Photo Source: datacenterknowledge

Operations Cutting Staff, Visitors, and Projects

As the world navigates through this pandemic, rules and regulations are being changed and implemented by different countries. All non-essential businesses are required to close until further notice. With this being said, the UK and the US State of California are among those who have listed data centers and telecommunications as essential infrastructure.

Because of these “safer at home” rules, more people are needing to work remotely, use more digital communication, and entertain themselves with streaming online video content—data center network and infrastructure will be more important than ever.

While data centers are considered an essential business and especially important in these times, many data center operators have needed to cut onsite staff, visitors, and even postpone projects because of the pandemic. The challenge of keeping their staff safe, and at the same time help slow down the spread of the coronavirus is a real concern for many data center operators

Data Center Best Practices in Response to a Crisis

According to the Uptime Institute, being well-prepared makes decision making during a crisis simpler and less stressful. Here are some suggestions from different experts in the industry on how to prepare for a crisis.

–        Categorize essential and non-essential tasks. Schedule them by necessity will help recognize which tasks can be postponed.

–        Maintain personnel skills and keep them up-to-date. Make sure they have all the certifications they need. Because in a time of crisis, all hands will be on deck, so train personnel to be able to do other tasks.

–        Have a contingency plan in place (in case there is a supply chain disruption or staff shortages.)

–        Test new technologies in advance. If your data center isn’t already currently using an automated process or remote monitoring, test these technologies to see how they can work for your data center in times of crisis.

–        Plan and test how your team will interact virtually in case of quarantine and social distancing were to happen again.

Most companies’ disaster recovery plans might not take into account a pandemic like a coronavirus. But these plans can be adapted into a new emergency plan instead of completely building a new plan. If your company had plans in place in case of an earthquake or tornado, these can be modified into one for the coronavirus or whatever pandemic may be next. If your company doesn’t have this in their current recovery disaster plans, add it as soon as possible.

Photo Source: medium

How to Establish Workplace Health Protocols and Update Response Plans

Determining specific health procedures in response to a crisis like this and regular day-to-day operations is necessary. Your company should establish your staff’s health needs for both day-to-day and in crises and making sure these are ready to go at all times. There should be a stockpile of drinking water available, soap, sanitizers, and other cleaning agents in case of emergency.

As for crisis protocols in response to this specific crisis, data center managers should distribute a sanitizing wipe when people enter the data center, and maybe even having a non-contact thermometer ready to check the temperature of everyone entering the premises.

A cleaning checklist should be created for the staff to make sure the data center isn’t contaminated. Making sure the data center isn’t contaminated will help protect the staff and slow down the spread of this infection.

Photo Source: datacenterfrontier

How Remote Monitoring and AI Changes How Data Centers Deal with a Crisis

Remote server access is the ability to access your network remotely. It allows users to access the system without being there physically. This can be beneficial in moments like these when operators can’t get to their data centers.

For remote monitoring to perform in times of crisis, data center managers need to make sure a system is in place and ready to deploy. Planning

Artificial intelligence will enable unmanned automation. Data centers have been experimenting with a “lights out” data center. This is when a data center isn’t being monitored or supervised by people. Some people believe this new unmanned automated data center will make traditional data centers obsolete. Now while we’re not sure of how true this may be, we do know that an unmanned data center can be beneficial in times of crisis.

The automated data centers of the future will be monitored by DCMI software and Artificial Intelligence. This means when the next pandemic hits, data center managers can shelter in place at home while AI systems take over for the time being.

Conclusion

Data centers are essential infrastructure. Because more people are working from home, digital communication and connectivity is more crucial than ever before. Online video streaming services are also being utilized at a higher rate by at home waiting to go back to work. Data centers need to be ready for these kinds of crises because other industries depend on it. This means data centers need to be prepared for times like these. Proper health protocols need to be in place and operators need to make sure the current response plan includes precaution for pandemics like Covid-19. Remote monitoring and Artificial Intelligent automated systems should be looked at more carefully and implemented if at all possible. New technologies can be the difference-maker for which data centers are still standing at the end of a crisis. At the end of the day, what’s most important is the health and well-being of the staff and the rest of the world. This is how data centers should be dealing with a crisis, and this is what these practices and procedures aim to do.

The post How the Data Center Industry Is Dealing with the Pandemic appeared first on Colocation America.

In the current business environment, companies are investing heavily in hiring cloud computing providers rather than enhancing their IT infrastructure.

As you may know, the term CRM stands for customer relationship management software. Within the CRM systems, there are many abbreviations and variations.

There are different types of cloud computing, namely, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and software ae (SaaS).

Most of the firms opt for the SaaS cloud computing model as it is very convenient, with no maintenance and investment, and just involves using the application through the Internet.  Some notable examples of cloud computing are Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Hotmail for e-mail, Picassa for sharing photographs, Facebook and LinkedIn for social networks, etc.

What Does CRM Stand For in Cloud Computing?

A cloud CRM is a model in which the CRM software, tools, and organization’s customer data is stored in the cloud, and some of the questions that need to be asked right away are whether to end-users via the Internet. In other words, it is a technology that enables accessing the IT networks, serving multiple users through the Internet.

Cloud CRM requires minimal IT personnel and management involvement from the users. A cloud-based CRM minimizes the con software’s future customers and makes CRM accessible to everyone.

As companies started to rely increasingly on the internet for various applications, there was a growing need to store corporate data on the web. This arrangement required a very high degree of security and trust. Cloud computing offers the perfect solution wherein a data storage environment is available through the internet, secure access, and controls.

The relentless expansion of business operations, data, and information has resulted in the CRM systems developing into massive, integrated systems. Therefore, these developments have made the use of the cloud indispensable for CRM applications.

Another positive aspect of cloud computing is related to energy. The current growth rate of IT infrastructure raises the specter of an alarming energy shortage as it is pretty unsustainable in the long run.

On the other hand, running a CRM system in the cloud is much more efficient and consumes considerably less energy.

Cloud also facilitates better and quicker responses, agility, mobility, and seamless communication. This has led to the concept of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) becoming very popular. BYOD is part of a growing trend that encourages employees to work on the device of their choice, leading to increased productivity and reduced costs for small and medium-sized businesses.

Notwithstanding the increasing popularity of the cloud, there are many concerns regarding the security and reliability of cloud-based systems.

How Safe Is Cloud CRM Software

For this reason, companies must recognize the differences between public cloud and private cloud.

Public clouds store resources at an off-site cloud provider’s facilities, while private clouds rely solely on virtual private networks (VPNs).

Since private clouds are more secure and offer greater control, this might be more suited for storing sensitive information such as customer data.

The marketplace is becoming crowded with a growing number of vendors, each offering their cloud versions. This makes it very confusing for a beginner to evaluate the multitude of cloud options and select the right fit. To solve this problem, some basic guidelines should be followed. When choosing a vendor, the degree of flexibility should weigh on the top of the firm’s mind.

Some of the questions that need to be asked right away are whether the capacity can be increased and whether it is possible to move from a public cloud to a private cloud in the future. There is an inevitable trade-off between future flexibility, functionality, and costs while selecting the right cloud provider and solution.

CRM software’s future for small and medium businesses (SMB) in the cloud computing landscape will be marked by a change from SaaS to PaaS or IaaS as the primary model. Cloud computing makes it possible for firms to engage in real-time analytics and help them become more competitive and proactive in their approach. Nowadays, many business relationships begin their journey on the Internet through web searches, Facebook pages, and other sites.

The inherent flexibility through internet hosting allows SMBs to grow much faster and at cheaper costs. A significant chunk of money that upgrades physical services and assets can now be diverted to other, more vital business functions.

There is no need for centralized office space as all the employees need a laptop and an internet connection and hence helping in optimizing operations. A significant fear that CRM requires complex installation is no longer valid, as cloud-based CRM can be up and running in no time.

Deployment of CRM in the cloud facilitates easier social integration and communication with customers, creating CRM logic and data tracking. Cloud CRM is used to host customer relationship management data, while social media CRM incorporates social media and networking into relationship management. With the integration of cloud CRM and social CRM with the right tools, it is possible to obtain the best results.

Let us summarize the immense benefits of cloud-based CRM. The very nature of cloud-based systems makes it possible for an associate to log in from anywhere and access their account or customer information.

This can be particularly helpful while closing a sale from a remote location, making sales calls in the field, and tailoring the pitch appropriately. Most CRM solutions are accompanied by mobile apps compatible with Android or IOS and help provide crucial information on the go.

A cloud CRM is an excellent repository for all the information about the clients and the customers. Each user has their logins that enable multiple accounts to be logged in simultaneously and operate on the data. Seamless information exchange is also possible through the cloud.

Building on the premise of security, another critical component is the data backup in multiple locations. Gone is the era of stand-alone devices which lack the flexibility of integration. Cloud CRM can be easily integrated with different applications or software such as email clients, MS Office, etc., and this compatibility is the key to ensuring CRM’s longevity and success.

Cloud computing will eventually become a way of life for almost all organizations, particularly the sales teams. The future of the cloud will be focusing on storage as its top priority next to security.

Once these two concerns are addressed, companies will be able to channel their abilities into handling additional functions such as subscription billing management and business process management to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations.

The post Cloud Computing And Customer Relationship Management (CRM) appeared first on Colocation America.

What Is Ethical Hacking?

The term ‘Security’ has been a hot topic among people from both technical fields and non-technical fields these days because who wants its information/data being hacked into by someone else, right?

The Internet has increased our dependence on various IT Services that we have become almost dependent on it without thinking twice about what’s going behind the screen. We may not be aware of it, but we use different services offered by big corporations like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others that require our personal information stored on their servers.

This data includes your username, password, emails, and other such stuff. Now, what if someone gains unauthorized access to your account?

The first thing you may think is, how the hell did they get my password even though I’ve taken so much care over it? Well, you can’t do anything about it because no one wants to change their passwords every month.

Plus, people tend to use the same passwords for a limited number of accounts. This makes it easier for hackers to crack into those accounts since most of us face the same problem, thus making our accounts weak in the true sense.

These hackers can either take advantage of that account right away or put your information up for sale on Black Market, which is then used in illegal activities which initially started with Phishing and ended with targeted spamming campaigns.

Types of Ethical Hackers

There are different types of hackers, each with its motivations. These groups can be broken down into three categories: 

Black Hat
Black hats are typically individuals or groups that hack for personal or financial gain. They use their knowledge to exploit vulnerabilities in servers, networks, programs, and websites to access private data or deface websites for nuisance purposes.

White Hat
White hats can include security professionals and researchers who discover vulnerabilities primarily so that the system owner can fix the error before a malicious attacker exploits it.

Grey Hat

Grey hats occupy an ethical and legal “grey area.” This group includes hackers who explore systems and share information about holes only to individuals or groups they trust.

Roles & Responsibilities of an Ethical Hacker

An Ethical Hacker is always a type of White Hat Hacker, meaning they will not use any illegal means to fulfill their goals; yes, you got it correct! They will only use ‘Authorized’ tools to complete their tasks approved by the concerned authority.

Some people think that an Ethical Hacker must know everything about Hacking and Cracking, but that’s not true at all since they’re just hired for a particular task.

The best example would be Facebook, where they have a team of highly skilled individuals called Social Engineers who have been trained so that anyone can fall for their tricks even if he doesn’t know what Facebook is.

This knowledge is then used for different purposes like Online Reputation Management, Risk Analysis, or even getting rid of spam messages sent on Facebook.

 An Ethical Hacker must know about programming, Networking, and scripting languages like C++, Python, etc. They’re the base, followed by other skills needed to carry out a successful penetration test. Their duty mainly involves:

•   Planning & Analyzing

•   System Hacking

•    Network Hacking

(Where an Ethical hacker will make use of their programming and networking knowledge) penetration testing (Pentest). This may sound simple, but not as Ethical Hackers need to be completely aware of Weak Points in the system, which need to be taken care of before starting Pentest.

Benefits of an Ethical Hacker

I’m sure you must have heard Ethical Hackers turning into Black Hats anytime soon. Many people believe that if they know a little about hacking, they will become a master in no time, and there’s nothing called lousy publicity, so why not do it?

Well, let me answer this question for you, yes it is possible, but it requires a lot of hard work and dedication, which most people lack nowadays since everyone wants quick results rather than doing something which takes time to complete.

Some who even tried turning into Black Hats failed miserably as most of them aren’t aware that becoming an expert hacker isn’t just your computer knowledge but your psychology. If you’re good at hacking someone’s mind, you will become a successful Ethical Hacker for sure.

Other than that, there are many benefits of becoming an Ethical Hacker, which includes:

•   You’ll get paid well if you’re good at what you do

•   A lot of Opportunities will be available to work with different countries/organizations around the world who want everything to be done legally, so they can’t hire Black Hats unless necessary.

Phases of Ethical Hacking

The phases of Ethical Hacking are as follow:

1. Reconnaissance

This is divided into three areas: passive reconnaissance, active reconnaissance, and intrusive reconnaissance. Passive reconnaissance involves gathering information about your target without them knowing.

Active reconnaissance uses network scanning tools to discover hidden or closed ports on a system, allowing one to identify active systems and applications running on these ports. Intrusive reconnaissance includes vulnerability scanning tools that can probe further than just identifying open ports.

These scans can discover vulnerabilities on the system, which can then be used as a launchpad for other penetration testing efforts.

2. Scanning

Once a target has been chosen, scanning tools should be used to look for open ports and known vulnerabilities in the systems running on those ports.

Vulnerability scanning tools will bombard these ports with information requests, which should not interfere with normal system operations if configured correctly.

In some cases, this phase could include port scanning or service identification – identifying specific types of services running on a system so they can be probed further during subsequent stages.

3. Enumeration

This phase involves taking what was learned from reconnaissance and vulnerability scans, identifying user accounts, and mapping out the network layout by looking at device configurations.

Social engineering is often used during this phase to trick users into providing sensitive information that can be used to access the system.

4. Exploitation

During Windows vulnerability assessment, you’ll use exploit tools to gain control over a system once vulnerabilities have been identified.

You may need administrative-level credentials to complete this stage if the required services are disabled or run by the root user. Data Manipulation: If you successfully exploit systems, you can now gather sensitive data from them and move it onto other systems.

Sometimes called man-in-the-middle attacks, these exploits use software installed on one computer (such as a file server or domain controller) to intercept traffic between two other computers (such as workstations) and send the data directly to an attacker.

5. Covering Tracks

The final phase is to cover your tracks and ensure detection is minimized. Removal of tools used for an attack and any files or data that has been compromised needs to be undertaken before the penetration test officially concludes.

Conclusion

To summarize, I would like to say that anyone who wants to become an Ethical Hacker should first clear his basics and start developing skills before applying for any job opening since many vacancies require programming knowledge, mainly during the interview. 

So what are you waiting for? If hacking sounds interesting, grab your chance now and make sure to read thoroughly before applying since many organizations only hire people who know their work experience and responsibilities and might help you land a better job than expected.

The post What Are the Five Steps of Ethical Hacking? appeared first on Colocation America.

What Are the Various Types of Fire Suppression Systems? 

There are different types of fire suppression systems altogether. The first larger umbrella with fire suppression systems is known as Fire Sprinkler Systems. Within the Fire Sprinkler System, umbrella includes wet pipe, wet pipe antifreeze dry pipe, pre-action, deluge, electronic, foam water sprinkler, water spray, and water mist. There are also Chemical Agent Systems which include wet chemical systems and dry chemical systems. Some other types of fire suppression systems include gaseous agents, fully automatic suppression systems, fully automatic vehicle fire suppression systems, manual vehicle fire suppression systems, and external water spray systems.

The largest of these umbrellas is the Fire Sprinkler system which is a method for active fire protection. This method usually consists of a water supply system, which is released with a specific amount of pressure through a piping system. These systems the most prevalent and are used worldwide.

What Are the Best Fire Suppression Systems for Data Centers?

Data centers are filled with computer servers that require detailed attention. Because these servers are running 24/7, the server racks have the possibility of overheating and even catching on fire. There have recently been several data center fires that have brought to light how data centers are being managed.

Because data centers are packed with server racks, they need a fire suppression system that won’t destroy the equipment. Data centers need a specific type of fire suppression. This is why there are a couple of fire suppression systems that are ideal for data center use including a dry pipe fire sprinkler system and a clean agent fire suppression system.

Dry Pipe Fire Sprinkler System

A dry pipe sprinkler system can be beneficial for a data center because pipes are filled with pressurized air or nitrogen instead of water. This air holds a remote valve in a closed position. This dry pipe valve stops water from entering the pipe until a fire triggers at least one of the sprinklers to activate. After this happens, air escapes, and the valve releases. Only then does water enter the pipe running through the sprinklers onto the fire.

One of the main advantages of a dry pipe fire sprinkler system is pipes won’t freeze due to extremely cold weather, which often happens to other traditional sprinkler systems where the water is already inside of the pipes. This can also be advantageous for another reason. If a traditional sprinkler system gets damaged there is a risk of water damage. This is important for data centers to keep in mind due to the server racks.

These systems, however, are complex and need proper maintenance. The cost of installation and maintenance can be more expensive. Due to its maximum of 750 gallons, these systems are also only designed for average-sized data centers and may not be ideal for hyperscale data centers.

With this being said, dry pipe fire sprinkler systems are one of the best options for data centers and other operations housing electronic equipment. The sprinkler pipes are filled with air instead of water so the servers cannot get wet unless there is a fire present.

FM-200 Fire Suppression System

Another fire suppression system ideal for data center use is clean agent fire suppression systems like the FM-200. Fires are made up of heat, oxygen, and a fuel source. Eliminating one of these elements will extinguish a fire and stop its spread. The FM-200 uses a chemical gas known as hydrofluorocarbon or HFC. It is colorless compressed liquefied gas to put eliminate heat which then extinguishes the fire. The gas is slow in toxicity and does not show acute or long-term dangers. Following the manufacturer’s guidelines ensures safety.

This type of fire suppression system is safe around people and all occupied spaces, and won’t damage sensitive equipment like servers, electronics, and other machinery. It also won’t leave any residual substances, and there is no clean-up required after the incident. The FM-200 is also more cost-efficient than other similar clean agent systems.

Why Are Clean Agent Fire Suppression Systems Beneficial?

Clean agent fire suppression systems cause no water damage and don’t have any harmful residue. It can be used for a server room in a data center or an exhibit in a museum. These systems won’t damage any of these assets like traditional water or foam fire extinguishers can. It is also non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The gas that is used is usually a combination of nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide.

There are several different variations of a clean agent fire suppression system. There is the 3M Novec Fire protection Fluid, which is one of the most eco-friendly options available. This also extinguishes fires with marginal damage and clean up. The ECARO-25 is another clean agent system that uses 30% fewer chemical agents making it more cost-effective for businesses. PROINERT is another option that uses higher pressure than other chemical agents. It’s also stored in a gaseous state and not liquid. These systems can be good options for data centers and other sensitive equipment.

Conclusion

Various aspects can cause a data center fire, which is why data center managers need to be thoughtful about their fire suppression systems. If there is a false alarm and a traditional sprinkler system goes off all of the servers could potentially be damaged. A clean agent suppression system is designed to protect irreplaceable assets and the people within the building. Clean agent systems are ideal for protecting data center servers, electronics, archives, and even artwork.

If you’re looking for a data center service, make sure to research the particular type of fire suppression system they are offering. There is a risk involved in storing your sensitive data within a data center, but a trusted data center provider can make sure your needs are taken care of.  

The post Different Data Center Fire Suppression Systems Explained appeared first on Colocation America.

In the first installment of Frequently Asked Questions in Technology, we discussed what the cloud is. For a quick recap, the cloud is the internet and all of the facets and resources that can be accessed with an internet connection. When someone says, “It’s in the cloud”, they are referring to data being stored on internet servers that can be accessed. Cloud computing and cloud services are other aspects of “the cloud”, that can bring additional power and resources to users located anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). Cloud services can bring the power of artificial intelligence, access to software, hardware, and more through an internet connection.

Multicloud or a multi-cloud environment refers to the use of multiple cloud platforms delivering specific applications or services. A multi-cloud strategy can be useful for various reasons, one of them being that some providers are better for certain applications and tasks than others. Deploying a multi-cloud environment can help businesses get the very best from different providers. A multi-cloud environment can also help businesses save money by shopping for the best deals available. Multicloud can be advantageous for many various types of companies.

What Is Edge Computing?

Edge computing brings the processing power closer to its users by placing additional platforms in between the user and the cloud itself. Edge improves the speed and the overall performance of the data transport. Some of the data and applications are housed in the data center cloud and a portion of the data and applications are housed in the edge data center. This reduces some of the data center load. Edge computing helps reduce the latency that could potentially happen with modern devices like (IoT gadgets). These IoT devices don’t depend on the speed of the network as much.

Processing the data and applications locally takes away some of the strain on data centers. Edge computing helps improve the way IoT devices work. Edge computing, data centers, and the cloud all work together to make our modern devices faster and more reliable. By bringing the power closer to the users, the users have a better experience and the data centers are relieved of some of the processing stress. Edge computing is helping keep the world connected with more powerful and more reliable connectivity. 

What Is Data Science?

Data science is a term that has been around since 2008. Data science combines focused programming, the scientific method, math, statistics, innovative analytics, and artificial intelligence to show a company’s insights with the data it has accumulated. This interdisciplinary field studies data and uses it to show where a company is and how it can be improved. Researching all of the data can help companies build a business strategy to be successful currently and in the future.

Data science can potentially help countless businesses in many different industries. Its reach could be limitless. Almost all (if not all) companies can benefit from optimization, reliability, and different forms of improvement. All companies are looking to improve, grow, and increase their profits. Data science can also be used by government officials to help improve the world. The world runs on data and studying this data to find solutions to the world’s problems and improve the lives of its population could be the future of data science. 

What Is Blockchain?

When you think of cryptocurrency you most likely think of Bitcoin, Ethereum, or one of the other examples of cryptocurrencies that are around today. But at the core of all cryptocurrencies is what is called a blockchain. A blockchain is a digital record of transactions. It is called a Blockchain because of the structure of these records. The information is grouped into blocks and linked to form a chain with other blocks of information. This system of logging information is impossible to alter, hack, or cheat. This is why has worked well for creating a new type of currency.

The fact that Blockchain is so secure makes it ideal for other uses as well. Blockchain technology can be implemented in a variety of different ways. It can potentially be used to process payments and transfer money, it can help companies keep track of their supply chains, and it can be used as a form of digital identification and authentication. Blockchain could potentially be used to protect people’s copyright and ownership, it can be used as a way of digital voting without the concern of fraud. Blockchain can be used to transfer land, auto, and real estate properties. It can be used to trace where your food is coming from, backing up data, and even tax regulation. Blockchain can be used as a secure way of keeping medical records, tracking weapons, keeping track of contracts such as inheritances and wills. The use of secure record-keeping that cannot be altered, hacked, or cheated can be beneficial to almost every industry. We are already seeing Blockchain being implemented by the art world with NFTs, and this is only the beginning of where this technology could go.

What Is a Managed Hosting Service?

As a business grows so do its needs. Managed hosting is an Information Technology service in which a provider leases dedicated servers and all of the hardware involved to a sole company or individual. The service provider then manages these systems for the company or individual. Managed hosting can be beneficial for small to medium-sized companies as well as large companies. There are many things to think about as a business owner, and some of these tasks demand a different form of expertise. This is especially true in the world of technology.

Different managed providers will specialize in various areas of IT. Some service providers may have expertise in managed colocation services, while others may specialize in business connectivity and cloud services. Finding a service provider that can help with your current needs is vital. If you are looking for managed hosting solutions, Colocation America has a wide range of solutions that will help your business grow.

Conclusion

On this installment of Frequently Asked Questions in Technology, we discussed Multicloud, Edge Computing, Data Science, Blockchain technology, and Managed Hosting Services. The world of technology moves fast and understanding all of the different buzzwords can be time-consuming and even difficult. If you have any technology questions of your own—connect with us today. 

The post Frequently Asked Questions in Technology (Part 5) appeared first on Colocation America.

There are specific challenges to having remote workplaces, so knowing how to overcome these issues can be vital to business operations.

Many companies wouldn’t be able to allow their employees to work from home without the technological advances we have today. The availability of cloud computing along with high-speed and low latency internet connections are essential to remote workplaces. 

What Is a Remote Workplace?

A remote workplace is a workplace or work area that isn’t located in a single location. There are different reasons why businesses are leaning into the idea of a remote workplace. Some companies would rather save money instead of paying rent for an office every month.

A virtual staff could save a worthwhile sum per employee every year. A company can also take advantage of finding talented professionals from different areas instead of relying on the talent nearby.   

Typically, a remote workplace is linked to freelance professionals. Freelance work is becoming more common in many different trades. Studies have also shown that remote workers are happier and stay in jobs longer. 

Because of the current pandemic, many companies have shifted their business operations and are letting their employees work from home.

Some businesses that can have employees work from home or have already done so before the pandemic hasn’t been as affected as other companies. These are some of the reasons a remote workplace can be beneficial or even essential.

How Data Center Services Can Benefit the Remote Workplace

Having a remote workplace can be advantageous in many ways, but there are a couple of things to consider with this type of operational environment. There is quite a bit of organizing that needs to be taken care of.

If a company’s entire operation is remote, it probably doesn’t have an on-premises data center. A third-party data center service will be necessary. A data center provider can be helpful in many different ways. 

Companies need to store their data and applications somewhere. Some companies can store their data strictly in the cloud, but others prefer to have their own physical on-premises servers. A good data center provider can offer infrastructure management that would be hard to replicate for a company’s in-house on-premises data management team.

A data center can provide better cooling and more efficient power consumption. Because data centers are usually up-to-date with the latest technology—a company that uses its services will have an advantage over its competitors that aren’t using a similar service.

Data centers also have professional data center managers working 24/7 ensuring no downtime. Having an IT staff and data center managers available is vital to a company’s business operations.  

Data centers can also offer better security for companies with remote working staff. Having all of the company data on-premises while everyone is working from home can be tricky. It’s a difficult task keeping managing servers without being on-site.

Using a colocation data center can be advantageous during a time like we’re currently experiencing. Instead of working about going back and forth to the site just to manage the servers, remote workers can rely on the third-party data center’s IT staff to take care of everything including security.

And just like how data centers usually have the latest technology they have the latest security advancements as well. 

Colocation Data Centers Can Offer the Best Remote Monitoring

One of the things we are noticing about this current pandemic is it’s not getting better. The initial lockdown had many businesses scrambling to figure out how to continue everyday operations. Data centers have been crucial to businesses from many different industries.

Even if the world does experience another lock down data are set up in a way that allows operations to continue. Data center managers don’t need to be on-site to monitor the servers. 

Data center services have been vital during this time. Remote monitoring and artificially intelligent automated systems allow the data center staff to manage everything remotely. Data centers have the capability of not only monitoring your servers from afar, but they can also give you access to your servers remotely as well.

A trusted data center provider can offer remote monitoring that would be hard to do in your own privately-owned data center.

Software-Defined Data Center Allows for Automation

Virtualization and a software-defined data center are allowing data centers to automate making it more convenient during this time. Network virtualization, server virtualization, and storage virtualization are all being used to automate data center operations.

Virtualization simplifies data center operations and allows for automation. Making the idea of remote monitoring even simpler.

The software-defined data center also gives companies the ability to access its servers from anywhere if needed.

Because most of the tasks can be automated users may not have to check on their servers too often. A software-defined data center and automation will improve energy consumption and improve security.

The use of artificial intelligence is also making data center management less work. AI-powered robot operators are already being deployed and can recognize problems with cooling, fix look electrical wires, and notify users of problems.

This is just another advantage of the power of a data center provider. 

Conclusion

Companies in different industries are all shifting in their operations. Remote workplaces aren’t just for freelance employees anymore.

Many people are working from home due to the pandemic, but colocation data centers can help solve some of the problems that come with working remotely.

Harnessing the power of a trusted data center provider can help businesses in many different ways. 

Data centers are set up in a way that allows remote workers the ability to manage servers from anywhere. It gives businesses the assurance that their data and applications are safe and secure and at the same time accessible whenever it’s needed.

It allows remote workers to focus on the business and not having to deal with worrying about managing its servers. Data centers simplify many aspects of remote workplaces. 

The post How Data Centers Can Benefit Remote Workers appeared first on Colocation America.

There are different ways a company can store its vital data from an in-house data center, public cloud, private cloud, or even a hybrid cloud. We will discuss the differences and why a hybrid cloud solution could be a beneficial solution for your business. 

What Is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a process through which the computing power (RAM, Network Speed, CPU) are delivered to users as a service through a network instead of at a physical location. Cloud computing has become one of the most popular ways to harness the power of a data center.

It’s most used by individuals not needing a tremendous amount of data storage or small businesses with a lot of room to grow. Cloud computing is beneficial in many different ways especially for those looking to save money. There are a couple of different types of cloud computing.

The first one is the public cloud. This type of cloud computing is owned by and controlled by a third-party provider. This is a cheaper option and small to medium-sized businesses can save money going this route instead of buying their own data center equipment. A business that uses Shopify and Google Workspace is using a public cloud.

This is also called Software-as-a-Service. Public clouds are cost-efficient, easily accessible, and easy to scale. But there are some disadvantages when it comes to the public cloud including downtime, the lack of customization, and a higher risk of cyber-security threats. 

The next is the private cloud which works the same as a public cloud, but you and your company are offered your own server. With this option, you are given higher performance, more flexibility to grow, and better security options.

However, the cost will be more expensive than the public cloud. You can be more responsible for your servers as well. Your IT staff could be in charge of operating and maintaining the infrastructure and security of the servers.

Next is an on-premise data center. This type of data center is when your company is in complete control of the data center. Your company owns all of the equipment and is in charge of managing and maintaining everything yourself. This type of data center can work well for bigger companies who need more control of every aspect of data center operations.

What Is a Hybrid Cloud Solution?

A hybrid cloud solution combines cloud computing and on-premises and cloud computing. This strategy can give companies a little bit of everything they need when it comes to storage.

A hybrid strategy can allow a company to take the things they want from each of these different solutions and create something that works best for them. The many benefits of a hybrid cloud solution have made it a popular option for many businesses. 

One of the main reasons why companies decide on a hybrid cloud solution is because it offers better support for their employees working remotely.

Desktop virtualization is one of the things offered by hybrid cloud solutions and is beneficial for companies with employees that are working remotely from different locations. A hybrid cloud gives flexibility because the company data isn’t only stuck in one location. 

Companies can keep their sensitive data in their private on-premises servers, and storing their essential everyday data needed by the remote staff on the public cloud.

This helps give employees access to everything they need during day-to-day operations from any location. More and more people are working from remote locations because of the pandemic. A hybrid solution gives many companies the flexibility needed to optimize productivity and efficiency. 

Hybrid clouds also reduce costs which is important for most businesses. What makes hybrid cloud options appealing to businesses is its flexibility.

As mentioned earlier, companies can store certain data at their on-premises data center and storing other data in the cloud. Having this flexibility gives companies control during demand spikes. They can then decide when they need to use the cloud service. 

Scalability and control are other benefits hybrid clouds can offer businesses. As your business grows or even fluctuates during certain seasons the scalability of a hybrid cloud can offer the flexibility needed.

Partnering with a Data Center Provider for Cloud Solutions

Using a trusted data center provider for your hybrid cloud solution needs can also give you additional benefits. Data centers are usually up-to-date with all the newest innovations that make data storage and management easier and smoother. The latest innovations can give a company an edge over the competition.  

Having the power of a data center or colocation provider can also reduce potential downtime which could potentially result in the loss of business. A trusted data center provider can make sure a company has no downtime and no interruptions. Data center providers also can absorb the demand for business growth. 

Improved security is also another reason to partner with a trusted data center or colocation provider. Data centers are known for their security. Just like having the latest innovations in technology, data centers also have the latest innovations in security. Businesses can be assured and confident that their data is safe from any outside threats.

Conclusion 

A hybrid cloud solution can combine the best of both worlds. Businesses can build a cloud solution that works for them while utilizing the power of a cloud while saving on costs. The ability to scale up or down as the company grows or fluctuates business is vital in the development of a company.

Partnering with a data center provider can add more benefits to your hybrid cloud solution as well. A data center provider will have all the latest technology and security innovations to give businesses an advantage over their competition. Overall, a hybrid cloud solution can give your company exactly what it needs during each phase of your business. 

The post How Hybrid Cloud Solutions Can Work for Your Business appeared first on Colocation America.

Photo source: foxla

What Do Sports Arenas Look like during a Pandemic?

These are unprecedented times for everyone, and it is no different for professional sports leagues. All of the different professional sports leagues were on different timelines in response to the pandemic. This is why all of the different leagues are trying to figure out what works best for them. Some sporting leagues such as Major League Baseball has opted to use cardboard cutouts of their supporters. Fans are able to purchase cardboard cutouts of themselves to be placed in the stadium so the players will feel the support. These cutouts can also be seen on television during the broadcast of the game. Although the MLB will use cardboard cutouts in-stadium, certain television networks will use technology to fill the stadiums during the broadcast.

The NBA has decided on a more technologically advanced crowd both in the arena and during broadcasts. If you’ve watched any of the NBA games since the restart of the season, it may seem fairly normal. While there were no real in-person fans at the arenas, some viewers may not have noticed this at all. The NBA partnered with Microsoft Teams to make playing in the NBA restart “bubble” and watching the games seem fairly normal. Because in-person fans are not allowed at the arenas due to the novel coronavirus, Microsoft wrapped the area with seventeen-foot LED screens that displayed virtual fans.

Photo Source: losangelestimes

The way the NBA broadcasts these games are also somewhat normal. Once in a while, the camera cuts to shots of celebrities and other fans tuning in from home as virtual fans in the arena. Music, arena sounds, and fake cheers are also added to give the players and the viewers a “more normal” experience.

To be fair, the crowd noise the players and viewers are experiencing isn’t completely fake. Those who have been lucky enough to score tickets to be in a virtual crowd have options of activating a  “tap to cheer” button to show support or lack-thereof to the opposing team. Fans are given the option to click buttons to raise the stadium cheer volume for the teams. Although fans aren’t physically there, the NBA has given them different ways to stay engaged with their favorite teams.

Photo Source: thesource

Many people thought the NBA restart games would more so resemble how the NBA summer league games look, but with the right technology, the NBA has done a good job of giving the players and fans a worthwhile experience during these unprecedented times. The LED screens even display digital logos and advertisements like they do in the old pre-pandemic arenas.

The Best Technology Keeping the World Connected

The NBA and other professional sports leagues are keeping fans connected to their favorite teams and players. This is all possible using the same technology that has been keeping the world connected since the beginning of the pandemic. Technology has no doubt been crucial to keeping the world connected to the family, friends, and coworkers. Technology has kept us connected to our work. Technology has kept us entertained.

If you are like many others in the workforce, virtual offices are what’s keeping coworkers connected. While the world quarantines and isolates itself in their homes, certain technologies are allowing officemates the ability to communicate live and in real-time. Some of the most popular video conferencing applications are Zoom, Google Meet, and (the NBA’s communication of choice) Microsoft Teams.

Photo Source: techcrunch

Although it isn’t the one my team currently uses, Zoom seems to be the most popular of the bunch. It’s even the latest product that has become a verb. Much like how people use “Google” as an interchangeable term for searching something on the Internet, people are now using “Zoom” as a synonym for videoconferencing.

All of these different video conferencing applications have their pros and cons. All of these applications also come at different price ranges. Zoom meetings start at $14.99. There is a version of Microsoft Teams that come with Microsoft Office 365. These versions start at $5 per person each month and go up to $20 a person per month depending on what you may need. Lastly, Google Meet starts at $6 a month and can go up to $25 per user depending on storage, security, and management options your team may need. All of these video conferencing apps offer the same connectivity with differing features but can all get the job done. It’s all about you and your team’s preferences. For more of the best technologies during social distancing to keep you connected and entertained—visit our blog.

Conclusion

The world has changed in many ways due to the pandemic. Numerous businesses were forced to shut down either temporarily or permanently. Even the sports world was turned upside down and was forced to take a break from playing and broadcasting live games. One thing that has been apparent as the world slowly opens up again is that technology has not only kept the world connected, but it is also what is helping bring everything back to normal. The National Basketball Association has put in over $150 billion into season restart, creating a safe environment and making games feel a semblance of normality.

Although we may not have that type of budget as a professional sports league, our company teams can use the same technology to stay connected to one another. If your team hasn’t already, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet are all video conferencing technologies that have kept many workplace environments connected. Being away from our family, friends, and coworkers can be hard, but technology has made things a little easier and the world a little smaller.

The post The Technology behind Virtual Sports Fans appeared first on Colocation America.

IT teams are working day and night to make sure that the data is not vulnerable to cyber-attacks and that there are no issues with data safety.

What Is Cloud Security?

Credit: The Devolutions Blog

This refers to a set of control-based security features that provide multiple levels of technological protection intending to protect cloud-based resources from theft, leaking, and overall data loss. 

Cloud security provides continuity and protection for both public and public assets e.g., websites and applications.

How Is Security in the Cloud-Managed?

The greatest threats to company data are malware and ransomware breaches. These are usually spread via emails, and once downloaded, the malicious software gets installed and starts stealing and damaging files. You can get rid of these threats by following a simple, clear, straight-to-the-point malware removal guide. Alternatively, you could use any anti-malware tool available in the market as well as other software tested programs to remove these threats. If all that sounds like too much to do, we recommend finding a cloud security provider: 

If the right cloud security measures are put in place, it creates a conducive environment by providing customers with a scalable and flexible network solution. Cloud service providers use several methods to protect data stored in the cloud. These include:

Firewalls

Firewalls are a big part of cloud architecture. They form a protective perimeter around the network and offer security to the end-users. Firewalls also come in handy in safeguarding traffic between different apps stored in the cloud.

Threat Intelligence

This will identify and spot any security threat. The threats are ranked in order from the most critical to the least vital, and then this feature helps you protect your assets from these threats.

Data Masking

This method works by encrypting information that’s easily identifiable such as people’s names. This ensures that data integrity is maintained since the information is kept private.

Access Controls

Credit: Connector Supplier

These controls enable you to access your stored data for different people to different assets. For example, you could allow individual employees to access specific applications while denying access to other employees who don’t need those tools to do their job.

Restricting access keeps your important files safe from malicious people with ill motives.

Disaster Recovery

This recovery method is essential in ensuring that you don’t lose your data completely.

Cloud security providers also work to protect data that is in transit. Some data security methods that are used include VPNs, encryption, and masking.

What Are the Benefits of Cloud Security?

Security experts no longer see data stored in the cloud as being vulnerable. That’s why they do as much as possible to highlight its benefits because the value that companies get when they move to the cloud outweighs all the uncertainties.

Now that you have a rough understanding of how cloud computing works, it’s time to explore the benefits:

Data Security

Credit: Trend Micro

Security experts always do their best to prevent any data breach in the cloud. That explains why there’s a massive investment in access control, identity management, as well as antivirus and anti-malware protection.

Security protocols should always be in place to prevent third parties from hijacking communications between users and servers and protect sensitive information and transactions from being tampered with.

Unless they’re well protected, businesses can suffer massive data leaks and network-wide malware infections. Cloud security comes in with sophisticated tools to encrypt data to prevent cyber-attacks.

Flexibility

You’re guaranteed top-notch security, whether you need to scale up or need to turn down capacity. This allows you to turn up to avoid clashes when there’s high traffic and turn down when the high traffic is over, as a way of reducing costs.

High Availability and Support

Web assets are always on, and so they require monitoring 24 hours a day for all seven days of the week. Cloud security providers offer round-the-clock support to companies whenever they need it. Redundancies have become a necessity – these are built to ensure continuity of service and to make sure that the company’s data and applications are always online.

Cloud DDoS Protection

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. These attacks flood the system with requests which make the website load very slowly until it crashes when it cannot handle any more requests. Businesses know how such a situation would hurt them; every minute that the website is inaccessible, you lose money. A DDoS attack can render a website useless for hours or even days, and this would translate to huge losses in terms of cash and customer trust and brand authority.

Cloud DDoS protection ensures that websites don’t get overwhelmed so much that they cannot respond to genuine user requests. Protection entails monitoring, absorbing, and dispersing any potential DDoS risk to mitigate the attacks.

Regulatory Compliance

Conclusion

For many companies, security is a critical issue, especially when it comes to protecting their customer’s data. This explains why there is a need to have stable security policies in place to secure data stored in the cloud environment. But these days, the cloud is no longer as scary as once people saw it to be. Modern cloud services are secure, reliable, cost-effective, and highly reliable.

We have to keep in mind that as the web presence grows, people have to be prepared for an increase in more complex attacks. It is very important for companies to identify all potential risks for data stored in the cloud and develop robust protection solutions.

The post What Is Cloud Security and What Are the Benefits? appeared first on Colocation America.

The global modular data center market is expected to exhibit a robust 24.40% CAGR over the forecast period from 2018 to 2025, according to Market Research Future (MRFR).

Rising Demand for Eco-Friendly Data Centers to Drive Modular Data Center Market

The rising demand for environmental viability in data centers is likely to drive the demand for modular data centers over the forecast period. The eco-friendliness of data centers has become a significant issue in recent years due to the rising energy consumption in data centers. While data centers are an energy-intensive operation in the first place, their cooling needs also result in a significant increase in the demand for power.

Credit: Mypccase.com

A data center can account for as much electricity as a small town, which makes it one of the most power-intensive industries in the world. The growing scarcity of clean-sourced electricity and the rising awareness about the adverse environmental impact of conventional power generation technologies have resulted in an increasing demand for energy-efficient architecture and computing practices.

These data centers are placed near affordable power sources for their operations. This is perfectly exemplified by the establishment of the data center of Amazon Web Services (AWS) at Stockholm due to its cold weather.

Modular data center construction practices enable easy incorporation of eco-friendly, sustainable materials into the construction. The growing demand for modular data centers allows manufacturers to order eco-friendly construction materials wholesale, making the process cheaper for the client.

Cooling windows, insulation materials, and other energy conservation solutions and techniques are likely to remain immensely popular in the data center industry in the coming years, due to the increasing government support to the mandated installation of such materials. This is likely to be a significant factor in the global modular data center market’s growth over the forecast period.

Increasing Demand for Data Centers in Disaster-Prone Areas Drives Demand for Modular Construction

Another advantage of modular data centers is that they can be easily repackaged and reused. The growing demand for data centers in areas prone to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes is thus likely to be a key driver for the modular data center market over the forecast period. Certain parts of East Asia, North America, and Latin America are highly prone to natural calamities such as tornadoes, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

These issues are also present in some of the world’s leading economies, such as Japan, the U.S., and China. This has been a significant driver for the modular data center market. The consistent economic development in these parts of the world is likely to keep this factor as a significant driver for the modular data center market over the forecast period.

Prefabricated Modular Data Centers to Take Centerstage

The advent of virtualization to minimize hardware infrastructure costs is likely to be one of the foremost strategies in the modular data center market. Prefabricated modular data centers are scalable and flexible setups which can be deployed virtually to be operated from any location globally.

Services which need to disseminate information on an urgent basis to customers or end-users would require these data centers. These systems are tested on factory premises for performance, efficiency, and other parameters before being deployed at work sites.

Huawei Technologies Ltd., one of the biggest telecommunication equipment providers and networking equipment, has developed a modular data center with the help of prefabricated modules with other deployments away from China, its primary headquarters.

Credit: technology.ihs.com

The incorporation of artificial intelligence in its solutions has enhanced the capacity manifold. Moreover, adoption of AI by organizations can lead to high demand for storage solutions which can be prefabricated modular data centers.

Artificial Intelligence

AI can provide cognitive abilities to programs to respond or resolve customer queries at a rapid rate. Modular data centers need to be able to provide ample storage space for businesses for them to expand their services and cater to their customer needs.

The high volume of data traffic passed between networks due to high Internet speeds, and massive bandwidths can evoke the need for modular data centers which are preconfigured to provide maximum data security and reliability. In 2019, the U.S. Army procured an IBM supercomputer with an attached data center and cooling unit to be placed inside a shipping container. This can be the Army for various tactical and surveillance missions.

North America to Dominate, APAC, Europe to Follow

North America is the leading regional market for modular data center technology and is likely to remain a key player in the coming years due to the growing demand for data centers in the U.S. and Canada. The high prevalence of data-centric business operations in these regions is a crucial driver for the modular data center market in the area.

The Asia Pacific is the second-largest market for modular data centers and is likely to be driven by the growing demand from countries such as China, India, and Japan.

Main Photo Credit: datacenterknowledge.com

The post Modular Data Center Market Driven by Growing Demand for Eco-Friendly Construction of Data Centers appeared first on Colocation America.