INFOGRAPHIC

ptime Institute has announced the release of its 13th

Annual Global Data Center survey . The findings show data centre operators facing stricter regulations and more pressure to reduce energy , along with persistent staffing and supply chain issues . The report shows new technologies potentially presenting a promising way forward , but these often are found lacking in standardisation and scalability . While for many organisations , investments in efficiency and resiliency are beginning to pay off , progress has been gradual .

“ Our data shows operators grappling with several issues ,” said Andy Lawrence , Executive Director , Uptime Intelligence . “ In 2023 , the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have receded but other challenges have emerged . Digital infrastructure managers are now most concerned with improving energy performance and dealing with staffing shortfalls , while government regulations aimed at improving data centre sustainability and visibility are beginning to require attention , investment and action .”

Uptime ’ s Annual Global Data Center survey is the largest , most comprehensive and longest-running study in the digital

infrastructure sector . It provides detailed insights into the digital infrastructure landscape and a view into its future trajectory . Key findings from the 2023 report include :

• Average global Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ) levels have remained flat for four years . Additional improvements in PUE levels will require significant investment .

• As more organisations opt for a hybrid approach to IT , the share of enterprise workloads that are run in corporate , onpremises facilities has fallen to below half for the first time and is expected to shrink further .

• Enterprise operators say data security is the biggest impediment to moving mission-critical workloads to the public cloud . Resiliency and transparency are lesser concerns .

• Server rack densities are climbing steadily , but slowly . Average rack densities are below 6kW per rack ; most operators do not have any racks beyond 20kW . This suggests the widespread use of direct liquid cooling is not imminent .

• Many operators only collect a limited amount of sustainability-related data and will struggle to meet emerging sustainability reporting requirements , or in turn , the requirements of some customers and the public .

Outages :

• More than half ( 55 %) of operators reported they have had an outage at their site in the past three years , the lowest number yet recorded . This continues a trend of steady improvement .

• Power outages continue to be cited as the single biggest cause of outages .

Staffing :

• Uptime Intelligence data shows that approximately 8 % of the data centre workforce are women . In the US ( if not all countries ), this rate is below that of other male-dominated industries , such as mining and construction .

• Nearly two-thirds of operators have problems recruiting or retaining staff – however , this figure is not currently growing . The largest skill gaps are in operations , mechanical and electrical roles . �

www . intelligentdatacentres . com

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