D A T A C E N T R E P R E D I C T I O N S
like filling manual labour gaps , advising on energy management , or automating capacity management . However , AI will not yet be considered the primary solution when it comes to addressing large , enterprise-changing challenges – such as running data centres – instead of human operators in light of current skills gaps . As a result , we ’ re likely to see investment in the areas of AI that come with more immediate small-scale gains . That doesn ’ t mean that the industries ’ innovators won ’ t be looking to pursue the benefits of AI on a larger scale .
Carbon emissions becoming a corporate issue
Technology growth is showing no signs of stopping and it ’ s driving data centre demand up further . For instance , the hyperscale market is expected to grow 20 % from 2021 to 2026 . That means facilities are bracing themselves to deliver more capacity and faster .
To meet these requirements , operators will need to invest in new technology . However , as they do so , they will need to balance the need for more technology with new ESG regulations coming into force next year . For example , the European Union ’ s Energy Efficiency Directive ( EED ) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ( CSRD ) will require larger enterprises to disclose their carbon usage from both a direct and indirect standpoint . This means if , for example , a server is bought , the carbon associated with its construction , transportation , maintenance , deconstruction and such , all need to be accounted for .
This is a massive change in the industry because companies can no longer shift the greenhouse emissions downstream . Commonly , companies devolved their responsibilities for ESG as the data was ‘ in the cloud ’. That can no longer happen . The pressure will be on corporate departments to shift their mindsets and invest in more thorough energy reporting techniques , so they can understand and report on their true carbon footprint . For instance , we ’ ll see data centres doing much deeper analysis of metrics to determine what the accurate Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ) and real efficiencies of their facilities are .
Plugging the skills gap
The data centre sector is grappling with a talent shortage . This is being driven by two connecting factors : there ’ s an increasing use of innovative technologies across data centres and there ’ s a lack of new talent entering the sector .
A large proportion of the data centre workforce is nearing retirement age . There are not enough young people being attracted to a career in the sector for the skills of the older demographic to be transferred to .
At the same time , more complex technologies are being used that require specific skills , which in turn impacts a data centre ’ s ability to deliver capacity and efficiency . In response to this issue , we ’ ll see facility operators looking to mitigate this challenge by using a combination of Digital Twins , AR and VR .
Dave King , Senior Product Marketing Manager , Cadence
A Digital Twin replicates the physical data centre environment in the virtual realm . This enables available staff to make risk-free changes to the model before implementing them in the real environment . For instance , a Digital Twin can be used to simulate how the data centre would respond to a new type of cooling technology . Meanwhile , VR headsets or AR-enabled glasses can show the real data centre environment overlayed with insightful digital information , linking the physical to the digital world .
Links between a real physical device and digital information , such as its 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 . These pioneering technologies will play a fundamental role in upskilling staff and enabling a smaller number of highly skilled operators to direct engineers on the floor , and in so doing , close the talent gap .
Fostering growth
From a skills , environmental and capacity perspective , the new year will see a continuation of challenges for the data centre industry . Investing in the right technologies will be vital to equipping facilities with the tools necessary to not only overcome these hurdles but also to thrive . Digital Twins will play the star role in this process in 2024 – they will nurture endless amounts of innovation that will support facilities in tackling both known and unknown future challenges and identifying untapped opportunities . �
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