I know that might sound like an odd question to ask, but data centers are too important to ignore. As the technological brain of your organization, your data center operates behind the scenes, making a lot of things possible. But when the demand on your data center is greater than its capabilities, it will try to tell you. And by knowing these signs, you'll be able to recognize when your data center is no longer meeting your needs.

While it's easy to understand why it's important to know your data center, knowing how to do it takes a little effort. To simplify things, I've included a few questions you can ask to know if your data center is working efficiently for you.  

Are You Running Out of Storage? 

Data centers have a finite amount of storage space. With many businesses reporting that 75 percent or more of their data center space is allocated to IT equipment, that doesn't leave much room for other data and applications. 

Are Your Apps Running Slow?

As data centers get closer to using all of their storage space, the demand placed upon their infrastructure grows. This results in slower processing time and increased power use. And while slow loading applications and webpages used to be a commonality, nowadays the impact on user experience is undeniable. 

Is Uptime Affecting User Experience? 

By placing more demand on the power supply, the demand for cooling and risk of downtime also increase. This leads to longer wait times before applications are available to users. One government source crunched the numbers and found that over the course of a single year, an entity with 100 employees that experiences one hour of downtime each workday can cost upwards of half a million dollars in lost productivity. 

Improve Your Data Center

By recognizing the signs of an inefficient data center, you're well on your way to keeping your organization's data and IT functions operating smoothly. If you notice limited storage space, slow-running applications or uptime, your data center needs some attention. 

Occasionally, remediation efforts can bring your current data center back to an efficient state. Routine upgrades and patches are essential to restoring security and proper function. In other instances, your data center may require changes to the infrastructure or an assessment to ensure you have the proper bandwidth to run all functions. If you'd like an expert opinion on your data center, start by contacting a Marco rep: