Data centers are the foundations of enterprises, vital to the daily operation of the entire organization - they no longer simply store data. Virtualization, smart buildings, unified computing systems and cloud computing have combined to make the data center the neural hub of the company. Consequently, networks require greater security, storage capacity and more in-depth processing to support their expanded roles. These demands necessitate a holistic approach to data center design to ensure next generation technology compatibility, enable virtualization and maximize network availability.