Cloud computing ushers in a new age
In 1996, at an industrial park in Houston, Compaq Computer executives were brainstorming about the future uses of the internet. Coined as “cloud computing,” the term represents a monumental shift towards significantly more memory, processing power, and applications that can be hosted in remote data centers, also known as the cloud. The data stream today seems endless, and access to this information is growing exponentially as more sectors of the economy use it. According to Statista, the number of Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices is projected to exceed 38 billion globally by 2025. These devices, which include sensors, are now widely used in growth industries such as consumer appliances, energy management, medical monitoring, and manufacturing, and are no longer tied to physical servers located on-premises.
Explosive growth in data center capacity
Cloud service infrastructure requires centralization or distribution for the growing demand and the information that it generates. Maintaining this trajectory, requires more green data center growth, because more than 373MW of new data center capacity is under construction. CBRE forecasts that total data center inventory will grow by 13.8 percent in 2021 and 2% CAGR between 2019 -2025.[3]
Manufacturers must design for data center sustainability
Data centers have three main functions: providing network infrastructure, storage infrastructure, and computing resources for business processes. Due to the critical nature of these processes, standards for data center compliance divide into four tiers based on design redundancy and fault tolerance. The ANSI/TIA-942 standard, produced by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), outlines requirements for the telecommunications infrastructure of data centers and computer rooms, including infrastructure, site location, architectural, electrical, mechanical, safety, and security. Almost 86% of the capacity consists of tier II and tier III designs, so manufacturers must create green data center designs that are scalable for the future, protect against physical events, provide redundant-capacity components, and avoid disruptions in services to end users.
Avail’s custom-engineered, green data center design
In a series of articles, we will investigate numerous challenges encountered by data center designers, installers, and operators. For each challenge, we will present engineered solution alternatives. Our topics will include scalable data center design, air flow and filtration solutions, as well as accurate PUE calculations for different environments, and achieving returns on capital investments. We hope you will engage in the conversation with us.
Avail Enclosure Systems is one of the largest and most experienced specialty enclosure manufacturers in North America. From the harshest environments to the most unique applications, Avail is ready to serve your specific needs. Our quality and custom-engineered enclosure systems keep equipment at peak performance and extend operating life. Experience the power of custom-engineering with our flexible, efficient, and sustainable data centers.
To learn more about Avail’s green data center design, as well as our other offerings, visit Avail Enclosure Systems or follow us on LinkedIn.
[1]MIT Technology Review. Who Coined ‘Cloud Computing’? Antonio Regalado, October 2011.
[2] Forecast number of IoT connected objects worldwide from 2018 to 2025, by type.
[3] CBRE. Research and Insight. Reports-Market Outlook 2021.
[4] Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). THE ANSI/TIA-942 STANDARD.
