A data center is home to a lot of technology, but even outside the servers, a data center requires certain equipment to ensure optimal functionality. If you’re looking to learn more about data centers or are designing your own, our guide points out the technology that every data center needs, from ventilation to security measures.
Temperature Control
Anyone who’s had a laptop on their lap for a few minutes knows that computers run hot—and these servers are no different. With so many servers in one place, the ventilation and airflow system is one of the most critical aspects.
Without a good HVAC system to control the temperature, data center equipment, and servers can overheat, malfunction, and become fire hazards for the building. If you’re designing this, consider the airflow design of the building—cooling a data center requires a lot of power, and you can save on utility costs with an optimal airflow infrastructure.
Physical & Network Security
With so much data and potentially sensitive information in one place, every data center needs reliable and advanced security technology. Security in data centers generally takes three forms—physical, network, and data security.
Physical security includes surveillance cameras, restricted areas, and security guards; network security means installing network firewalls; and data security means encrypting sensitive data and instituting backups. Together, they combine to create a secure and safe center.
EMI Shielding
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding protects the data center servers and other electronics from external and internal interference. EMI shielding is essential in data centers because electronic equipment can interfere with one another and be disrupted by external forces without it.
EMI can come from any technology with an electrical flow that causes a gravitational field, and there’s plenty of that in data centers! Without sufficient EMI shielding, servers and equipment are exposed to external and internal interference.
Monitoring Systems
Today, almost all well-functioning centers have some monitoring system that includes manual and automated tools to observe the health and function of the center. A monitoring system ensures the key functions are operating optimally by observing the following:
- Server performance
- Network problems
- Data center temperature
- Security access
- Power consumption
- And more
Intelligent monitoring with artificial intelligence is becoming more common in modern data centers to help ensure that everything runs smoothly. Think of the monitoring system as an examination of the data center’s health so you can catch problems before they get out of hand.
