Tips for Designing a Good Data Center

Many, many businesses rely on data centers to keep digital information safe and secure. Emails, file sharing, business apps, and other essential materials require data centers to function properly. However, these facilities require a lot of planning beforehand to ensure it gets the job done. Let’s dive into the best tips for designing a good data center so you can prevent simple mistakes from having costly results.  

Prioritize Safe Operating Temperatures 

Data centers can generate a lot of heat. Overheating your data center is an easy way to damage your data center equipment. Not only is data center downtime far from ideal, but replacing broken equipment is a costly endeavor. Sufficient ventilation is crucial, but that’s not all it takes to successfully maintain optimal data center temperatures. Another great option for keeping the facility at optimal temperature is with a water-cooling system. 

Of course, you don’t want the data center to be an icebox. No data center is exactly the same, but you should typically keep the facility between 64- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit. However, keeping humidity in mind is also essential—ideally, your facility’s humidity should be between 20 and 80 percent, which is a wide window but important to follow regardless. 

Always Consider Expansion 

When setting up a data center, you have to think about more than what fits your company’s needs now. If your company’s data requirements grow, so must your data center. Invest in a facility with plenty of extra floor space available after the installation of your initial equipment. The same principle goes for storage shelves and racks—leave plenty of room for more in the future. 

Suffice it to say, if you need to upgrade your data center but you can’t because there’s no available space, that’s a problem. Besides floor and shelf space, make sure your facility can provide enough power for any upgrades. If you have the floor space, but not the power supply, that’s also a problem. Luckily, if you plan for potential expansion as early as possible, you can ensure a smooth and successful transition. 

Invest in Reliable Equipment 

One of the most fundamental tips for designing a good data center is focusing on the right equipment. If you’re buying tech from unreliable brands or servers solely to cut costs, you run the risk of investing in an equally unreliable data center. Always invest in high-quality servers, routers, computers, and cooling systems. 

For instance, it takes time and patience to set up reliable power distribution systems, but that’s time well spent. If your data center’s power distribution is unreliable, it could cost valuable time. This is why having reliable power distribution systems is so vital. Even your wires and cables should consistently deliver the performance you require to get the data center firing on all cylinders.