Data centres: powering the metaverse

Posted on 15 September 202314 February 2024 in Blog

The metaverse

A virtual world where people can interact with each other and with digital objects – is providing a new dimension of reality that offers a multitude of uses and applications beyond gaming and entertainment.

The metaverse will require massive amounts of data processing power and storage, which data centres can provide.

Data centres – already the backbone of the internet and the home of the data required for cloud storage, web hosting, streaming services, online gaming and social media – will be crucial to the development of the metaverse, which will increase the demand for data processing power.

The metaverse will require fast internet speeds, low latency, and high bandwidth to function effectively. Data centres will play a crucial role in making this happen. With the metaverse, users will have to access data from different locations, and this will require a distributed network of data centres to provide real-time access to data. The data centres will have to be strategically located to cater to the needs of the metaverse users. Over the coming years, the location, size, and capacity of data centres will be a crucial factor in determining the success of the metaverse.

The metaverse will also increase the focus on environmental efficiency. Sustainability is already a significant concern in the data centre industry and data centres are responding to the growing need to reduce their carbon footprint. As the need for data processing capacity grows, data centre architecture will focus on creating more energy-efficient, scalable, and sustainable data processing environments.

Here’s an example of how a company that builds and deploys metaverses for enterprises globally uses our Manchester colocation facility and LINX Manchester for reduced costs and improved network performance:

The value of the metaverse. So much more than gaming…

Education: The metaverse offers an unprecedented opportunity to create immersive learning experiences that go beyond the classroom. With the ability to create and manipulate virtual environments, educators can bring to life concepts that would otherwise be hard to grasp, making education more accessible and engaging without having the leave a classroom.
Healthcare: The metaverse can offer a new frontier for healthcare applications, from virtual physical rehabilitation to mental health therapy (for example creating a safe and controlled environment in anxiety or phobia therapy in which people can face their fears).
Business: The metaverse can offer a new way of interacting with customers and clients, as well as a new way to conduct business – virtual stores, remote meetings and collaboration, or immersive and engaging marketing and advertising opportunities.
Socialising: The metaverse offers a new way to connect with people from around the world, sharing experiences, exploring virtual environments and building communities.
Creativity: With the ability to create and manipulate virtually anything, the metaverse can offer new opportunities for artists, designers, and creators – a space for experimentation and innovation.

The need for critical infrastructure that can power the metaverse will put data centre architecture in focus. The success of the metaverse will depend on how well data centres can cater to its needs, and as such, we can expect more significant investments in data centre infrastructure. Consequently, the question of how to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and make data centres more sustainable will be more crucial than ever before.

Interested in finding out more?

Our environmentally conscious data centres are designed to minimise their impact on the environment. We are currently developing two new data centre facilities at our London edge and Manchester sites, with a launch date set for 2024. Additionally, we have available capacity in our recently launched, brand new data hall at our Farnborough location. For further information, or to schedule a tour of our facilities, please get in touch.

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