Data centers have become synonymous with the concept of high availability and redundancy. Based on virtualization and cloud computing technologies, these data centers offer clients availability they could not achieve on their own. This virtualization allows the data center to treat the various servers like appliances. Not all work at the same time to achieve the desired result. Rather, one network or server runs while others are in place to support when needed. The result? Continuous availability for customers and increased reliance on data centers. What many fail to realize is that several factors affect availability and redundancy when designing a data center.
Considerations For Designing High Availability Data Centers:
More Is Not Always Better: People mistakenly believe that the more redundancy a data center offers, the higher the level of reliability. This is not always the case. You should design availability and redundancy around the needs of your infrastructure. Data centers with excessive redundancy, meaning levels that surpass business needs, actually tend to be less reliable. Since a more complex network creates more points of failure, this often leads to outages.
Generators Fail: One place where redundancy is vital is with your data center’s generators. A recent report found that up to 15% of generators fail within just 8 hours of running time. Even when the generator itself does not fail, continuous use still exposes the system to a host of other issues. Backup generators are critical to your data center and network’s availability.
Redundancy is About More Than Tier Requirements: Too many companies assume that tier technology alone determines their data center’s redundancy level, as defined by the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System. In reality, physical location, building construction, and equipment quality all shape your data center’s true redundancy level. Be sure to assess these factors when designing your data center and network.
Finding The Right Data Center Near You
Need help creating a high availability infrastructure for your network? Call the hosting experts at Volico Data Centers today. Reach our team at (305) 735-8098. We’re ready to help build the network your business demands, at a price you can manage.
