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Importance of SLAs in Colocation: Enhancing Operational Continuity

Posted on by yotta

Colocation data centers are a cornerstone in the contemporary IT infrastructure landscape. Positioned at the intersection of technological evolution and business strategy, the decision to colocate becomes instrumental in achieving a harmonious balance. It involves maintaining control over critical IT assets while seamlessly tapping into the specialised expertise of external service providers. One element that is instrumental in shaping the partnership’s structure is the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Understanding Service Level Agreements

A Service Level Agreement is a contractual agreement that outlines the specific services, performance metrics, and expectations between a service provider and a customer. In the context of colocation data centers, SLAs serve as a roadmap for the quality of services provided, operational parameters, and the responsibilities of both parties.

Importance of SLAs in Colocation

1. Enhanced Operational Continuity: SLAs detail performance metrics like uptime, latency, and bandwidth. Guaranteeing high uptime assures uninterrupted operations, minimizing downtime risks and potential revenue losses.

2. Redundancy: Colocation data center providers make substantial investments in redundant systems and infrastructure to uphold continuous operations. SLAs act as blueprints, specifying the level of redundancy and delineating measures in place to mitigate the impact of unforeseen events.

3. Security Protocols: SLAs play a role in assuring businesses of the protective measures in place. These encompass access controls, surveillance, and adherence to industry standards. A thorough comprehension of these security provisions is imperative, ensuring data remains shielded from unauthorized access and potential breaches.

4. Scalability and Flexibility: As businesses evolve, so do their data storage and processing needs. SLAs should comprehensively address scalability options, including additional space, power, and bandwidth. Understanding these provisions ensures that businesses can adapt their infrastructure to accommodate future growth.

5. Responsibilities: SLAs serve as a clear articulation of the responsibilities held by both the colocation provider and the customer. This encompasses routine maintenance, troubleshooting, and support. Clarity on support mechanisms, response times, and escalation procedures is indispensable for navigating potential issues efficiently.

Key Components of Colocation SLAs: An In-Depth Look

1. Uptime Guarantees: Uptime guarantees are a cornerstone of colocation SLAs. For example, an SLA might specify a commitment to 99.9% uptime, allowing for a limited amount of downtime per year. Understanding these guarantees is crucial, as downtime can have severe consequences for businesses in terms of lost revenue and damaged reputation.

2. Security and Compliance: Security provisions within SLAs cover physical security, data encryption, and compliance with industry regulations. Businesses must carefully review these sections to ensure that the data center aligns with their security requirements and complies with relevant standards.

3. Scalability and Resource Allocation: SLAs should outline the process and costs associated with scaling resources. Whether it’s adding additional server space, power, or bandwidth, businesses need a clear understanding of how the colocation provider accommodates growth and adjusts resources accordingly.

4. Support and Incident Response: Timely and effective support is crucial for minimising downtime and addressing issues promptly. SLAs define the support mechanisms, response times, and escalation procedures. Businesses should be aware of the support levels provided and evaluate whether they meet their operational needs.

The importance of Service Level Agreements in colocation hosting cannot be overstated, as they serve as a cornerstone for managing expectations and delineating responsibilities between data center providers and clients. These agreements bring transparency to the forefront, offering businesses a comprehensive insight into the exact scope and limitations of the colocation services.

SLAs contribute to effective risk management, enabling businesses to assess and monitor their provider’s performance. Leading organisations trust Yotta data centers as their premier choice for hosting critical IT infrastructure in India. Yotta offers world-class colocation services with leading reliability, a 100% uptime guarantee, high performance, and unmatched efficiency. With multi-layer security, redundant internet networks, and direct cloud connectivity, Yotta empowers businesses to elevate their hybrid IT journey to the next level, ensuring uninterrupted 24×7 operations without worries.

N+N Redundancy: An Imperative Shield for Data Centers

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In the dynamic realm of technology, where downtime is intolerable, data centers serve as the linchpin for myriad operations. Among the myriad strategies employed to ensure seamless services, N+N redundancy emerges as a pivotal approach. This principle revolves around maintaining “two of everything” within a data center, presenting a transformative impact on operations.

The High Stakes of Downtime

In the digital landscape, downtime surpasses inconvenience; it equates to financial losses, tarnished reputations, and compromised operations. Tier-4 rated data centers, designed for an impressive 99.995% uptime, face challenges such as power failures, generator malfunctions, UPS system glitches, and cooling breakdowns. The Uptime Institute’s Annual Outages Analysis for 2023 underscores that 44% of incidents were power-related, emphasising the urgent need for robust redundancy measures.

At its essence, N+N redundancy acts as a bulwark against the unforeseen. With duplicate systems poised to seamlessly take over in the face of failure, this redundancy strategy becomes indispensable, safeguarding against generator hiccups, power feed disruptions, or cooling system glitches, ensuring uninterrupted client power.

The Financial Toll of Downtime

The ITIC’s 11th Annual Hourly Cost of Downtime survey underscores the financial repercussions of downtime. Remarkably, 40% of enterprises report that an hour of downtime can cost between $1 million to over $5 million. This positions the investment in N+N redundancy not merely as a technological choice but a critical financial decision for businesses reliant on data center operations.

While power redundancy is the cornerstone of N+N redundancy, cooling redundancy plays an equally vital role. Effective cooling backup systems become imperative, preventing rapid overheating of computer equipment. Furthermore, multiple telecommunications paths guard against line cuts and failures, with robust security systems acting as a shield against data loss.

The benefits of N+N data center redundancy are multifaceted:

• Unparalleled Uptime: N+N redundancy provides the highest level of uptime, ensuring continuous data center operations even in the face of multiple component failures. This is particularly crucial for businesses reliant on constant data availability, such as financial institutions and e-commerce platforms.

• Enhanced Reliability: By eliminating single points of failure, N+N redundancy significantly enhances data center reliability, reducing the risk of downtime, data loss, and service disruptions, with severe financial and reputational consequences.

• Proactive Maintenance: With two of each critical component, data centers can conduct proactive maintenance without disrupting operations. This allows for regular system checks, cleaning, and upgrades, further elevating overall colocation data center reliability.

• Improved Disaster Recovery: N+N redundancy facilitates faster and more effective disaster recovery. In the event of a major outage or natural disaster, data centers can swiftly switch to redundant components, restoring services promptly, and minimising downtime and associated costs.

The significance of the “two of everything” approach extends beyond failure recovery. Preventative maintenance is essential for power and cooling systems, and N+N redundancy enables these systems to undergo maintenance without causing any downtime. This proactive strategy ensures that the data center remains operational and optimised for peak performance.

In the relentless pursuit of uninterrupted operations, N+N redundancy emerges as a beacon of reliability for data centers. As technology advances and the digital landscape becomes more intricate, the “two of everything” approach stands as a testament to the commitment to reliability, resilience, and the assurance that, even in the face of adversity, the data the seamless operation of data centers, making it a valuable asset in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Assessing Data Centers with Confidence – A Comprehensive Guide to Data Center Ratings

Posted on by yotta

In today’s digital era, where data serves as the lifeblood of businesses, the significance of a dependable and efficient data center cannot be emphasised enough. Selecting the right data center is a critical decision with far-reaching effects on your operations’ performance, security, and scalability. To navigate this intricate landscape successfully, it’s imperative to thoroughly understand the various data center ratings, specifically the Data Center Tiers.

Data center tiers play a pivotal role when it comes to choosing a facility for hosting your valuable data. These tier ratings unveil the extent of reliability and performance that a data center can deliver. Failing to consider the right tier can result in potential downtime issues and unnecessary financial expenditures.

Data Center Tiers: A Comprehensive Evaluation

Data center tiers serve as a standardised measure for evaluating the reliability of a facility’s infrastructure, ranging from Tier 1 (lowest) to Tier 4 (highest). International organisations such as the Uptime Institute (UTI) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) are instrumental in assigning these classifications. The assessment criteria include Uptime Guarantees, Fault tolerance (ability to manage planned and unplanned disruptions), and Service costs.

This impartial tier system offers an unbiased understanding of a data center’s operational efficiency.

Understanding Data Center Ratings

Data center ratings serve as a standard for gauging the reliability and performance of these facilities. One widely recognised standard is the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System. This system categorises data centers into four tiers, each reflecting a specific level of reliability, redundancy, and fault tolerance.

1. Tier I Basic Capacity: This level may require site-wide shutdowns for maintenance or repair work. Capacity or distribution failures can impact the site, and the data center has a single path for power and cooling with no backup components. Tier I offers an expected uptime of 99.671% per year.

2. Tier II Redundant Capacity Components: Maintenance-related site-wide shutdowns are still necessary at this level. Capacity failures and distribution failures can affect the site. While Tier II also has a single path for power and cooling, it offers some redundancy and backup components, with an expected uptime of 99.741% per year.

3. Tier III Concurrently Maintainable: This tier allows the removal of every capacity component and distribution path for planned maintenance without affecting operations. Tier III data centers feature multiple paths for power and cooling, along with redundant systems that enable staff to work on the setup without taking it offline. Tier III provides an expected uptime of 99.982% per year.

4. Tier IV Fault Tolerant: Even an individual equipment failure or distribution path interruption will not disrupt operations at this tier, which is also Concurrently Maintainable. Tier IV represents a completely fault-tolerant data center with redundancy for every component, boasting an expected uptime of 99.995% per year.

Data center personnel typically submit site plans and blueprints (known as Tier Certification of Design Documents) to these organisations to receive an official rating. Representatives from the respective organisations then conduct on-site inspections to evaluate operations and assign an appropriate rating.

It’s noteworthy that having a tier rating is not obligatory, and not all data centers undergo this evaluation.

Partnership For Success: Yotta Data Centers

As the digital landscape evolves, choosing a top-tier data center is essential in ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of your operations. Yotta a colocation data center is one of the leading data centers in India. Equipped with advanced security measures, redundant power systems, and robust cooling mechanisms Yotta provides a comprehensive range of solutions to meet evolving business needs.

The Yotta NM1 Data Center in Mumbai offers a host of advanced features, ensuring an optimal environment for business infrastructure. With 7200 rack capacity, 30.4MW power capacity, and 4 dedicated fibre paths, the data center has a design PUE of 1.4. It holds the distinction of being the first and only facility in India to receive validation with a Tier IV Gold Certificate for Operational Sustainability (TCOS) from Uptime Institute.

The Yotta D1 Data Center in Greater Noida, Delhi sprawls across 300,000 sq. ft and strategically situates itself near major innovation clusters. This location facilitates industry-leading uptime, connectivity, and fault tolerance. The facility stands equipped with 5000 rack capacity, 28.8MW power, and an impressive design PUE of 1.4.

Choosing the right data center is not merely selecting a service provider; it is forging a strategic partnership that propels your business toward success. Yotta offers not just solutions but a commitment to excellence, innovation, and the seamless evolution of your digital journey.

The Evolving Landscape Of Data Center Delivery In India

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The increase in internet users, the digital transformation of enterprises, and the Indian government’s push towards a digital economy have all fuelled demand for robust data centers infrastructure. With the increasing demand for cloud services, big data analytics, and high-performance computing, data centers in India have emerged as critical infrastructure supporting the digital economy.

The evolution is characterised by a shift towards more robust and scalable facilities, incorporating advanced technologies such as edge computing and artificial intelligence. Government initiatives, coupled with strategic partnerships between global tech giants and local players, have played a pivotal role in shaping this landscape. The focus is not only on expanding capacity but also on enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability, aligning with global trends.

The key attributes that define successful data center delivery are as follows:

1. Design and Engineering: The design phase is a critical juncture in data center construction, where collaboration between architects, engineers, and IT professionals is paramount. Successful projects prioritise the creation of a design that seamlessly integrates the architectural aspects with the technical requirements of a data center. This includes considerations for layout optimisation, airflow management, energy efficiency, and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as modular design and high-density server configurations. The collaborative design process lays the groundwork for a facility that not only meets operational needs but is also resilient and adaptable.

2. Infrastructure Development: The success of data centers hinges on robust infrastructure and seamless connectivity. India’s ambitious infrastructure projects, such as the BharatNet initiative and the development of Smart Cities, are improving the overall connectivity landscape. Proximity to major network points, reliable power supply, and advanced telecommunications infrastructure are pivotal considerations in selecting suitable locations for data center development.

3. Risk Mitigation and Contingency Planning: Effective risk management is a key attribute of successful data center construction. This involves identifying potential risks, ranging from natural disasters to cybersecurity threats, and implementing robust mitigation strategies. Organisations must conduct thorough risk assessments, establish contingency plans, and invest in security measures to protect the facility and the sensitive data it houses. This proactive approach to risk management ensures the resilience and security of the data center in the face of unforeseen challenges.

4. Security Measures: With the growing reliance on data, security is a paramount concern for data center operators. Cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated, and data breaches can have severe consequences. Protecting sensitive information from unauthorised access, ensuring data integrity, and complying with data protection regulations are constant challenges.

5. Costs and Economic Viability: The upfront and operational costs associated with building and maintaining data centers can be substantial. Balancing the need for cutting-edge technology with cost-effectiveness is a perpetual challenge for organizations. Moreover, the economic viability of data centers depends on factors such as energy prices, hardware costs, and the evolving landscape of technological innovation.

6. Regulatory Compliances: Data centers are subject to a myriad of regulations and compliance standards, varying across geographical locations. Navigating this complex regulatory landscape requires meticulous planning and a deep understanding of local and international laws. From data sovereignty issues to privacy regulations, data center operators must ensure strict adherence to compliance requirements, adding an additional layer of complexity to the development process.

Colocation and Its Benefits:

Colocation represents a pragmatic approach wherein organisations lease space within an existing data center facility operated by a third party. This route provides a cost-effective solution with quicker deployment times, as clients leverage shared infrastructure, security, and operational services. Colocation Data Centers are designed to provide high levels of reliability and uptime. They typically have redundant power sources, backup generators, and advanced cooling systems to ensure that servers and infrastructure remain operational even in the event of power outages or equipment failures.

This reliability is crucial for businesses that require continuous access to their applications and data. It also offers scalability, allowing businesses to easily scale their IT infrastructure up or down based on their needs. As a company grows, it can quickly add more servers and resources without the constraints of physical space limitations. This is particularly advantageous for businesses with fluctuating or unpredictable workloads.

Furthermore, the flexibility afforded by colocation enables businesses to focus on their core functions and strategic objectives, as they can offload the complexities associated with the construction and day-to-day management of a dedicated data center. This allows companies to redirect their efforts toward driving innovation, enhancing customer experiences, and staying competitive in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Hence, colocation emerges as not just a practical solution but a strategic enabler for businesses navigating the complexities of today’s digital economy.

Physical And Digital Layers Of Security In Data Centers

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From sensitive customer information to proprietary business strategies, data is an invaluable asset that requires steadfast protection. Data centers, the nerve centers of modern businesses, play a pivotal role in safeguarding this critical information. To create an impenetrable fortress for data, a dual approach of physical and digital security layers is imperative.

Physical Security

1. Access Controls: Colocation data centers employ a multifaceted approach to access controls. This includes biometric authentication like fingerprint scans and retina recognition, key card systems, and PIN-based entries. Only authorised personnel are granted entry, ensuring that only those with legitimate reasons can access the premises.

2. Perimeter Security: Fencing, barriers, and surveillance cameras encircle the colocation data center, forming a protective barrier against external threats. Security personnel conduct regular patrols to maintain constant vigilance.

3. Mantraps and Biometric Verification: Access points are often fortified with mantraps – enclosed spaces with two sets of interlocking doors. This ensures that only one individual can enter or exit at a time, preventing tailgating. Moreover, biometric verification methods like fingerprint scanning or retina recognition add an extra layer of identity validation, reducing the risk of unauthorised access.

4. Security Monitoring: Data centers are equipped with advanced surveillance systems, including motion sensors, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and infrared technology. These monitoring systems ensure continuous surveillance of the premises.

Digital Security

1. Firewalls and Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems: Firewalls act as gatekeepers, filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic to block unauthorised access. IDS/IPS systems monitor network traffic for signs of suspicious activity and can automatically take actions to thwart potential threats.

2. Network Segmentation: Implementing intelligent network segmentation significantly reduces the attack surface of data center networks by isolating infrastructure components, hindering attacker lateral movement and minimising breach impact potential.

3. Security Patching and Updates: Regular updates and patches to operating systems and software are essential to close vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers.

The Synergy Of Physical And Digital Layers

The strength of data center security lies in the seamless integration between the physical and digital layers. These two layers are not isolated silos; they interact and reinforce each other to create an impenetrable fortress. A data center’s biometric authentication system not only grants physical access but also integrates with the digital security system. This means that only personnel with valid biometric credentials can log in to the digital systems.

In case of a breach, physical security measures can complement digital efforts. For instance, a triggered motion sensor could lock down the affected area while the digital security system quarantines the compromised data. In the event of a security incident, physical security personnel can collaborate with their digital counterparts to quickly isolate affected servers or systems. This containment strategy prevents the spread of the breach and allows for targeted remediation efforts.

Companies should prioritise hyperscale data centers with robust security measures as they provide an unparalleled shield against various risks. Yotta NM1 Data Center employs a comprehensive array of security measures, including an automated mantrap for server hall entry, biometric authentication for access, robust explosive and narcotics detection, meticulous server key access management, and various other safeguards. Similarly, at Yotta D1 Data Center, an array of security measures is in place, encompassing campus entrance checks, bio-metric access control at server halls, and resilient security protocols for accessing server halls, among others. 

In conclusion, a colocation data center’s security is fortified by a harmonious interplay between physical and digital security layers. These layers work cohesively to ensure the protection of data and the uninterrupted operation of critical systems.

6 Factors To Consider When Choosing A Data Center

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The benefits of colocation are plenty and proven, but how do you go about selecting the data center to house your critical IT infrastructure? All data centers in India are not alike. Making an uninformed choice can cost businesses substantial downtime, data loss, and other burdensome implications. That’s why it is imperative you find the right data center for your colocation needs.

Key points to consider when you’re choosing a colocation data center:

1. Availability (Uptime): It’s important to factor in availability, which is the amount of guaranteed uptime provided by the data center. To ensure that business-critical applications and services remain always available, choose a provider that offers a high uptime guarantee. The best option would be a data center with a Tier III or Tier IV rating. Consider facilities that offer at least 99.9% uptime, however, if your organisation requires higher availability, look for data centers with 99.99% uptime or more. Popular Tier rating providers include Uptime Institute and Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), which define the standards for data center operations.

2. Security: The colocation service provider must maintain strict physical security measures, including access controls, biometric authentication, round-the-clock cameras, and secure fencing. The data center must also implement several layers of network security to protect against cyber-attacks. These can include firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and DDoS protection systems. There should also be a team of security experts to monitor the network continuously and respond to any potential security threats immediately.

Logical separation is another essential factor to consider when choosing a data center in India. Some only host the clients’ equipment, while others provide more advanced solutions like cloud and managed IT. In the case of the latter, determine if the data center provides logical separation i.e. data and applications of one client are not accessible to another that shares the same infrastructure.

3. Redundancy: Enquire about the type of redundancy used in the data center, such as N+1, N+2, 2N, and 2N+1, with 2N+1 being the highest form of redundancy. The most crucial component to duplicate is the power supply. The colocation data center facility must have redundant power sources, including backup generators and an uninterrupted power supply. There must also be effective and redundant cooling systems that ensure appropriate temperature and humidity levels are maintained for servers.

4. Scalability: Choose a provider that offers flexible and scalable solutions, like the ability to easily add or remove rack space or increase power density, in line with business requirements. Scalability must extend to network, connectivity, and equipment. In the case of business expansion, the data center must be capable of offering sufficient infrastructure and space. By working with a provider with a proven track record of scalable infrastructure and a willingness to work with enterprises on their growth plans, businesses can ensure they have the resources to meet their evolving IT needs.

5. Compliance: It is essential that colocation providers comply with local data protection and privacy regulations. ISO certifications indicate that the colocation provider has implemented a robust information security management system and adheres to industry best practices for data security and privacy. It is advised to select a provider who is Uptime Institute certified and ensure to verify the certification. Additionally, make sure to ask if the data center will support third-party audits, in case they are applicable to your business.

6. Cost: Ascertain the recurring cost to be paid to the colocation data center provider for hosting equipment and providing power, cooling, and network connectivity. Find out if there are any one-time fees applicable to set up the infrastructure for hosting the enterprise’s equipment. If there are, check if providing power to your servers and ensuring network connectivity are covered. Additional services may be offered by some data centers in India such as remote hands support or equipment installation, at an added cost. When you’re evaluating the costs, the level of service and reliability provided by the data center must be considered.

Maximise IT Infrastructure With A Trusted Colocation Partner
For enterprises seeking a secure and cost-effective solution to manage IT infrastructure, colocation data center is a suitable option. By leveraging the resources of a colocation provider, organisations can access state-of-the-art data centers without the burden of constructing and maintaining on-prem facilities.

Yotta NM1 data center in Mumbai offers a range of features to ensure that business infrastructure is housed in an optimal environment. The facility offers 7200 rack capacity, 50MW IT power, 4 dedicated fiber paths, and a design PUE of 1.4. The data center is also the first and only facility in India to be validated with a Tier IV Gold Certificate for Operational Sustainability (TCOS) from Uptime Institute. Spread across 300,000 sq. ft, Yotta D1 data center in Greater Noida is located near major innovation clusters and delivers industry-best uptime, connectivity, and fault tolerance. The facility offers 5000 rack capacity, 28.8MW IT Power, and a design PUE of 1.4.

Choosing the right data center partner is crucial for businesses to ensure their IT infrastructure is secure, efficient, and cost-effective. With Yotta’s range of benefits, businesses can trust that their infrastructure is housed in an optimal environment.

Best Practices For Data Center Migration 

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As an enterprise continues to grow, there may come a time when its IT infrastructure is unable to accommodate the rising demands. This is majorly the case with on-premises data centers, which require significant hardware investments and maintenance to keep up with the increasing need for computing power, storage, etc. These challenges can be addressed by undertaking migration, preferably to a colocation provider.   

Migrating or colocating a data center essentially involves the transfer of IT infrastructure from captive sites to third-party colocation facilities. The intended destination may also be a newly constructed data center, however, with the widespread adoption of the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) model, enterprises are increasingly looking at multi-tenant colocation data centers that offer rented space, IT equipment, and bandwidth.  

Data center migration can be a complex process. There are several steps to it, from planning, determining resource requirements, and designing the new environment to testing the plan and verifying its success. It is crucial to identify the duration of downtime, if any, that can be reasonably incurred during the migration. This will determine the actual migration process.  

Data Center Migration Best Practices 

1. Migration strategy: It’s important to define the needs and objectives of the migration. An enterprise may choose to build a larger data center, however, this involves significant capital expense (CapEx). On the other hand, renting or leasing, as is the case with colocation, reduces costs significantly. Similarly, the enterprise can achieve interoperability by adopting a hybrid approach that aligns different workloads to a combination of suitable infrastructure platforms.

2. Devise a comprehensive plan: The enterprise must create a plan outlining the project scope, timeframe, resource allocation, risk management, and communication strategies. It should also lay out the critical applications, services, and data that need to be migrated and prioritise them as per the business needs. 

3. Identify potential risks: Next, potential risks, such as power and cooling limitations, hardware and software compatibility issues, and security concerns should be identified. Addressing these challenges will help minimise the risk of downtime during the migration, while ensuring that systems are not exposed to cyber threats during the process. 

4. Training and support: The staff who will be working with the new infrastructure must be provided necessary training and support. This will entail training on how to use the new systems, any new process that will be implemented, and providing support during the transition period. These efforts can help in a seamless migration. 

5. Test: It is important that a proper test strategy is in place. The test emphasis should be on verifying the functionality and operability of infrastructure and applications. Any issues identified need to be resolved prior to the migration. The testing must be aimed at ensuring that applications continue to function smoothly, without any adverse impact on the business.

Undoubtedly, moving a data center is a complex task that requires careful consideration. Nevertheless, if your enterprise adequately plans, communicates, and incorporates the best practices, it can prepare for a smooth transition. 

Embracing Colocation For Optimised Infrastructure 

Data center colocation is becoming an increasingly popular migration strategy among businesses. Here, companies can place their hardware in a multi-tenant data center facility operated completely by the service provider. The colocation provider offers a secure, and well-connected environment with power, cooling, and security to ensure uptime and data protection while delivering high levels of efficiency and uptime. According to Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence (KSI), India’s colocation market is expected to reach $3,427.784 million (Rs. 281.3 billion) by 2027. 

Colocation eliminates the need for companies to build and maintain their data center infrastructure. They instead need to only pay for the space and services on an as-needed basis, which significantly brings down the overall capital expenditure. Colocation data center providers also have well-trained staff who can help enterprises with migration planning, implementation, and ongoing maintenance. This frees up the internal IT resources to focus on other strategic projects. Yotta’s data centers in India offer colocation services with multi-layer security, redundant network, and cloud connectivity. Enterprises can host their critical IT infrastructure with 100% uptime in high-quality, fault-tolerant facilities.  

Data center migration can seem like a challenging process, however, if you follow the best practices listed above, your enterprise will be able to minimise downtime, mitigate risks, and ensure a successful migration. Having a clear migration plan outlining the steps involved is essential, as well as identifying potential risks, and setting timelines and responsibilities. Testing, validation, and monitoring help in ensuring a smooth transition.  

Making The Right Choice For Colocation   Choosing the right data center for colocation is important. A reliable center will ensure that your critical infrastructure and applications continue to run optimally with minimum downtime. When selecting a colocation data center, ensure it has an uptime certification from Uptime Institute or the TIA-942. Additionally, look for one that offers end-to-end capabilities that ensure your infrastructure is always available. By selecting a reliable colocation data center, you can ensure a successful migration with better outcomes with regard to cost savings, security, and improved connectivity. 

Zero Downtime: The New Norm for Data Centers In 2023?

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Zero downtime has been a common buzzword among data centers, with many data center operators striving to achieve it. Having a reliable data center with little to no downtime in this fast-paced digital world has become crucial, but achieving it is easier said than done.

The consequences of failures or outages at data centers can be significant for a business. Damage to reputation, lost revenue, added costs, and loss of employee productivity are some of the ways a business can be hit as a result of a data center downtime. Uptime Institute’s 2022 Data Center Resiliency Survey found that over the past three years, 80% of data center managers and operators witnessed some kind of outage.

Uptime, within the context of a data center, is the assured annual availability of the IT infrastructure, expressed in increasing degrees of 99%. The difference between 99.671% and 99.999% may not seem significant. However, the former translates to downtime of up to 28.8 hours a year, while the latter means being down for up to 5.3 minutes annually. This holds great significance for businesses and end-consumer experience.

Downtime can be expensive and hinder the bottom line. Enter 2023, maintaining a solid digital infrastructure is more critical than ever, and 100% uptime is the top priority for IT leaders. Round-the-clock access to data and unwillingness to tolerate downtime is their new priority and a need.

What to look in a data center operator for Zero Downtime
It’s critical that enterprises ask the right questions to data center operators while evaluating them. Best practices and simple processes can significantly impact your business continuity.

Automation & Predictive Analytics: According to data shared by Uptime Institute, human error is responsible for about 70% of all data center failures. Automating administrative tasks can bring down errors and reduce downtime. Adding more AI to automation will provide administrators with predictive insights that can help mitigate downtimes. According to Gartner, half of cloud data centers shall use advanced robots with AI and machine learning capabilities by 2025, which can lead to 30% higher operating efficiency.

Over the past few years, predictive analytics has made tremendous progress. This has been made possible due to the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence in data center operations. It offers real-time data analytics and actionable intelligence, enabling the data center operations team to identify and predict failure points and immediately respond to them. For instance, the AI-infused Building Management System (BMS) at Yotta data centers monitors various systems in the facility to detect and respond to any point of failure in real-time, thus ensuring optimal operating conditions for uninterrupted operations. Similarly, predictive maintenance warns operators if a system or component is likely to fail. Real-time thermal monitoring through predictive analytics can prevent incidents like overheating of equipment, which can cause a failure at a data center, leading to downtime.

Also Read: How will Artificial Intelligence Drive the Growth of Future Data Centers?

Action Plan for Outages: In order to make their customers’ businesses resilient, data center operators must make their facilities resilient to any unforeseen incident. They must have a disaster recovery plan in place that details the steps to be taken in the event of a power outage. The plan must be tested regularly to verify that it is functional. This would include powering down systems, ensuring that generators are operational, checking the redundant systems, and monitoring temperatures. Upon spotting failure points, if any, necessary actions must be undertaken to fix them. It is crucial for data centers to maintain a comprehensive backup infrastructure to guard against data loss and ensure continuity of operations in the event of an outage.

Data Center Connectivity: The lifeblood of enterprises, data center connectivity plays a vital role in ensuring zero downtime. A redundant network and connectivity infrastructure is integral to ensure that businesses are assured of reliable global connectivity. Additionally, best practices like load balancing and failover mechanism can help data center operators prevent downtime as traffic gets redirected in case of an outage. Implementing several network solutions provides backup in the event of a network failure. Carrier-neutral data center connectivity helps improve security by offering protection against the risk of DDoS and other cybersecurity threats.

Also Read: The IX Factor in Data Centers – How do Enterprises Benefit?

Fire Prevention & Responsiveness: One of the most dreaded incidents, fire can wreak havoc in any data center facility. Not just it poses threat to workforce, but can also bring down a data center’s operations, while resulting huge damage to infrastructure which could take month to restore. Thus, a highly effective fire detection, prevention and mitigation system becomes an uncompromisable element of a data center. As a regulatory mandate, data center – like all commercial buildings – must have fire safety mechanisms in place. However, the bare minimum doesn’t suffice when Zero Downtime is the goal. Enterprises must look for data centers that are equipped with state-of-the-art modern fire detection and response systems which can assure that the heat of any incident doesn’t affect their business. Intelligent systems like Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus (VESDA) help proactively thwart fire and ensure resilient operations. Similarly, Novec 1230 fluid-based fire suppression system removes heat and prevents fire before it starts. Its sensors automatically detect fire and initiate response within seconds.

Certified Capabilities: Uptime Institute has created globally-recognised Tier Standards for data center uptime and overall performance. The Tier Standards comprise four grades: Tier I (basic capacity level), Tier II (redundant capacity components), Tier III (concurrently maintainable with redundant components), and Tier IV (fault tolerant). Each tier builds upon the earlier tier. Yotta NM1 holds a Gold Tier IV Certification of Operational Sustainability (TCOS), which is the highest certification from Uptime Institute. Data center operators at Yotta hold Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) certification. They provide expert guidance in meeting the Tier Standards and ensure the data center is designed to be reliable and efficient, with the latest technologies.

High Uptime: Tier III Data Center Vs Tier IV Data Center

Tier III Data CenterTier IV Data Center
99.982% uptime annually99.995% uptime annually
<1.6 hours downtime annually<26.3 minutes downtime annually
Concurrently Maintainable, N+1Fault Tolerant, 2N or 2N+1
1+Shift Staffing24*7*365 Staffing
No continuous coolingThere is continuous cooling
No compartmentalizationThere is compartmentalization

Also Read: How To Spot Expired Data Center Certificates

Zero Downtime – The New Norm
As digital economy booms at a rapid pace, there will be an increased dependency on reliable data centers in India. The digital shift and adoption of digital tools during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the wide usage of internet services. A near-zero uptime or an uptime of at least 99.995% annually should be the objective to ensure minimal to no impact on business. As the cost of downtime is increasing, it is critical for data centers in India to ensure minimal to zero downtime.

Realising this, our data centers prioritise the highest levels of uptime that can be possibly achieved. In the event of a power failure, the facility can operate for 48 hours straight on backup. This, coupled with our state-of-the-art systems and operational expertise, help us deliver Zero Downtime to organisations hosted with us.

The IX Factor in Data Centers – How do Enterprises Benefit?

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Today, as the world is becoming increasingly data-driven, it has become essential for businesses to have the right strategies in place, particularly in terms of connectivity. To compete in a dynamic marketplace and provide customers with quality services across regions, they must make the best use of available technologies. And to make the most of the hyperconnected world, it is necessary to take a closer look at the connectivity infrastructure and redefine it with today’s needs.

Data Centers – Gateway to the Digital World
Serving as storage and compute site for massive volumes of data, data centers have become a critical part of the modern data-driven economy. One can measure the value of data centers in terms of their ability to provide storage space, processing power and networking infrastructure. But the hyperconnected world is a new reality and it’s time data centers are harnessed as connectivity hubs, helping businesses reach global markets.

Data centers are often called the ‘gateway to the digital world’ because they provide connectivity to virtually everything, helping enterprises connect with customers and partners across the globe. But not all data centers do that!

What equips specific data centers to serve as one-stop connectivity hubs?

The answer lies in the ‘IX’ Factor.

An Internet Exchange, also referred to as ‘IX’, serves as a single point of connectivity to the global digital ecosystem, including Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). Amidst the need to deliver services to global masses, Internet Exchange points help enterprises take their services across regions without the need to set up dedicated infrastructure or establish cluttered connectivity that’s difficult to manage.

Major Internet Exchange companies are increasingly tapping data centers for setting up their points of presence due to data centers’ proximity to enterprises’ data infrastructure, which helps them reduce the transit path and offer low-latency connectivity solutions. As a result, a data center that houses Internet Exchanges is placed in a unique position to not just deliver reliable extended connectivity to worldwide networks but most notably in a streamlined, cost-effective manner.

Connectivity Simplified
Internet Exchange points are present in most metropolitan areas with a high population. These exchanges are maintained either by an association of members or a commercial enterprise. One of the major advantages of an Internet Exchange is that it reduces the requirement for a third-party network, which further leads to a lesser possibility of traffic bottleneck that could protract the response time. Thus, being in close proximity to an Internet Exchange has numerous advantages, including streamlined connectivity, lower costs, low latency, high bandwidth and simplicity.

And speaking of proximity, the presence of Internet Exchange points in the data center facility offers the best possible scenario. Here’s what enterprises gain with it.

Multi-cloud Connectivity: Organisations are increasingly adopting the hybrid multi-cloud approach as their businesses demand agility for diverse workloads. However, the key to reaping full benefits of multi-cloud is defined by connectivity between the core data center infrastructure and cloud platforms. Internet Exchange points at data centers address this need with access to a host of cloud platforms through single-hop, hassle-free connectivity.

Service Delivery to the Last Mile: When expansion becomes a priority, ensuring seamless service delivery across regions becomes crucial. Further, connectivity to Edge networks defines an enterprise’s ability to meet the growing demands from distributed geographies. Internet Exchanges help connect your core infrastructure to distributed Edge sites, allowing your business to reach a wider consumer base.

Streamlined Management: Consider a scenario without an Internet Exchange, where enterprise IT teams are required to set up and manage multiple individual connections with their cloud and digital setups – eventually leading to complex management and lack of visibility. By providing a single point of connectivity to the entire cloud, CDN and ISP ecosystem, Internet Exchanges eliminate hassles and allow your teams to focus on business-critical tasks.

Accelerated Performance: Connectivity is only as good as its performance. Inconsistent connectivity is one of the major qualms of enterprises, especially when multiple connections are at play. With a single high-bandwidth, dedicated path to a gamut of networks, enterprises get uniform performance across their digital footprint.

Cost Optimisation: Phasing out multiple individual connections leads to shedding of redundant expenditure. By providing seamless access to a range of cloud platforms and networks through a single channel, Internet Exchange points in data centers offer significant cost-efficiency along with simplicity.

Today, enterprises need unified connectivity, particularly those with operations across the globe and those on the expansion path. Moreover, they must deliver services over an interconnected ecosystem. Checking all of the above criteria, Yotta combines the quality assurance of its world-class data center offerings with robust connectivity solutions by leading Internet Exchanges having their point of presence at Yotta. Enterprises, whether residing at Yotta or in their captive data centers, gain immensely from simplified global connectivity solutions, including internet peering, CDN, Global Cloud Konnect, Edge Connectivity and more.

How To Spot Expired Data Center Certificates

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The availability and security of your applications and data boil down to the performance of your data center. And performance is achieved when the data center meets a range of different parameters – power redundancy, network infrastructure, cooling…the list is long, and can be exhaustive for your IT teams to evaluate.

Simplifying the process of evaluating a data center and to gauge its performance, certifications help enterprises understand the reliability of a data center for their business operations and its ability to withstand the impact of any unforeseen situation, without your business having to break a sweat for continuity and resilience.

Tier Certifications to the Rescue

Uptime Institute, USA is the leading, coveted and trusted authorised body that analyses a data center facility’s performance and issues them certifications. If you have been part of evaluating data center operators for your business, you have likely read or heard about Uptime Institute Tier certified data centers.

What Tier certifications mean?

Do you recall the last time you booked a hotel for your much-needed holiday? You probably found yourself choosing between 3-star, 4-star or 5-star hotels based on the services offered. Data centers are certified on similar metrics that determine the operational efficiency and uptime SLAs delivered to customers. The Tier certification system of Uptime Institute grades data centers on a spectrum of I to IV, with the latter denoting the highest level of performance, fault-tolerance and availability.

Design Certification – Only on Paper
When a data center operator prepares its facility’s design and submits the same to Uptime Institute, it undergoes extensive examination by Uptime Institute’s teams and upon its successful adherence to Uptime standards, the data center receives Tier Certification for Design Documents (TCDD). This validates that the data center’s design document meets Uptime Institute’s defined guidelines.

The Proof is in the Constructed Facility

But TCDD certificates come with a validity of only two years and is mentioned in the certificate foil, as shown above. Within the 2 years, the data center operators have to construct the data center facility, invite the Uptime Institute to validate the constructed facility and then secure the award for Tier Certification for Constructed Facility (TCCF) – which is valid for lifetime and is the final proof that the datacenter is indeed built as per the design.

Beware of Expired Design Certificates
Owing to discrepancies between design and the actual constructed facility, operational inefficiencies, exhaustive process and high costs involved in construction, many data center operators fail or choose not to apply for TCCF certification and try to pass off the design certification as their ultimate certificate. Do not take their word for it and insist on the Constructed Facility certificate. A design certificate is invalid post its expiry, and that leaves the data center practically with no Uptime Institute certification, and their customers’ infrastructure at risk.

When customers entrust a data center with their critical infrastructure basis TCDD, it becomes paramount for data center operators to deliver what was committed. Any compromise in the design and operational efficiencies can have adverse impact on customers’ businesses.

How to Verify Expired Tier Certificates?

Before selecting the right data center for your business, remember to validate their Uptime Institute certifications on: https://uptimeinstitute.com/uptime-institute-awards/list

Browse the list and search for your desired data center service provider to validate their Tier certification.