Data center

A facility that houses computer systems and supporting infrastructure for storing, processing, and distributing data. Its design coordinates power, cooling, networking, and physical security.

Uninterruptible power supply: A system that supplies backup electrical power when the primary source fails. Batteries bridge outages and generator startup, preventing abrupt shutdowns.
Server: A computer that provides data, resources, or services to other computers over a network. Servers perform much of the facility’s computing and data-serving work.
Hyperscale data center: A very large data center designed to scale computing capacity across extensive, standardized infrastructure. It supports cloud and internet services at enormous scale.
Data center energy use: The electricity consumed by data-center computing equipment and supporting infrastructure. Power demand determines operating costs and contributes to the facility’s environmental footprint.
Server room: A dedicated room within an organization’s premises that houses servers and related equipment. It is a smaller, less extensive counterpart to a purpose-built data-center facility.
Diesel generator: An engine-driven generator that converts diesel fuel into electrical power. Generators can sustain a facility through extended utility outages.
Storage area network: A dedicated high-speed network that gives servers access to shared block-level storage. It links computing systems with storage devices across the facility.
Colocation center: A facility where organizations rent space, power, cooling, and network access for their own computing equipment. It lets businesses house hardware without operating the entire facility.
Waste heat: Thermal energy discharged by systems when energy is converted or used inefficiently. Servers release heat that cooling systems must remove or can sometimes reuse.
Network operations center: A centralized workplace where staff monitor and manage network operations. It oversees infrastructure remotely or locally but is not itself the equipment-hosting facility.

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