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A data centre is an infrastructure for computers. It is used to house and manage a large number of computers, servers and network hardware. Such centres act as main hubs for data processing, data storage and resource distribution. This inventory is necessary to ensure the operation of computer networks and related services.
To ensure uninterrupted operation, data centres are often equipped with redundant power supply systems, climate control systems and multiple security devices.
Although the definition of a data centre can vary depending on the situation, they are often categorised according to various criteria. These include:
Data centres can range from small server rooms within a building to large, independent facilities. They can house thousands of servers, which are housed in IT racks.
Nowadays, there are many cloud computing-oriented data centres that can also form the basis for company-owned network services.
SCHÄFER IT-Systems, as a specialist with the iQdata brand, offers you a complete package for the infrastructure of a data centre. From racks and acceptance to services such as maintenance, you get everything from a single source. Our experts are also the right people to contact when it comes to equipping and operating your data centre. iQdata provides you with comprehensive system solutions for the intelligent data centre.
A large number of hardware and software components are housed in a data centre. These are designed to ensure efficient data processing, storage and communication. All hardware components are housed in special racks that have been optimally designed for operation, e.g. with safety equipment and temperature management.
Data centres enable flexible scaling of resources to meet the growing needs of a company. In addition, they enable centralised management of hardware and software, making IT resources more efficient and optimally usable.
Data centres can guarantee high availability and uptime through redundant power supply, cooling and network connections. This reduces the risk of downtime and ensures that important work processes can continue uninterrupted.
Modern data centres typically have advanced security measures such as firewalls, video surveillance and intelligent locking systems. As they specialise in protecting and securely storing data, they also make it easier to comply with various compliance requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
When planning a data centre, the first question that arises is how large this new data centre should be. The term ‘server room’ is often used in this context. But what is the difference between a server room and a data centre? And how can you determine how much computing power you really need?
What technical rack foundation do you need for your data centre's IT infrastructure requirements? What is the difference between a network cabinet and a server cabinet?
A network cabinet is primarily used to house network components such as switches, routers and patch panels. In contrast, a server cabinet is designed to house storage systems, server hardware and other data-centric devices.
Network cabinets are primarily designed to organise and protect network hardware. Server cabinets offer additional features such as improved cooling and power supply.
For more information, read here: Network cabinet vs. server cabinet
The type of applications and services to be hosted is also crucial. High-performance applications such as large databases or computationally intensive applications require more resources. At this stage, you need to consider whether one or more distributed server rooms will suffice or whether you should build your own building.
Tip: With a view to the future, you should never lose sight of scalability. A data centre that can be scaled easily and cost-effectively is essential if your company is expanding rapidly and constantly expanding its own services. Solutions from SCHÄFER IT-Systems are modular in design, so that expansion can be implemented easily and quickly at any time.
The size is also influenced by the requirements for redundancy, fail-safe operation and backup solutions. Last but not least, regulatory and security aspects must also be taken into account, which may require special hardware or additional space for security measures.
What is the ideal size for your data centre?
Edge computing moves data processing closer to the end user. This means that calculations are performed in a server room in your own building rather than in a data centre hundreds of kilometres away.
Computing components are distributed across multiple locations within a company. These are all networked with each other, thus forming the ‘edge of the network’. If one location requires more computing power than it has available on site, it can still draw on unused computing power from other locations.
Applications that require fast response times and minimal latency benefit from the architecture of edge computing. Examples of current applications include:
Direct processing of data increases the cost-effectiveness of your own IT infrastructure and improves its efficient use. Edge computing is not a replacement for cloud computing, but rather a complement to it. Both strategies can be combined to achieve an optimal balance between scalability, performance and costs.
Click here to watch our video about edge computing.
Are you looking for the right edge computing solution for your needs? Then use our edge computing configurator today. Find the right enclosure solution here: Edge computing configurator (german)
Caution with cloud computing:
SCHÄFER IT-Systems advises you to refrain from using colocation. If you use external service providers for your cloud computing, there is no guarantee that your data will be protected from external access. It is better to operate your own cloud. You can provide the necessary hardware for this in a high-performance data centre at your company headquarters, for example. By combining this with edge computing, data from the company's own cloud can be accessed at any location. This data can then be used on site to perform calculations significantly faster.
Do you have any further questions about expanding or optimising your data centre? Then please contact our experts at SCHÄFER IT-Systems. We have many successful projects under our belt and can offer you a customised solution to meet your requirements.