Data Center Operations Evolve in ‘Next Cycle’ of Industry Maturity

“The data center industry is on the cusp of the next cycle in its maturation as a business sector,” says BCS. What’s pushing the shift? A new report says the wave is being caused by infusion of capital, a push towards outsourcing, higher density and peaking utilization rates, the disruptive nature of hyperscale companies and further advancement of edge computing, to name a few of the dynamics that are shaping our industry. And these trends are bringing changes to data center operations, as well.

This and more are outlined in the new white paper from BCS that highlights how people, processes and technology are redefining data center operations.

Big data is booming as the pandemic has pushed edge computing into the spotlight, and bandwidth is pushed to the limit with a large portion of the workforce working remotely.

But while business is trending favorably for the data center sector, data center owners are questioning how these changes influence how they can, or more importantly, how they should operate their critical facilities, BCS pointed out.

One of the biggest questions for data center operations today: What is the primary motivation and mission of my critical facility management provider?

The report explores five questions data center owners should be asking operators to ensure that service provider goals are consistent with their own in this new report:

1. Is the service provider 100% focused on operating data centers?
2. Is there a single point of accountability?
3. How do they deliver excellence?
4. Is the service provider willing and able to show its work?
5. How does the service provider impact my bottom line?

In an industry where 100% uptime is the expectation,  what can owners do to proactively de-risk their data center operations and protect their company?

The report also highlights strategic solutions that will safeguard next-generation mission-critical infrastructure. In a COVID-19 world, companies are constantly trying to rethink their business models and searching for the new normal, which likely will be much different from anything we have seen or experienced. 

So what is a data center manager to do? BCS recommends three strategies that create a framework for critical facility operations in uncertain times:

1. Monitor infrastructure using real-time, eyes-on-glass capability
2. Measure for success
3. Manage based on predictive methodologies

Download the full report, “How People, Processes and Technology are Redefining Data Center Operations,” courtesy of BCS, to further explore how data center operations are shifting to suit modern needs.