A lot has changed in the modern data center. We’re seeing a lot more focus on the data center infrastructure as a direct part of the business. In fact, that’s arguably what has created the data center 2.0 model; a direct alignment with business and IT processes. A recent North America Data Center Outlook report from Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) indicated that demand from the large public cloud providers which began in 2015, remained a persistent theme during the first two-quarters of 2016. A few other key points from the report include:

• The data center industry will double in size over the next five years due largely to an adoption of cloud services.
• Rapidly evolving data sovereignty laws will influence the demand for space and are a way to boost local economies, especially in Europe.
• The first wave of multi-tenant data centers will be dealing with 10-year lease expirations, adding more fuel to an already dynamic leasing environment.
• New subsea cables linking Northern Virginia with Africa, Europe, and Latin America will continue to boost demand in this interconnection focused market.
• Concerns regarding climate change continue to drive innovation, including data center microgrids actively under discussion for Manhattan, and already in service in Arizona and Colorado.

To this extent – it’s important to actually understand what is changing in the data center 2.0 world. With this in mind – let’s look at some new trends impacting the modern data center.

New Types of Data Center Deployment Methods

There is a lot of popularity around modular and prefabricated systems. Let me give an example – a recent report from Markets and Markets indicates that the modular data center market size is estimated to grow from $10.34 Billion in 2016 to $38.30 Billion by 2021. The report segments the market into functional module solutions, services, deployment size, industry verticals, and regions. The major growth drivers of the market include the surge in a requirement for portable and modular data centers across various industries, increased demand for energy efficient data centers, and focus on reducing data center commissioning time. With new types of data center deployment models come the very real need for direct visibility into all core components running within the environment. Modular, pre-fab, new construction, and even container-based data centers are all serving use-cases in today’s digital economy. There are now several types of data center models impacting the DC 2.0 theme. As you build out your data center strategy know that monitoring and management tools are not all built the same. Work with systems, partners, and tools which directly align with your data center model.

The New Data Center Operating System (Management Platform)

To create the data center 2.0 environment, organizations will have to rethink their existing management platforms. The data center operating system is the next progression within the data center management. In working to secure and optimize the modern data center, intelligent controls must be built into the management platform. Maybe it’s time to revisit your own data center management platform. Is there direct alignment? Do you have granular visibility into data center access, environmental variables, and even how workloads are impacted by changes in the environment? A good data center management platform, which aligns with the data center 2.0 thought process has a lot of benefits to offer. This includes:

• Lower cost for operating the entire data center.
• Improve performance via better visibility into core resources.
• Create just-in-time provisioning services and improved service models.
• Automate and implement intelligent controls for better management and delivery.
• Integrate logical and physical security measures by managing access to virtual and physical resources.

Data Center 2.0 Means Logical and Physical Technology Correlation

It’s no longer a data center built around individual processes. There must be a direct correlation between hardware, software, and services. This means utilizing a platform that has this type of visibility. What can an intelligent system which combines these data center functions really do? In creating such a platform, you are able to deliver the services that a data center 2.0 environment demands. All of this enables powerful alignment between logical and physical resources. This includes:

• Single pane of glass visibility
• Dynamic provisioning of resources
• Real-time PUE
• Advanced business intelligence
• Better understanding of resource utilization
• A healthier, more resilient data center.

Be Ready for The Evolution of The Data Center

There are going to be more systems and demands placed around the modern data center. As more users and data come online – the core of any organization will be the ever-evolving data center platform. The only way to stay competitive in a growing digital market is to create better visibility and controls around existing systems. This means unifying and automating certain processes, maintaining direct control over resources, and creating both logical and physical security systems. Data centers are evolving as the central component to every organization. By having control and visibility from the bottom-up – the data center 2.0 platform can continue to stay agile and evolve to the growing needs of the business.