As we spend more time online and in the process of sharing and exchanging of data via the internet is becoming more important to ensure that businesses are running. Digital exchange requires huge computing and networking equipment that is located in a central physical location called a data center.
A data center is a specialized computer room that houses storage and computing hardware for an organization or company. The main elements of a Data Center comprise servers, which house the processing power needed to transform raw data into usable information and storage devices that store this information on hard-disk drives or robotic tape. Additionally, a data center relies on communication and networking equipment such as switches, routers and miles of cables to facilitate the flow of information between servers.
In the 1990s, when IT operations grew and businesses began to employ cheap networking equipment to store their networking hardware in central locations, the term “data center’ was first used. Businesses can build their own data center on their own premises or contract with a third-party provider of data center services that provide managed and colocation services. Third-party options are typically more energy efficient and economical alternative to on-premises facilities.
Many of these third-party options also provide greater flexibility with respect to policy management. For example a data center can provide multiple policies in one location and allow IT to limit data workloads by having distinct policies that satisfy the requirements of compliance across different geographies and business units. This will reduce security risks and improve the information governance.