What does a data centre consist of?
In our previous article, we explained how a data centre guarantees the continuity of your computer servers and digital applications. In other words, the purpose of the data centre is to keep all systems and services running at all times. In this article, we give you a glimpse into the inner workings of a data centre and tell you what the main aspects of a data centre are.
Server area
First of all, you have the server room where all the racks are located. These are often in an enclosed space to allow for optimal cooling. Moreover, it is possible to increase the physical security of your rack by putting a cage around the systems, for example. The server rooms of Datacenter Almere and Groningen can only be entered by those authorised to do so.
Cooling system
All these technologies produce quite a lot of heat, so it’s important to maintain the ideal temperature in the data centre. For this purpose, high-efficiency cooling systems dissipate heat through the air-conditioning system to the outside air via heat exchangers located on the roof. Typically, different cooling techniques are used, such as air cooling or water cooling. More innovative techniques are also used, such as adiabatic cooling or cooling with oil or other liquids. There are four cooling systems in Datacenter Groningen and Almere, two of which are in operation around the clock. Should one fail, we have a spare cooling system. If that fails as well, the other cooling system automatically takes over.
Heat exchangers
Up on the roof of the data centre, heat exchangers release excess heat from the turbo cooling units. When outdoor temperatures are high, the exchangers are sprinkled with water to increase the efficiency of heat dissipation.
Diesel generators and batteries
Power is one of the most important aspects of a data centre. When the power goes out, all systems stop – which is exactly what a data centre tries to prevent.
To do so, the diesel generators start up automatically within seconds. Until the generators have gone through their short start-up phase, the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) provides power. The UPS also compensates for voltage fluctuations and distortions. However, these batteries cannot cope with power failures that last longer than a few hours or days. This is where the generators come in. After the short start-up phase, the generators take over the entire power supply, allowing the cause of the power failure to be resolved.
Monitoring
Control stations for building security and data centre systems serve as central command areas in the data centre. This space is also known as a Network Operations Centre or NOC. All important information is collected through a DCIM (Data Centre Infrastructure Management) system and displayed on large screens. Any deviation from standard operations is reported immediately.
Meet-Me-Rooms
Connectivity is key for a data centre. Without strong connections, a data centre is useless. All these connections come together in Meet-Me-Rooms, or MMRs, making connections easy and relatively inexpensive. There are always at least two MMRs in a data centre, due to redundancy, from where the connections are distributed to the server rooms.
Security
To keep our data safe, physical security is at least as important as digital security – also known as cybersecurity. For instance, data centres have sophisticated fencing and a secure gate to keep unwanted visitors out. In addition, there are multiple video cameras and CCTV cameras monitoring the outside of the building and grounds. The cameras are placed in such a way that each camera also monitors another. So if one of the cameras fails, monitoring is still available.
Firefighting
All server rooms where data is stored are equipped with smoke detection systems that monitor the room 24/7. In the event of a fire, the water, firefighting foam or extinguishing powder used can potentially cause more damage to a data centre than a charred cable. For this reason, special extinguishing gases are preferred. An extinguishing gas reduces the oxygen content in the air, which suffocates the source of the fire and is harmless to people and equipment.
We trust this has given you an insight into all the areas of a data centre. Do you have any questions? Please feel free to contact us.