The term Data Center is a common term for many, but not for others. What is the data center? Many will ask. Well, a data center, also called a data center, is nothing more than, as the name implies, a space prepared to contain IT equipment and systems for data storage and processing.
In recent years there has been a growth in the number of users of online services that have led companies to outsource the management, maintenance, and administration of their computer and communications equipment. The places to manage all this data are the Data Centers. The advantage of outsourcing this service is that they can focus on the development of their business and forget about technological complexities, thereby saving on costs, time and other valuable resources, which can be used to develop their core business
To meet the growing demand for this type of service by companies and public administrations, T-Systems built a new and innovative Modular Cloud CPD in Barcelona in 2013 in order to offer more innovative services at more competitive prices. What does it mean to be a Modular CDP? This modality allows investment and gradual use of the CPD according to the needs, without any disruption of the operational services. This supposes a reduction of costs and time of implantation that it offers, due to the minimization of civil works for the building, since it is formed by the modules themselves.
This new DPC has modules high level of security, such as those relating to the protection RF 120 min and fire En1047-2, high thermal insulation, sealing to the water IP65, shielding EMI / RFI 22dB, protective anti-intrusion WK4, etc. In addition, to ensure data protection, T-Systems has designed together with Check Point Software Technologies, the world leader in security solutions since 1993, a security infrastructure to protect the CPD border.
The new infrastructure allows the deployment of virtual firewalls adapted to customer requirements in a flexible and configuration-based manner only. Check Point technology allows deploying virtual firewalls in high availability for both single and twin server colocation environments on the same physical platform, thus contributing to an optimization of the solution costs.
An operating system to govern datacentres
For a long time a large group of experts has been working at Mesosphere, a different operating system in the sense that it is not intended to govern the operation of a machine but is intended to cover all servers in a data processing center, something especially interesting in the physical or cloud architectures that work on Linux. That is why a DCOS (Data Center Operating System) is called instead of simply OS (Operative System).
For administrators, a DCOS is an interesting solution that allows you to run applications on hundreds or thousands of servers as if they were a single entity, but with the vast resources of this type of installation. The specifications speak of tens of thousands of servers; it is known that there is a client that is running 50,000 machines and for the next year the figure of 500,000 is being considered as a target.
For some experts, the recent announcement of the official launch of the Mesosphere is one of the most important of the year. It not only gives the possibility to control thousands of machines distributed by who knows whereas if they were a single virtual entity and also with the ease of organizing them in clusters in a matter of hours or minutes. The entire process can be done from the command line or from a relatively simple and convenient graphical interface.
Among some of the advanced functions is the optimization of the processes according to their cost, which allows, for example, to perform a task not «taking as little as possible» but doing it in the cheapest way possible as the cost of resources has been defined available
The variety of applications that can be installed on Mesosphere begins with almost all Apache software (entity from which the initiative originally came) and of course apps from other companies and developers. As for traditional operating systems, it is compatible with Linux distributions as popular as Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu, and CoreOS.
What is a neutral data center?
A neutral data center is characterized by offering the same services as a typical data center, with the particularity that it is possible to interconnect or access the Internet, with several external operators or carriers, which have direct connectivity in the center.
In this way, neutral CPDs become interconnection points, offering great versatility and freedom to their customers to choose an Internet provider.
What benefits do they have?
The benefits of mono-operator data centers are several:
The existence of several operators in the same center encourages competition and diversity since a server placed in a neutral data center can have a supplier, multiple suppliers or only connect to the headquarters of the owner company.
The tolerance to Internet connection failures is increased, as there are several operators, it is possible to temporarily change access from one to another to solve an incident.
The ability to change Internet providers without physically moving the server colocation to another location saves costs and minimizes downtime.
The Peering or direct connection between networks of different operators, improved latency and bandwidth.
The key: interconnection or peering
Having direct interconnection or peering with several providers is key today, as it allows you to find the “perfect path” between the website and application of the company and its users/customers. Minimizes jumps, latency and provides the most direct way for data to arrive in the shortest possible time.
As an example, we can see the PRO RED data center, which has direct interconnection with all these carriers/operators:
- Cogent
- colt
- Interlude
- Jazztel
- Movistar
- Or not
- Orange
- Vodafone
Can you imagine how easy it is to change providers without moving the location server?
In addition, other operators such as:
- NTT
- Level3
- HE
- Telia
It is possible to interconnect with them from POP in Madrid.
Neutral nodes
The logical step after installing ourselves in a neutral data center is to be able to connect to a neutral node, which offers even more advantages in interconnection and ensures that our data flow always finds the shortest and fastest path.
