A micro data center, also known as a modular data center, is a small, self-contained data center. Like enterprise data centers, micro data centers often contain hardware, power, cooling, and connectivity, but packed into a containment unit that is about the size of a household refrigerator.
The small, flexible, and portable nature of micro data centers make them ideal for edge data center deployments.
Common Drivers of Micro Data Center Deployments
Emerging technologies like the Internet of Things, big data, and machine learning demand large volumes of data to be created and processed. Organizations need to reduce latency, decrease data transmission costs, and improve the customer experience. Therefore, micro data center deployments near the end users are advantageous.
Also, whereas constructing a new data center or converting an existing facility are expensive and time-consuming, micro data centers are fast and cost-effective to deploy. Plus, with virtualization and hardware efficiency improvements, large amounts of dedicated space are not always required anymore.
Key Benefits of Micro Data Center Deployments
Due to their small size, micro data centers offer:
- Lower costs to deploy
- Faster times to deploy
- Easy installation
- High portability
- Standardization due to preselecting components prior to fabrication
Micro Data Center Management with DCIM Software
Due to the nature of being widely distributed and part of a larger, complex deployment, some data center managers struggle with remotely managing all their micro data centers.
However, with Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), it’s easy to:
- Maintain uptime with power and environmental monitoring
- Accurately track and manage all assets
- Provide detailed work orders to technicians to ensure work is done accurately
- Keep track of data center energy consumption and other KPIs across all sites
Want to see how Sunbird’s world-leading DCIM software makes it easy for you to manage all your micro data center deployments? Get your free test drive now!