Part of Data Center Frontier’s mission is education. In our Voices of the Industry feature, we share the experience of data center executives on the front lines of innovation. As 2023 draws to a close, who better to turn to for advice on how to handle the changing business landscape than such data center industry leaders?
So if you'd like to learn more about rapidly rising data center demand levels in North America and EMEA, the latest definition of "the edge," and the latest data center sustainability, AI development, and thermal management technologies and initiatives, then here's the top 10 most popular Voices of the Industry columns on Data Center Frontier for 2023, as ranked by page views.
1. The Beginning of the End for FLAP? (Iron Mountain)
Last year was unbelievable in terms of data center demand levels across EMEA. Looking at the Q4 CBRE report for 2022, take-up in the FLAPD markets (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin) was 384 MW. That feels about right, and reflects the sort of year that was had at Iron Mountain Data Centers, writes Eric Boonstra, Vice President & General Manager Europe for Iron Mountain Data Centers, in this piece discussing shifts in data center design and market geography.
2. Growing Demand Heightens Focus on Secondary Data Center Markets (Flexential)
While the availability of land, space and power are the primary drivers drawing large enterprises and hyperscalers to Tier 2 regions, these locations hold additional appeal as well. Bill Cory, Regional Vice President for Flexential, here explains how a series of trends are increasing demand for data center space and power, creating opportunities outside of primary U.S. data center markets.
3. How to Improve Data Center Sustainability and Lower Carbon Emissions (Service Express)
Companies worldwide are seeking new ways to offset the negative impacts of waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Recently, Google, Amazon and Microsoft revealed future investments and strategies to lower carbon emissions. Although nothing is perfect, it’s a promising sign to see enterprise organizations take steps to protect finite resources and put sustainability at the center of their initiatives. In this article, Jake Blough, CTO, Service Express and Lars Juhl Frandsen, CEO, Nordic Computer highlight the most impactful strategies to address data center sustainability and carbon emissions.
4. What We (Don’t) Know About Data Center Sustainability (Stream Data Centers)
This article from Stream Data Centers’ Stuart Lawrence explains how what we know about the environmental impact of the data center has evolved. From the pre-PUE days, where it was typical for mechanical loads to equal IT loads, to the tradeoffs between energy and water, to the more recent focus on science-based targets and Scope 3 emissions, Stream's Lawrence contends that we have learned a lot - and will continue to.
5. The Network Effect of Global Data Centers (EdgeConneX)
Today, the network effect can be seen in the data center industry as its markets expand around the world. Phillip Marangella, Chief Marketing and Product Officer for EdgeConneX, here explains how the value of a global data center platform is not measured simply in gigawatts or square meters. In fact, is probably best measured against the industries, enterprises, and service providers who rely on it to provide power, capacity, proximity, and connectivity, and by the benefits the platform provides to end users.
6. AI Reshaping Data Centers: Power, Bandwidth, and Infrastructure (The Siemon Company)
Taking a closer look at data centers, AI is already being utilized for the monitoring of data center assets, for proactively detecting faults and for improving energy efficiency through better management of Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). Gary Bernstein of Siemon here examines the latest developments in AI, and assesses what’s required from the physical IT network to cope with these new demands.
7. Facing the Challenges of Today’s Modern Data Center: Standing at the Edge (AFL)
Digital transformation refers to the process of digitizing a network’s infrastructure through technology, and COVID-19 has shown us that we can conduct most all parts of our lives digitally. AFL’s Manja Thessin, Enterprise Market Manager, and Seán Adam, Vice President of Market Strategy and Innovation, here explore how edge data centers are key to unleashing advanced use cases, resulting in new user experiences and new business opportunities in the ongoing digital transformation.
8. How the Typical Data Center Life Cycle Exacerbates Power Fragmentation (Cadence Design Systems)
The ability to manage fluctuating power densities has become a cornerstone of effective data center operations. While many understand that uneven power distribution impacts data center capacity and performance, power fragmentation’s impact on airflow and IT equipment temperatures is not as widely acknowledged when a data center moves away from the design stage, and into the operations stage. Dave King, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Cadence Design Systems, here explains why it's important to differentiate between data center lifecycles and traditional product lifecycles in terms of power fragmentation and capacity.
9. The Future of Data Centers: Embracing Innovation for Industry Growth (DCX.us)
The data center industry is experiencing a surge in demand as organizations increasingly depend on digital infrastructure to support their operations and the world economy. In the face of this growing demand, data centers must adapt and evolve to overcome the challenges of regional and national market constraints. In this article, Ryan King, Director of Business Development for DCX.us, explores innovative solutions to help data centers meet growing demand and overcome regional and national market challenges.
10. To Solve Data Centers’ Downtime and Efficiency Problems, Go to the Source (Raritan)
The pressure on data centers is mounting on multiple fronts. The cost of electricity continues to rise, along with the amount of power data centers need to support today’s increasingly digital world. In this article, Prabhakar Muthuswamy, Sr. Product Manager at Raritan, explains how next-generation intelligent rack PDUs can help data center operators meet the demands of the future.
