Introduction
In this unit, we'll discuss the datacenter. Datacenters are a collection of physical computing resources that are provisioned and shared within the cloud computing paradigm. Innovations in datacenter efficiency and management are important enablers of the economics behind the cloud computing model. Large-scale datacenters can house and run infrastructure more efficiently at scale than what most organizations can manage at small scale with their own infrastructures. Understanding datacenters will enable you to be more informed, in terms of performance, cost, and potential sources of failure, as you attempt to deploy robust applications and services on the cloud.
This module will serve as a starting step in understanding a few datacenter fundamentals. We will start with the definition and origins of a datacenter, followed by a discussion of the current trends in datacenter technologies: namely the increase in power and resource densities of datacenters, as well as the focus on power and efficiency in datacenters.
Learning objectives
In this module, you will:
- Learn about the history and fundamentals of datacenters.
- Understand the issues related to size, density, and efficiency growth for datacenters.
- Be aware of the challenges in managing cloud datacenters.
Prerequisites
- Understand what cloud computing is, including cloud service models, and common cloud providers.
- Know the technologies that enable cloud computing.
- Understand how cloud service providers pay for and bill for the cloud.