make things easier for maintenance and upgrades.
Make sure your data center is reliable
This means you must have a backup source of power in case of a power outage. You must also make adequate provisions for emergencies and bad weather. And finally, your data center should be well ventilated and cooling systems should be provided to avoid overheating machines.
- Security
This point is pretty much self-explanatory. A strong security system protocol must be made available for the data center
This is necessary to mitigate the risks of a breach by cybercriminals. The information contained in your data center is very important and must be protected at all costs.
The capacity of your network service
So many factors are to be considered when building your network. Factors like speed, security and how reliable the network is intended to be. If you are going to be dealing with fiber cabling, then you must make sure your data center has enough space and power to satisfy your needs in the future.
You could also invest in server colocation which is sharing a local facility as a method of scalability. This will give you more control over the aggregate capacity of your data center. This will also give you the advantage of round-the-clock staffing and better security without the extra costs.
Scalability and flexibility
Your data center should be able to keep up with the evolving requirements and nature of your business. Use modern technological advancements to ensure that your data center maintains a flexible outlook. This way, you can easily integrate innovations as they come to light without complete, expensive overhauls.
Back up in case of emergency
In choosing the right data center, you must have considered all the risks and possible points of failure and provided remedies to mitigate these risks.
This is why a redundant backup is very important. Check to ensure the availability of redundant power supply, and live backup. This will drastically reduce the risk of loss of any valuable data should power failure or any other disaster arise.
Reputation
Properly evaluate the data centers you are considering and ensure they have a good reputation. As mundane as this sounds, this will save you a plethora of problems and challenges.
Alternatively, you can try out certain data centers which avail you of test packages. These test packages typically vary in price and period.
Some may offer daily tests for as low as $5 for standard website requirements.
Conclusion
To choose the right data center for your business, ensure it is in a very good location, is reliable, and has adequate security. Also, ensure that the network service capacity is top-notch. Check for flexibility and backup plans.