The Midwest is becoming an increasingly popular area for big tech companies hoping to establish data centers to support their innovations and operations. Indiana has been a particularly favorite location due to its space availability, strategic location, and reliable business infrastructure.
As businesses continue to scale their digital operations through these data centers, the need for comprehensive IT support increases. Managed IT services play a pivotal role in providing seamless data center security, functionality, and efficiency for these companies, empowering them to meet the growing demands of today’s technology-focused economy.
What Is the Indiana Data Center Boom?
Indiana is rapidly becoming a hub for technological innovation, driven by significant investments in data centers from industry leaders like Amazon and Google. These data centers (huge facilities that house computer systems and storage infrastructure) are critical to powering everything from cloud services to online platforms.
Indiana’s competitive energy costs, robust infrastructure, and business-friendly policies make it an attractive location for these operations. Investments like these boost the state’s economy and position Indiana as a key player in the tech world, increasing demand for scalable and reliable IT services to support these high-tech facilities.
What Risks Do Data Centers Face?
Data centers open the door to a wide range of innovation and possibilities in cloud computing, online services, and so much more—but they’re not simple to maintain. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges these big-name companies face as they establish and support data center security and productivity.
Third-Party Dependency
Data centers often rely on third-party vendors for critical components or services such as network infrastructure, power management, or software. This dependency introduces vulnerabilities, as any failure or breach from a third-party provider can directly impact operations and compromise data center security and reliability.
Supply Chain Attacks
Cybercriminals increasingly exploit supply chain vulnerabilities, targeting software updates or hardware components before they reach the data center. These attacks can introduce malware or backdoors into otherwise effective data center security, posing significant risks to both their operations and their data.
Risk of Downtime
Even brief periods of downtime can result in substantial financial losses and damage to a company’s reputation. Data centers must manage risks, such as power outages, hardware failures, or cyberattacks, with robust disaster recovery plans (DRPs) and redundant systems to ensure constant uptime.
Difficulty Scaling
Keeping pace with growing customer demands requires seamless scalability in a data center’s infrastructure. However, physical and operational constraints, such as limited space, outdated systems, or the sheer size of operations, can hinder the ability to scale efficiently, resulting in slower performance and unmet user expectations.
Compliance Complications
Data center security also includes adhering to numerous regulations and security standards, including GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, depending on the industries they serve. Navigating these complex and evolving requirements can be challenging and may expose the organization to hefty penalties and liabilities if compliance is not maintained.
How Do Managed IT Services Support Data Center Success?
As huge corporations keep building data centers in Indiana and throughout the country, they can benefit greatly from the local expertise and support of managed IT service providers. These managed services are the backbone of the data center boom, providing scalable solutions and expert guidance to meet evolving demands. Here’s what they can do:
- Enhance data center security at every point within the company and along the supply chain with proactive threat detection, advanced firewalls and filters, etc., to mitigate risks and reduce downtime.
- Develop detailed incident response plans (IRPs), including location-based solutions and measures catered to the industry and threat landscape.
- Provide on-demand resources and cloud-based technologies to eliminate bottlenecks, improve performance, and support scalability.
- Launch monitoring tools, perform regular audits, and offer expertise on compliance standards such as GDPR and HIPAA.
With the help of MSPs’ tools, talent, and tech, data centers can thrive and reach their full potential.
AIS: Enterprise-Level Support that Scales with You
At AIS, we know that comprehensive, corporate-level IT support isn’t just for the big-name data centers. Your SMB also needs security, efficiency, and that competitive edge to help you thrive in a complex business world. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you partner with AIS.
Send us a message to learn more about how our managed IT services can help you reach your business goals.