Enterprise data centres are bespoke facilities that fit specific business needs. Designed to meet the extensive computing and network demands of large-scale enterprises, they provide increased control, security, and performance, compared to other facilities.

While many enterprise data centres are purpose-built for high-performance applications such as AI and big data, others rely on legacy infrastructure that may struggle to support modern workloads. This contrast means businesses must carefully assess their data centre strategy to ensure long-term scalability and efficiency.

This allows businesses to maintain robust connectivity and performance where they need it most.

These centres are essential for things like:

Ensuring business continuity

Supporting digital transformation

Providing reliable access to IT systems.

What is an enterprise data centre?

Enterprise data centres can take several forms depending on ownership and operational control. Broadly, they fall into three main categories:

On-premise enterprise data centres - These are owned and operated entirely by an enterprise within its own facilities, providing full control over infrastructure, security, and customisation. However, they require substantial investment and expertise in ongoing maintenance and scalability.

Enterprise data centres operated by a third-party provider - These provide the same exclusivity and high-performance infrastructure as an on-premises facility. However, they come with the advantage of professional management, reduced capital investment, and scalability. Companies like Digital Realty offer dedicated enterprise-grade data centre spaces, including entire buildings, halls, or private suites.

Colocation data centres: These facilities allow multiple tenants to share infrastructure, providing cost-effective access to enterprise-grade resources. While colocation offers flexibility and lower costs, it does not provide the same level of exclusivity as others.

In data centre terms, an enterprise data centre is a huge proportion of an organisation’s IT infrastructure. It provides the resources needed for data storage, processing, computing, and disaster recovery. These centres are typically located in secure, purpose-built facilities away from city centres — minimising the risks associated with urban environments.

The key advantage of enterprise data centres is their ability to completely align IT infrastructure with business objectives. They offer flexibility and scalability when deploying applications, and their increased control also allows for compliance with industry regulations. While the initial investment can be significant, the long-term benefits of control and scalability often outweigh the costs for businesses with complex IT or regulatory needs.

In comparison, other types of data centres share resources among multiple clients, providing cost-effective access to infrastructure without requiring full ownership. However, they don’t have the same level of exclusive control and customisation that large enterprises often require. This approach aligns with the growing shift toward Hybrid IT models, allowing businesses to seamlessly integrate private infrastructure with cloud and colocation solutions for a future-proofed strategy.

In this blog, we’ll see exactly how enterprise data centres achieve these benefits.

Enterprise Data Centre vs. Colocation

Enterprise and colocation data centres are two of the most common types of data centres, but there are several fundamental differences. When deciding on the best approach for your business, it’s best to consider what matters most to your organisation in terms of cost, customisation, and scalability.

How is an enterprise data centre different from a colocation data centre?

Enterprise data centres are exclusively owned and operated by a single organisation, typically a data centre provider like Digital Realty. This brings unmatched levels of control and customisation. On the other hand, colocation facilities give companies access to shared resources, making them more cost-effective but less bespoke.

There is also a difference in cost. Colocation operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, whereas enterprise data centres require significant upfront investment. This makes colocation facilities much more accessible to the vast majority of small and medium enterprises.

Finally, scalability is another significant difference. Generally, colocation facilities can scale faster — although they lack the customisation options of an enterprise data centre.

Architecture and design methodology

Enterprise data centre architecture involves the careful planning and fine-tuning of the facility to match business needs.

What is enterprise data centre architecture?

Enterprise data centre architecture is the integration and organisation of critical components like servers, storage, power systems, and networking. Diligent, well-designed architecture allows for optimal performance and high availability.

While performance is paramount, business continuity is equally important. Redundancy is built into every layer of the architecture — from power systems to network connections and beyond.

What are the primary considerations when designing an enterprise data centre?

Designing an enterprise data centre involves meticulous planning. Above all, the design needs to deliver extremely high levels of efficiency, scalability, reliability, and uptime. Some key considerations include:

Location: Enterprise data centres are usually located on the outskirts of cities. This helps reduce running costs and the downsides associated with urban areas, such as costly land, power outages, and physical security threats.

Energy efficiency: Advanced cooling systems and energy management are essential to reduce operational costs. Meanwhile, efficient energy management allows for high-performance computing and network infrastructure.

Scalability: Modular designs allow businesses to expand their capacity as needed without overhauling existing infrastructure. This means adding or removing new services while minimising disruptions.

Physical layout: The resulting enterprise data centre design should be laid out in a way that supports key IT operations. It should encourage flexibility where needed while also providing the best possible performance and security.

What are the results of a well-considered architecture and design? An environment that balances performance with operational efficiency. Crucially, it should also deliver the exact benefits the business needs to succeed.

For example, where needed, advanced network designs with low-latency connections allow for real-time data flow, while automation tools optimise daily operations. Combining robust architecture with innovative design, enterprise data centres may meet modern business needs – however they can be prohibitively expensive with up-front costs, maintenance and offer little flexibility with vendor lock causing issues for many SMEs.

The advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to their bespoke nature, enterprise data centres deliver business benefits, but increasing costs associated with the high-power needs of AI have many enterprises evaluating their options. Companies should consider both carefully before deciding which data centre model is best.

Advantages

Control

Firstly, enterprise data centres deliver huge levels of control. Companies can configure infrastructure to their specific needs, letting them manage service providers, run workloads, and process data exactly as needed.

Performance

Having dedicated resources means high performance. This is ideal for industries that demand low latency or work with big data and artificial intelligence (AI).

Security

Likewise, control of enterprise data centres extends to improved security. Enhanced physical and cybersecurity access controls can be tailored to organisational requirements, including any regulatory needs.

Scalability

Enterprise facilities also allow for upgrades and additions. Resources can be scaled to meet growing demands, allowing the infrastructure to evolve alongside business requirements.

Customisation

Finally, enterprise facilities allow for much more customisation than other types of data centres. Every aspect — from hardware to software and networking — can be tailored to match business objectives.

Challenges

While there are several important benefits of enterprise data centres, there are also potential disadvantages.

Upfront Costs

One of the most significant challenges of enterprise data centres is cost. Building and maintaining an enterprise facility in-house requires a substantial investment in infrastructure, staffing, and long-term operational expenses. For many organisations, this level of capital expenditure makes an in-house build unfeasible.

However, by partnering with a data centre provider like Digital Realty, businesses can leverage enterprise-grade infrastructure through a leasing model. This avoids these steep upfront costs while still benefiting from a high-performance, scalable environment.

Maintenance

Along with upfront costs, there are also ongoing demands on budgets and expertise. Managing updates, repairs, and system optimisation in an owned facility demands dedicated IT personnel and significant expertise. By leasing from a data centre provider, businesses gain access to fully managed enterprise data centres, where critical maintenance and system upgrades are handled seamlessly. This reduces operational burdens while allowing for maximum uptime and efficiency.

Limits on Flexibility

Compared to shared resources or cloud services, enterprise data centres built and operated in-house may lack the ability to adjust resources quickly. This rigidity can make it challenging to scale infrastructure in response to changing business needs. However, partnering with a data centre provider offers the best of both worlds, with customisation, control, enterprise-level infrastructure, and the flexibility to scale as needed.

By working with data centre providers like Digital Realty, enterprises can access bespoke data centre solutions without the complexities of full ownership. A leasing model enables businesses to maintain enterprise-level control, security, and performance while benefiting from lower upfront costs, simplified maintenance, and scalable infrastructure.

Enterprise data centre infrastructure and security

Infrastructure and security are important considerations when partnering with an enterprise data centre provider, like Digital Realty.

What are the essential components of an enterprise data centre?

Enterprise data centres rely on a combination of physical and digital components. Combined, they deliver reliable performance. These components include:

Servers: To handle processing, computing, and storage

Storage systems: High-capacity, accessible storage solutions for data accessibility and backup

Networking equipment: Routers, switches, and firewalls allow for the interconnections, bandwidth, and seamless connectivity needed

Power systems: Redundant systems — including uninterruptible power supplies and backup generators — all help maintain uptime

Cooling systems: Advanced technologies, such as liquid cooling, keep equipment operating at optimal temperatures for peak performance.

What are the main security measures in an enterprise data centre?

Enterprise data centre security includes both physical and cyber measures, such as:

Physical security: Typically, facilities are equipped with measures like closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance, strict access controls, and secure perimeters to prevent unauthorised entry

Cybersecurity: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and proper data storage protect against all kinds of breaches and cyberattacks

Compliance standards: Adherence to regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ISO standards ensures data protection and legal compliance. Depending on the organisation, there may also be industry-specific regulations which must be considered.

Combining a strong infrastructure with best practices, enterprise data centres support both high performance and strong security.

Enterprise data centre operations and migration

Running an enterprise data centre involves several ongoing tasks that are crucial to the centre performing at its best. If a business has partnered with a data centre provider to receive enterprise data centre services without the typical drawbacks, these operations will likely be handled as part of the service package, but it is still important to understand the behind-the-scenes operations.

Performance monitoring

Firstly, all businesses managing an enterprise data centre should constantly monitor key metrics. This might include things like data transfer speeds, power usage, and resource performance. Tracking system performance helps identify and resolve issues proactively while improving overall return on investment.

Maintenance

Another key to ongoing performance is scheduled maintenance. Regular hardware and software updates help improve performance and secure infrastructure against threats.

Data management

Managing backups, disaster recovery protocols, and data lifecycle is another vital part of day-to-day processes. It achieves several essential benefits, such as making the right data available to the right people, improving data quality, and protecting against breaches.

How does enterprise data centre migration work?

The process of enterprise data centre migration is similar to that of the day-to-day operations. Before moving, companies need to plan their key performance metrics, choose the right equipment for the job, and ensure its ongoing security.

By partnering with a data centre provider, enterprises gain access to expert guidance, industry best practices, and a structured migration framework. These all help minimise risks and downtime. We support businesses at every stage of the migration journey, from initial assessments to full implementation, to create a smooth transition to a high-performance enterprise data centre environment.

As such, a typical enterprise data centre migration will take in the following high-level steps:

Evaluate existing infrastructure and define migration goals – Digital Realty’s experts assess IT workloads, current infrastructure, and business needs to tailor a migration strategy.

Develop a structured migration strategy – A comprehensive plan is designed to minimise downtime, build security, and optimise resources.

Implement the migration with minimal disruption – Digital Realty provides hands-on support, with industry-leading processes to move workloads efficiently while maintaining operational continuity.

Validate and optimise post-migration performance – Following migration, systems are monitored and optimised to ensure they meet key performance metrics. Ongoing support is then available for future scalability and upgrades.

By working with a trusted partner like Digital Realty, enterprises can handle the complexities of migration with confidence.

Secure and reliable enterprise data centre solutions

As technology and business needs change, enterprises are increasingly moving away from traditional, self-managed data centres and adopting third-party operated enterprise data centres and colocation solutions.

Third-party enterprise data centres offer unmatched control, scalability, and security. They are fully bespoke facilities, ideal for organisations looking for complete control over their IT environment and critical workloads. Traditional on-premises enterprise data centres can have considerable barriers to entry — including high upfront costs and ongoing maintenance. This is why many businesses choose to partner with a data centre provider and access enterprise data centre services via a lease model.

In other cases, a colocation data centre may provide a better combination of lower cost and reduced responsibility, as businesses have the option to opt for a private suite, cage, or area within a colocation facility providing enterprise-level control whilst supporting hybrid cloud deployments.

Digital Realty offers bespoke solutions entirely tailored to your needs and budget. Whether you require an enterprise data centre, colocation facility, or a hybrid approach, you can use our secure and reliable services to meet your computing objectives.

Whether you’re looking to lease a full building, dedicated halls, or private suites, your business can benefit from high-performance infrastructure without the overhead of ownership.

Contact us today to learn how our flexible enterprise data centre solutions can empower your organisation.

Internal links

https://www.digitalrealty.co.uk/resources/articles/data-center-terms-guide

https://www.digitalrealty.co.uk/resources/articles/data-center-design

https://www.digitalrealty.co.uk/resources/data-sheets/data-center-services

https://www.digitalrealty.co.uk/platform-digital/colocation

https://www.digitalrealty.co.uk/data-centers/design

https://www.digitalrealty.com/contact

External links

https://gdpr-info.eu/

https://www.iso.org/standards.html

Data Centre Frontier Special Report: Boston Data Centre Market