For those running a data center these days, you know how important it is to your overall business. It handles all that raw data that a wide variety of departments needs, not to mention any customer-facing applications going on. The rise of the Internet of Things, however, may be leaving you scratching your head. There are benefits to this new technology, as well as risks, that can fundamentally impact your data center.
What Benefits Does IoT Offer Data Centers?
The IoT can deliver a wide range of options for data center users, many of which will offer excellent benefits.
Remote monitoring. The IoT provides a great potential within the data center as a means to monitor conditions by remote. It’s no longer necessary to have someone monitoring conditions in the server room for humidity or temperature; IoT systems will gather that information and route it to you.
Information gathering. Since the data center’s stock in trade is, as the name suggests, data, the IoT’s ability to gather information on foot traffic, vehicle locations, or other points will be vital. The same functions that make IoT useful in monitoring temperature or power flow will be useful in stores, in fleet management, and beyond.
Access control. The IoT makes it simple to spot who’s entering server rooms and when, and route all that information back to a central location.
What Risks Does IoT Pose to Data Centers?
Like any new technology, though, certain risks come along with those benefits.
Security risks. The biggest problem the data center faces is security in general, and IoT often makes this worse. Since there are more potential points of access, often remotely located, there are more points a hacker can use to access the data center illicitly.
Complacency. There’s a value in having people on site to babysit the servers; it means a fast response in event of trouble. Trusting the remote systems to fill in the gap can be useful, but it can also breed inefficiency.
Data overload. IoT systems generate data. It’s their primary function. That in turn means a lot more data to store, manage, and account for, and those using IoT systems with a data center will need to be ready accordingly.
To get the most out of IoT’s developments for the data center, and avoid many potential pitfalls, start by dropping us a line at Emcon IT. Our maintenance solutions, from security to management, will help you enjoy the benefits and avoid the risks. Get started by getting in touch with us today.