Data centers are the backbone of our digital society, providing essential services such as online banking, streaming platforms, video games, and remote work and study. These facilities are like “digital factories” or “hotels for computers” that house servers processing and storing data.
In Spain, the data center sector has experienced significant growth in recent years, with predictions for continued investment in the coming years. The employers’ association for data centers, SpainDC, predicts a direct investment of 8,000 million euros by 2026. Currently, there are 23 colocation data centers in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville, with plans for expansion.
One French operator that stands out is Data4Group, which operates in multiple European countries using a campus model that promotes scalability and efficiency by sharing space among different buildings. Spain’s geographical location is advantageous due to its proximity to European and African continents and its connections via undersea cables. This has led to significant investments in the country, with plans to attract over 160 million euros by 2025.
Data centers consume high levels of energy for operation and cooling, which can have a significant environmental impact. However, some companies like Data4Group have implemented sustainable programs to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency while reducing their environmental impact. For example, Data4Good uses 100% renewable energy and designs centers for heat reuse to minimize their carbon footprint. They also leverage artificial intelligence to optimize infrastructure for new densities and improve energy efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Ensuring physical security is crucial for data centers as they house sensitive client data. Redundant infrastructure designs and access control measures are in place to protect against cyberattacks or unauthorized access. Clients are responsible for managing their data within the data center’s secure environment; however, the data center team does not have access to it unless necessary for maintenance or technical support purposes.
Overall, data centers play a vital role in enabling the digital economy by supporting the growth of online services that benefit society as a whole.
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