Data centres are a vital cog in today's digital world, vast warehouses that contain servers that host and distribute the cloud-based applications we rely on to work, learn and socialise. Whenever we click on a photo stored on the cloud, we are accessing a data centre based who knows where.
While data centres have become increasingly important in our digital lives in recent years, the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this long-term trend as more and more people play online games, host virtual meetings, use cloud-based storage or stream videos. Hugo Machin, co-manager of the four-star rated Schroders Global Cities Real Estate fund, refers to data centres as “the backbone of our communication age”.