Emerging trends shaping data centres

2018 marks the advent of smarter data centres, underpinned by predictive models, intelligent analytics and superior uptimes. Rapid digital diffusion, fuelled by the growth of connected devices and IoT has led to denser connectivity across the globe. It is well-accepted that organisations with hardworking innovation engines will brave the rapidly changing technology landscape. Naturally then, as the digital ecosystem burgeons, data centre resilience is the need of the hour. As we look ahead, 5 critical trends stand out as heralding a future that displays a discernible digital DNA.

Exponential Growth in Data

People worldwide contribute to data circulation through devices around the clock, warranting billions of machines to communicate, analyse and respond to input data. The impending launch of 5G over the next decade or so will further catapult the demand for connected devices. Digital capital is currently growing multifold as compared to conventional enterprise data and new layers of data will require virtual data centres to modernise and hybridise with edge devices and cloud servers. This new digital roadmap will involve an intricate workflow involving heapsort, centralised data centre storage and advanced data processing. There is a general sentiment that 2020 will mark the beginning of a digital galvanisation, with the data computing universe doubling in size every couple of years thereon.

Data Centres Becoming Backbone of the Digital Economy

Staying relevant in today's age is tethered to the digital transformation of applications, services, infrastructure and resources. But for some organisations, a disparate environment can impede growth. Archaic management protocols, meagre IT budgets and decrepit cloud siloes are influences that can prove risky in the long run. A digital topography that is rooted in automation, advanced infrastructure, software elevation and data centre modernisation can make a business more agile and future-fit. As part of their next-generation IT strategy, to manage more diverse and complex business-critical IT applications, its imperative for oranisations to leverage partnerships between carrier-neutral data centre service providers and cloud services providers who work with the former for their core as well as edge capacity requirements.

Computing - Pushing the Boundaries for Data Centres

Machines can take inputs and produce outputs at an equal rate. This means that the erstwhile role of data centres as warehouses has become obsolete. Data centre requirements today, are typically handled by systemised machines that are designed to scale computing and storage. Premium data centres are capable of atomising, analysing and interpreting information in real-time, and are on their way to employing predictive analytics to increase precision and reduce latency.

Move to Third-Party Data Centres

Third-party data centre technologies like colocation and dedicated networks are gaining steam as enterprises gear themselves towards fiscal and operational goals. Colocation, in particular, is being embraced by an array of companies as it serves to lower costs while lessening the focus on in-house IT. Data centre outsourcing represents a growing want for enhanced services and sharpening of core competencies. But more than that, there is a range of benefits that data centre migration presents. Multilayer physical security, zero tenancy risks, colocated services, superior data centre parameters, purpose-built facilities, carrier neutral networks and lightning-fast scalability have become shining stars of the third-party quiver.

Focus on Green

There has been a sincere effort by data centre operators to reduce carbon footprint through increased focus on energy efficiency. The movement has been double-barreled, driven equally by financial and environmental consciousness. Data centre servers are consuming more electricity than ever before because of energy-guzzling racks in some advanced systems. Consequently, the rationing of power is proving a challenge for data centre giants. The green data revolution has found its heart in Asia Pacific, with more activities on the roster here than in any other region. Green data centres have launched a bouquet of initiatives that includes the consolidation of servers, higher ambient temperatures, improved power management, augmented efficiency in tropical climates, energy-efficient IT and natural ventilation and cooling.

As we move towards a world that runs on analytics, Artificial Intelligence and algorithms, data centre networking is poised to become bigger and better. Machines will play a significant role in transforming the enterprise narrative. Only the future will tell how this change will take shape.