Technology is never static, it is in a constant state of evolution. Because of this, data centers must be vigilant about monitoring and maintaining their infrastructure so that they can see when updates are needed so that their infrastructure remains compatible and efficient with current technology. Every year, it seems, there are a few common things that become popular infrastructure updates in data centers. 2015 was no exception. By analyzing what infrastructure trends were popular in 2015 among data center it will help managers to better formulate a picture and plan going into 2016 so that their data center can get the necessary updates it may need and remain at the forefront of technology.
An increased focus on energy efficiency has led to a popular infrastructure trend in 2015 – in-row cooling. Traditional perimeter computer room cooling may get the job done but it will probably not do it in the most efficient way. Rather than turning the temperature way down and hoping for cool air to be circulated where it needs to in a room, focused in-row cooling achieves the same cooling effect but more efficiently because it is directed at what specifically needs cooling. Another infrastructure trend has been high density data with an increased use of cloud storage. As more and more facilities strive to operate within their existing space and be more efficient, a big shift towards cloud storage has occurred because it is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to add storage to a data center without dramatically increasing space or cooling needs. Continuing with the more efficient and eco-friendly theme of infrastructure trends is a shift toward double-conversion, multi-mode UPSs. These UPSs are far more efficient than even traditional double-conversion UPSs so many data centers wanting the best possible backup power supply (and they should!) are often opting to update their infrastructure with more eco-friendly and efficient UPSs. Additionally, a trend toward maximizing uptime has been seen in 2015. After many facilities experienced so many natural disasters, as well as man-made problems, many data centers are looking at their infrastructure to see what they can do to maximize uptime. It is critical to have infrastructure that can be continuously monitored. This will allow managers to have the most current information possible about their data center through improved technology so that they can make the most informed decisions about not only emergencies but maintenance that can help prevent emergencies. All of these trends have been pretty common among data centers in 2015 and for good reason – all of these will help maximize uptime, improve efficiency, lower expenses, protect data and keep customers happy.
