So many facets of daily life in 2024 (and beyond) will be touched by technology. From ordering food to the production of nearly any item you touch there are myriads of health, logistics, research, and academic applications changing our lives, and this was before mainstream adoption of AI. The continued growth of AI for business and consumer applications will remain a significant driver of tech advancement for years to come. Ultimately, this is why the IT infrastructure backbone which resides in data centers and edge data storage and interconnections worldwide is so critical. It is the foundation of what makes the digital world and so many of our advancements possible. Connectivity and performance demands have truly never been higher than they are today, and they will only continue to grow. This compounds the challenges of high-density data deployments, the call for more sustainable environments, and the never ending requirement for data center operators and site managers to provide reliability and uptime which remain intrinsic core pillars to the data center industry.
#1: Data Center Uptime Becomes More Important Than Ever, Shifting a Focus to Power
Without the data and connectivity that data centers provide, a significant number of societal functions would grind to a stop. Any data center operator could attest to the fact that data center downtime is bad. It’s also expensive. In fact, downtime in a data center can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. Because of this, identifying and managing the risks for downtime is critical.
The leading cause of data center downtime is power-related issues. In fact, these account for 43 percent of data center outages (according to the Uptime Institute). Because of this power is a good place to center uptime and efficiency improvement efforts. Power usage efficiency (or PUE) is one of the most common data center metrics, but when was the last time you discussed “power quality”? Surging power demands, increasing energy costs and heightened efficiency initiatives all indicate a need for more innovative and effective ways to monitor power quality. As a result, the need for a new generation of reliable, intelligent rack power distribution, monitoring and control solutions has never been greater.
Electrical reliability and power quality are critical components for cracking the uptime performance code. Not sure why? Power quality is the measure of steadiness and usability of electric current. Good power quality is indicated by consistent voltage, steady AC frequency and a smooth waveform. Simply, good power quality is more efficient and better for IT infrastructure.
#2: High-Density Infrastructure Will Continue to Grow in Demand
With data demands driven by both hyperscale needs and day-to-day usage from businesses and consumers alike, data centers must incorporate as much power and capacity per rack and per square foot as possible. High-density computing support will be a reality for most modern data centers. With increased density, comes increased challenges when it comes to power distribution and heat management.
In data centers, power is necessary to run servers, cooling systems, storage systems, networking equipment, back-up resources, security, and so much more. High-density deployments require more power and connectivity than ever before, and data centers need to incorporate equipment strategies to manage those loads. This includes intelligent power distribution units and intelligent power distribution solutions like track busway systems, all of which provide the monitoring beneficial for high-density deployments.
#3: Power Quality Becomes the Star of Efficient and Effective Data Infrastructure
As previously mentioned, power-related issues account for 43% of data center outages. These issues can have a number of causes, and they directly impact the bottom line when it comes to uptime, equipment lifespan and sustainability initiatives.
The most common power quality problems include:
- Voltage sags or dips: These short-term reductions in voltage levels can cause IT equipment to shut down or reboot, leading to data loss or system crashes.
- Harmonic distortion: This is electrical noise that can cause overheating of IT equipment, leading to damage and premature failure. Harmonic distortion can also cause interference with data transmission, leading to errors and diminished network performance.
- Transients: These sudden, brief voltage spikes can damage IT equipment or cause it to malfunction.
- Power outages: Complete losses of power can cause data loss or corruption, as well as equipment damage.
- Frequency variations: These changes in the frequency of the AC power supply can cause IT equipment to malfunction or shut down.
- Voltage swells: These short-term increases in voltage levels can cause IT equipment to malfunction or fail.
Monitoring and managing power usage for ideal power quality in data deployments not only improves uptime, but also aids in driving down PUE and achieving sustainability initiatives. The world’s digital future is bright, but behind all the buzz around AI, Big Data and Machine Learning lies one simple truth - the data centers that will enable this future rely on quality power and adaptable, flexible high-density deployment solutions. As we look through 2024 and beyond, the data center industry will need to invest wisely in solutions that can help them monitor power quality in real time, while supporting high-density deployments, greater efficiency and greater sustainability.
