FEATURE : DATACENTRES
cloud for fear of security breaches creating a host of other obstacles to overcome .
Beyond this there are more concerns about pollution when it comes to datacentres ’ noise and water use , and in some cases , their locations lack available electrical grid capacity to host them .
Is there an RoI ?
According to ALEC ’ s Viedge , generating returns form a datacentre investment is challenging .
Ashraf Yehia , Managing Director , Eaton Middle East
innovations like advanced power distribution and management solutions enhance energy efficiency and reliability in datacentres , reducing operational costs .
Challenges with legacy
“ Legacy datacentre solutions often pose challenges related to scalability , energy efficiency , and maintenance . They can be inflexible and struggle to keep up with modern workloads . Additionally , legacy systems may lack the advanced power management features that are crucial for ensuring uptime and costeffectiveness , leading to operational inefficiencies ,” says Ashraf Yehia , Managing Director , Eaton Middle East .
Outdated cooling and power distribution systems bring inefficiencies in energy consumption , which leads to higher TCO and a larger carbon footprint . You also see many fixed-capacity designs , so if something needs to change to accommodate business growth or scale-back , it becomes time-consuming and expensive . This problem extends to a lack of physical space for any additional servers and other equipment that may be required .
Then there is the age of the stack . Older hardware and infrastructure require more frequent maintenance and replacement , which strains budgets and disrupts operations . Most importantly , in the resiliencefirst age , there is a critical need for redundancy to guarantee high uptimes-many legacy datacentres are unable to offer this .
“ The main challenge datacentres present is how to keep up with the exponentially rising demand for increased power and speed while also minimizing the energy emissions that datacentres produce ,” says CommScope ’ s Kanary .
While cloud technology is a great way to manage data , many organisations are reluctant to migrate data to the
He says , “ Upfront capital costs are considerable . You build the facility , equip it , maintain it , and then recoup these costs over time . A tall order because you are trying to do this while absorbing operational costs for power , cooling , and staffing that can be a substantial cost . Assuming you solve the financial aspects , you then face the challenges of growth .”
How do you scale up datacentre capacity and resources to align with business progress without incurring more prohibitive costs or operational disruptions ?
“ On top of all that , you must keep pace with the latest hardware , software , and infrastructure innovations and maintain energy-efficient operations ,” indicates Viedge .
The best metric for datacentres is a measure of efficacy versus energy emissions . The reason to invest in datacentres , a hefty investment indeed , is the utility it provides . Whether a small to mid-sized multi-tenant data centre or a vast cloud or hyperscale deployment , the intense , simultaneous pressures of demand and expenses – particularly energy expenses – will determine its future .
“ The bottom line is that datacentres must increase the efficiency of their delivery of services , using fibre and edge-based infrastructure , as well as machine learning , and artificial intelligence . And at the same time , they must increase the efficiency of operations – and that means reducing energy use per unit of compute power ,” adds CommScope ’ s Kanary .
“ Enterprises face challenges in generating returns from data centre infrastructure , primarily due to the initial investment costs , ongoing operational expenses , and the need to stay competitive ,” says Eaton ’ s Yehia .
Ensuring efficient resource utilisation , minimising downtime , and optimising energy usage are critical . Innovations like Eaton ’ s xModular system contribute to solving these challenges by improving scalability , reliability , and cost-efficiency , ultimately enhancing the potential for a positive return on investment . p
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