How to Build a Modern Data Center (Three Stages of Success)

Data centers today need to be efficient, responsive, and cost-effective. However, many enterprises are struggling to keep up the pace with the accelerating demands of the business.

They need more storage and resources. They find themselves unable to take advantage of new technologies. Does this sound familiar?

If yes, we are here to help. Rethinking and rebuilding a data center is a big task, but with our three stages, it will become a bit more manageable.

The Planning Stage

Building a modernized data center is a big project, but planning it consists of only three key areas.

Existing Facilities

If you already have a data center, you should understand its setup and capacity. This way, you will know if you need to build a new one or improve the existing setting.

Consider the age, performance, and expandability of the current center, as well as the cost of the alternative solutions.

Data Needs

To understand this, you should gauge the role of IT in your organization. Look at how much data your business deals with, how you gather and store it, who uses it, and in what way.

If your IT demands have changed in the past five years, they may change again in the future - try to anticipate these alterations.

Technology Environment

No matter how much data can be stored in ever-shrinking devices nowadays, a center will ask for physical space and hardware. Consider the available space and equipment, and try to forecast what will need a refresh.

By taking a close look at these three fields, your project will meet the current and future needs of your business. You'll be setting it up for success without putting too much of a financial or mental strain on yourself.

Choice of Design

A modern approach boasts several features that differentiate it from more traditional designs. The two pieces of advice below go to show the essence of these new methods.

Choose Low-Cost Hardware

Gone are the days of costly hardware. A modern center will contain commodity hardware and embrace distributed software. In that way, you get more power while reducing the cost and allowing you to scale fast.

Still, you will need to make sure your hardware is durable.

One of the best ways to ensure longevity is through protecting wires and cables and maintaining the room designated for your technology. Go for fiberglass conduit elbows for your cables and coolers for your equipment for cost-effectiveness.

Take Up a Modular Design

Each year, we see more development in data center infrastructure as new technologies get added. For this reason, modular designs grew in popularity.

Modularity brings much more flexibility for organizations, breaking a system down into smaller parts that are created independently and used across systems. Such an approach may be pricey, but it saves time and increases productivity in the long run.

Main Focus Points

Now that you know how to design your data center, we are here to remind you of another significant change. Now more than ever, data needs to be reliable accessible to end-users.

Think of End-Users

Today, your employees will access the data from their devices anywhere they go, not only the office PC. 

The process which we may call 'consumerization' of IT brought about a more extensive range of workload. Your applications, data storage spaces, and applications need to be centralized and accessible from anywhere.

Focus on Reliability

The 'consumerization' we mentioned earlier has also altered user expectations. To meet them today, your disaster recovery strategies need to be effective in seconds. 

This endeavor becomes easier once you shift the focus from recovery to service continuity. Focus on high bandwidth and distribution of applications.

The Bottom Line

Today, any self-respecting enterprise looking to succeed must accept and respect the importance of data centers. Only that way they can continue providing high-quality services and expanding their business in the world of digitalization.

We hope our guide helped you understand how to modernize your existing center or build a new one. Your business will thank you for it ten years down the line.