As global digital services and consumption continue to grow, more organisations are becoming increasingly dependent on data centres.
Data centres are facilities that house a network of computer systems and servers that store, process, and distribute large amounts of data. These centres can be vast remote storage locations or even smaller on-site server rooms.
Large-scale data centres require regular maintenance to remain efficient, resilient, and effectively deliver the services they’re meant to provide. This involves various tasks, from analysing current operations to identifying areas of improvement and implementing innovative strategies to improve data centre performance.
With this in mind, we’ll be taking a look at some tips to effectively maintain large-scale data centres. With these tips, you can improve the quality of services provided, improve sustainability, and ensure business and staff satisfaction.
1. Invest in Security
If you want to protect your data centres from internal and external threats, you need a multi-layered defence strategy. This includes physical security measures, like CCTV and security guards, to protect your data centre facilities from physical threats and cyber security measures, like encryption and Cyber Essentials, to protect data from digital threats.
A combination of physical and digital security measures reduces the risk of data breaches and ensures the integrity and safety of your data centres. Consider investing in employee training on security practices as well to maintain a secure environment.
2. Select Your Suppliers Wisely
A data centre supplier is a company that provides the physical facilities for storing and managing data for businesses. These suppliers also offer services revolving around network bandwidth, cooling, and security.
When maintaining large-scale data centres, it’s important to strike a balance between too few and too many suppliers to scale data centre operations smoothly. Having too many suppliers may lead to an organisational nightmare while having too few could leave your organisation open to disruption in the event of any supply chain issues.
As you expand your data centre operations, you’ll need to take your whole digital ecosystem with you, including your suppliers. So, conduct careful checks to make sure your suppliers are ready to move forward at the same pace as you.
3. Consider Cooling Options
Cooling regulates the temperature inside data centre facilities and reduces heat, making it an essential and sustainable solution for large-scale data centres. Many companies use new and innovative cooling solutions, from air cooling to liquid cooling, to keep equipment cool and minimise energy waste.
4. Monitor Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is an important metric for measuring the energy efficiency of large-scale data centres. PUE is calculated by dividing the total energy consumed by the data centre by the energy consumed by the IT equipment. As such, having a lower PUE means the data centre is more efficient.
By proactively monitoring your PUE, you can identify areas of inefficiency and take steps to improve them. For example, investing in energy-efficient cooling systems, using virtualisation to reduce the number of servers, or implementing a power management strategy.
5. Complete Regular Testing
Regular testing and drills are a necessity when it comes to maintaining the security of large-scale data centres. By simulating real-world scenarios, data centres can identify and address any vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious individuals.
Conclusion
Many businesses rely on large-scale data centres to keep their vital data and information secure. However, to effectively protect your digital assets, effective maintenance of these data centres is essential.
With these tips, you can keep your data centres secure, efficient, and resilient to physical and cyber threats. Staying proactive is the key to helping your business maintain a strong and reliable digital infrastructure.