For business, having access to a data center can be the difference between providing a stable service and failing to meet standards. While the need for reliable data centers hasn't changed, the face of this valuable industry certainly has. With a greater ability to provide custom solutions, more flexible technology, and unique abilities like colocation and interconnection, it's easier than ever to get the results you truly want from your service. In this article, you'll learn about the many ways today's data centers are meeting—and exceeding—business needs.

They're Bigger Than Ever

As network and web technology expands, the need for even more bandwidth and storage becomes urgent. One excellent example of this lies in the fact that websites in the 1990s were much smaller, at least from a size perspective. Originally, websites were mostly made up of text, simple colors, and maybe an image or two.

Today, websites make use of larger file formats like Flash, HTML5, video, high-resolution images, and a long list of other technologies; each of these requires more space, more bandwidth, and in the case of videos, a much faster response time.

To compensate for these stepped-up needs, data centers are growing in size. Some facilities have grown to sizes of up to 1.1 million square feet. For your business, this means easier access to the space and bandwidth you need, all in a single location. 

They're Greener Than Ever 

This beautiful environment is worth protecting, and today's data centers tend to have a smaller ecological footprint than before. As a business owner, it may seem strange to think of a data center as being green, but it's a real goal that most providers strive to meet. This status comes from the fact that technology is more efficient and better at reducing physical waste and emissions.

Becoming a truly green data center starts at choosing renewable power sources. As geothermal, wind, and solar power are more readily available than ever throughout the world, many large-scale centers are using these sources at least in part. Of course, that's not where it stops—efficiency and management can play a major role, too.

Server architecture and the creation of fine-tuning firmware makes it even more possible to make micro-adjustments to power and efficiency on the fly. Furthermore, it's easier for IT specialists to generate reports that show how energy is used—often based on time of day or hour-to-hour demand. From there, they can create a plan that addresses needs without wasting power.

Finally, the way the world handles waste electronics has changed, too. In previous decades, old server equipment was frequently sent to the landfill, where it would take centuries to break down--sometimes longer, especially if plastics were used. Furthermore, toxic chemicals were often leached into the ground as batteries, mercury-filled temperature sensors, and other materials broke down.

They're More Scalable Than Ever

Lack of scalability is one of the biggest barriers for small to medium businesses, as it makes early solutions simply too expensive. If all you need is three server racks, investing in a data center room with twenty isn't a smart use of money.

The majority of providers have done away with only offering cookie-cutter plans. Customization is almost a given, ensuring that you can create a solution you truly need. This is because technology itself has evolved for better scalability, too. This form of file storage, referred to as object storage, treats data like a single object rather than a multi-file system. This technology is also the basis for cloud services.

These newer storage technologies also allow a single server drive to be used and accessed by multiple people. These shared servers use architecture that ensures that small businesses can only access their own content, allowing for the preservation of security. IT specialists can then monitor storage use and access levels, adjusting the service as the business grows. The result is that your expenditures are better tailored to your business's specific growth and use stage.

Once your business has the money, adjustment is quick and easy, even if you need to transfer to a private server, instead. IT specialists can simply log on, "grab" your information as an object, and transport it to the new server. Instead of moving hundreds or thousands of files, it's a single motion that requires far less manpower.

There's no doubt that data centers are evolving quickly. Whether you're a game producer or someone who just needs a reliable web server, it's easier than ever to find a solution that's scaled to your individual needs at any given time. If you have questions about making a data center work for your needs, click here to contact local data centers.

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