March 2nd, 2023

Data centers are critical infrastructure for modern businesses, providing the computing power necessary to process, store, and transmit vast amounts of data. However, running and maintaining data centers can be expensive, both in terms of financial costs and environmental impact. For this reason, data center owners may choose to consolidate several data centers and server rooms into one centralized data center to save money and increase sustainability while reducing their carbon footprint.

There are several compelling reasons why a data center owner may choose to consolidate their data centers:

  1. Cost savings: Running multiple data centers and server rooms can be costly, requiring significant investments in hardware, software, and infrastructure. Consolidating these facilities into one centralized data center can lead to significant cost savings by reducing the need for redundant equipment, lowering maintenance costs, and streamlining operations.
  2. Increased efficiency: By consolidating multiple data centers into one, data center owners can take advantage of economies of scale and optimize their operations to achieve greater efficiency. This can include using more efficient cooling systems, improving energy management, and reducing the number of IT staff required to maintain the data center.
  3. Sustainability: Consolidating data centers can also have significant environmental benefits, as it can reduce the overall energy consumption and carbon footprint of the organization. By utilizing more energy-efficient technologies and practices, data center owners can reduce their environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future.
  4. Improved reliability: By consolidating multiple data centers into one, data center owners can improve the reliability of their infrastructure by reducing the risk of equipment failure, improving disaster recovery capabilities, and increasing redundancy.

Overall, the benefits of consolidating data centers are clear. By reducing costs, improving efficiency, increasing sustainability, and improving reliability, data center owners can create a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure that can support the needs of their business well into the future.

There are several steps that data center owners can take to consolidate their data centers effectively:

  1. Conduct an audit: Before consolidating data centers, it’s important to conduct a thorough audit of existing facilities to identify redundant equipment, processes, and infrastructure. This will help data center owners identify areas where cost savings can be achieved and efficiency can be improved and provides a “RoadMap” as to what needs to be accomplished.
  2. Develop a consolidation plan: Once the audit is complete, data center owners should develop a consolidation plan that outlines the steps needed to move to a centralized data center. This plan should include details on timelines, budgets, and resources required.
  3. Choose a centralized location: When choosing a centralized location for the new data center, data center owners should consider factors such as proximity to existing facilities, access to power and network infrastructure, and local environmental regulations. In addition any latency concerns related to proximity to end-users should also be considered.
  4. Invest in energy-efficient technologies: To achieve maximum sustainability benefits, data center owners should invest in energy-efficient technologies such as virtualization, high-density computing, and efficient cooling systems as part of the consolidation project.

In conclusion, consolidating several data centers and server rooms into one centralized data center is a smart move for any data center owner looking to save money, increase efficiency, and reduce their environmental impact. By following best practices and investing in the right technologies, data center owners can create a more resilient and sustainable infrastructure that can support the needs of their business well into the future.

Altus Technologies Corporation is well versed in helping customers with the audit via our Roadmap service. If you have all ready determined you need to consolidate, we’ve done this planning and execution for several firms. Let us know how we can help!