Trends that will Impact the Data Center Industry Within Next 5 Years

Climate change is among the trends projected to impact the data center industry within the next 5 years, according to forecasts by researchers. And the growing acceptance of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices will continue to shape the future of data centers.

Research firm Gartner predicted that 90 percent of large data centers will respond to widespread environmental and socioeconomic trends by revising their strategies.

Based on research by Gartner and other industry experts, the following are changes that will force IT professionals to adapt through innovation:

Demand for increased security. While cyber security has been at the forefront of discussions in the IT industry, the need for heightened security for physical and network infrastructures will also become a growing concern. When outsourcing to a colocation data center, it’s important to ensure that it has advanced physical security systems, including cameras and security personnel.

Compliance. As consumers become more dependent upon IoT devices, the demand for 24/7 uptime will become an expectation. That means no excuses related to downtime. Therefore, certification from the Uptime Institute will become an expectation for colocation data centers. When outsourcing, ask about the facility’s Uptime Institute certification.

Digitalization. According to the 2016 Gartner CIO Agenda Survey, the average CIO is anticipating that revenue from digital platforms will jump from 16 percent to 37 percent during the next five years. As a result, there will be a demand for numerous data center options — ranging from colocation to on-premise, edge computing and cloud computing.

Climate change. Recent concerns about climate change will drive changes in the data center industry, which will face increasing demands to reduce its impact on natural resources. As a result, innovations to reduce energy usage will be at the forefront of the industry.

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Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.