What is a turnkey data centre?

They say data is the new gold. Digital information is becoming increasingly more important 
for companies of all shapes and sizes around the world. Many companies have realized the 
true potential of data in improving their business even though they are not fully equipped to 
handle or manage that data themselves. This is where Turnkey Data Centres come in. 
These centres specialize in data management and make it easy for any company to store 
data of all sorts instantly. 

What is a Turnkey Data Centre and how does it work? The answer can be divided into two 
parts. 

A turnkey facility is any facility that is set and ready to go from day one. The term implies 
that the end user simply has to ‘turn the key’ and start using the service. A ready-made data 
management facility is ideal for them. 

Coming to the data centre part. What does it mean? It is a dedicated physical facility 
designed, built and installed with a network of computers to let you store, modify, access 
and back up your data in a safe, reliable and cheap manner. Centres may differ in size, 
scale, offerings and applications but usually have a few things in common. 
  

Servers​: 

The computers that store information are called servers. They 'serve information' on 
request and are designed to run continuously. In layman's term, they are like the CPU of a 
personal computer but lack any additional devices like monitors, mouse or keyboard. They 
connect with other servers via local network and internet connections. 

Racks​: 
Servers are usually so compact, they can be stacked on racks to save space. Racks act as 
the housing for servers and are designed to protect the servers. They feature cooling 
mechanisms, vibration reducing elements and soundproofing materials to make the overall 
turnkey data centre​ cooler and quieter. 

Network Infrastructure: 

Linking servers requires a range of systems like firewalls, routers, switches and cables. This 
infrastructure must also be secure and often features redundancy. Redundancy means the 
inclusion of extra components that aren't strictly necessary but serve as a backup or 
complement the primary component of a system. 
  

Performance measurement: 

A data centre solution also features performance measurement systems that ensure that 
the system is running smoothly at all times and highlights any flaws in the system. The 
overall health of the system is monitored by tracking the bandwidth, temperature and power 
consumption so engineers can intervene if something is not right. 

Power infrastructure: 

Running dozens or even hundreds of servers in a facility requires a lot of continuous and 
consistent power. Data centre solutions are equipped with systems that can manage the 
power that is received from the local power grid and also feature back up generators in 
case of a power outage. In some cases, turnkey data centres partly create their own power 
in the form of solar and wind energy. 

Turnkey data centres also feature complex ventilation systems to dissipate the heat 
generated by power-guzzling servers and other components. Together, all these systems 
ensure that data of any magnitude is stored, processed and preserved in any scenario and 
is available instantly to companies around the world at the turn of a key.