The Data Center is an environment designed to house servers and other components such as data storage systems (storage arrays) and active network (switches, routers). The main purpose of a data center is to ensure the availability of equipment that run critical business systems of an organization, such as ERP or CRM , thus ensuring business continuity.

In general, a data center must contain:

Network Infrastructure

The Data Center must have redundant connections ( links ) with at least one provider in a Autonom ous System (AS) structure. This framework aims to ensure that systems hosted in the Data Center remain accessible even if there are flaws in one of the connections to the Internet.

Physical Security

The Data Center must provide security mechanisms to restrict access to only authorized personnel. These mechanisms are usually composed of security cameras, armed guards and identification system.

Fire Fighting and Prevention

The Data Center must have a system to avoid and prevent the equipment from being damaged by fire. The fighting system and fire prevention can be composed of smoke detection system, fire extinguishers, gas inhibitors and procedures of fire brigades.

Refrigeration

The data center must ensure that the ambient temperature is within acceptable levels for the operation of the system and especially that there are no temperature deviations which are extremely harmful to the operation of any equipment. The cooling equipment shall be redundant.

Energy

The Data Center must ensure there is no lack of energy nor fluctuations in supply that could damage your equipment. The system power supply systems is generally composed of UPS , generators and power for over a substation.