Upcoming Issues and Responses in Data Center Management: An Overview of 18 Obstacles
Most everyday users have limited knowledge about data centers' role in the global tech system. Essentially, without data centers handling and managing a vast and constantly expanding amount of data, our reliance on digital services like websites, apps, AI, and e-commerce wouldn't be possible.
As our dependency on instant data for work, commerce, research, entertainment, and more grows, so does the complexity of maintaining sustainable and reliable data centers. The exponential rise in AI usage is exacerbating these challenges, but developers are presenting innovative solutions, including AI-powered ones. Experts from our Website Technology Council discuss both the challenges and innovations that lie ahead for data center management.
1. The Emergence of Specialized Cloud Providers
Launching new data centers is becoming increasingly difficult due to power and grid constraints. Not all enterprises can afford to expand or construct new data centers, so specialized GPU and AI cloud providers have emerged to meet the gap using renewable energy and advanced cooling technologies to cut costs while providing faster, improved networking. This will provide them a temporary advantage over hyperscalers. - Liran Zvibel, WEKA
2. The Surge in Power Consumption
One developing data center trend is sustainability. Research predicts that the demand for data center electricity will increase between 160% and 200% by 2030, in part due to the increase in AI and cryptocurrency mining. Strategies to reduce this increase in power consumption include developing more energy-efficient hardware, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and optimizing current cooling systems. - Michael Dennis, CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society
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3. The Use of Renewable Energy Sources
The growing demand for AI is affecting data center requirements. The usage of renewable energy (like solar, wind, and tidal) and liquid cooling is crucial for ensuring a balance between growth and achieving sustainable and green IT charters for the future. - Mike Kiersey, Workato
4. AI Server Racks' Power Limit Testing
In five years, the industry will be deploying AI server racks with densities over 200 kw per rack. These densities can be cooled using current liquid cooling technologies, but providing this much power to the rack exceeds the physical constraints of today’s copper busbar and wires. Voltages will need to rise to 1000 or 1500 V (likely DC). - Steven Carlini, Schneider Electric
5. The Need to Optimize Software and Hardware
The power demands of data centers will continue to grow exponentially over the next five years. This is a major concern for both the environment and data center builders and operators. Data centers exist to execute software (including distributed ledger technology and AI). It will become increasingly important to comprehend and optimize the performance of both software and hardware to fulfill power and sustainability requirements. - Christopher Dean, Digital Tactics Ltd.
6. Labor Shortages
An impending trend is addressing workforce shortages, specifically in vital roles for physical data center operations such as HVAC and infrastructure engineering. As the current workforce matures and fewer individuals enter these fields, the industry faces a talent deficit that needs to be addressed to preserve growth over the next five years. - Ryan Mallory, Flexential
7. The Integration of Quantum Computers
Functional, fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of performing computations beyond the capabilities of the most powerful supercomputers will become a reality within the next five years. Their integration into high-performance computing data centers will be an increasing trend over the next few years. Early applications will involve chemistry simulation, materials research, and new AI algorithms. - Paul Lipman, Infleqtion
8. An increase in Edge Computing
New applications and data volumes are placing significant demands on data centers. The growth of edge computing will play a crucial role in alleviating these issues. Bringing data and processing power closer to the source enhances both performance (latency) and efficiency (capacity and power demands). There's no one-size-fits-all solution, but edge computing will be a trend to follow. - Scott Williams, Orange Business
9. Bioengineered Cooling Solutions
Bioengineered cooling solutions will emerge as a revolutionary trend. Data centers will utilize genetically modified microorganisms to manage heat dissipation and even convert waste heat into usable energy. This fusion of biotechnology and computing infrastructure could redefine what we consider "green" data centers. - Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC
10. More Secure Chip Design
Cyberattacks remain a significant hurdle for the near future, driving demand for advanced chip-level security. Hyperscalers are progressing projects like OpenTitan to create safe, trustworthy chip designs. This ensures both hardware and software integrity, enabling secure boot processes with verified firmware and defending against low-level malware, significantly boosting data center resilience. - Dipesh Ranjan, Cyble, Inc.
11. Real-Time Energy Monitoring and Management
With energy needs projected to grow annually, the industry must guarantee sufficient energy availability to sustain growth. As power requirements surge, the risk of shortages could hinder AI-driven advancements. This will spur the rise of technology that enhances real-time energy monitoring and demand management, helping data centers operate within grid constraints while preserving capacity for innovation. - Jennifer Nuckles, R-Zero
12. An emphasis on Error-Correction and Software-Hardware Co-Design
The need for error-correction and software-hardware co-design will be crucial in the near future. With the rising complexity of data centers, it's essential to ensure the reliable operation of both hardware and software, ensuring error-free performance and maximizing efficiency. This will be a key focus in the next five years, ensuring the continued evolution and growth of data centers.
Faster data transfer speeds and higher power densities in chip environments can lead to increased errors, impacting system reliability and results accuracy. To combat this, hardware components need enhanced error-correction features and improved collaboration between software and hardware design for more robust systems. This can be achieved through techniques like fail-over solutions, which allow systems to continue functioning even in the event of component failure. - Anonymous Source, Unnamed Company
13. AI For Energy Efficiency Advancements
There's a growing discussion about AI contributing to energy overconsumption. However, it's crucial to consider that AI could also revolutionize energy efficiency in data centers, drastically reducing energy consumption and improving overall energy efficiency. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
14. Local Power Generation
Instead of relying solely on centralized grid energy, data centers are turning towards decentralized power solutions, including microgrids, to address time-to-power concerns and manage the fluctuating energy demands of AI data centers. By generating power locally, these systems decrease dependence on external energy sources, improve resilience, forecast costs, and minimize environmental impact. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
15. Intelligent Security Measures
As data centers become increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, a significant trend will be the integration of intelligent security measures into data center infrastructure. This multi-layered security approach protects against dynamic threats, ranging from physical on-site security to real-time monitoring, detection, and recovery, ensuring business continuity and enhanced security. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
16. Cloud Migration
Data centers are experiencing a shift towards virtualization and moving operations to the cloud as much as possible. This change lowers risk and management expenses while shifting critical security responsibilities to third-party experts, allowing organizations to prioritize innovation over infrastructure maintenance. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
17. Flash Storage for Data Protection
Businesses are transitioning from traditional data protection methods to flash storage for backup and rapid recovery, as ransomware attacks become more prevalent. This strategy seeks to mitigate their impact by restoring operations quickly, reducing downtime, and boosting cyber resilience, making flash storage a crucial component of future-ready data protection strategies. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
18. Emergence of Zero-Trust Architecture
An up-and-coming trend in data centers is the rise of zero-trust architecture paired with more adaptive, AI-driven security protocols. In an era of ever-evolving cyberthreats, these technologies safeguard every bit of data, from core to edge, making security the foundational element of data center innovation. - Unnamed Source, Unnamed Company
The Forbes Technology Council regularly discusses the importance of sustainable and reliable data centers in the face of increasing AI usage and power consumption. Companies like specialized GPU and AI cloud providers are emerging to meet the demand for data center services, utilizing renewable energy and advanced cooling technologies to cut costs and provide faster, improved networking.
These cloud providers are particularly helpful for enterprises that struggle with the power and grid constraints of launching new data centers. By leveraging the advantages of renewable energy and efficient cooling technologies, these cloud providers can temporarily outgrow traditional hyperscale providers in terms of providing reliable and sustainable data center services.
