Data centers first emerged in the early 1940s, when computer hardware was complex to operate and maintain. Early computer systems required many large components that operators had to connect with many cables. They also consumed a large amount of power and required cooling to prevent overheating. To manage these computers, called mainframes, companies typically placed all the hardware in a single room, called a data center. Every company invested in and maintained its own data center facility.
Over time, innovations in hardware technology reduced the size and power requirements of computers. However, at the same time, IT systems became more complex, such as in the following ways:
The amount of data generated and stored by companies increased exponentially.
Virtualization technology separated software from the underlying hardware.
Innovations in networking made it possible to run applications on remote hardware.
Modern data centers
Modern data center design evolved to better manage IT complexity. Companies used data centers to store physical infrastructure in a central location that they could access from anywhere. With the emergence of cloud computing, third-party companies manage and maintain data centers and offer infrastructure as a service to other organizations. As the world’s leading cloud services provider, AWS has created innovative cloud data centers around the globe.