From cd06355eda64f4f33e9daf30c769ec1584e7d76d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nico Schottelius Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2019 22:16:21 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Begin blog: isn't it too late for a data center? --- .../contents.lr | 87 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 87 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/u/blog/isnt-it-too-late-to-build-a-datacenter/contents.lr diff --git a/content/u/blog/isnt-it-too-late-to-build-a-datacenter/contents.lr b/content/u/blog/isnt-it-too-late-to-build-a-datacenter/contents.lr new file mode 100644 index 0000000..04fd7d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/u/blog/isnt-it-too-late-to-build-a-datacenter/contents.lr @@ -0,0 +1,87 @@ +title: Isn't it too late to build a data center? +--- +pub_date: 2019-10-09 +--- +author: ungleich +--- +twitter_handle: ungleich +--- +_hidden: no +--- +_discoverable: yes +--- +abstract: +Is it or is it not too late to build a data center? +--- +body: + +The very valid question, +[Isn't it too late....to build a +data center?](https://twitter.com/Mac_S13/status/1181983378100424710) +was asked on Twitter and it made our team here in Glarus smile a lot +and we decided to write a blog article about this question. + +## Fiber = the advantage of a data center? + +According to the tweet, the main strength of a data center is fast +network connection, or the fiber line that you have. And nowadays, +everyone has fast fiber, so it follows that data centers are maybe not +needed anymore. + +## TL;DR + +It is not that easy. + +## How to run a data center in reality + +Some time ago we wrote about +[How to run a really green +data center](https://ungleich.ch/de/cms/ungleich-blog/2019/07/12/how-run-really-green-datacenter/). +Admittedly, the question was not about running a **green** data +center, so let's dive a bit more into it. + +Running a data center like we do at [Data Center +Light](https://datacenterlight.ch) does indeed require a fiber +connection. To be precise, actually a couple. + +## How much fiber is enough fiber? + +Don't tell anyone, but geeks are working at ungleich. And according to +geeks, there is never enough fiber. But for real, how much fiber is +needed? In our case, running a data center at 3 different locations, +requires a couple of dark fiber lines and a couple of redundant +upstream connections. Using the rule of thumb, let's say we need at +least 3 fiber connections: + +* One for location A +* One for location B +* One to connect locations A and B + +So are three fiber connections enough? + +## What is actually in a data center? + +Maybe the real question is, why would you run a data center at all? +Alright, for the geeks of us, "just because I can" is a reason, but +let's think about other cases as well. For instance we are running a +data center, because we our customers asked us to run one (easy, isn't +it?). So some years ago we started buying hardware like switches, +servers, SSDs, cables, transceivers, disks, network cards, access +points and even much, much more cables. + +And why did we do that? Because we were asked to host virtual machines +and data for our existing customers. So if you want to run a data +center, you also need a bit of hardware. + +And there comes one of the bigger problems: hardware also needs to be +turned on. And if it is on, it actually consumes energy and you do not +proper fuses. Not only the ones inside the data center, but also the +ones going into the building! + + +## More information + +You can get in touch with us via + +* email: info at ungleich.ch +* chat: [chat.ungleich.ch](https://chat.ungleich.ch)