Category: Blog Articles

A short educational series focused on the physical infrastructure of Data Centers, designed to clarify concepts and separate facts from interpretations.

In the previous article, we saw that a Data Center is fundamentally a real estate and infrastructure investment: a facility built or adapted to host computers.

Continuing with the hotel analogy, a Data Center must do more than simply provide space for its guests (computers and other IT equipment). It must also ensure a range of supporting services, including:

• Power supply
• Cooling and environmental control
• Security
• Communications
• Cleaning
• Technical and logistical support

In this article, I will focus on the physical accommodation of computers and other IT equipment. Future articles will explore the infrastructure that supports the services listed above.

In a Data Center, equipment is installed inside dedicated cabinets, commonly referred to as racks. These racks are placed inside rooms or halls.

A Data Center may consist of several buildings (or modules). Each module may contain multiple rooms, each room may contain dozens or even hundreds of racks, and each rack may house dozens of devices such as servers, storage systems or firewalls.

Typically, racks are positioned side by side in rows, and the rows are separated by open spaces known as aisles. These aisles may serve as pathways for technicians or as channels for airflow and cooling. Data Center cooling is, in itself, a broad topic that we will cover in a future publication.

The most common racks are approximately 60 cm wide, 190 cm high and 80 cm deep, although other standard dimensions exist. Today, most IT equipment is manufactured according to standard sizes so that it can be installed inside a rack much like drawers in a cabinet.

The available vertical space inside a rack is usually measured in rack units (U). Each U corresponds to 1.75 inches (approximately 44.45 mm), and the most common racks provide 42 U of usable height. As a result, equipment size is often expressed in rack units.

Equipment may require 1, 2, 3 or more U depending on its dimensions and other factors, the most important being cooling requirements. In practice, equipment density inside a rack must take heat dissipation into account, which sometimes requires leaving empty rack units to improve airflow.

At the rear of the equipment, there is typically free space within the rack for power cables, network connections and interconnection cabling.

Racks generally include lockable doors, which may use physical keys, access codes or biometric authentication to restrict access to authorized personnel. These doors are often fitted with mesh panels, although glass panels may also be used depending on the cooling method employed.

For reasons of standardization and space management, racks are usually provided by the Data Center operator. In some cases, however, customers may use their own racks.

Any organization may choose to host its hardware infrastructure in a Data Center. This decision is influenced by many factors, including the cost of building and maintaining an internal technical facility, the need for uninterrupted power supply, data centre security certifications, connectivity to business partners using the same facility, and more.

Today, the two main factors that determine hosting costs in a Data Center are:

1. The physical space required by the equipment;
2. Power requirements (capacity and consumption).

The need to optimize space means that equipment belonging to different organizations is often hosted within the same row of racks, or even within the same rack. In shared-rack environments, separate compartments or access doors ensure that each customer can only access its own equipment.

Most Data Centers offer hosting options such as:

• Half rack (20 or 21 U)
• Quarter rack (10 or 11 U)

For organizations with higher security requirements, exclusive areas can also be contracted, ranging from isolated sections within a room to an entire room dedicated to a single customer.

An isolated area is typically enclosed by metal mesh walls and is commonly referred to as a cage. The cage includes a lockable door to ensure that only authorized personnel can access the equipment. In most cases, the installation of these cages is managed by the Data Center operator.

In the next article, we will discuss the other major pricing factor: electrical power and consumption.

So now you know:

• A data center → contains multiple rooms
• A room → contains dozens or hundreds of racks
• A rack → can host dozens of IT devices
• Who can use a data center? → any organization wishing to host IT equipment
• Hosting costs → depend mainly on space requirements and power consumption, usually with minimum service tiers

By Paulo Simões, Founder of Cloud365

A short educational series focused on the physical infrastructure of Data Centers, designed to clarify concepts and separate facts from interpretations.

I have noticed a growing number of LinkedIn posts (and content on other social networks) about Data Centers. With the recent and announced investments in Portugal and Spain, it is understandable that the topic is receiving increased attention.

I have worked in Information and Communications Technologies for almost 40 years and, throughout much of that journey, I have been connected (directly and indirectly) with organizations that operated — and still operate — Data Centers. I was also a university lecturer and taught ICT-related subjects for 11 years as an Invited Assistant Professor.

There is excellent content available on this topic, but there are also many questions and differing interpretations. For that reason, I have decided to publish a short series of educational articles aimed primarily at non-technical readers. I see this initiative as a modest contribution to helping shed some light on the subject.

I will try to answer questions such as:

• What is a data center, really?
• What is it used for and who uses it?
• What objective benefits does it provide?
• Who can use it and how does pricing work?
• What impacts and externalities should we consider?

Let me start by addressing a common misconception: the idea that a Data Center is primarily an investment in data-processing technology.

In practice, a Data Center is a real estate and infrastructure investment: a facility (purpose-built or adapted) designed to house computers. Much like a hotel building is an infrastructure designed to accommodate guests.

This distinction is important. Just as in the hospitality industry, where the property owner, service provider and guests are often different entities, in the Data Center world the following roles may also be performed by different organizations:

• The entity that builds, owns and maintains the physical infrastructure (the building itself);
• The entity that owns, operates and maintains the IT systems and provides computing services;
• The entity that consumes the computing capacity.

A good example frequently mentioned recently is what many refer to as the “Microsoft Data Centre in Sines”. In practice, the roles are separated:

• Building / Physical Infrastructure: Owned and operated by Start Campus.
• Computing Infrastructure: Owned, operated and maintained by Nscale.
• Consumption of Computing Capacity: Microsoft and its customers (through a multi-year agreement between Microsoft and Nscale).

This is why, when people refer to a “Microsoft”, “Amazon” or “Google” Data Center, they are not always referring to a building owned by those companies. In most cases, the Data Center owner is an independent organization, and multiple companies may operate computing environments within the same facility.

Throughout this series, whenever we refer to a “Data Center”, we are referring to the physical infrastructure where computers are installed or, in information systems terminology, hosted.

That is all for now. See you in the next article.

By Paulo Simões, Founder of Cloud365

In today’s dynamic business landscape, innovation is an imperative. Companies that seek not only survival, but sustained success are embracing it in every facet of their operations, from internal workflows to customer interactions. One such innovative marvel that is reshaping the way businesses communicate and serve their customers is Smart Call Routing. More than connecting calls, it’s revolutionizing customer experience and driving business outcomes.

The Essence of Smart Call Routing

Smart Call Routing is not your conventional call-handling mechanism. It’s a strategic approach that ensures calls are intelligently directed to the right person, at the right time, and in the right location. Imagine a customer from Tokyo calling your business, and their call is seamlessly routed to your New York sales representative who is an expert in Japanese markets. This personalized touch doesn’t just enhance customer satisfaction – it transforms inquiries into opportunities.

Navigating Global Markets with Inbound Numbers

At the heart of Smart Call Routing are Inbound Numbers, also known as Intelligent Numbers. These digital gateways empower your business with a local presence in diverse markets worldwide. Imagine having local numbers in key global regions, each acting as a portal to your business. Now, picture these calls being intelligently routed based on predefined criteria. A call from Paris might lead to your Paris office, while a call from São Paulo could instantly connect to your Brazilian sales team.

Elevating Customer Engagement

Customer satisfaction is the lifeblood of any successful business. With Smart Call Routing your customers can also be greeted by a virtual concierge – an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system that understands their needs and directs them to the right department. Whether it’s sales, technical support, or account management, every call is a tailored experience.

A Symphony of Features

The true magic of Smart Call Routing lies in its versatility. Here’s a glimpse of the powerhouse features that empower your business:

• Virtual PBX: A cloud-based system that seamlessly manages inbound calls from phone numbers across your organization, ensuring efficient and uninterrupted communication. With the increasing prevalence of remote work, income calls can be effortlessly forwarded to any corner of the globe, based on rules easily configured on the Virtual PBX Portal. Virtual PBX offers a range of features, including voicemail-to-email, fax-to-email, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), custom greetings, time/day scheduling, call forwarding, and real-time reporting.

• Toll-Free Numbers: Offering customers a convenient way to reach out to your company without incurring charges, toll-free numbers also empower you to answer calls from anywhere. This means customers can connect with your services by calling local toll-free numbers, breaking down barriers and enhancing accessibility.
• Local Phone Numbers: Recognizing that personal touch matters, local phone numbers establish a sense of familiarity and trust that encourages even hesitant callers to connect. By mimicking the local number format, complete with area codes, these numbers create a seamless bridge between your business and your customers. Plus, since they’re cloud-based, there’s no need for a physical presence in each city – calls can be routed worldwide with ease.
• Digital Auto Attendant: Think of this as a virtual receptionist for your phone system. It answers calls, interacts with callers, and intelligently routes them to the appropriate department or staff member. For instance, “Press 1 for sales, 2 for customer support.” This results in smoother call flows for customers and eliminates time wasted on transferring calls internally.

A Glimpse into the Future

As businesses continue to evolve, Smart Call Routing remains at the forefront of customer-centric innovation. The power to connect customers seamlessly, regardless of geography, is a game-changer that opens doors to new possibilities. Smart Call Routing isn’t just about answering calls; it’s about transforming interactions into relationships, and queries into opportunities.

Ready to Transform Your Communication Strategy?

Are you prepared to step into a realm where customer interactions transcend boundaries? Cloud365 is your partner in this journey. Our suite of Inbound Numbers, including local geographic, toll-free, and shared cost numbers, provides a one-stop solution for businesses seeking elevated communication and unparalleled customer engagement. Contact us today, and let’s embark on a transformational voyage together.

In today’s digital landscape, the demand for high-performance applications is ever-increasing. Whether it’s resource-intensive tasks or latency-sensitive applications, businesses are seeking robust infrastructure solutions to meet these requirements. That’s when Bare Metal services come in – a powerful alternative in the realm of cloud computing. In this article, we will delve into what they are and explore why they may be an excellent choice for high-performance applications.

Bare Metal services, also known as Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS), provide users with dedicated physical servers instead of virtualized environments where resources are shared with other tenants. Unlike traditional cloud infrastructure, Bare Metal services eliminate the hypervisor layer, allowing applications to directly access the underlying hardware.

One of the key advantages is the raw performance they offer. Without the overhead of virtualization, applications can leverage the full power of the dedicated hardware. This makes Bare Metal ideal for tasks that require substantial computing resources, such as complex computations, large-scale data processing, or real-time analytics.

Additionally, they provide enhanced control and flexibility: the freedom to customize the infrastructure to the specific requirements by selecting the hardware configuration, operating system, and software stack. This level of control allows businesses to optimize the environment for optimal performance and cater to the unique needs of their applications.

Bare Metal services excel in various use cases that demand high performance. Industries such as gaming, financial services, scientific research, and content delivery networks (CDNs) heavily rely on Bare Metal infrastructure to deliver exceptional results.

Unleashing Performance Potential

Raw Computing Power: Bare Metal services offer access to dedicated hardware resources, providing raw computational power without the virtualization overhead. This direct access to hardware allows applications to harness the full potential of CPUs, memory, and disk I/O operations. As a result, high-performance applications can execute complex calculations and data-intensive tasks more efficiently.

Improved I/O and Network Performance: In virtualized environments, applications contend for shared I/O and network resources. With Bare Metal services, applications can achieve improved I/O and network performance due to direct access to hardware components. Dedicated network interfaces and higher bandwidth options are available, reducing latency and facilitating seamless data transfer. This is crucial for applications that rely on real-time data processing or require high-speed communication.

Customization and Scalability: Bare Metal services offer customization and scalability options, allowing businesses to tailor the infrastructure to their specific requirements. Users can select hardware configurations that match their application’s needs, add specialized hardware components like GPUs or FPGAs, and optimize the environment for optimal performance. This flexibility enables businesses to scale their infrastructure as their application’s demands grow, ensuring high performance at any scale.

Management and Control

Enhanced Control: Bare Metal services provide businesses with a high degree of control over their infrastructure. Users can choose their preferred operating system, install custom software, and configure the environment to their liking. This level of control allows for fine-tuning the infrastructure to maximize performance and meet the specific needs of the application.

Improved Security: Bare Metal services offer enhanced security features compared to shared environments. With dedicated hardware, businesses can isolate their applications and data, reducing the attack surface and improving overall data protection. Additionally, Bare Metal services are particularly advantageous for industries with strict compliance requirements, as they provide better control over security measures and enable organizations to meet regulatory standards.

Getting IT Done for You

Managing Bare Metal servers requires additional administrative efforts. Tasks such as hardware monitoring, patching, and system updates become the responsibility of the organization. To alleviate these challenges, businesses can rely on a trusted provider or opt for managed Bare Metal services. Managed Services offer support in handling day-to-day operations, ensuring the infrastructure is maintained, secure, and up-to-date. This is precisely what Cloud365 has been doing with several customers. Our Bare Metal services together with Equinix Metal give you full peace of mind because we take care of everything for you with state-of-the-art technology.

We rent Bare Metal on the spot, according to your specifications, in strategically located Data Centres around the world. You don’t need to care about purchasing, dispatching, and installing hardware, nor to contract colocation space and energy. You just choose the configuration that best fits your requirements, and it can be up and running in a matter of hours.

We have the flexibility for fine-tuning your configuration according to your needs, so you are not stuck to a limited number of standard configurations. And, of course, we combine it with best-in-class connectivity options. If you are seeking optimal application performance in the cloud, let’s talk about your unique challenges so we can prepare a customized proposal.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have been around for quite some time but the evolution over the past few years is staggering. More than three decades after its introduction as the software that establishes a protected connection when using public networks, the focus has shifted from the company’s Data Center to the immensity of the cloud.

VPNs are critical for businesses and as companies steadily migrate their systems from on-premises data centers to the cloud, the approach to VPNs must also be adapted. Additionally, there are challenges associated with the rise of remote/hybrid work.  Legacy VPN Client solutions and the traditional enterprise WAN fail to deliver on their needs because of two architectural problems:

• The remote worker experience is completely at the mercy of VPN server locations and internet performance, giving enterprises no effective way to guarantee user experience and/or gain visibility into application performance.
• By forcing all traffic into any centralized VPN Concentrator location, cloud applications are likely to suffer from performance issues and real-time collaboration services often become unusable.

Cloud and flexible working models are here to stay, so how to fit in the best possible way? With a new architectural approach to VPN Client that addresses this augmented corporate network.

THE ROAD TO AN EFFECTIVE VPNAAS

Going from an enterprise-centric VPN Client solution to a distributed cloud-based VPN-as-a-Service approach might be challenging, and that’s why it’s important to choose a partner who can deliver a full turnkey solution and managed service. Or, in other words, a partner that takes care of everything, simplifies your life and gives you peace of mind while ensuring that your “anywhere” worker is empowered, and your network is protected and at its maximum efficiency.

From theory to practice, what are we talking about? Well, about SmartSecure Private Access from Aryaka – the leader in fully managed cloud-first WAN solutions. At Cloud365 we have been successfully implementing it in several customers and you can be the next one.

SmartSecure Private Access it’s a sort of distributed cloud-based VPN Client solution, implemented to ensure secure and fast connections between remote users and corporate applications, wherever these applications are hosted. SmartSecure Private Access combines Internet flexibility with a high-performance global private network, providing fast, stable, and deterministic multi-cloud connectivity to remote users around the world.

Built on the architectural principles for SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and delivered as a fully managed service, it is tailor-made for today’s organizations that want to make their remote workers “first-class citizens” with secure and high-performance access to corporate applications.

Key Features include:

• Unprecedented flexibility: Regardless of location or type of application accessed, mobile and remote employees can benefit from a secure, high-performance experience, from anywhere in the world.
• Highly predictable and deterministic application performance: Companies can avoid the pitfalls of user traffic that relies exclusively on best-effort internet as a transport to both cloud and on-premises applications.
• Integration with corporate user authentication systems, like Microsoft Active Directory: You can reuse policies already in place at your organization.
• Integration with Aryaka Secure Web Gateway: Users and devices are completely safe when accessing services on the public Internet.
• Operational simplicity and visibility with lowest TCO: With fully managed services, delivers the “easy button” and significantly lowers the total cost of ownership.

This is how SmartSecure Private Access enables the Augmented Corporate Network and you can rapidly benefit from it with Cloud365. Together with Aryaka, we are redefining VPN services in the cloud and hybrid work era. Wait no longer to take the leap – talk to us and discover what we can do for you.