A data center is a secure facility that houses computer servers and networking equipment used to store, process and transmit digital information. When someone sends an email, streams a video, accesses medical records or processes a financial transaction, that data is often handled inside a data center.
These facilities are built with redundant power, cooling and internet connections to keep systems running around the clock. A Tier III data center, like the one planned in Rapid City, is designed for high reliability, typically targeting about 99.98% uptime. In a colocation model, businesses rent space inside the facility for their own servers while relying on the center’s security, power and cooling systems.
