Compute (Servers)
What is a Server?
Servers perform the computing tasks that run applications, virtual machines and keep operations running. They matter because every login, file, app or system your employee uses depends on them
What is storage?
This general category of hardware stores data for applications, users, and backups.
What are network switches?
This general hardware type connects servers and storage so they can communicate.
What are PDUs?
A PDU (Power Distribution Unit) is a device used in data centers and server rooms to distribute electrical power to servers, storage, networking gear, and other IT equipment.
Think of it as a specialized power strip for racks — but much more reliable, smart, and designed for high‑power enterprise hardware.
What is Virtualization?
Virtualization is a technology that lets you run multiple computers (virtual machines) on one physical server.
Instead of one server doing one job, virtualization lets that server do many jobs at the same time.
What is block storage?
Block storage is a way of storing data where information is broken into small pieces called “blocks.”
Each block is stored separately and can be accessed directly by a server.
It’s the fastest and most flexible type of storage used for databases, virtualization, and applications that require high performance.
What are fiber optic cables?
This type of cabling delivers high‑speed data transmission between servers and switches.
What are UPS Systems?
A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is a device that provides backup power when the main electrical power fails, drops, or fluctuates.
It keeps critical IT equipment — like servers, storage, switches, and firewalls — running long enough to:
Think of it as a power safety net for the data center.
What is the CPU?
This internal component acts as the “brain” of the server and performs calculations.
What is File storage?
File storage is a way of storing data in a “folder-and-files” format — just like what you see on your laptop.
It organizes data using:
It’s the most familiar and user-friendly storage type for businesses.
What is a firewall?
This device filters and monitors traffic for security before it enters or exits the network.
Think of it as the security guard at the entrance of a company’s network.
What is hot aisle / cold aisle containment?
Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle Containment is a way of organizing server racks in a data center to control airflow, keep equipment cool, and improve energy efficiency.
It separates:
The goal is to keep hot and cold air from mixing, which keeps servers running efficiently and prevents overheating.
What is blade or modular compute?
Blade compute, sometimes called modular compute, is a type of server design where multiple servers are stored inside a single shared chassis (like a large enclosure).
Instead of buying lots of individual servers, a company buys one chassis and then slides in multiple server “blades”—like putting books into a bookshelf.
What is object storage?
Object storage is a way of storing data where files are kept as objects in a flat, scalable pool of storage — instead of being organized in folders (file storage) or split into blocks (block storage). This flexible storage type manages data as objects with metadata, ideal for cloud‑scale or AI workloads.
What are VLANs?
A VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is a way to separate a physical network into multiple smaller, isolated networks — all using the same switches and cables.
Think of it as creating virtual walls inside a physical network.
What are CRAC/CRAH units?
CRAC = Computer Room Air Conditioner
CRAH = Computer Room Air Handler
These are cooling units used in data centers to keep servers from overheating.
What are GPU accelerated servers?
These servers are optimized for heavy AI, analytics, and parallel processing tasks.
What are data protection or backup systems?
These systems duplicate or compress data to save space and protect against loss during failures.
What is spine leaf architecture?
Spine‑leaf is a modern network design where switches are arranged in two layers:
Every leaf connects to every spine.
This creates a fast, predictable, high‑bandwidth network—ideal for modern data centers.
What is N+1 or N+2 redundancy?
N+1 redundancy means a system has one extra component beyond what is required to operate.
If one component fails, the system keeps running with no downtime.
N+2 redundancy means there are two extra components, allowing two failures without impacting operations.
The “N” stands for the minimum number of components needed for the system to function.