WHAT ARE DATA CENTERS? HOW THEY WORK AND HOW THEY ARE CHANGING IN SIZE AND SCOPE
Data centers are the physical buildings that supply the necessary computing power, data storage, and networking to run various applications and allow employees to access resources for their work. Although experts had forecasted that traditional data centers will be replaced by cloud-based ones, many organizations still have applications that need to be run on-premises. As a result, the data center is not dying but instead undergoing a transformation.
The data center is undergoing a transformation, with its design becoming more decentralized due to the rise of edge data centers for handling IoT data. It is also being upgraded with innovative technologies like virtualization and containers to enhance its efficiency. The data center is also gaining cloud-like features such as self-service and is integrating with cloud resources in a hybrid approach.
Data centers, once only accessible to big corporations, are now available in various forms, including colocated, hosted, cloud, and edge. These secure facilities, characterized by being noisy and cool, protect application servers and storage devices to ensure 24/7 operation.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF A DATA CENTER?
A common foundation is present in all data centers that ensure dependable and consistent operation. Fundamental components include:
1. Power: A key aspect of data center infrastructure is providing a consistent power supply to keep the equipment operational 24/7. To ensure reliability and prevent downtime, data centers typically have multiple power circuits, as well as backup sources like Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) batteries and diesel generators.
2. Cooling: To prevent damage to the equipment, data centers must manage the heat generated by electronics. This is accomplished through a combination of cooling the air and directing it to eliminate overheating. Cold aisles, where cool air is supplied, and hot aisles, where the hot air is collected, are carefully positioned to maintain a balance of air pressure and fluid dynamics.
3. Networking: Within the data center, devices are interconnected so they can talk to each other. And network service providers deliver connectivity to the outside world, facilitating access to enterprise applications from anywhere.
4. Security: Within a data center, devices communicate with each other through interconnections. Network providers also provide external connectivity, allowing access to business applications from any location.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DATA CENTERS?
1. On-premises: The traditional data center, located on the organization’s property, is equipped with all the necessary infrastructure. While it requires a costly investment in real estate and resources, it is suitable for applications that cannot be moved to the cloud due to security, compliance, or other factors.
2. Colocation: In a colocation data center, a third-party provider owns and manages the facility while you pay for the rented space, power usage, and network connectivity. The data center provides high levels of security through locked racks or cages, which can only be accessed with proper credentials and biometrics. You can either retain control over your resources or opt for a hosted option in which the vendor manages your physical servers and storage.
3. IaaS: Cloud providers offer Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) through web-based interfaces, allowing customers to access shared servers and storage remotely and build a virtual infrastructure. The customer pays for their resource consumption and can change the size of their infrastructure. The service provider takes care of all equipment, security, power, and cooling, and the customer does not have physical access. Examples of cloud providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Services, and Microsoft Azure.
4. Hybrid: In a hybrid setup, assets can be situated at different locations and work together as if they are in the same location. This is achieved through a high-speed network connection between the sites which facilitates quick data transfer. A hybrid arrangement is ideal for applications that require low latency or high security, as it allows keeping these close to home while still utilizing cloud-based resources as an extension of the infrastructure. This model also enables fast deployment and decommissioning of temporary equipment, eliminating the need for overbuying to meet business demands.
5. Edge: Edge data centers are usually located near end-users and contain equipment that requires proximity, such as caching storage devices that hold duplicate copies of data that require low latency. These centers often have backup systems, making it easier for operators to replace and remove backup media, such as tapes, for storage at remote locations.
WHAT ARE THE FOUR DATA CENTER TIERS?
Edge data centers are usually located near end-users and contain equipment that requires proximity, such as caching storage devices that hold duplicate copies of data that require low latency. These centers often have backup systems, making it easier for operators to replace and remove backup media, such as tapes, for storage at remote locations. Data centers are categorized into 4 levels:
1. Tier 1: With a maximum potential of 29 hours of downtime in a year (99.671% uptime).
2. Tier 2: Maximum 22 hours of downtime (99.741%).
3. Tier 3: Maximum 1.6 hours of downtime (99.982%).
4. Tier 4: Maximum 26.3 minutes of downtime (99.995%).
The tiers have varying levels of uptime and therefore cost differently.
WHAT IS HYPER-CONVERGED INFRASTRUCTURE?
The conventional data center has a three-tier setup that separates computing, storage, and network resources for particular applications. On the other hand, a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) merges these three tiers into a single component referred to as a node. By clustering multiple nodes, a pool of resources can be formed and managed through software.
HCI appeals to many because it integrates storage, computing, and networking into a unified system, leading to reduced complexity and streamlined implementation across data centers, remote branches, and edge sites.
WHAT IS DATA CENTER MODERNIZATION?
Historically, data centers were viewed as separate collections of equipment for specific applications. As each application needed more resources, new equipment had to be obtained, which meant downtime for deployment and increasing use of physical space, power, and cooling.
With the advancement of virtualization, our view has changed. We now see the data center as a single pool of resources that can be logically divided and used more efficiently to serve multiple applications. With the ability to configure servers, storage, and networks on-demand through a single interface, virtualization has made data centers more efficient and eco-friendly, reducing the need for additional cooling and power.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF AI IN THE DATA CENTER?
Artificial intelligence (AI) can carry out the responsibilities of a traditional Data Center Infrastructure Manager (DCIM) through algorithms that monitor power distribution, cooling effectiveness, server usage, and cyber threats in real time. With the ability to make adjustments for efficiency automatically, AI can transfer workloads to underutilized resources, identify potential failures, and balance resources in the pool, all with minimal human involvement.
FUTURE OF THE DATA CENTER
The data center remains relevant as the North American data center market grew by 17% in 2021, largely due to the growth of companies like AWS, Azure, and Meta, says CBasRE, a major commercial real estate firm. As more data is generated by businesses, they seek to analyze it, either in the cloud, on-premises, at the edge, or in a hybrid setup. Companies may not be constructing brand-new data centers, but they are upgrading their current facilities and expanding to edge locations. The need for data centers is expected to grow further with the rise of autonomous vehicles, blockchain, virtual reality, and the metaverse.