Let’s start here – the technologies that comprise the modern data center are drastically different than they were just a few years ago. Massive amounts of consolidation, new types of workloads, new data center designs and a new type of user are all shaping how the data center looks and functions. Now, with concepts like the Internet of Things (IoT) and software-defined technologies – we’ll be seeing yet another evolution in data center platforms. The information-centric environment that we live in now can only be supported by healthy and proactive data center operations.

This means creating direct efficiencies to allow for better resource management and content delivery. With that in mind – how is the data center changing? What are some ways where the modern infrastructure can evolve to support these new types of demands? Let’s take a look at some predictions around future data center efficiency controls.

• More modular efficiency controls. Data center designs come in all shapes and sizes. There is no one stamp or “right size” for a data center platform. The right design is completely dependent on your organization, application, and various use-cases. This is why modular and custom-built data centers are becoming popular. With that, so are modular containment solutions. These platforms are flexible, can be dropped into a lot of different environments and can be very flexible designs.

• A growing energy services business. A big growing point around data center efficiency control has actually been the services industry. Many physical deployments are now either preceded or followed with a professional services engagement. We’re not talking about installation either. New types of services are specifically designed with optimum airflow management as the foundational science behind data center efficiency. Plus, these analysis and design services are custom-designed to generate energy savings, release stranded capacity and improve system reliability.

• Next-gen rack efficiency. You can walk into a data center and see some of the most beautiful server racks out there. Custom designs, proprietary builds, and entire systems that take up a whole rack – are commonplace within the next-gen data center platform. Efficiency controls of the future will take rack management and efficacy to a new level. Integrated temperature strips, advanced rack blanking panels, and even panels which are able to cross-fit into a number of rack designs. Rack efficiency controls must be just as agile as the systems you put into the rack.

• Cooling the commodity data center. The future will see a lot more commodity systems being deployed. Now, with software-defined technology and cloud computing – organizations are able to build entirely custom systems capable of handling user demands. But you still have to keep it cool and controlled. Future data center efficiency controls will allow you to integrate rack, floor, and entire monitoring systems under one powerful management plane. These cooling and control technologies will become critical puzzle pieces in your future commodity data center design.

• Predictive cooling and analytics. Imagine being completely in-tune with your data center and its efficiency controls. New types of capabilities will allow cooling and efficiency controls to dynamically scale to the needs of the current workload. This means complete integration with the rack, floor and the entire data center. Powerful systems will create a “lights-out” efficiency control layer where the administrator will simply need to set thresholds for the system to monitor. Ultimately, this will create powerful analytics and a clear understanding around efficiency controls within your data center. Ultimately – it will also create a very proactive control model.

Growth in the data center market has become much more noticeable because of the acceleration of data and physical resource requirements. A recent Cisco Cloud Index report shows some pretty powerful numbers around data center growth. “While the amount of traffic crossing the Internet and IP WAN networks is projected to reach 1.4 zettabytes per year in 2017, the amount of data center traffic is already 2.6 zettabytes per year – and by 2017 will triple to reach 7.7 zettabytes per year.” To stay ahead of the game – data center professionals must constantly evaluate their environment, their business and their users. Look for even more efficiency control changes as the modern data center continues to be the focal point of the current organizational model.