What is a data centre? A complete guide to infrastructure, design and services
Data centres support the digital services used every day, from cloud computing and online platforms to artificial intelligence. Behind those services is a combination of IT equipment and highly engineered power, cooling, connectivity and protection systems designed to operate under controlled conditions.
This guide explains what a data centre is, how a data centre works, the main types of data centres, the core components of data centre infrastructure, key data centre design considerations and the engineering involved in taking a facility from installation through to operational readiness.
What is a data centre?
A data centre is a facility designed to house and support computing infrastructure such as servers, storage systems and networking equipment.
The IT equipment is supported by electrical distribution, cooling, connectivity, backup power, fire protection, monitoring and security systems. Together, these systems provide the controlled environment needed to store, process and manage digital information reliably.
Data centres range from facilities supporting a single organisation to large colocation and hyperscale sites serving multiple customers or global digital platforms.
How does a data centre work?
A data centre works by bringing IT equipment and supporting infrastructure together within a controlled environment.
Power enters the facility through its electrical infrastructure and is distributed through equipment such as transformers, switchgear, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), power distribution units and busbar systems. Backup systems provide additional resilience if the primary supply is interrupted.
At the same time, servers and other computing equipment generate heat. Cooling infrastructure, including chillers, HVAC systems and CRAC or CRAH units, removes that heat and maintains the temperature and humidity required for operation.
Network infrastructure connects the IT equipment internally and to external networks, while monitoring, fire protection and physical security systems protect the facility and its equipment.
The scale of this infrastructure is significant. According to the International Energy Agency, data centres consumed around 415 TWh of electricity in 2024, equivalent to approximately 1.5% of global electricity consumption.
Core components of data centre infrastructure
Data centre infrastructure combines several interdependent systems.
Electrical infrastructure
Electrical infrastructure can include transformers, LV and MV switchgear, UPS systems, generators, power distribution units, distribution boards and busbars.
Capacity, redundancy and distribution need to reflect the operating requirements of the facility while allowing equipment to be safely isolated, maintained and expanded.
Mechanical and cooling infrastructure
Cooling systems remove the heat generated by servers and other IT equipment. Depending on the facility, data centre infrastructure may include chillers, HVAC equipment, CRAC or CRAH units, pumps, pipework and ductwork.
Cooling design becomes increasingly important as equipment density and power demand increase.
Racks, cabling and white-space infrastructure
Server racks and cabinets provide the physical framework for IT equipment, while structured cabling provides data connectivity and busbars or other distribution systems deliver power.
Accurate equipment positioning is particularly important within white-space areas, where racks, containment, cable routes and services must align with the approved data centre design.
Backup and protection systems
UPS systems and generators provide backup power, while fire detection and suppression, monitoring and security systems add further protection.
Controlled cleanliness is also important during final installation. Dust, debris and uncontrolled construction activity can create avoidable risks around sensitive IT and electrical equipment, which is why health and safety planning is built into installation programmes from the outset.
Types of data centres
Different operating requirements have resulted in several common types of data centres.
| Data centre type | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise data centre | A facility primarily operated for one organisation’s own infrastructure | Businesses requiring direct control of IT systems, capacity and security |
| Colocation data centre | A shared facility where organisations rent racks, cages or dedicated space | Businesses requiring data centre capacity without operating the whole facility |
| Hyperscale data centre | A very large facility designed for extensive cloud and computing workloads | Major cloud, technology and digital service providers |
| Edge data centre | A smaller facility positioned closer to users, connected equipment or data sources | Applications requiring lower latency and local processing |
These categories describe different operating models, and the engineering design varies between them. Power density, cooling requirements, resilience and physical layout can vary considerably between individual facilities.
Data centre design
Effective data centre design starts with the operating requirements the facility needs to support.
Capacity and scalability
Power, cooling, rack layout and available floor space need to account for both current requirements and planned growth. Allowing for future capacity can reduce the need for major infrastructure changes later.
Redundancy and resilience
Critical power and cooling systems may require redundant components or distribution paths so maintenance or individual equipment failures do not automatically interrupt IT operations.
The appropriate degree of resilience depends on the facility’s business requirements and risk profile.
Energy efficiency
Cooling strategy, electrical efficiency, equipment selection and operating conditions all affect energy consumption.
With data centre electricity demand increasing globally, energy performance has become an important consideration in data centre design services as well as ongoing operation.
Layout and access
Physical layout influences both construction and long-term maintenance.
Heavy equipment such as UPS units, switchgear, generators and chillers needs defined delivery, lifting and maintenance routes. White-space infrastructure requires accurate setting-out so racks, electrical distribution, containment and cabling align with the design.
These requirements also affect how contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialist trades are sequenced during construction and fit-out.
From data centre design to installation
Once the design is established, the project moves into the physical installation and integration of the data centre infrastructure.
Data centre installation services can include specialist lifting and rigging, switchgear and UPS positioning, busbar installation, electrical distribution, HVAC and chiller installation, server cabinet positioning, cable management and preparation for testing and commissioning.
Multiple contractors, OEMs and specialist trades can be working within the same areas while the programme progresses towards a fixed commissioning or go-live date. Heavy equipment movements, live or partially energised systems, restricted access, cleanliness requirements and overlapping work packages therefore need to be controlled within the installation programme.
Beck & Pollitzer supports this stage through its data centre installation services, with project management coordinating the interfaces between contractors, equipment, programme requirements and site operations.
Where precise equipment positioning is required, precision measurement and setting-out can support floor marking, alignment and verification against the approved design.
Project proof: data centre installation in Madrid
At a data centre in Madrid, Beck & Pollitzer has carried out the installation of switchgear and control panels, covering positioning, electrical connection and testing.
The work progressed from red tagging to isolate electrical sources for safe working through to green tagging once systems were operational. The project also required high cleanliness standards and close coordination with the general contractor and client as building readiness and component availability changed.
The project shows how electrical installation, safety controls, quality requirements and programme coordination come together within a live data centre delivery environment.
Testing, commissioning and operational readiness
Installation is followed by inspection, testing and preparation for commissioning.
Mechanical completion checks confirm that equipment and systems have been installed against the design and specification. Electrical testing can include continuity and insulation resistance checks, while inspection records and documentation provide evidence of completed work.
Testing also identifies installation issues before they become constraints during commissioning or integrated systems testing.
The transition into data centre commissioning brings the individual electrical, mechanical and control systems together to demonstrate that they perform as intended before the facility becomes operational. Beck & Pollitzer also provides commissioning support as part of its wider engineering and data centre delivery capability.
Handover documentation, as-built information and test records then provide the operations team with the information required to manage and maintain the infrastructure after go-live.
Frequently asked questions
The Uptime Institute classifies data centre infrastructure into four levels: Tier I Basic Capacity, Tier II Redundant Capacity Components, Tier III Concurrently Maintainable and Tier IV Fault Tolerant.
The tiers represent progressively different infrastructure characteristics, but a higher tier is not automatically the correct choice for every data centre. The appropriate level depends on the facility’s business requirements and required resilience.
Data centre installation is the physical positioning, connection and integration of equipment and infrastructure.
Commissioning follows installation and verifies that individual systems and the facility as a whole operate in line with the approved design and performance requirements.
If you’re planning a data centre installation, expansion or infrastructure project, contact Beck & Pollitzer to discuss your requirements.