Change is inevitable in the data center. Whether it’s a new PC processor, a new operating system, or an advance related to data center operations such as new storage or networking technologies, everything has to work with what’s already installed. Digital transformation is no different, and it means plenty of change for the data center.

What Changes are Hitting the Data Center Due to Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation is prompting several changes in the data center.

Simplified infrastructure. Good news: Digital transformation is going a long way to simplify the data center infrastructure. Whereas before, a data center ran on hardware and software, a lot of those hardware functions are moving to software-only systems. There will always be some hardware in the data center, but the hardware will run software functions that were formerly hardware-based.

Improved power. Another advantage of digital transformation—and the accompanying reduction of hardware—is that performance is actually improving. For instance, the move away from hard drives and toward flash storage allows for greater availability thanks to fewer moving parts. Flash storage is less likely to fail, which means the system is available more often than if only hard drives were used.

Increasing complexity. While infrastructure is being simplified, the overall state of the data center is actually getting more complex. The infrastructure that’s left is being called upon to do more; 95% of companies use cloud-based systems in one way or another, but a lot of this use is actually only partial. And 47% of cloud implementations are hybrids, calling on both on-premises and cloud-based systems, which makes the overall system more complex since there are two different directions operating at once.

New sources of labor. In the past, data centers were managed entirely in-house. Now, new supporting operations come from all over. Between artificial intelligence (AI) systems using machine learning to keep up with the changes in the data center and a new focus on intelligent outsourcing to address an ongoing talent crunch, we’re seeing all sorts of new labor vectors contribute to the overall care and feeding of the data center.

How Can I Get Started Adapting My Data Center to Digital Transformation?

The best way to make sure your data center is ready for digital transformation is to contact EmconIT today. We handle several aspects of data center operations, from maintenance to colocation and even full relocation, which makes us qualified to tackle your digital transformation issues as well. Drop us a line today, and tomorrow we’ll help you make your data center all it can be.