The Data Center Frontier Executive Roundtable features insights from industry executives with lengthy experience in the data center industry. Here’s a look at the insights from Michael DeVito of Iron Mountain.
MICHAEL DeVITO, Iron Mountain
Michael joined Iron Mountain Data Centers in October as the SVP, Global Sales & Marketing. Prior to joining Iron Mountain Data Centers, Mike was with Digital Realty, where he served as SVP of Sales and led teams in delivering significant new sales growth, including 17 straight quarters of sequential growth. Mike joined Digital Realty via the acquisition of Telx in 2015. Prior to joining Telx, Mike served as EVP of Global Solutions at NTT. Previously, he held various sales, marketing and operations leadership positions at BT Global Services, Equant and MCI. Mike lived in Amsterdam during his time at MCI and spent significant time in Asia while at NTT. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech. Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, studying history and practicing languages.
Here’s the full text of Michael DeVito’s insights from our Executive Roundtable:
Data Center Frontier: As digital transformation gains momentum, enterprises are managing more data in more places. How will the explosive growth of data (“data gravity”) impact the growth and geography of digital infrastructure in 2020?
Michael DeVito: Data is geographically agnostic. It doesn’t care where it’s produced or lives. The people using that data, however, are a different story. These days, we expect things quickly. We want our packages delivered in two hours, our movies streamed without interruption and our dinner delivered within minutes.
Growing right alongside that user demand for immediacy is the explosive growth of data. With IoT, more devices are broadcasting telemetry and other data, requiring more storage and more processing power. Both users and devices are creating expectations that data should be available anytime, anywhere.
Data growth is occurring over a broader geographic area – and it needs to be delivered quickly. Low latency is paramount. This has created more demand for geographically dispersed data centers, and the growth of edge deployment. Edge computing will continue to grow as this demand increases.
Data Center Frontier: There’s a lot of buzz about 5G wireless. What is the likely impact of the 5G rollout on the data center industry, and when will we see it begin to drive meaningful growth?
Michael DeVito: Many consumers are anticipating the arrival of 5G on their cell phones, eager to see how much faster their phones will be. The technology, with 100x higher speed than the 4G network, will reduce waiting time dramatically.
In reality, though, there are different flavors of 5G. These may have varying ranges and abilities from what you see in the commercials. It will take some time for device manufacturers to roll out devices for 5G, and for consumers to purchase them. It will be a few years until we see a heavy impact on the data center market. But that avalanche of demand will eventually come – some say by 2022 – and it will bring denser and faster streams of data. This will drive demand for more data center capacity.
With 5G wireless, moving data between locations will be even easier, making newer technologies like self-driving cars possible. Data centers with a focus on interconnection will be the primary beneficiaries in this 5G transition.
A map of Iron Mountain’s customer footprint in the company’s data center in Manassas, Virginia. (Photo: Rich Miller)
Data Center Frontier: Last year several studies indicated that rack density level is increasing. How might the growing use of artificial intelligence and edge computing impact rack density and the world of data center cooling?
Michael DeVito: At the high level, AI requires a lot of processing. It must go through many different data sets quickly and requires algorithms capable of processing that data.
Along with the demand for low latency and high processing comes greater compute capability. This will increase the power required at the rack level. Once you increase power at the rack level, you must be able to cool it.
As the need for greater cooling grows, data centers must ensure we are doing this efficiently. As we consume more and more cooling, we need to be cognizant of any waste and operate in the most sustainable manner possible. Finding sustainable sources of power are key.
Data Center Frontier: The data center industry is finally talking more about its diversity problem. How does this translate into real-world improvement in the representation of women in the industry? What are the concrete steps that can bring change?
Michael DeVito: Diversity in any environment is a good thing. For a long time, the data center industry hasn’t addressed diversity as well as it should have. Traditionally, our industry has been very male dominated. With a global skills shortage that continues to impact tech industries today, it’s more important than ever to bridge the talent gap and arm women with the skills to succeed in the data center industry.
It’s encouraging to see more women in leadership, and there are many efforts underway that are supportive of diversity. Groups like Infrastructure Masons are helping to support these types of programs. But we need to do more, investing in STEM education and programs that encourage young women to enter the technology industry.
These matters affect not only women, but the industry as a whole. If we can be successful in cultivating a talented, diverse workforce, we will benefit from a wider range of voices which will only make our industry stronger.