Australian Data Centres: A Comparison of Options
In today's digital landscape, data centres are the backbone of modern business. For Australian organisations, selecting the right data centre is a critical decision that impacts performance, security, and scalability. This article provides a comparison of key considerations when evaluating data centre options in Australia, helping you make an informed choice.
1. Location and Accessibility
The location of a data centre significantly influences latency, disaster recovery capabilities, and accessibility for maintenance. Australian data centres are primarily located in major metropolitan areas.
Sydney: Sydney hosts a large concentration of data centres due to its robust infrastructure and business activity. This offers a wide range of options, but can also lead to higher costs.
Melbourne: Melbourne is another major hub, providing a balance between cost and connectivity. It's a strong choice for businesses targeting the southern states.
Brisbane: Brisbane is gaining prominence as a data centre location, particularly for organisations focused on Queensland and northern Australia. It often offers more competitive pricing than Sydney or Melbourne.
Perth: Perth serves as a gateway to Asia and offers unique advantages for businesses with international connectivity needs. However, it may have fewer options compared to the eastern capitals.
Regional Locations: Some data centres are located in regional areas, offering benefits like lower costs and reduced risk of natural disasters. However, connectivity and skilled personnel may be limited.
Considerations:
Proximity to your users: Lower latency improves application performance.
Disaster recovery: Choose a location geographically diverse from your primary site.
Accessibility for maintenance: Easy access for your IT staff or managed services provider is essential.
Power grid stability: Ensure the location has a reliable power supply.
2. Security Measures and Compliance
Data centre security is paramount to protect sensitive information. A robust security posture encompasses physical security, network security, and compliance with industry standards.
Physical Security:
Perimeter security: Fencing, surveillance cameras, and security personnel.
Access control: Biometric scanners, keycard access, and multi-factor authentication.
Visitor management: Strict protocols for visitor access and monitoring.
Network Security:
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems: Protecting against cyber threats.
Data encryption: Securing data at rest and in transit.
Regular security audits: Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities.
Compliance:
ISO 27001: Information security management system.
PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (for organisations handling credit card data).
SOC 2: Service Organisation Control 2 (for data centres providing services to other businesses).
Australian Privacy Principles (APPs): Compliance with Australian privacy law is crucial.
Considerations:
Compliance requirements: Ensure the data centre meets your industry-specific compliance needs.
Security certifications: Look for certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2.
Security incident response plan: Understand the data centre's plan for handling security breaches.
Background checks: Verify that data centre personnel undergo thorough background checks.
3. Connectivity and Bandwidth
Reliable connectivity and ample bandwidth are essential for data centre performance. Consider the following factors:
Network redundancy: Multiple network providers and redundant connections ensure uptime.
Bandwidth capacity: Sufficient bandwidth to handle your current and future needs.
Low latency: Minimise latency for optimal application performance.
Direct connectivity to cloud providers: Facilitates hybrid cloud deployments.
Peering arrangements: Direct connections to other networks improve performance and reduce costs.
Considerations:
Uptime guarantees: Ensure the data centre offers high uptime guarantees for network connectivity.
Bandwidth scalability: Verify that you can easily scale your bandwidth as your needs grow.
Network monitoring: The data centre should proactively monitor network performance and address issues promptly.
Diverse fibre paths: Physically separate fibre paths minimise the risk of outages.
Our services can help you assess your connectivity requirements.
4. Power and Cooling Infrastructure
Data centres require robust power and cooling infrastructure to maintain optimal operating conditions.
Power Redundancy:
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS): Provide backup power in case of power outages.
Generators: Offer extended backup power for longer outages.
Redundant power feeds: Multiple power feeds from different substations enhance reliability.
Cooling Systems:
Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRAC): Regulate temperature and humidity.
Hot aisle/cold aisle containment: Improves cooling efficiency.
Free cooling: Utilises outside air to reduce energy consumption.
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE): A metric that measures the energy efficiency of a data centre (lower PUE is better).
Considerations:
Power density: Ensure the data centre can support your power requirements per rack.
Cooling capacity: Adequate cooling to prevent overheating and maintain optimal performance.
Environmental sustainability: Consider data centres with energy-efficient designs and renewable energy sources.
Monitoring and management: Robust monitoring systems to track power and cooling performance.
5. Pricing and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Data centre pricing models vary, and it's crucial to understand the costs involved and the level of service provided.
Pricing Models:
Colocation: You rent space and power, and manage your own equipment.
Managed Services: The data centre provides additional services like server management and security.
Cloud Services: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or Platform as a Service (PaaS).
Service Level Agreements (SLAs):
Uptime guarantees: Specifies the guaranteed uptime percentage (e.g., 99.99%).
Response times: Defines the time it takes for the data centre to respond to incidents.
Performance metrics: Outlines performance targets for network connectivity and other services.
Compensation for downtime: Specifies the penalties for failing to meet SLA targets.
Considerations:
Total cost of ownership: Consider all costs, including rent, power, cooling, bandwidth, and managed services.
SLA coverage: Ensure the SLA covers all critical aspects of your infrastructure.
Escalation procedures: Understand the process for escalating issues and resolving disputes.
- Contract terms: Carefully review the contract terms and conditions.
Choosing the right Australian data centre requires careful consideration of these factors. By evaluating location, security, connectivity, power, cooling, pricing, and SLAs, you can select a provider that meets your specific needs and supports your business goals. You can learn more about 40 and how we can assist with your technology infrastructure decisions. If you have any further questions, check out our frequently asked questions.