Data Centres: why Covid has made them even more important
Data centres are an integral part of telecommunications infrastructure in every country. They are essential hubs through which millions of pieces of information pass every second, from simple messages sent via social networks to sensitive, personal information such as medical records.
The current Covid-19 pandemic has forced both private individuals and companies to intensify their use digital communication technology, generating such a workload so intense that certain data centres have now become critical structures.
The role of data centres in society
In modern society, data centres have become an essential element in the correct functioning of mass communication. One example is the administration of the public sector, which operates by  data, including electronic ID card numbers, Treasury archives, tax details, welfare provision, healthcare records and legal procedures.
Companies are also becoming wholly dependent on digitalisation and (therefore) the efficiency of data centres, through which vital information relating to production, distribution, orders, shipping etc. must pass.
Not even private citizens can escape all this, because, albeit unconsciously, they also constantly interact with a wide range of data centres, for example when sending files on messaging apps or making a purchases via e-commerce.
It is therefore easy to understand how data centres now represent the fulcrum of many services. That is why even a single failure or irregularity in this infrastructure can cause a domino effect with devastating consequences, leading to the partial or complete interruption of services.
Data centres and Covid-19
The lockdowns imposed all over the world designed to contain the spread of Covid-19 have highlighted the true value of data centres. Data centres enable us to use videoconferencing software to stay in touch with friends and relatives, entertainment platforms to watch streaming channels and smart working or distance learning programs in order to work or study from home.
The fact that all this operates smoothly depends to a large extent on access to reliable systems which are able to deal with the increase in demand quickly. In order to make this possible, it is essential to manage a country’s entire digital infrastructure efficiently, preferably devoting a similar amount of attention to data centres as is dedicated to components such as the electricity grid, the telecommunications network, internet exchange points etc.
Even though, so far, not all governments have managed to make their national systems efficient enough, new projects have been registered, focusing specifically on the construction and management of increasingly high-performing, secure data centres. These projects are increasing business for some companies which operate in the refrigeration sector.
The structures which house data centres require an adequate cooling system. This is due to the fact that server farms (a complex combination of hardware through which a continuous flow of data travels from and to users), generate large amounts of heat. So as not to cause breakdowns or damage, this equipment needs to operate at temperatures carefully maintained within a specific range.
Although the pandemic is causing numerous difficulties at global level, new generation data centres are undergoing an extremely important period of development, which, hopefully, will have a positive effect on the entire digital sector.
Translated by Joanne Beckwith
