When you type out a simple search on Google, it may feel like the results emerge instantly from the vast ether of the internet — wirelessly and effortlessly. But behind the scenes, not only are there miles of fiber optic cables providing a backbone for data transmission, but there's also a complex network of computational powerhouses, called data centers.
Data centers are warehouses holding powerful computers that help store, process and transmit the incredible amounts of information that are being transmitted every second in our modern world. These servers are stacked on top of each other in racks. While some small data centers may only hold a few racks, larger ones, known as hyperscale data centers, may hold thousands — or even tens of thousands.
Because data centers aren’t typically a user-facing entity, many don’t realize they exist, or how essential they are to supporting the ever-growing density of data traffic. Every work meeting, every telehealth visit, every text relies on the heartbeat of data centers — often connected by fiber.
Some of the primary pieces inside a data center include servers, storage systems, routers, firewalls and application-delivery controllers. These elements work along with other networking equipment and powering supplies, and that means things can get noisy and run hot — really hot.
Because of this, centers are equipped with cooling systems to keep the housed equipment at an optimal temperature for constant data transmission. This may be achieved through both air- and liquid-based cooling practices. Air-based cooling will typically circulate chill air through the raised floors and ceiling ducts to remove heat generated by servers and other hardware.
Liquid-based cooling, on the other hand, can be an even more efficient (albeit expensive and complicated) method of cooling equipment — often through chilled water or direct-to-chip cooling. Effective cooling systems are an essential component to keeping data centers a reliable hub for network and data flow.
Since the popularization of cloud computing throughout the 2010s, the storage of data has become increasingly decentralized, meaning that single data source may live across a network of data centers and servers rather than one physical location.
This evolution has further established data centers as a linchpin for the modern technological world, providing the vital pulse to broadband. They bring the needed infrastructure to store, process and deliver the multitude of information data, applications and services that you likely use every day — from a job interview to a wipeout compilation on YouTube.