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What The 2013 Data Center Census Means For The Industry

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The 2013 data center census works to give a glimpse into the future of the data center industry. Although the census is not able to completely predict the future, it can give some telling indications about where the future of data storage is headed. The census works to identify the answers to questions about where data centers will be spending their money, what new technology will be developed, how the cloud will affect the need for data centers, and many other important questions for any individual working within the data center industry. Although it is impossible to predict exactly what will happen and foresee any disasters that may also affect the industry, the census gives some insight into how data centers will change in the 2013 year.

 

The Implications Of The Cloud

The cloud has become a popular way for companies to store important information directly to the web, rather than being forced to hire a data center to handle the storage of all important information. Concerns within the industry were that this new technology would make data centers obsolete and old fashioned, and that companies would turn to the cloud as the more effective way of handling information. As the data center industry worked to evolve with this new technology, many in previous years felt that a significant amount of their time and money would be spent developing new technologies that conform to the idea of the cloud. In reality, very few data centers actually invested money in this idea in 2012, choosing instead to focus assets on everyday items like cooling, cabling, and power supplies.

According to the data center census, 2013 may just change all that. From the information within the census, it can be assumed that architecture for cloud infrastructure will be a main focus of data centers throughout the world. It’s predicted that some countries will see close to a 138% increase in uptake in regards to cloud architecture. Those countries that have a lower percentage of uptake are also those with a higher uptake over the previous years, leading one to believe that they have already implemented new technology. No matter what country is being examined, it’s clear that the cloud and the changes necessary because of it will be an important part of every data center’s future plan.

 

Data Center Infrastructure Management

DCIM is a fairly new idea that that works to merge the fields of network management and physical management within the data center. This works to create new systems that make the center more energy efficient.

DCIM has been considered the solution to the problem of energy efficiency within the data center. Implementing new data center infrastructure management should ideally make each data center more efficient and more cost effective. In the previous year DCIM did not perform as well as expected, but it appears that 2013 may change all of that. Countries such as Latin America and Russia predicted a high uptake in DCIM throughout the 2013 year, although many who had the lowest uptake in 2012 also expected a higher uptake in 2013.

The most important pieces of information to take from the census are that the cloud will be an important aspect of every data center going forward, that data centers will spend a large amount of money working to make the centers cloud-friendly, and that DCIM will be implemented at a higher rate than before in order to make data centers more energy efficient.

The focus on energy efficiency and developing ways to make data centers more efficient may have come from the fact that the 2012 census brought staggering numbers of the total energy consumption by data centers used throughout the world. Creating data centers that are more energy efficient helps to save money and is easier on the environment, while creating outputs that are measurable and can be examined in every aspect of the center’s energy usage.

 

Census Details

The census looks at information given from over 10,000 participants all over the world regarding important and relevant topics within the industry. The census also focuses on the charity efforts and philanthropic efforts made by the industry, by giving five dollars to the Engineers Without Borders organization for each survey that is completed. The previous year’s census helped organizers to amass a fund of $40,000, which was then donated to UNICEF to help children throughout the world.

 

Practical Applications For The Census

 For any individual working in the data center industry, there are practical applications that can be made from the information gleaned by the census. With this high number of participants, it can be assumed that the information is fairly accurate in depicting what the next year will be like for the industry.

Data center professionals can recognize from the census that the competition is focused on new technology, and on creating an infrastructure that is compatible with the cloud and allows for customers to utilize this valuable new tool. Data centers that are hoping to stay relevant within the industry will be rewarded by moving assets toward the development of a new infrastructure that includes the cloud.

Data center professionals can also assume that energy efficiency will be a big topic this year in the industry. When a center is run more efficiently, and costs are lowered, the savings can either be passed onto the customer, or used to improve the service that the customer receives. Data center management must realize that the competition is focused on lowering energy costs both as a way to improve the way consumers look at the center, and to allow them to put money into more valuable developments and tools. Ignoring the need for a data center that consumes less energy can make a center seem outdated and inefficient to the average consumer.

 

The Forecast For The Future

 Each year, individuals within the data center industry can focus their efforts on important updates and changes that make the center more functional and more successful. In order to determine where money should be spent in order to accomplish these goals, it’s important to pay close attention to the census information that is released each year. This can give each data center important clues as to where the industry is headed, and how quickly they need to get there.

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