Editing Data center (section)

{{short description|Building or room used to house computer servers and related equipment}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}

[[File:Datacenter de ARSAT.jpg|thumb|[[ARSAT]] data center (2014)]]

A '''data center''' is a [[building]], a dedicated space within a building, or a group of buildings<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/27/technology/cloud-computing-brings-sprawling-centers-but-few-jobs-to-small-towns.html|title=Cloud Computing Brings Sprawling Centers, but Few Jobs|date=August 27, 2016|quote=data center .. a giant .. facility .. 15 of these buildings, and six more .. under construction|archive-date=July 21, 2023|access-date=December 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230721115951/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/27/technology/cloud-computing-brings-sprawling-centers-but-few-jobs-to-small-towns.html|url-status=live}}</ref> used to house [[computer|computer systems]] and associated components, such as [[telecommunication]]s and [[computer data storage|storage systems]].<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/20/realestate/postings-from-manhattan-to-montvale.html|title=From Manhattan to Montvale|date=April 20, 1986|archive-date=December 16, 2022|access-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216132309/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/20/realestate/postings-from-manhattan-to-montvale.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/dell-sees-double-with-data-center-in-a-container/|title=Dell Sees Double With Data Center in a Container|author=Ashlee Vance|author-link=Ashlee Vance|date=December 8, 2008|access-date=May 14, 2019|archive-date=August 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802213009/https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/dell-sees-double-with-data-center-in-a-container/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since [[IT operations]] are crucial for [[business continuity]], it generally includes [[Redundancy (engineering)|redundant]] or backup components and infrastructure for [[power supply]], [[data communication]] connections, environmental controls (e.g., [[air conditioning]], fire suppression), and various security devices. A large data center is an industrial-scale operation using as much electricity as a medium town.<ref name=NYT92212>{{cite news|title=Power, Pollution and the Internet|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/technology/data-centers-waste-vast-amounts-of-energy-belying-industry-image.html|access-date=2012-09-25|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 22, 2012|author=James Glanz|archive-date=2019-05-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516142830/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/technology/data-centers-waste-vast-amounts-of-energy-belying-industry-image.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Estimated global data center electricity consumption in 2022 was 240–340 [[Watt|TWh]], or roughly 1–1.3% of global electricity demand. This excludes energy used for cryptocurrency mining, which was estimated to be around 110 TWh in 2022, or another 0.4% of global electricity demand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Data centres & networks |url=https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=IEA |language=en-GB |archive-date=2023-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006181048/https://www.iea.org/energy-system/buildings/data-centres-and-data-transmission-networks |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[International Energy Agency|IEA]] projects that data center electric use could double between 2022 and 2026.<ref name=":1" /> High demand for electricity from data centers, including by [[cryptomining]] and [[artificial intelligence]], has also increased strain on local electric grids and increased electricity prices in some markets.

Data centers can vary widely in terms of size, power requirements, redundancy, and overall structure. Four common categories used to segment types of data centers are onsite data centers, [[Colocation centre|colocation]] facilities, [[hyperscale]] data centers, and edge data centers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Types of Data Centers {{!}} How do you Choose the Right Data Center? |url=https://www.maysteel.com/blog/types-of-data-centers-how-do-you-choose-the-right-data-center/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Maysteel Industries, LLC |archive-date=2023-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601152244/https://maysteel.com/blog/types-of-data-centers-how-do-you-choose-the-right-data-center |url-status=live }}</ref> In particular, colocation centers often host [[private peering]] connections between their customers, internet transit providers, cloud providers,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.servethehome.com/touring-the-phoenixnap-data-center/2/ | title=Touring the PhoenixNAP Data Center | date=22 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/analysis/the-rise-and-rebirth-of-carrier-hotels/ | title=The rise and rebirth of carrier hotels | date=6 October 2023 }}</ref> [[meet-me room]]s for connecting customers together<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Dave Bullock |date=April 3, 2008 |title=A Lesson in Internet Anatomy: The World's Densest Meet-Me Room |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/04/gallery-one-wilshire/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |accessdate=2022-06-16}}</ref> [[Internet exchange point]]s,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/awasr-ams-ix-and-alliance-networks-launch-internet-exchange-in-oman/ | title=AWASR, AMS-IX, and Alliance Networks launch Internet exchange in Oman | date=13 September 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.datacenterfrontier.com/colo/article/55125540/data-center-tours-equinix-dc12-ashburn-virginia | title=Data Center Tours: Equinix DC12, Ashburn, Virginia | date=16 July 2024 }}</ref> and landing points and terminal equipment for fiber optic [[submarine communication cable]]s,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/how-the-internet-works-submarine-cables-data-centres-last-mile/#page-4 | title=How the Internet works: Submarine fiber, brains in jars, and coaxial cables | date=26 May 2016 }}</ref> connecting the internet.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/networking/equinix-expands-miami-data-center-that-s-key-to-latin-american-connectivity | title=Equinix Expands Miami Data Center Key to Latin American Connectivity }}</ref>