modular systems
Some clients even do the reverse,
and use building modular data centres
as a way to offer additional space for
other parts of their operations – at
Secure IT Environments we have
undertaken projects that include
design requirements such as adding a
multi-faith room in a build specification.
We have also built roof gardens, which
is a great addition to what is ordinarily
perceived as a ‘tech space’.
Building or upgrading a modular
data centre has costs that are fixed
and pre-determined. The initial
outlay, although often significant,
is planned and in effect a one-off
investment that requires limited
funding for a number of years before
any upgrades are required. Certainly
a build that is well planned can
provide state-of-the-art equipment
that is energy efficient and up to
date. They can even generate
revenue, by renting to other nearby
organisations as a shared services
scheme. The total cost of ownership
for these schemes can offer
additional benefits to any business.
Plan for expanding
to compromise. A well designed
and built modular data centre will
add capital value to an organisation
as well as peace of mind that the IT
infrastructure is on site and within sight
– the build is flexible and you have
complete control over the intricacies
of how it is put together. Even when
space is limited, a data centre can be
fitted into ‘dead space’ within an office
environment. Using modular data
centre systems, spaces that would
ordinarily be wasted can be turned into
highly secure IT environments.
Expanding a data centre can be a
struggle if you are limited to using
internal office space, so think about
your future needs, even if your
implementation is small. External
data centres do not have to be large,
but designing for expansion through
modular technology can offer a quick
and easy route to achieve a seamless
expansion programme, making for
a swift and clean process when the
time arrives.
Should I cohost?
Many organisations choose to cohost,
but others consider it to offer less
flexibility, with concerns over sharing
facilities, the infrastructure being out of
physical reach, and ultimately a feeling
that they are not in control. Cohosting
facilities are however by their nature
continually upgrading and improving
facilities, giving organisations with little
or no budget the option to tap into
new technology on an ongoing basis.
In addition, the services that you are
buying require no capital expenditure,
and the way they are accounted for can
be very attractive to the finance director.
Assuming the cohosting costs are
managed and capped within reason,
access to this ongoing technological
development can be achieved on a
relatively low budget. This can give
companies a competitive advantage.
If your organisation has a small
IT team with limited experience,
the cohosting option allows the
team in effect to ‘outsource the IT
responsibility’ to someone with more
experience – providing a knowledge
base that ordinarily would not be
available in a smaller IT unit. Speed
is also a very attractive benefit
in cohosting – changes to the
environment are almost instant giving
a level of flexibility that is not available
within an owned data centre.
On and on…
So whilst there are benefits and
shortcomings of both cohosting and
building a modular data centre, the
truth is that circumstance will dictate
the route to take. Think about how
much control you need and how close
you want to be to your data, as well
as the financial commitments that you
are prepared to make in the short and
medium term. Make your own decisions
and have an open mind, don’t let the
experiences of others sway you too
much – a data centre is a strategic
investment whichever route you take,
and has to be the right one for your
business, not somebody else’s.
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