Data center Best Practices

Data centers are high-availability spaces where you can place the equipment and servers that maintain an organization’s information and guarantee its operation.

On many occasions, companies have their own space where to locate servers and store valuable information for the operation. However, due to a lack of best practices, equipment life cycles shortened. Stand-alone server equipment is prone to malfunctions that can affect an organization’s routine and even generate significant losses for a business when not maintained properly.

In this publication, we will tell you why it is so important to have a data center to store your organization’s information and ensure that it is always available and secure.

What is a data center?

Before talking about best practices in a data center, it is crucial to understand what a data center is for and why it is the best option to store critical business information, such as applications, financial data, and more.

Learn about some of the most important features of a data center!

Continuity:
There are countless layers of protection in the management of a data center. Unlike locations with little preparation, data centers have different backup plans, to ensure that information is always available, considering risks and creating action plans.

Availability:
A data center service guarantees you high availability 24 hrs every day of the year. In addition to having different backup mechanisms such as alternate power sources and high redundancy, in a data center, there is always qualified personnel monitoring the status of the machines, so it does not matter if it is a holiday or if someone goes on vacation. In a data center, you can rest assured that there will always be someone monitoring the status of the machines and taking care of your information.

Security:
A data center is always thought to take care of the information available on the servers. And this includes different security aspects.

From fire or accident protection measures to legal records and local regulations; security is perhaps one of the essential features of a data center. In addition to having numerous security processes in place, Only authorized personnel are allowed access, so your information is entirely secure.

Accessibility:
Accessibility in a data center is the ability of the user to access the information from the network and to be able to monitor that their equipment is working correctly.

Who does maintain data centers?

The management of a data center is focused on monitoring that everything is structured and working correctly. However, this task is not as simple as it seems. The data center is taken care of by a team of experts in various fields such as hardware & software technicians, NOC staff, cleaning crews, network engineers, project managers, compliance officers, support staff, physical security & cybersecurity specialist, cloud architect, and more.

Data center staff focuses on maintenance and improvement. They must make sure that the equipment has everything it needs and is in the best condition. A data center staff is there to make sure that everything runs smoothly, even in emergencies.

Expert team
“Human interaction within a data center is very important and it is essential that the staff is qualified and constantly trained”, said Juan Alcazar, director of Global DC Operations at EdgeUno.

Seventy percent of data center errors are human errors. For this reason, having a highly qualified team is key to delivering excellent service in a data center.

Data center Best Practices

When hiring a data center your provider must guarantee the care and good practices to keep the equipment working properly.

Some of the care that should be taken into account are:

Energy Protection:
Energy is a fundamental factor since, without it, the machines do not work. In addition, there are different power conditions for specific equipment to work properly. That is why a Data Center has an infrastructure strategically designed to meet the power needs of the machines.

Server and machine manufacturers require specific terms and conditions to comply with the warranty. One of these conditions is the exact power terms to ensure that the equipment works properly.

Data centers must have electricity backups to never without power to servers, switches, and other expensive equipment. Since the equipment is sensitive and the warranties are stric, it’s essential to verify your data centers policies around backup power and maintain the required currents.

Environment:
Other aspects such as temperature, dust, contact with water, can damage servers or shorten the years of useful life. For this reason, upkeep of the environment such as dust isolation and proper security controls are essential to ensure proper operation.

Availability capacity and connectivity nearby:
Your organization’s information must be located strategically in central points. Look for a data center that is close to the end user’s location.

Connectivity is an essential aspect when we talk about data centers. When a data center is located close to the relevant operations, latency is much lower than a data center outside the country or continent.

When it comes to network architecture, closer is nearly always better. But it’s crucial to measure distance in network terms, rather than how you would “as the crow flies”. The miles matter less than the number of connection points, traffic congestion, and other latency killers.

A data center that is well placed close to the end-user delivers a high-speed connection more consistently. Especially for streaming, when we know that milliseconds make all the difference for the user.

Conclusion
If you have already decided to use a data center, you have made a great decision! In addition to protecting your business information, we guarantee the durability and excellent performance of your equipment, as well as excellent service.

At EdgeUno, we have a network of more than 36 Data centers throughout the Americas. If you want to learn more about our data center service, contact us. We will be happy to assist you.