DEEP DIVE

ABOUT LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE .

In this edition of our Deep Dive series , Mark Pestridge , Senior Director Customer Experience at Telehouse Europe , talks about starting out in the industry , his style of management and the current hot talking points within the data centre space .

What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry ?

For me , one of the biggest achievements is playing a part in the continuous progression of the data centre sector , both in terms of industry itself and growth in my own career .

In the few years since I have been at Telehouse , we have already seen significant expansion across Europe , with the launch of our newest London data centre , Telehouse South , planned for early next year . I have also recently taken a new role at Telehouse as a Senior Customer Experience Director after 30 years in sales and business development . This transition has been hugely challenging , but enriching . I am a true believer in the power of putting customers at the heart and driving business success with a customer-first mindset . From the discovery phase through the entire sales cycle and operational phase , customers value personalised and joinedup experiences .

What first made you think of a career in technology / data centres ?

When I left university , I joined a recruitment company that specialised in recruiting salespeople for the IT and technology sectors . It was then when I first became really interested in the solutions these companies offered and often envied the candidates I personally placed . I suppose it was a natural progression for me .

What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?

I aim to employ people who are better skilled than I am in their particular area of expertise . My goal is to create an environment where different personalities can flourish and where different motivators for individuals – whether intrinsic or extrinsic – can be realised .

What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space ?

I believe there are two . The first is sustainability which is only growing importance as data centres are pressed to become climate neutral , and the increased demand for power driven by the pandemic adds extra pressure .

Data centre providers have been evolving their facilities , switching to renewable energy sources and adopting greener practices to protect the environment . A lot of debate and emphasis is also placed on joint efforts , hence the industry coming together and pledging commitments to achieve carbon neutrality by signing up to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact or the Climate Ambition Alliance .

The second is how Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and automation are revolutionising the data centre industry . Over the next year or so , AI will play a bigger role in automating the real-time movement of IT workloads , which will have significant and positive implications on server efficiency , electricity costs and sustainability .

Data centre control systems with in-built AI capabilities can already turn off redundant modules and put them into hibernation or standby , saving energy as a result , but we look forward to achieving more progress and reliability when it comes to AI predicting the life cycle of equipment and server parts .

In the future , AI will be irreplaceable in the fight against cyberattacks as it continues to learn the usual patterns of data

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