NOT ONLY DOES IT NURTURE A TEST-BED ECOSYSTEM TO DEVELOP EMPLOYEES ’ KNOWLEDGE , BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR STAFF TO OVERSEE A COMPLEX ESTATE .
EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
t ’ s no secret that data centres are struggling
I to address rising talent shortages that are driven by a lack of skills and too few people entering the industry . In fact , according to the Uptime Institute , more than half ( 53 %) of operators are experiencing difficulties finding qualified talent , a 15 % increase from 2018 .
To prevent the talent crisis from following its upward trajectory , data centre managers need to foster an environment that opens the doors to more people and builds on the skills of the current talent . Digital Twins , Augmented Reality ( AR ) and Virtual Reality ( VR ) can play a pivotal role in achieving this .
Firstly , Digital Twins – which simulate physical data centres in the virtual realm – create a risk-free environment that enables staff to test out changes and learn their impacts before they implement them . For example , they can be used to replicate how a data centre would react to the introduction of a new cooling system . For a data centre that ’ s shortstaffed or struggling to access specific skills , this is revolutionary . Not only does it nurture a test-bed ecosystem to develop employees ’ knowledge , but it also makes it much easier for staff to oversee a complex estate .
Digital Twins could also be used in education , to remotely show prospective talent the type of tasks that could form part of their role . Ultimately , this would demonstrate how fulfilling a career in the sector can be and increase the industry ’ s overall appeal .
Meanwhile , VR headsets or AR-enabled glasses could show a real data centre environment overlayed with insightful digital information , linking the physical to the digital world . Creating links between the real physical device and digital information , such as a user manual , live monitoring data , or even simulation results , could enable site staff with all the information required to make decisions at their fingertips in the real world . In addition , this can be used in a training environment to develop skills such as installations , decommissions or other maintenance tasks . Back in the real world , an employee could walk the data centre floor guided remotely by a manager who is upskilling them through
AR-enabled glasses .
Used independently or in conjunction , this technology will play a critical role in
NOT ONLY DOES IT NURTURE A TEST-BED ECOSYSTEM TO DEVELOP EMPLOYEES ’ KNOWLEDGE , BUT IT ALSO MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR STAFF TO OVERSEE A COMPLEX ESTATE .
allowing staff to navigate the difficulties that come with talent gaps in the short term . In the longer term , they ’ ll be one of the most effective tools in upskilling staff and attracting future talent to the data centre industry . �
MARK FENTON , SENIOR PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER , CADENCE
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