What is a Data Centre?

Data centre refers to a facility housing computers, storage and communications equipment, typically serving a large enterprise or government organization. The term was introduced in the days when enterprise computing revolved around large mainframes whose physical size, power and cooling requirements demanded a specialized central facility. While this model is still common, the term can also apply to the department that manages these resources, even though they may be distributed.

With the increased reliance on IT operations and big data within Canadian organizations, data centres have taken on a large role when it comes to information management. With such dependability on modern technology as part of day-to-day operations, companies' concern for data backup and contingency plans have evolved because of the need to be able to operate in light of a system failure while still having access to important information. If their system goes down, they still need a method to access data through a backup system or they could lose significant productivity. This is where data centres come in.

What are data centres and what do they do?

A data centre is a facility that is used to operate large and oversized computer systems and related components, typically for large organizations. They can be housed on site, but are commonly housed offsite and serve as a backup system.

In most cases, data centres are used for the following:

• To house large computer systems
  
• To serve as computer storage systems
  
• As telecommunications hubs
  
• To provide backup power supplies
  
• To house redundant data files
  
• To provide environmental control
  
• To house security systems

The truth is that many of the modern data centres that exist are owned and operated by internet companies to house their own servers. For example, Google has a number of data centres across the United States to house its operations and to provide more effective and fast services to its users. Therefore, if your company is large enough, you may want to consider developing your own data centre rather than using a service-based structure.

Data centre features

Data centres offer companies a number of features and capabilities to assist them with their systems and servers. Core features include:

• Space for large dedicated servers and data storage units
  
• State of the art security to protect your system and data
  
• Climate control to ensure there is an ideal environment for your equipment
  
• Protection from fire and flood
  
• Large generators to ensure there is an unlimited supply of power without interruption
  
• Highly reliable networks to ensure maximum uptime

Why companies use data centres

There are a number of reasons why companies are increasingly using data centres as part of their normal operations. They include:

• They act as a backup and provide support in case of a power disruption or system failure
  
• More and more companies are using the Internet and related technology to conduct business. As a result, there is an increased need to house data.
  
• You need to have a backup and a disaster recovery plan in place
  
• With increased important on computing, companies need to take measures to properly storage and protect servers from damage, theft, and infiltration.
  
• To ensure their system maintains a high level of reliability.

Data centre services

Data centres not only house computer systems, they also offer companies a number of information management services. Some of the most common include:

• Dedicated servers: With these servers, servers are dedicated to your company only, are custom build and use the operating system and programs required by your organization.
  
• Managed services: This service allows companies to centralize their business network, allowing employees to work remotely and provide back up and load balancing services. With this option, companies often also use administration, security, network and business continuity services.
  
•   Colocation services: These services are ideal for large companies that require substantial space. They can have custom cages built to meet space and power requirements while maintaining complete control of the equipment.