Data Centers: The Engine Behind India’s Digital Revolution

In today’s tech-driven world, companies rely on digital systems, making data center services crucial. These centers form the backbone of our digital economy, letting businesses across sectors store, process, and handle data and information without a hitch. From top-notch security to cutting-edge management tools, data center providers in India are changing their approach to keep up with new needs.

Going digital doesn’t just boost economic growth in all industries. It also paves the way for better public services more social and financial inclusion higher productivity, and a more connected society. Experts predict India’s digital economy will hit about $1 trillion by 2025. The government has helped improve the business environment for data center operators and developers. They’ve done this by giving data centers infrastructure status and introducing the Draft Data Centre Policy in 2020.

Let’s take a closer look at what data center services involve, check out the top providers in India, and see how they play a key role in the digital world.

What Are Data Center Services?

Data center services cover a wide range of solutions to ensure smooth operation, protection, and oversight of data center infrastructure. These services include:

1. Colocation:

  • Allows companies to lease physical space in a data center for their IT equipment.
  • Provides flexibility and lets businesses control their hardware and software.
  • Makes sense for organizations that need critical hardware or have high-security needs

2. Managed Services:

  • It involves hiring outside help to take care of IT infrastructure upkeep.
  • Covers things like looking after servers, managing networks, and keeping an eye on security.
  • It helps cut down on running costs and frees up other resources within a company.

3. Cloud Services:

  • Provide computing resources like storage and processing power through the internet
  • Scalable and flexible to adapt dynamic needs.
  • Includes Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).

4. Cybersecurity Solutions:

• Protection against cyber threats – hacking, malware, ransomware
• Firewall protection, intrusion detection, and data encryption features
• Play a key role in keeping sensitive information safe and businesses running

5. Network Connectivity:

• Ensure the transferring of data without failure at all times waste. High-speed network connections.
• Dedicated internet access, MPLS network, and SD-WAN solutions.
• Essentially, it is necessary for businesses with remote offices or global operations.

In India, adopting technologies like IoT, AI, and big data analytics has increased the demand for these services. Businesses require robust and scalable infrastructure. In such a situation, the role of companies involved in data center management is a must.

Data Center Services in India: An Overview

Data centers are booming worldwide, even with some challenges. India stands out in the APAC region, with the biggest data center capacity of about 950 MW. This beats major countries like Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, and Korea, as a CBRE report shows.

India’s set to grow the most in the region, adding around 850 MW from 2024 to 2026. This boom highlights India’s strong points in the data center field. For instance, low-cost land, skilled workers, good transport, and a steady power supply are drawing big investments from tech leaders. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are building massive data centers in the country. India has become a global hotspot for data center services. Many companies are putting money into top-notch infrastructure. The country’s helpful policies, which allow more people to use the internet, and a growing digital economy are pushing this sector forward.

Key Features of Data Center Services in India:

  1. Cost Efficiency: Affordable solutions tailored to meet diverse business needs.
  2. Strategic Locations: Data centers located in regions with low latency and high connectivity.
  3. Green Initiatives: energy-efficient technology adoption to reduce carbon footprint.
  4. Compliance and Standards: Observance of international standards such as ISO 27001 and GDPR.

Top Data Center Management Companies in India

There are numerous data center management companies in India offering top-notch services. The companies ensure the facilities are operational, minimize downtime, and deliver maximized performance. 

The best among them is:

  1. ESDS: A Pioneer in the Indian Data Centre Industry, ESDS offers a one-stop-shop solution for cloud, IT security, and managed services. With security and reliability as top priorities, ESDS enables businesses to undergo digital transformation.
  2. CtrlS: CtrlS stands for world-class data centers at global standards and offers excellent colocation and managed services. 
  3. Sify Technologies: Sify is also an Indian provider of data center and network services that offer cloud computing, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery, among several other solutions.
  4. Yotta: Yotta is India’s leading data center and cloud services provider that offers managed services, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery.
  5. Web Werks: One of the most influential players in the Indian data center market, offering reliable and scalable colocation and cloud services.

Importance of Data Center Security

With the rise in cyber threats, ensuring the security of data centers has become paramount. Data breaches can lead to severe financial and reputational damage, making security a top priority for service providers.

Key Components of Data Center Security:

  • Physical Security: biometric access controls, surveillance cameras, and secure perimeters.
  • Cybersecurity Measures: firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability assessments.
  • Data encryption: protecting data both in transit and at rest.
  • Disaster Recovery Plans: Ensuring business continuity in case of disruptions.

Data center security involves protecting physical assets, safeguarding critical business information, and ensuring compliance with regulations.

Data Center Servers and Their Role

Servers form the core of any data center. They process data  , store applications , and manage the network traffic.

Advanced, high-powered data centers deploy advanced servers with cutting-edge processors, large amounts of storage, and efficient cooling to handle growing workloads.

Benefits of Advanced Data Center Servers:

  1. High Performance: Faster data processing and reduced latency.
  2. Scalability: ability to handle growing data volumes.
  3. Energy Efficiency: Reduced operational costs through optimized power usage.
  4. Reliability: minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operations.

The Future of Data Center Services in India

With the help of future technologies combined with more digital adoption, the prospects of the data center service in India seem bright.  The key trends influencing the data center industry are:

  • Edge Computing: Processing data closer to the source to reduce latency.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Leveraging AI and ML to optimize data center operations.
  • Sustainability: Pursuing green practices to minimize environmental footprint.
  • 5G and IoT: supporting the growth of connected devices and real-time applications.

Conclusion

While data centers will remain a concentrated industry in tier-I locations, the market has observed a significant move, with most colocation and edge computing facilities entering tier-II and tier-3 cities. The understanding behind this expansion is to be closer to their customers, provide faster response times, lower latency for applications requiring it, and decentralize DC infrastructure to effectively cover a distributed user base in India.
Cities such as Kochi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, and Vishakhapatnam are emerging due to their strategic positioning and better infrastructure, particularly in power supply and improvements in fiber and cable connectivity. 

The Indian data center sector is likely to witness significant growth over the next couple of years, with increasing stakeholder focus on Tier II and III cities, sustained occupier interest, a growing talent base, and the strengths of the country as a hub for technology, R&D, and shared service platforms.  This will help boost capacity expansion in the country and increase India’s standing as one of the world’s premier global hubs for data centers, a place for innovation, and a potential source of huge international investment.
The rise of the digital economy has made the role of the data center even more crucial. 

Data centers’ task at hand is to ensure safe security and innovative management solutions, and Indian service providers have been on the leading edge of this change. Companies like ESDS are first in line with advanced infrastructure, a customer-centric approach, and a sustainable commitment.
Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, you should take your success with reliable data center services in today’s digital-first world. You can, therefore, be sure that your data management needs are in good hands with ESDS as your partner.

Data Center Services for Growth Enhancing Scalability and Security

Data consumption has significantly increased due to the large increase in digital adoption across industries, which has strengthened India’s economic growth. The current economic boom shows how businesses are becoming more and more reliant on virtual solutions, which makes robust data centers necessary. Future growth in this need for data will drive advancements in the existing state of data infrastructure, which must address security, scalability, and performance issues brought on by today’s new workloads.

Data Center Market Growth Revenue in 2024

According to Statista, the data center business is predicted to earn $8.65 billion in sales by 2024.
The market is led by network infrastructure, which is estimated to reach $5.93 billion by 2024. Revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.50% by 2029, with a market volume of $11.85 billion. Globally, the United States will generate the majority of revenue (US$123.20 billion by 2024).

Overview of Data Center in India

In both developed and emerging nations, the data center sector has grown significantly. This is because businesses are becoming more ready to spend money on new infrastructure for data deployment and storage. In the age of digitalization, the data center industry in India is expanding rapidly. The country is well-positioned to become a global hub for data centers, especially those focused on cloud computing, and has a bright future ahead.

The top seven cities in India now have data centers with a combined capacity of 977 MW, according to a survey by Cushman & Wakefield. It is anticipated that India’s data center capacity will increase significantly in the future. By 2028, the capacity expansions now under development are predicted to reach 1.03 GW.

ESDS Major Player in the Indian Data Center Market

ESDS Colocation Services provides enterprises with cutting-edge data center capabilities, ensuring 99.995% uptime with 2N+1 redundant UPS systems and controlled diesel generators. Clients benefit from two Power Distribution Units for accurate monitoring and remote management via KVM-IP, as well as scalable power solutions ranging from 4KW to 40KW rack. Advanced safety features include precise air conditioning, VESDA smoke detection, and fire suppression. Additional advantages include no-cost installations, proactive monitoring, and performance assessments, which ensure ongoing peak performance and business continuity.

Cloud Integration: Enhancing Flexibility and Scalability

Cloud computing is revolutionizing the IT infrastructure of most businesses. It brings high-quality integration services to the data centers, allowing all organizations to connect their in-house systems with cloud environments simply. Integration services offered by these enable companies to be flexible in how they handle workloads and scale resources on demand without heavily investing in physical data center servers.

Hybrid clouds are currently becoming more prominent in the enterprise world simply because they offer the best of both worlds – namely, private and public clouds. This model provides an opportunity for enterprises to handle sensitive workloads on the private clouds while enjoying the economies and scalability benefits of public cloud resources. This integrated environment helps IT professionals reallocate workloads dynamically, optimize resource utilization, and, hence, enhance overall efficiency.

Data Center Security: Ensuring Protection and Compliance

As corporations increasingly store sensitive data, data center security is taking a huge chunk of focus. Data breaches, cyberattacks, and regulatory compliance are cited by C-level executives as the most significant reasons why data security remains pivotal in the management of a data center.

A better data center provider has a strict type of physical and digital security implementation to protect data and IT infrastructure. Physical would include general surveillance 24/7, biometric access controls, and also redundancy in power and cooling systems to ensure no downtime. The digital involves advanced firewall systems, intrusion detection, encryption, and continuous monitoring. Only these will quickly identify threats so that there is faster neutralization.

Any reliable data center provider must adhere to industry standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, or GDPR. These requirements ensure that the operations of a data center are stringent regarding security and that their customer’s data is delivered with the utmost care. Besides, secured data transmission over the Internet and proper policies of network security always help to reduce the risks associated with cyberattacks or data breaches.

Colocation Services: Optimizing IT Infrastructure

One of the best solutions for organizations that want to reduce their capital expenditures without controlling their IT infrastructure is colocation services. Colocation allows companies to maintain their servers and all their associated hardware within a third-party data center, thereby enabling them to access world-class facilities devoid of the sunk costs or maintenance costs of a company’s data centers.

Colocation allows an organization to use the infrastructure of the data center, be it in the form of robust power supplies or cooling systems and high-speed network connections, while retaining ownership of its hardware. This approach also allows for the flexibility of growing up in response to changes within the needs of the business without requiring any other investment in physical space or resources.

Disaster Recovery Solutions: Safeguarding Business Continuity

Business continuity is aimed at recovery from unexpected disruptions, and disaster recovery services from data centers help protect organizations against data loss to help the business regain normalcy after a disaster.

Disaster recovery as a service encompasses strong solutions like automated backup, real-time replication, and geographic redundancy. Data centers adopt both recovery point objectives—which measure how much data could be lost if the failure happens—and recovery time objectives—which outline how quickly systems should recover to their operational power. These metrics determine that businesses will operate with minimum downtime, so the disasters will have little revenue impact and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

Today, no business can afford to overlook robust data center services, be it cloud integration, data center security, colocation, or disaster recovery. It is thus advisable that businesses select a reliable data center provider and maintain agility, security, and resilience. A scalable, secure, and efficient IT infrastructure will be pivotal to growth in the not-too-distant future.

Find out how ESDS data centers in India are changing the game for business resilience and scalability with cloud integration, security, colocation, and disaster recovery solutions. India Ka Apna Cloud-powering, the cutting-edge technology offered by ESDS, gets to the very specific needs of Indian businesses: this uniquely catered requirement ensures compliance, data sovereignty, and higher security.

Top 5 Integrated Security Measures for Modern Data Centers

With the increasing demands of Industries for IT infrastructure due to vast volumes of data, the security of these data centers has also become more important than ever. Modern data centers are not just large storage facilities; they are highly complex environments offering a range of data center services, including real-time data management, cloud integration, and disaster recovery. Particularly in growing hubs like in India – Bangalore, Mumbai, and Mohali – considering the recent cyber attacks, the demand for reliable data center services has skyrocketed. According to Gartner, global cybersecurity spending is expected to reach $260 billion by 2027. In this blog, we’ll explore the top 5 integrated security measures essential for securing today’s data centers, especially those managed by top data center service providers.

Physical Security Control

Data center and digital security are synonymous, physical security forms are the first line of defence. Data center facilities must be equipped with multi-layered physical security measures such as biometric access, surveillance cameras, and perimeter fencing.

Firewall and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)

Firewalls prevent unauthorized access while monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic. implementing a robust firewall system is one of the most essential tools for securing a data center

Data center services must also incorporate Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) to flag suspicious activities. In addition to monitoring traffic, IDS provides real-time notifications to IT managers about potential breaches. Leading data center service providers focus heavily on these technologies to prevent attacks before they compromise the system.

Encryption and Data Masking

Modern encryption protocols are now seamlessly integrated with various data center services to safeguard sensitive information. Data center management companies in India also offer data masking techniques to anonymize datasets, which is particularly useful for businesses handling sensitive personal data. This not only ensures compliance with data privacy regulations but also strengthens data security layers against breaches.

Emerging Technology: As encryption technology advances, quantum encryption is being explored as the next step in securing data. While still in its nascent stage quantum encryption promises unbreakable encryption by utilizing the principles of quantum mechanics, ensuring that any interception of data would immediately be detected. Forward-thinking data center service providers are beginning to investigate its potential integration into their infrastructure to future-proof data security.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Password protection alone is not just enough in today’s complex cyber threat environment.  Leading data center service providers now go for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to protect against unauthorized system access. MFA integrates multiple forms of identification such as passwords, OTPs, and biometric scans, providing an extra layer of protection.

Many data center services in India incorporate MFA as a standard offering to provide enhanced security for enterprises operating in high-risk industries like finance and healthcare.

Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Security

Given the rapid growth of cloud adoption, many businesses are moving toward hybrid models that combine on-premises and cloud-based infrastructure. This shift introduces new security challenges, especially in data flow between environments. Data center service providers now offer specialized cloud and hybrid cloud security measures, ensuring data integrity and security across platforms. Cloud-native security tools like container security and continuous monitoring solutions help mitigate these risks.

Sustainability and Green Data Centers

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword; it is a critical focus for many businesses. To meet this demand, data centers in India, particularly in Bangalore and Mumbai, are investing in energy-efficient cooling systems, renewable energy sources, and green building certifications to reduce their carbon footprint. Companies choosing eco-friendly data center services benefit from both operational cost savings and enhanced brand reputation. The use of modular designs and renewable energy helps lower operational costs and make data centers more sustainable in the long run.

 DDoS Protection

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks remain one of the most common threats to modern data centers. Top data centers in India now offer integrated DDoS protection as part of their security services, using advanced filtering and traffic analysis to prevent large-scale attacks from disrupting services. With the rise in cyber threats, DDoS mitigation strategies are essential to ensure continuous data flow and operational uptime.

Why Choose ESDS Data Center Services?

As one of the top data center providers in India, ESDS Data Center Services is dedicated to offering state-of-the-art integrated security measures. With data centers in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Mohali, ESDS focuses on delivering comprehensive solutions, including physical security, encryption, and AI-driven predictive security tools. Whether you’re looking to enhance your security framework or deploy a fully managed cloud infrastructure, ESDS provides unparalleled expertise and reliability to keep your data safe, compliant, and future-proof.

Secure your business data today with ESDS Data Center Services—India’s leading data center management company.

Navigating the Future: The Evolution of Edge Data Centers in 2024

In today’s dynamic technological realm, the relentless quest for efficiency, speed, and accessibility has instigated a profound shift. No longer confined to centralized repositories, data now traverses a dispersed landscape, elevating the need for edge data centers. As we embrace the advent of 2024, these centers emerge as vanguards of innovation, fundamentally transforming our approach to comprehending and harnessing data. The traditional paradigm of centralized data centers, once the centers of information storage and processing, encountered limitations in meeting the escalating demands for instantaneous access and reduced inactivity. Consequently, the concept of edge data centers was conceived, offering a solution by redefining the geographical proximity of data to end-users.

Evolution of Edge Data Centers in 2024

In this epoch, data isn’t merely a static entity stored in distant silos. Instead, it flows dynamically, residing closer to where it’s utilized, thereby enhancing response times and facilitating real-time interactions. This evolution signifies a paradigmatic departure from the conventional model of data accessibility. The significance of edge data centers transcends mere convenience; it embodies a seismic shift in the very essence of data utilization. These centers empower applications that demand instantaneous responsiveness, revolutionizing industries and enabling innovations that were once constrained by latency and geographical distance.

As we advance into 2024, these centers are no longer peripheral players but pivotal hubs orchestrating a symphony of seamless connectivity. They stand resolutely at the nexus of innovation, reshaping the fundamental tenets of how we process, disseminate, and leverage data in an era where distance and efficiency reign supreme.

The Genesis of Edge Data Centers

Traditionally, data centers were concentrated, serving vast regions and populations from centralized locations. However, the burgeoning need for low-latency, high-bandwidth applications demanded a shift in approach. Enter the concept of edge data centers – strategically positioned facilities designed to bring data closer to the end-users.

The Transformative Shift

The evolution of edge data centers in 2024 marks a transformative shift in the data landscape. These centers are no longer mere storage units but dynamic hubs that process and deliver information at lightning speed, enabling real-time applications like never before.

1. Proximity to Users

Edge data centers in 2024 prioritize proximity. By dispersing these centers closer to the consumers, the latency is significantly reduced, facilitating seamless experiences for applications demanding immediate responses, such as IoT devices, autonomous vehicles, and augmented reality.

2. Enhanced Security Measures

Security remains paramount. Edge data centers have evolved to fortify themselves against potential threats. With advanced encryption protocols, multi-factor authentication, and robust firewalls, these centers ensure data privacy and protection without compromising on speed.

3. AI and Automation Integration

2024’s edge data centers aren’t just about hardware; they’re also the nerve centers of sophisticated AI and automation. These technologies optimize operations, predict system anomalies, and adapt to changing demands, making them more agile and efficient.

The Impact on Industries

The ripple effects of edge data centers extend across various industries, fundamentally altering how businesses operate and how consumers experience services.

1. Healthcare

In the healthcare sector, edge data centers revolutionize patient care. Real-time data analysis enables quicker diagnosis, remote monitoring, and personalized treatment plans. This advancement not only enhances patient outcomes but also improves overall healthcare accessibility.

2. Retail

For the retail industry, edge data centers redefine the shopping experience. From personalized recommendations based on in-store movements to efficient inventory management, these centers empower retailers to create immersive, responsive, and seamless customer interactions.

3. Entertainment and Gaming

Entertainment and gaming industries witness a paradigm shift with edge data centers. The reduction in latency ensures immersive gaming experiences and seamless streaming of high-definition content, bringing entertainment closer to users in an unprecedented manner.

Challenges and Future Prospects

While the evolution of edge data centers brings about remarkable advancements, challenges persist. The deployment and maintenance of a distributed network demand substantial investments. Additionally, ensuring uniformity in service quality across diverse geographical locations remains a hurdle. However, looking ahead, the future seems promising. Technological advancements such as 5G networks, quantum computing, and advancements in data processing hold the potential to overcome these challenges, further propelling the capabilities and reach of edge data centers.

Conclusion:

Embracing the Edge As we navigate the future, the evolution of edge data centers in 2024 signifies a pivotal moment in our technological journey. It’s not merely about storing or processing data; it’s about empowering innovation, transforming industries, and bringing us closer to a hyper-connected world. The road ahead is paved with opportunities and challenges, but it’s evident that edge data centers are the cornerstone of this technological revolution, reshaping our digital landscape and propelling us into a future where speed, accessibility, and efficiency are the norm

The Future of Data Center Security and Compliance

With the growing Data Center market, imbibing new security technologies and compliance are a higher priority for DC service providers.

Future of Data Center Security & compliance

Data Centers are increasingly being used to store and process sensitive data, making their security and compliance with industry regulations more important than ever.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies

One trend likely to shape the future of data center security is the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies. These technologies can be used to detect and respond to security threats in real-time. They can also help to improve compliance by automating the monitoring and reporting of security-related data. For example, AI-powered security systems can automatically detect and respond to anomalies in network traffic, such as a sudden spike in traffic from a specific IP address.

The Growing Use of Edge Computing

Another trend likely to shape the future of data center security and compliance is the growing use of edge computing. Edge computing refers to the use of small, decentralized data centers that are located closer to the source of data, such as at the edge of a network. By bringing data processing closer to the source of data, edge computing can reduce latency and improve the performance of data-intensive applications. However, it also raises new security and compliance challenges, as these smaller data centers may have a different level of security and compliance than larger, centralized data centers.

Regulatory Changes and Compliance

In addition to these technological trends, regulatory changes will likely shape the future of data center security and compliance. For example, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires organizations to take several steps to protect the personal data of EU citizens. Moreover, similar regulations are likely to be adopted in other countries. As a result, organizations must ensure that their data centers comply with these regulations, which may require additional security measures and reporting requirements.

The Growing Use of Cloud Computing

growing use of cloud computing

Finally, the future of data center security and compliance will likely be shaped by the growing use of cloud computing. Cloud computing allows organizations to outsource the storage and processing of their data to third-party providers, which can provide significant cost savings and operational efficiencies. However, it also raises new security and compliance challenges, as organizations must ensure that their data is secure and compliant when stored and processed in the cloud.

In Conclusion

The future of data center security and compliance is likely shaped by several trends and regulatory changes. Therefore, organizations will need to stay up-to-date with these developments and take steps to ensure that their data centers are secure and compliant. This may include investing in new technologies such as AI and edge computing and ensuring compliance with regulations such as GDPR and other similar regulations.

Datacenter Security in the Age of Cyber War

Data centers are essential to the global economy’s future.

Certainly, as more people and organizations migrate to the digital realm, the demand for efficient information processing grows. Data centers serve as communication networks even remotely, enabling end users to access information quickly.

Data centers are more important than ever at a time when remote working environments are expanding and becoming more common.

Data centers are much more than they appear. They are central to a digital transformation movement.

The global data center market is expected to reach $105.6 billion by 2026.

The expansion of data centers shows no signs of reducing. On the contrary, there is an increasing demand for greater digital data access, processing, and storage.

Global Data Center Market

Understandably, the combination of remote working trends and a tech-savvy culture indicates that the data center market size will continue to grow indefinitely.

Growth, however, has its challenges.

One of the most significant barriers facing data center expansion is how the sector can comprehend to manage its security issues.

Data security concerns 76% of business data centers.

Data security is the company’s first worry, as it can expose enterprises to unintended data loss, corruption, and exposure. However, security solutions can be time- and money-consuming for data centers that handle vast amounts of data.

Simply put, assume you have million dollars & you are responsible for safeguarding them. Would you leave it open for criminals to steal or lock it away?

This parallel applies to your data center, a virtual goldmine of information. Still, many businesses prefer to do the bare minimum regarding data center security. The data center of your organization, which consists of connected computers, servers, and devices that process, distribute, and store valuable information, is an integral part of its digital infrastructure. The mix of policies, methods, procedures, and technology that protect data centers from cyber attacks and other virtual dangers is known as data center security.

So, what data security standards should you be aware of to meet and maintain compliance?

Let’s talk about it.

Firstly what data can be found in the data center, and how can the data be exposed?

It should be no surprise that data security is critical for any business. It’s priceless information that can make or extinguish your business. Examples of data contained in a data center include proprietary information like intellectual property and trade secrets, as well as personal and financial information from clients.

  • Customer trust and reputational harm: Why should your customers trust you if they know you aren’t protecting their data (or even your intellectual property)?
  • Noncompliance fines from industry rules: PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, SAE 18 (previously SAE 16), and ISO 27001: 2013 are among the regulations that have data center security standards.
  • Financial losses and revenue loss: Organizations are concerned about downtime because it could result in large revenue losses.

Tip for Datacenter Security in the Age of Cyber War

Datacenter Security

Tip #1: Data Center Security at Physical Level

When people evaluate the security mechanisms to secure their organization’s data, they often overlook the physical security aspect. Why? They are frequently focused on concerns about data loss hazards caused by cyber assaults and data breaches.

Businesses may need to realize that physical security threats can be among the most damaging.

If you’re building your own data center rather than using a cloud or colocation data center, it’s critical to plan out the physical space of your data center ahead of time. This includes selecting if your data center should be in a remote location or in a more crowded area.

But, in terms of security, what else should you consider when choosing a location for a data center? Keep an eye out for weather-related hazards and low-lying places. Keep an eye out for heated geological zones that are prone to earthquakes.

If you intend to build in a more densely populated region, you can conceal your data center by making it blend in with its surroundings.

Physical Security Measures for Data Centers

Aside from the location, there are numerous other physical security concerns. Datacenter hardening can comprise the following measures:

  1. Walls and structures made of reinforced concrete can defend the facility from external attacks.
  2. Server cabinets and cages that are anchored to the ground and locked.

3. Temperature and humidity variations are monitored and regulated via environmental controls.

Tip #2: Invest in the Right Tools to Protect Your Data and Network

Traditionally a solid data center security plan employed perimeter-based security solutions to monitor and protect your network from both internal and external threats. But, nothing is constant in security, and this is especially true when it comes to the basic approach and model that many firms are adopting.

Zero Trust cybersecurity is a term that isn’t necessarily new but has become increasingly relevant as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Zero Trust solutions are quickly becoming the norm for remote and scattered employees. The concept is that no person or device, whether inside or outside the system, should be automatically trusted.

If you wish to harden your data center’s cyber security even more, you can (and should):

  • Audit your assets, security management processes, and access protocols regularly.
  • You can protect data between endpoints via network encryption and on the server by using server-level encryption.
  • To continuously monitor logs and report on security events and threats, integrate automation and security information and event management (SIEM) solutions (or use a third-party service).

Tip #3:  Monitor and Restrict Physical & Virtual Access

However, more than having door locks and cameras are needed to secure your data. It would help if you also kept an eye on digital access. Why? According to IBM and the Ponemon Institute’s 2019 Cost of a Data Breach Report, 49% of data breaches were caused by human errors and system malfunctions rather than cyber attacks.

Tip #4: Have Redundant Data Backups and Infrastructure in Place

No matter how often we discuss data backups, more is needed. As you’ve read in the news, ransomware and cyber attacks have impacted major municipalities, hospitals, and companies. However, for some reason, organizations prefer to refrain from taking the necessary safeguards to create redundant data backups.

Is it due to laziness? Perhaps it’s the “it won’t happen to me” mentality. Regardless of the reasons why they shouldn’t, having redundant backups – both data and secondary infrastructure — in place can save you a lot of time, money, and problems. When the crap hits the fan — and it will, inevitably — you’ll wish you’d taken the time to prepare.

Tip #5: Keep Your Servers and Systems Updated

Nobody enjoys taking time out of their day to run tedious updates and patch their systems. After all, you have far more essential things to attend to, don’t you?

Keep your servers and systems updated

When manufacturers offer patches, it is their means of plugging any security holes found in their devices. It’s similar to fixing a hole in your roof to keep rain from spilling or leaking through. It’s their technique of patching the flaw before a lousy man can exploit it and cause problems.

Final Thought

Your network computers, servers, and other critical components are kept in your data center. In a calamity, it serves as a safe refuge for your data.

You have less control over the physical security measures in place if you consider hiring a cloud or managed hosting service provider than you would with an in-house data center. However, you can request compliance reports from the service provider, giving you more confidence in their security capabilities.

Top 7 Data Center Solution Providers in India You Should Know

Top 7 Data Center Solution Providers in India

Arising Need for More Data Centers in India

India has witnessed a digital boom in this past decade, which is only going to rise exponentially in the future. As per a study by Statista, India is the second-largest online market in the world and the projected number of internet users in India will reach 650 million by 2023. The consistent hike in internet users, government interest in digitizing India’s market with its ‘Digital India’ initiative, and the arrival of the 5G network add fuel to making India a truly digital nation. This growth also generates a huge demand for data center infrastructure.

Top 7 Data Center Solution Providers in India

Owing to the need for Data Center Infrastructure in India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is planning to introduce a national policy framework for data centers across the country. While big tech giants are already providing data center services and solutions in India, there are still local data center service providers that are dominating the Indian market. What gives a competitive edge to local data center service providers over global data center service providers is their better understanding of Indian businesses’ needs and subsequent service offerings. What’s more? The government’s data localization law has led to higher significance for the regional data centers. Let us take a look at the top 7 data center solution providers in India.

Top 7 Data Center Solution Providers in India

1. ESDS Software Solutions Ltd.

ESDS is a very common name in the Indian tech world for being one of the leading managed data center services and auto-scalable cloud solution providers. ESDS operates three data centers in India, which are located in Navi Mumbai, Nashik, and Bengaluru. These data centers have state-of-the-art infrastructure and are highly secure with high uptime levels and 24×7 technical support.

ESDS serves across various industries including BFSI, Manufacturing, Education, Healthcare, Hospitality, eCommerce, Agriculture, IT & Telecom, Government, etc. ESDS claims to have the largest baking customers in India with a total number of 400, Furthermore, it serves 150+ organizations utilizing their SAP HANA cloud services, and over 200 government institutions using their cloud platforms.

2. CtrlS

Dubbed as Asia’s Largest Rated 4 Hyperscale Datacenter, CtrlS has Data Centers in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Noida, and Bengaluru. The company claims to be serving 60 of the fortune 500 companies.

3. Sify Technologies

Sify is recognized for its wide array of ICT Solutions and Services. With its breakthrough technical offerings in the Indian market, Sify also provides data center services in India and has 10 operational data centers with 24*7 tech support and caters to over 8500 enterprise customers. It has also set its footprints in the United States.

4. STT GDC India

Formerly known as Tata Communications Data Centers Pvt. Ltd. has 21 Data Center facilities across nine cities in India. The organization has been a catalyst in data center innovation and is serving 1000+ customers globally.

5. Yotta

Yotta Infrastructure provides hyper-scale tier IV data center solutions in India. They have proven expertise in offering colocation, hybrid multi-cloud, Managed IT, and security services. Currently, they have a data center in Navi Mumbai and are coming up with new data centers at Delhi NCR, Chennai DC Park, Pune, Kolkata, and Gujarat.

6. Netmagic (An NTT Communications Company)

Netmagic Global Data Centers is a division of NTT Ltd. It has 10 data centers in major cities and 160 data centers across 20 countries. It is a leading data center in India in terms of market share. It has been a recipient of hyper-scale data centers, multi-tenant data centers awards and has also won managed to host service provider of the year.

7. Web Werks

Web Werks offers data centers at multiple locations in India. Each of these data centers meets the highest requirements in terms of security, availability, scalability, and best-in-class service support and uptime.

To Conclude

Identifying the market needs, many Indian data center service providers are expanding their data center facilities and are ensuring to build data centers with the latest features and world-class standards. As per a report by JLL, India’s data center industry will see a double growth and cross the 1GW mark by 2023 and the capacity will grow from 499MW in H1 2021 to 1008 MW by 2023. Considering how crucial is data in today’s time, it is only wise to choose the best data center service providers that have expertise in providing services for your industry vertical. Be wise, choose right.

Datacenter Providers in India

Top Datacenter

WHAT IS A DATA CENTER?

Modern Data Centers are different than they were just a short time ago. Datacenter architecture has moved from traditional on-premises physical servers to virtual networks that help applications and workloads across pools of physical foundation and into a multi-Cloud condition.

In this time, information exists and is connected across different Data Centers, the edge, and public and private Clouds. The Data Center should have the option to communicate across these multiple sites, both on-premises and in the Cloud. Indeed, even the public Cloud is a collection of the Data Center. At the point when applications are hosted in the Cloud, they are using the Data Center from the Cloud supplier.

What are the core components of a Data Center?

Datacentre design incorporates routers, switches, firewalls, storage systems, servers, and application delivery controllers. Because these segments store and manage business-critical data and applications, Data Center security is critical in Data Center design. Together, they provide

core components of a Data Center

Network Infrastructure

This connects servers (physical and virtualized), Data Center services, storage, and external connectivity to end-user locations.

Storage Infrastructure

Data is the fuel of the advanced Data Center. Capacity systems are used to hold this valuable commodity.

Computing resources

Applications are the engines of Data Centers. These servers give the processing memory, local storage, and organization network that drive applications.

As per the latest forecast by a source, the end-user spending on Datacenter architecture is expected to reach $200 Billion in 2021, rising 6% over 2020.

Source

Indian population is quickly going computerized. The tremendous number of internet users using active mobile data via connected devices is expected to grow drastically in the coming years. Proceeded with web entrance is furthermore expected with the Government of India supporting public investment in large scale digitalization with its ‘Digital India’ scheme and with the progress of media communication providers to high-speed 4G LTE and the soon to come 5G wireless technologies. This presents an immense demand for Data Center architecture.

Flourishing Cloud adoption is further driving the development in the Indian Data Center market.  Reports recommend that Data Center markets can pull in investments of the order of $4.9 billion in the following five years. Right now, the country has around 375 MW installed power capacity for Data Centers, and according to projections, this may develop multiple times by 2025.

Things being what they are, let’s know the 6 Data Centers of India who are the key players benefiting from the demand?

1. Netmagic (NTT Company)

Netmagic, an entirely claimed subsidiary of NTT Communications, is a main managed hosting and multi-Cloud hybrid IT solution provider serving more than 2500 enterprises internationally. Netmagic, headquartered in Mumbai, likewise gives Remote Infrastructure Management (RIM) administrations to different enterprise clients around the world including NTT Communication’s clients across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific district.

Netmagic

Netmagic was the first in India for quite a while to dispatch administrations including distributed computing, overseen security, Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS), and Software-Defined Storage. As a worldwide ICT supplier, they employ more than 40,000 individuals in a diverse and dynamic working environment that spans 57 nations, trading in 73 countries, and delivering services in more than 200 countries.

2. SIFY TECHNOLOGIES

Among Fortune 500 India Company, Sify Technologies is India’s most comprehensive ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) service and solution provider. Sify offers a wide range of solutions and products across multiple verticals taking advantage of their unassailable trinity of Data Centers, Networks, and Security. 1600 cities in India have been benefited from the seamless services of Sify. Spreading its business across the globe they have been conducting business internationally in North America, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. Having a telecom network currently connects 45 Data Centers across India and 6 concurrently maintainable Data Centers across cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

SIFY TECHNOLOGIES

3. ESDS

ESDS acts as a catalyst for digital transformation in the modern edge result based economy by empowering organizations to embrace advanced innovations. Found in 2005, ESDS currently has its footprints in 19 nations across APAC, Europe, Middle East, the Americas, and Africa. ESDS expertise in Managed Data Center services, Cloud Hosting, and Disaster recovery Hosting backed with exuberant technical support. More than 750 organizations have been benefited with 100% exuberant customer support to build the lifetime customer relationship.

ESDS

4. TATA COMMUNICATIONS

The company empowers digital transformation globally including 300 of the Fortune 500. Tata Communications uses its advanced solutions abilities and domain expertise across its global network for conveying managed solutions to global organizations and communications service providers. Its worldwide organization incorporates a high level and largest submarine cable network and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to over 200 countries and territories. Tata Communications’ scope in the developing business sectors includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services and global voice communications.

TATA COMMUNICATIONS

5. Webwerks

Web Werks Data Centers, situated in 3 countries with more than six geographically scattered Data Centers, have been among the pioneers in India for recent many years. They offer reliable hosting services on dedicated servers, Cloud, Co-location, virtualization, and disaster recovery alongside 24×7 support and a 99.995% uptime guarantee.  Web Werks Data Centers are Carbon Neutral contributing towards Global Go-Green ideas. It is likewise an SAP-certified provider of infrastructure, hosting, and Cloud operations services.

Webwerks

Their customer list incorporates Microsoft, Google, Godrej, Canon, TATA, Netflix, Facebook, Akamai, and more. They also have Government area clients like Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation, Nabard, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, SIDBI and more.

6. NxtGen

NxtGen empowers its clients to assemble their digital business without contributing and managing complex IT infrastructure, by leveraging its hyper-converged infrastructure. Settled in Singapore, NxtGen, is an arising pioneer giving completely managed datacenter and Cloud services across India and Singapore. NxtGen sends and offers IT framework services from both or a combination of on-premise resources and its own facilities – Infinite DatacenterTM, engaging its clients to adopt the latest hybrid computing model.

NxtGen

*The above mentioned Datacenter are not placed according to their ranking or product range.*

Conclusion

As the Datacenter architecture moves from traditional to physical on-premises, the evolution of Datacenter will help organizations position them in the market and grow according to the transformation. We hope the above mentioned information about the Top Data Center in India is helpful to you.

How does a Data Center work?

What is a Data Center?

A certain premise where an entire organization’s IT operations and equipment is centralized and, where it stores, analyzes, and distributes large amounts of data is known as a Data Center (DC). Earlier, the data processing needs were not too high but nowadays those needs have grown exponentially. Data centers are now essential for daily operations and are important for business continuity.

They are reliable to store enormous amounts because of their avant-garde security levels that keep the organization’s data safe at all times. The DC site, which is also known as a Server Farm, is connected to a communication network so that information can be accessed easily and remotely. There are thousands of very small powerful servers running in a data center which can be harbored in a room, a floor, or an entire building.

Important components of a Data Center

Power

Power is unarguably the most important factor in a data center. Within the data center, the Colocation equipment and web hosting servers run on a dedicated power source. Every data center needs power backups to make sure their servers are always up and overall service uptime is received.

Cooling

Cooling is just as important as a power in a data center. The colocation equipment and web hosting servers need proper cooling so that they don’t heat up and continue to function smoothly. A data center should be designed in such a way where there is proper ventilation and the systems are kept cool at all times.

Network Operations Center

Network Operation Center (NOC) is a room for staff or dedicated personnel appointed to monitor, administrate, and maintain the computing resources in a data center. A NOC is able to provide all the information on the data center and gives updates on each and every activity. The person responsible in a NOC is able to see visualizations of the network which are being monitored and can be managed.

Safety Measures

You need to have security protocols in place in order to have a secure data center. You need to first figure out the vulnerabilities in your DC premises. Multi-factor ID authentication, surveillance throughout the facility, metal detectors, and biometric systems are some of the steps which can be taken to have top-level security.

Physical Security

Organizations do employ security guards to protect their data centers 24/7. These guards protect the inside and outside of the data center for enhanced security. Mantraps are generally used for access control. On-site security guards are an essential part of a data center. Some organizations allow these professional guards to carry firearms for higher security.

Redundancy & Reliability

High availability in a data center refers to the components which are continuously working. Systems are maintained from time to time to ensure smooth operations in the future. You can create a failover where you create a server and switch responsibilities to a remote server to have higher levels of redundancy.

Redundant Systems eliminate the threat of a single point of failure in the IT infrastructure. Backup Systems include an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and generators. A generator can be programmed to start automatically during power outages. As long as the generators are fueled up, they will continue to run in an outage. UPS systems should also have redundancy built in them so that a failing module won’t affect the entire capacity of the system.

Maintenance of a Data Center

Regular maintenance of the data center ensures optimum reliability by taking precautionary steps to reduce downtime and avoidable failures. Let’s take a look at these 3 steps which will help you maintain your data center in the most effective way:

Safety First

There are numerous problems in a data center that can affect the life and health of the technicians working in it. Technicians should make sure their safety and health are not compromised while working on maintenance tasks and they should be trained before working in such scenarios.

Power Maintenance

Performing maintenance at regular intervals on UPS and batteries reduces the chances of failure whenever there is a power outage. Preventive maintenance will decrease the chances of failures and reduce the amount of energy consumed.

Get a Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)

CMMS is the best way to track, measure, and improve your maintenance schedule. This software lets the facility manager track the status of maintenance work for their assets and costs associated with the work in the system. This software will help drive down the cost of maintenance and will increase productivity from within.

Conclusion

This blog covers only the basic information which will give you a rough idea about what exactly is a data center and what are the important components in it. To build an efficient data center it is essential to realize your requirements which will support your needs in the future.

Source: Insight success

Future of Data Center, Is Bright!

In the current IT scenario, the world has been experiencing an immense change that is bringing new technologies together for a better tomorrow. The past several years have only taught us to approach complex IT needs by making use of technologies that cater to these problems. Nowadays we have a huge dependency on the internet to do any kind of activity which connects us to whoever we want from any location at any point in time.

We do not realize that our life revolves around data centers because they distribute and store our data. Banks, enterprises, hospitals, telecommunications, and transportation are some of the areas which make use of data centers to store their critical data. These data centers are responsible for storing and distributing the humongous amounts of data that are being created every day.

Future of Data Center, Is Bright!
Young man engineer making program analyses

Services that are provided by a data center are changing according to the needs of users and they are evolving to fit the needs of the industry since the last decade. Datacenter services can be the components of a data center which can be used for processing, distributing, and storing data in various ways with speed and security. These services also include new hardware components and softwares which can be implemented for specific tasks. Data centers are built by keeping in my mind things like managers and owners, internal and external circumstances, storage needs, security, and much more.

In the future, there are a lot of changes which we will be able to see in data center facilities and the services they provide. Below are some of the listed services and components which are the future of data center services.

1. Fog Computing

Fog computing also is known as Fogging or Fog Networking extends cloud computing to the edge of an enterprise’s network. Electrical signals from the Internet of Things are wired to an automation controller which executes a control system program to automate the Internet of Things. There is a fine line between Fog Computing and Edge Computing and many times people get confused over what the real difference is. Fog computing has multiple layers of complexity for data conversion and its architecture is dependent on a communication chain to transfer data from physical assets to virtual entities. In this architecture, each communication link is a potential point of failure.

2. Edge Computing

In Edge Computing, the analysis of data is done where the data is created which is at the edge of the network. Here the analysis is carried out instead of sending it across data centers because it is a time-consuming process. At the edge of a network, micro data centers to process and store data so that it can be later transferred to the cloud. Edge computing lets you analyze data in real-time which improves decision making.

3. Software Defined Networking (SDN)

Software-Defined Networking is quickly becoming a key component for automation in data centers. Software-defined networking provides the best ways to manage virtualization which saves cost and offers speedy service delivery. It gives data center personnel the ability to manage each and every aspect of a data center which results in higher agility to manage and upgrade their hardware. It is too difficult to manage modern data centers by assigned personnel and thus, it is important to use an automation tool. It helps enterprises to improve their security by minimizing vulnerabilities caused by human errors.

4. Environmental-Friendly Data Centers

Green data centers aim for an eco-friendly environment. According to several studies, half of the resources in DC are used to run the infrastructure, like power, cooling, and UPS. The remaining resources are used to process the data. Data centers have started to work towards low energy consumption by reducing energy footprint. With newer cooling techniques, better efficiency, and upgraded power usage effectiveness (PUE), carbon emission is reduced which minimizes the damage to the environment. A new term emerging is Water Usage Efficiency (WUE) which focuses on the water to cool the entire data center. Some other newer technologies in the market are economizers and evaporative cooling which uses outdoor air.

Conclusion

There are many more technologies that are being developed in this field so that there is less work to be done and more results to be achieved.