Primary Considerations for Locations of Data Centers

For many business, the data center plays a critical role to ensure access to the most important computer applications and to protect data. But business still want to strive for minimum usage of its internal resources. Corporations and business enterprises that opt for data centers have a strategic problem to address – the location of the data center. You cannot simply put up a data center facility anywhere without considering the implications.

The first challenge is the availability of electric power for the facility to be up and running continuously. Keeping data centers closer to power generation stations is a way to reduce power risks, as is employing multiple backup generators. Building the data center at locations close to urban areas would mean that the IT facility needs to face competition for energy resource challenges posed by retail, household, and commercial spaces present in such areas. Building in rurual areas present challenges as to power availability and redundancy.

However, it is not just the availability of power that determines where you place your data center. The legal jurisdiction and regulatory frameworks of the location you choose must be favorable to your business requirements. Data centers may be treated by different nations in different ways. You should make sure that such a legal constraint does not conflict with business interests when using the data center.

Then there is the mounting task of disaster recovery. The site should be accessible either physically or remotely for performing crucial tasks such as disaster recovery and related procedures. Building it in a geographically stable location reduces the risk of such threats.

Access to power, legal regulations, national policies on digital data, and natural disasters are all factors in choosing a potential data center location. Does your data center meet your needs with each of these?

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.