The notion of building a data center from the ground up is a heady one. The magnitude of the task is then joined by the sheer difficulty of it; factoring in all the changes that have happened so far. How does one build a data center that’s ready for all of tomorrow’s changes, some of which haven’t even been invented yet?

How Can I Build My Data Center with Scalability in Mind?

Building a scalable data center requires the combination of a lot of planning, a little insight, and some of the best technology around.

Don’t get too specific. Since each data center is different, much more than guidelines will be unavailable. Therefore, when designing the overall space, be sure to leave plenty of wiggle room on hand for later expansion projects.

Consider your needs fully. The risk of building a data center that will be obsolete within its first year or two of operation is very real. Plan accordingly by considering exactly what the current data center needs and make your plans fit those needs with the necessary wiggle room factored in as noted previously.

Consider a modular approach. Through the proper use of cloud-based systems, it becomes possible to stock a data center mostly with commodity servers and the like. That way, users can rotate out old or damaged servers and replace them with new, up-to-date models that keeps the data center running like new.

Look into “elastic capacity.” Data center design suffers from one major problem: either there’s too much capacity and waste with it or not enough and the system barely works. “Elastic capacity” allows data centers to call on virtual processors and memory, letting the physical stuff handle the day-to-day and the virtual kick in for the heavy times.

Remember your layout. Consider moves like overhead busways for power instead of normal wall sockets. Think about how the room will be cooled; servers can overhead fairly rapidly under high stresses. Look into air filtration and consider power management software; these brass-tacks notions planned for at the outset will save a lot of problems later.

How Do I Start Building a Scalable Data Center?

When you’re ready to start building a data center to handle not just today, but also tomorrow, then drop us a line at Emcon IT. We have a wide range of data center services to offer, and all of these will help you get that data center up and running.