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Virtual Data Centre (VDC)

Keep what works, move what makes sense, and connect it all with a platform that’s flexible, secure and future‑ready.

Benefits

Cost‑effective, predictable billing
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Long‑term contracts and rigid terms make it harder to scale. With VDC, you only pay for what you use, just like public cloud, but without the lock‑in. Billing reflects your actual monthly consumption, so costs stay under control.

Self‑service control, without the wait
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When business changes, you need to move fast. Waiting on tickets slows everything down. With VDC, you’re in the driver’s seat. Add resources, tweak configurations, or spin up new services in real time, no delays, no chasing support.

Migration made simple
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Our VMware‑based platform keeps migration familiar, while our experienced team handles the heavy lifting. We’ve done this hundreds of times, so your team can focus on running your business, not firefighting a migration.

Fully managed, fully supported
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A robust, secure platform is only half the story, you need the right people behind it. With Node4, you get 24/7 UK‑based support and a team that can manage everything from your VDC environment to databases and security operations.

Try VDC with £250 free credit
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Changing providers is a big decision. We offer £250 credit to test VDC for yourself. Build, simulate, and explore in a safe environment before you commit. No risk, no pressure, just a chance to see how much easier life can be.

Scalable and future-ready platform
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Easily adapt as your business grows or changes. VDC’s flexible architecture lets you scale resources up or down, add new services, and stay ahead of technology trends—without costly upgrades or disruption.

We suffer huge losses in a network-down scenario, making SD-WAN an attractive technology platform. Node 4 have been a real asst in helping us validate the SD-WAN business case.

Author Credit

Network Consultant | C&D Foods (Part of ABP Food Group)

Slide into our VMs

Meet VDC slide, our cloud migration service that effortlessly moves your virtual machines to our VDC platform. Plus, this laaS platform offers a no-contract, pay-as-you-go infrastructure with a familiar self-service interface, meaning your IT admin teams will feel right at home.

Find out how VDC Slide can help you easily migrate your VMware workloads to our VDC service on our product guide

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VDC Slide

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Introducing Virtual Datacentre Webinar

Learn all about Node4's new transformational infrastructure-as-a-service platformVirtual Data Centre (VDC), and how it offers a true alternative hosting platform.

Join our Cloud Technology Practice Director Andy Slater, for this on-demand informative webinar, as we delve into this new generation of cloud service.

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Together

Discover how Node4 provided Together for Mental Wellbeing with a secure, resilient Virtual Data Centre solution

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Why Node4 for VDC?

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    Up to 30% cheaper than Azure, with hourly billing for DR and non-production.

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    No contracts, Pay-As-You-Go for complete flexibility.

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    Keep your VMware tools, migrate easily with built-in backup & DR.

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    UK-based, ISO-certified data centres and Broadcom Sovereign Cloud accreditation.

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    Integrate with Azure or co-lo, backed by 24×7 expert support.

FAQs

What is the difference between a traditional data center and a virtual data center?

Traditional Data Center: A physical facility that houses servers, storage, networking equipment, and cooling systems. It requires significant capital investment, ongoing maintenance, and physical space. Organisations own and manage the hardware, which means high upfront costs and less flexibility.

Virtual Data Center (VDC): A software-defined environment that emulates a physical data center using virtualisation. It runs on shared infrastructure and is accessed remotely via the internet. VDC offers pay-as-you-go pricing, scalability, and eliminates the need for physical hardware management, making it more cost-efficient and agile.

In short: Traditional = physical hardware you own and maintain; VDC = virtualised resources delivered as a service.

What is the difference between cloud and a virtual data center?

Cloud: A broad term for on-demand IT resources delivered over the internet by providers like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. It includes compute, storage, and services on a global scale, often across multiple regions.

Virtual Data Center: A specific type of cloud infrastructure that mimics a traditional data center virtually. It gives businesses greater control and customisation (e.g., building virtual networks, firewalls, and VMs) while still offering cloud-like flexibility. Think of it as a private, software-defined data center hosted in the cloud.

Key difference: Cloud is a broad service model; VDC is a specialised implementation that feels like managing your own data center, virtually.

What are the three types of data centers?

The three primary types are:

  1. Enterprise Data Centers – Owned and operated by a single organisation, usually on-premises or near headquarters. Offers full control and customisation.
  2. Colocation Data Centers – Third-party facilities where businesses rent space, power, and cooling for their own hardware.
  3. Cloud Data Centers – Large-scale facilities run by cloud providers, offering virtualised resources on a subscription or pay-as-you-go basis.