The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the global business landscape. Scalability and growth have become key factors in the modern business landscape. Amid increasing competition, data centers have become an integral part of an enterprise's business plan. That said, companies must be careful when choosing data center partners. Data is a 21st century business, so the security and well-being of the business is directly dependent on the chosen service provider or hosting partner.
It is extremely important for us to be aware of all the latest technologies affecting the modern data center. It helps us evaluate data centers before selecting them for our business. We've compiled a list of technology trends that will shape the future of data centers. This list will help us understand how these technologies will affect the data center.
The pandemic has further accelerated the growth of the global data center market. The market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2021 and 2026. Its global value is expected to reach $251 billion by 2026.
Technology trends for data center transformation in 2023
The demand for data in modern enterprises is growing day by day. These demands are translating into a growing demand for data centers around the world. In the interim, we must focus on the innovation happening in and around the data center. Here are the top 10 technology trends that will determine data center design, management, and functionality in 2023 and beyond:
1. Server virtualization
To ease the infrastructure burden, many managed service providers and data centers are migrating to software-defined data centers. In the data center model, virtualization recreates computing power and storage in the form of software.
Server virtualization allows data centers and service providers to accommodate multiple users on a single server by splitting servers, rather than the traditional, inefficient way of distributing one server per user. Virtualization also promotes scalability because the workload is spread across multiple servers.
This model effectively acts as a cloud model where service providers can allocate data storage and processing power as needed. Virtualization also optimizes efficiency by ensuring that resources are fully utilized.
2. Edge calculation
As the number of connected devices increases, centralized data processing becomes inefficient and economically unfeasible. Edge computing is a data center architecture that leverages the processing power of network edge devices to resolve operations and requests.
Edge data centers reduce latency and improve the overall performance of all connected iot devices. Users can also reduce service outages.
Edge computing is one of the most prominent technological developments in data centers. While 2023 May not be the year of the big tech explosion, it will undoubtedly be the year of a more important strategic foothold. Big companies like Amazon are moving toward deployment and have the resources they need to influence edge computing and how it evolves.
3. Mixed clouds
To take full advantage of both public and private clouds, more and more enterprises are turning to hybrid cloud deployments. Private clouds provide excellent control and security, while public clouds provide extensive computing power. With a hybrid cloud architecture, service providers can store and manage critical data and resources on secure private servers and move them to public servers to meet different processing requirements.
Data analysis is becoming an integral part of the enterprise. In this context, an architecture that provides easy and secure access to cloud-based services is critical to a successful business.
4. Artificial Intelligence
No other technology affects the efficiency of data centers the way AI does. Sophisticated artificial intelligence programs can optimize data center performance. Through predictive analytics, AI can identify areas of concern and relate them to different processes and energy use.
Google was able to reduce the cost of cooling its data centres by 40 per cent simply by using AI programs to control the cooling infrastructure. Ai provides facility managers with a clear picture of the health of all data center components. That way, they can repair or replace parts that need attention.
Step 5 Automate
Unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the adoption of automated processes and remote management. Troubleshooting network and infrastructure inefficiencies has been automated.
As companies aim for greater productivity and efficiency with minimal human resources, data center automation will play a crucial role in the future. In addition, automation gives workers more time to focus on other critical tasks.
6. Intelligent monitoring
Smart monitoring is another trend that will only grow in the future. Enterprises have begun to use intelligent, automated and real-time monitoring methods to help them access data using simple mobile applications, and real-time information can help us effectively anticipate needs and problem areas.
7. Ultra-large data centers
The scalability of data centers is growing exponentially as the amount of data to be processed increases. Such data centers that can scale quickly to meet growing demand are known as hyperscale data centers. In super-scale data centers, companies can replace individual components rather than the traditional method of having to replace entire servers. This not only reduces costs, but also reduces downtime.
In addition, enterprises can add components modularistically to quickly scale up the operations of very large data centers. It provides the user with great flexibility. As a result, hyperscale data centers will have a huge impact on every aspect of the data center in the coming years.
8.5G network
The fifth generation of mobile communications networks, commonly known as 5G, is now finally a reality. The arrival of 5G, which will facilitate faster data speeds and fast access, will further strengthen the case for edge computing.
While network components, software and hardware will have to be upgraded to make data centres compatible with 5G networks, the costs will be more than compensated for by the benefits.
9. Chip level security
The widespread use of the Internet has also led to an increase in security issues such as cyber attacks. These growing concerns have companies looking for innovative solutions to protect their data centers. Chip level security will ensure that both hardware and software are in the expected, unbreakable state. The system ensures that the base components start safely with a verifiable authorization code.
Therefore, chip-level security will ensure that the server is booted with accurate firmware and prevents low-level malware. This makes it one of the top data center trends to watch.
10. Green data center
Data centers with the greatest energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact are called green data centers. Data center investors and stakeholders are equally committed to bringing sustainable solutions that are consistent with climate resilience. They are becoming an important part of the green energy revolution.
This will set a new trend, and we can expect more and more data centers to start investing in renewable resources and ways to reduce emissions and power consumption.
New trends in data centers
Over time, we can see that there have been significant improvements in many technology subareas in recent years. Here are some of the latest fascinating developments in the data center space:
1. Super scalability of data centers
On-demand IT resources and distributed systems have large numbers of fast-working servers that can scale horizontally and vertically to improve data storage and transmission.
2. Small data centers
Small data computing is associated with edge computing and is associated with applications that require minimal latency. A small data infrastructure makes it easier to quickly examine most data.
3. Data centers for sustainable development
Almost every big company in the market has chosen to "go green" and drastically reduce its carbon footprint. Businesses and data center providers consider energy efficiency, water use and waste production. Microsoft, for example, is trying to use 100 percent renewable energy to power its data center operations.
4. Remote management of data centers
Data centers operate all day. One of the major advancements planned for 2023 is the remote management of data centers, giving customers greater control over operational parameters and insights.
5. Data center automation
2023 will see more data center automation and artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence and automation in data centers are already a reality. As data consumption increases, data centers grow faster than human staff can manage.
conclusion
Data centers are critical to today's business scenarios. While their demand has been on the rise, the situation created by the pandemic has pushed it even higher.
Similar to other areas in and around IT, data center technology is changing rapidly to enable highly optimized and efficient systems. Therefore, as a business owner, it is very important to stay up to date on these technological changes and trends. After all, they will shape the future of the data center.
