An Internet data center is a facility that houses thousands of computing systems to run information technology (IT)–enabled services without interruption. The infrastructure to store, process, and analyze information and to provide services through the Internet is defined by the needs of businesses, specifically, minimizing disruptions and obstacles related to information systems. This entry discusses a definition and general history of Internet data centers, essential facts, costs, current trends, and future directions.

As IT operations have grown globally, the importance of Internet data centers has grown manifold. A data center is now an integral part of enterprise organizations: Business enterprises must handle large amounts of data generated every day. This is not a recent phenomenon, but in an increasingly competitive and open market, most enterprises have ...