By 2025, the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts the collective sum of the world’s data will amount to 175 zettabytes and that the average person will have at least one digital interaction every 18 seconds. As access to high-speed internet expands and IoT devices proliferate, the accompanying growth in worldwide data creation will require businesses to invest in greater storage, computing and networking capabilities for their data centers. However, with the average lifecycle of IT devices being 3 to 5 years and data center infrastructure being 10-15 years, it can be difficult to keep data center infrastructure from becoming outdated. Below we outline effective ways for data centers to accommodate a growing workload and new devices.
How Can Data Centers Scale Effectively? Data center owners must utilize the latest advances in technology to keep operations cost-effective, efficient and responsive as they scale. Changes to the IT environment will require changes to physical space, heating and cooling systems and network security systems of data centers. As this critical infrastructure is scaled, owners can rely on load bank testing to minimize costly downtime and ensure effective operations. Hyperconvergence In the traditional data center, IT teams put together systems, storage and network resources using components from various vendors. Hyperconvergence uses a software-defined approach to combine storage, computing and networking into one highly virtualized solution to help reduce costs, minimize server compatibility issues and simplify management. This allows data center operators to improve scalability without the need to spend more on additional hardware. By 2023, Gartner projects 70% of enterprises will be running some form of hyperconverged infrastructure.
Modular Cooling Systems Higher power density generally means greater cooling needs. To scale critical cooling infrastructure, data center operators can utilize modular cooling systems. This provides flexibility so cooling can quickly be scaled up to accommodate increased capacity and scaled down when no longer needed. Modular cooling systems can help save long-term costs by eliminating a building-wide cooling system and ensuring cooling is only active as necessary. Data centers can install modular cooling while the facility remains fully operational by coordinating with IT system additions.
Distributed Computing Distributed computing is a model in which components of a software system are shared among multiple devices to improve efficiency and performance. Instead of relying on one centralized location, facility owners can spread data processing and transmission across the data center, edge and end-user devices. Distributed computing enables data center operators to increase efficiency without needing to make costly infrastructure investments, as adding microprocessors is more economic than adding mainframes. Distributed data centers have also been shown to improve data security, make compliance easier and improve transmission speeds.
Scale Effectively and Avoid Costly Downtime with Load Bank Testing Data center operations are critical in ensuring business continuity. If a data center becomes unavailable, even for a minute, company operations can be impaired or stopped completely. That’s why every addition of new technology to the data center must be tested to ensure compatibility and reliable operations. Load bank testing is ideally suited to help data center owners scale their operations with new technology and infrastructure, as it provides the most accurate and reliable testing environment for simulating real world conditions. Load banks enable you to test all system components in an efficient and timely manner, ensuring validation before beginning operations with new technology. With fully controllable testing parameters, facility owners can mimic real-life testing scenarios to accurately energize their system, demonstrating how new technology impacts operational performance and identifying potential issues before they result in mechanical failures.
Comrent: Load Bank & Data Center Experts When you combine Comrent’s extensive inventory, cutting-edge technology, superior service and highly trained technicians, you get an unbeatable quality of service for your data center load testing needs. Our extensive years of data center load bank testing experience means we understand the complex and precise nature of data center commissioning and maintenance and can maximize the efficiency of your project. To learn more about load bank testing or to schedule a complementary consultation, contact Comrent today.
