As technology continues to advance, the modern data center will have to keep up. According to Green Computing norms, a data center that is older than seven years is considered out of date. But data centers usually have a life span of up to nine years. So, as companies continue to update their electronics racks and approaches to data centers in general, what will the future look like?
To start, data rack customization will become the norm. Organizations will order specific types of IT racks based on their specific company needs. The industry will also likely see a rise in branded racks, available in different colors. A custom approach will be especially useful for companies operating under unique circumstances. For example, those in earthquake risk zones may opt for high quality custom seismic racks.
Data centers may also become more environmentally-friendly. These high-energy operations have been criticized for using an excess of electricity and water. According to Data Center Knowledge, water usage efficiency (WUE) will become an important metric going forward. Some emerging methods may include using outdoor air for cooling or even adopting vapor-based cooling solutions.
As data networks increase connection, there will also need to be an increased emphasis on security. By strengthening firewalls and spotting cyber breaches before they happen, organizations can protect their data more effectively. Breach detection systems will need to become more advanced as hacking methods improve as well.
With the growth of data centers, the industry may see the rise of edge computing. This basically means that instead of centralizing data in one data center, organizations will spread their data over a series of data centers. This will bring data closer to web users and decrease the risk of centralized security threats. This will also put more emphasis on data rack manufacturers since companies will need more racks than ever before.
The future of data centers and cloud computing is full of promise. As industry trends and best practices shift, companies will do the same. Whether purchasing new types of IT racks or changing the way they use the ones they already own, all adaptions will lead toward a better future for data storage.