What is a Data Center?

As we spend more of our lives online the exchange of digital information becomes increasingly necessary to keep businesses running. Digital exchange requires huge computers and networking equipment which are located in the center of physical space, which is known as a datacenter.

A data center is a computer room that houses computing and storage hardware for an organization or a business. The essential components of a data center include servers that house the power to process raw data into useful data, and storage devices that store this information on a robotic tape or hard-disk drives. In addition, a data center relies on communication and networking equipment such as switches, routers and miles of cables that facilitate the flow of data between servers.

In the 1990s, when IT operations grew and businesses began to use cheap networking equipment to store their networking hardware in a central location and the term “data center” was first used. Nowadays, companies can choose to construct their own data centers on their own premises, or work with third-party data center service providers which offer cloud, managed and colocation services. Third-party options are typically more efficient in terms of energy and cost. They are Data room benefits that simplify your business also a cheaper alternative to facilities on premises.

Many of these third party alternatives also offer greater flexibility with respect to the management of policies. For example a data center could provide multiple policies in one location that allows IT to limit data workloads with specific policies that meet compliance demands across geographies and business units. This can help reduce security risks and improve information governance.