Data centers are one such important element of the IT industry which are buttressing numerous organisations by catering to the needs of storing data. Data can be of any type, be it customers’ information, data related to sales, revenues, etc. storing all that safely is what desired by every organisation. Traditional methods of storing data on disk drives have already become outdated and business houses are looking either to outsource the data storage work or to build a data center of its own. The latter is again of two types. The first one being investing sum in building a data center and then outsourcing the management of data center services to an IT company or managing everything inhouse, which is prevalent when one has to start an IT company for providing storage services to other organisations.
The next question that pops in mind is what is the cost of building a data center? Or in other words, how much investment will be required to procure all data center equipments? Most importantly, on what to invest? Let us have a brief idea of how the costs will look like.
What Equipments are Needed in a Data Center
There is a range of equipment required to build a data center. However, to keep this simple, we will discuss all these in categories.
Power Source and Backup
Servers and data storage units along with cables in a data center consume a lot of power to move data into bits. The consumed power also results in the generation of heat, to obliterate which, some more units of power is needed. Furthermore, relying on a single power source is not good since any load shedding will translate into disrupting activities of many organisations who will take this facility. There must be a backup power source, like an AC generator or something that can fill the gap when the mains are not working for some reason. Check out the local electricity distribution company and look for subsidies from the government if any.
Connectivity
Data is collected in one place and moved to another for processing. This process requires a high degree of bandwidth, which in turn, demands investment in high-quality wires and cables. The costs of 2-strand cables in India is around Rs. 15 per metre and Rs. 3-4 for 6-strand units.
IT Equipment
Servers, data storage disks, electronic accessories are basics components of any data center facility. To render uninterrupted data center services, one should purchase reliable electronic devices that can work efficiently in the long run. Look out for wholesalers who can provide such equipments in bulk at a much lower cost. Also, do not compromise on quality while seeking ways to save a few bucks.
Protection against Security threats
Do not hesitate to spend in building a high-level security bracket for your data center. No one knows what can happen. Keep security guards, install CCTV cameras, fire alarm system and building access system in order to build a robust security management system. Also, go get an insurance plan for the same. In case, all the preventive measures fail, the insurance will be there to assuage the losses.
