Efficient data centers are critical to the smooth functioning of systems like building automation and even security solutions. With the scale of these setups continuing to grow at a rapid pace, the need for an innovative approach towards data management has become necessary.
Efficient data centers are critical to the smooth functioning of systems like building automation and even security solutions. With the scale of these setups continuing to grow at a rapid pace, the need for an innovative approach towards data management has become necessary.
Cloud storage solutions are rapidly becoming a common phenomenon in the automation industry due to their ease of management, cost-efficiency, and accessibility. But this does not mean that traditional assets and applications that have already been on the premise of a data center are discarded. On the contrary, data center operators and administrators are now working with “hybrid” systems that are a combination of applications in the cloud and those on the premises.
In a recent blog post, Steven Carlini, Sr. Director, Data Center Global Solutions for
Schneider Electric, explained how this new concept works. Research has shown that by next year, organizations expect more than half of their enterprise workloads to be run on the cloud with the rest being local.
“The new ‘hybrid’ data centers architecture can consist of a combination of – a centralized cloud characterized by massive compute and storage, regional edge data centers that consist of large compute and storage located closer to the user, and local edge with smaller compute and storage assets very near to where the data is being consumed like a branch office or retail store,” he said.
Carlini further pointed out three main characteristics that are currently being seen in hybrid data centers that make them different from their traditional counterparts:
Application Suitability: The arrival of cloud-based systems has necessitated upgrade of applications as the legacy applications may not work well off-premise.
Advanced Software Tools: Hybrid environments are prompting companies to spend money on advanced software that would enhance their functions.
Workload Management: A case-by-case approach is taken towards the management of workload. The costs, risks, and IT service performance have emerged as the factors that decide the suitability of a data center environment for a specific workload.
“Specialized tools and techniques can simplify the task of managing hybrid environments,” Carlini said. “In the case of local edge data centers, for example, micro data centers, are emerging as key approaches that act as enablers of the local edge applications and are ideal for broadband-consuming high bandwidth delivery, latency sensitive applications, and IoT applications involving data gathering and processing.”
However, he is quick to point out that the concept of hybrid data centers is different from micro data centers. The latter is independent IT-infrastructure placed within secure, conditioned, hardened cabinets. As the Internet of Things connects more devices to the network and brings in huge volumes of fresh data, these could turn out to have a major role to play in the industry as well due to their relatively smaller size and self-contained functionality. He also added that to make the hybrid data centers function efficiently, Data Center Management as a Service (DCMaS) is set to become crucial. These should ideally be able to connect isolated data centers and systems to allow operators to work seamlessly.