Why Kenya is a Great Location for a Data Center

When you think of data centers, certain things probably come to mind: servers and servers running code, very technical operations, and huge power requirements. In other words, not the most inviting image of a data center, right? Well, that’s because many of those ideas about data centers are quite outdated. Today’s data centers are designed for efficiency and low carbon footprints. How is this possible? By taking advantage of availability in local resources like electricity and water as well as the existing infrastructure around a data center location to make it more cost-effective. Here we’ll discuss some of the reasons why Kenya is such a great location for an advanced datacenter.

Affordable Electricity

Servers consume a lot of power, and the costs of running one form the basis of many of the numbers in the data center industry. You can find out the costs of electricity and other relevant factors by looking at the power consumption numbers of different server types. For example, in North America, you’ll find data centers powering servers with 1.42 kW of power. This is roughly equivalent to one 80-watt light bulb. Don’t forget though that many of your essential local services like water and waste management also consume power. Some countries have seen data center power costs increase dramatically over the past years due to the increasing costs of electricity. In such a scenario, the cost of running a datacenter becomes prohibitive.

Super-Fast Internet Connectivity

It’s essential that data centers have a speedy connection to the internet. Be it for management purposes or for running your business, data centers need to be connected to the world. The internet connection in a data center can’t be as fast as what you get from your home or office. But it can be much faster than the average connection from a 3G or 4G mobile network. The world has been seeing steady and continuous growth in internet bandwidth. In an effort to keep up with the demand, many internet service providers are investing heavily in their networks. Some are even investing in fiber optic networks that can handle high bandwidth. You can also optimize your data center’s internet connectivity with internet connectivity solutions like Cloud Internet Connection Interfaces (CICIs). CICIs let you optimize the speed of your existing network.

Deep Knowledge of the Local Environment

The resources available in a certain location are crucial in choosing a suitable data center location. In Kenya, there are a wide range of natural resources like water, wind, and sun that can be used in a data center. Natural resources like water are essential for cooling data centers. A lot of energy is wasted in air conditioning data centers, so finding a cool place to host the servers is essential. With the growing concern about climate change, the need to reduce carbon footprints has also become more important. Data centers have a huge carbon footprint, so it’s important for them to be as energy-efficient as possible. You can use renewable power sources like solar power and wind power to power your facilities. If you have a lot of electricity consumption, you can also use energy-efficient power sources like dc power.

Existing Infrastructure

Finally, you also have to consider the existing infrastructure around the chosen location. In Kenya, the government has put a lot of effort in making the country attractive for businesses. This has resulted in the development of an extensive network of roads, ports, electricity and water supply, and other essential facilities. The government has made it mandatory for corporations to take responsibility for their carbon footprints. This means that instead of leaving the responsibility to citizens and consumers, corporations now have to be more mindful of the resources they use. As a result, many of the corporations and data centers have started to look at the options of investing in renewable energy. This can come in the form of solar panels on the roofs of buildings or installing wind turbines to generate power.

Start-up Friendly Environment

There are many reasons why a country can be a great place for a data center, but one major one is the start-up friendly environment in the country. Countries like Kenya have a young population, which means that there is a huge demand for skilled workers. Many people in Kenya have skills that are valuable in the information technology industry. These people can be hired as employees or contractors for data centers. A data center can be a great place for start-ups to set up operations. There are a lot of advantages for start-ups to locate in a data center. For example, you can use a data center as a co-location facility. This allows you to easily transfer files between your company and the cloud. You can also use it as a backup facility for your data.

Summed up

There are many reasons why Kenya is such a great location for a data center. The most important reason is that the country has resources that can be used to reduce the carbon footprints of a data center. All you need to do is choose a suitable location and start building your data center.