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One of the biggest new developments in the data center is machine learning, and this single field is bringing with it many of the new opportunities that the data center can produce.What is Machine Learning Doing to the Data Center?Machine learning has a real potential to fundamentally alter the data center landscape thanks to a slate of new options for users.Improved data gathering. The best part about machine learning in the data center is that it not only can learn what to look for, but it can … [Read more...]

FUD is one of the main strategies original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) use to gain a competitive edge over third-party maintenance (TPM) providers. OEMs will try to instill fear, uncertainty, and doubt with regard to the effectiveness of TPMs. But there's no validity to the assertions made in an attempt to create FUD. … [Read more...]

The data center manager, these days, enjoys a peculiar position. Protected by sheer importance—the data center is an increasingly vital part of everyday operations and the long-term health of the company—yet potentially doomed by that same importance, the data center manager must be kept on hand. Yet should something go wrong, it could mean disaster. The smart data center manager, therefore, works to protect against as many potential problems as possible. But what are some of these … [Read more...]

It may seem to anyone but the most involved and careful viewer that everything is available on an as-a-service basis these days. Even that careful observer notes that an increasingly large number of things formerly available as stand-alone programs are now available as-a-service, leading some to call it an everything-as-a-service (XaaS) environment. In such an era as this, what room is there for the data center?What Functions Can the Data Center Provide in a XaaS World?Though XaaS operations … [Read more...]

We've seen software-defined networking (SDN) deliver a lot of value over the last couple of years. It's allowed mobile carriers and other networks to deliver new opportunities to the end user, and provided a means to stand out from competitors. Since there is commonly a lot of competition in mobile and network operations, those distinguishing features are often worth quite a bit of business. As it turns out, SDN has delivered plenty of value for data center operations too, and is becoming a … [Read more...]

Data centers offer no shortage of value, even in the age of the cloud. Data centers can be used as backup systems, as a means to protect and analyze data, or even as a profit center, providing cloud-based services to other firms. However, a data center takes a lot of power to run. A U.S. Department of Energy study finds that data centers account for 2% of all electrical consumption in the United States. (1) That puts all your new, hard-won profits and cost savings at risk of being shoved in an … [Read more...]

It's a great time to be a third-party maintenance (TPM) provider, or a user of such providers. With new reports suggesting that more businesses are turning to TPM, it's time to look at just what's behind all the growth.What's Driving Growth in the Third-Party Maintenance Field?A combination of several reasons have produced a perfect storm of growth potential.Third-party firms are winning customer service. A Forrester study found that three out of four IT managers were going to third-party … [Read more...]

For the six months hurricane season comprises, businesses remain on edge. This year especially has proven devastating and relentless. But with the right preparations and planning, the data center can offer some protection against this hypothetical, but all too possible, natural threat.How Can Data Centers Provide a Business With Hurricane Disaster Recovery?A data center can provide businesses with a level of hurricane disaster recovery that will allow for ongoing operations fairly … [Read more...]

Between the new options the Internet of Things (IoT) will provide, and the basic principles it will change, the IoT's operations will make data centers both more efficient and more effective. It won't be all sunshine and improved efficiencies, though, as there will also be challenges to the data center around this new development.How Will the IoT Improve Data Centers?The IoT offers an incredible potential for improvement in the data center.New data collection. The IoT's array of sensors can be … [Read more...]

Thanks to the steady growth of cloud-based systems, the Internet of Things, and other factors, the data center is fast becoming one of the most valuable parts of a business. It also has many businesses thinking about expansion -- but where to expand is the operative question. Some locations are better than others, so it's important to keep the following considerations in mind.What Should I Look for in Potential Data Center Locations?Opening a new data center requires examination of several … [Read more...]