Digitizing sounds modern. It sounds clean, efficient, transparent. And yes, it is… or it can be.
But digitizing also means moving very important things into the world of data. Things like your medical history, your digital identity, your interactions with public administration, or access to basic public services.
And that’s where a silent, often invisible protagonist comes into play: the Data Center.
Because behind every electronic prescription, every digital certificate, every citizen identification system or online administrative procedure, there is an infrastructure that cannot fail.
The question is: are we really giving the Data Center the role it deserves in this story?
The digitization of healthcare systems, identity and public administration is moving forward at a steady pace. And we celebrate it. But we must also acknowledge that such a deep transformation cannot be built on weak, outdated or underestimated infrastructure. Because when a citizen needs a service—urgent medical care, a vital certificate, a critical request—what cannot happen is that the system “is not working right now”.
Today, the Data Center is no longer just a server room with good cooling. It is the operational foundation of fundamental rights. The invisible heart that sustains the new digital pact between the State and its citizens. Without it, there is no record, no signature, no care, no identity.
And that’s why it’s not enough for it to simply “work.” It must be resilient, secure, flexible and transparent. It must be designed not only to operate under normal conditions, but to withstand the unexpected without compromising trust.
The foundations that support the digital world
These foundations are rarely visible. They don’t appear in digitization campaigns or institutional speeches, but they determine whether a digital public service responds when it’s most needed… or becomes a bigger problem. They are decisions about design, operations and governance that, when made well, go unnoticed. And when made poorly, are impossible to ignore.
From here on, some of the practices that repeatedly make the difference between a reliable public infrastructure and a vulnerable one:
Design with real redundancy
It’s not enough to have a data copy or a backup server. Redundancy must apply to power, connectivity, cooling and control systems. A failure cannot paralyze critical infrastructure. Operational continuity is not a luxury; it’s a requirement.
Implement tested (and re-tested) contingency plans
Disaster Recovery Plans (DRPs) must exist, yes. But they must also be reviewed and tested frequently. What’s written on paper is useless if no one knows how to activate it—or if it’s outdated. Real testing saves the day.
Prioritize digital sovereignty and direct control
Outsourcing everything may seem convenient, but lacking control over the infrastructure that supports your healthcare or identity systems is a real risk. Control must be regained—or at least clear operating conditions must be defined.
Monitor in real time with intelligent alerts
A system that fails silently is more dangerous than one that raises alarms. Public Data Centers need advanced monitoring tools that not only detect failures, but anticipate anomalies. This saves time, and trust. In cómo cambia tu Data Center cuando el dato toma el mandowe explain how that trust begins precisely by relying on real data.
Establish crisis communication protocols
When something goes down, it’s essential to know what to say, how to act and who to notify. Citizens accept human errors. What they don’t forgive is opacity. Operational transparency is also a form of institutional resilience.
Invest in qualified internal talent
Technology can be external. But judgment, evaluation capability and decision-making must remain in the hands of internal teams. Without trained public professionals, the Data Center becomes a black box. That’s why choosing the right tools, and who implements them, is critical. How to choose the best DCiM is not just about features, but about understanding which processes and people will sustain it.
Plan for growth, not saturation
Many public Data Centers started small and grew out of necessity, not by design. Today is the time to rethink scalability: more digital services mean greater demands. Today’s design must anticipate what’s coming in five years. And if you also want that evolution to align with energy efficiency standards, we recommend reading DCiM: the best journey towards ISO 50001
Digitizing healthcare, identity and public administration is not just a technological advance. It’s a commitment.
And that commitment can only be upheld if the infrastructure behind it is designed, operated and cared for as what it truly is: critical infrastructure for the digital society.
Today, more than ever, the Data Center is part of the healthcare system, the justice system, the education system, and the bond between the State and its citizens. It cannot fail. It must not be invisible. And above all, it must live up to the trust that society places in it, often without even realizing it.
Because when your health or your identity depends on a Data Center, it’s not enough to turn on the servers. It takes vision, responsibility, and doing things right.