Legacy server rooms and data centres ‘ill-equipped to keep pace with technological innovations’

According to a forecast by IDC, we’re rapidly moving beyond the days when traditional server rooms and small-scale data centre operations were sufficient.

Here at Datum, we aren’t surprised; this very much reflects what we’ve found with customers who are considering colocation recently. Clients consistently tell us that whether it’s the Internet of Things, social media, personal devices using data or even augmented reality – the sheer demand for data now being created is putting huge strain on any set up with limited capacity.

We’re certainly not alone in this experience. Indeed, as the non-profit consortium The Green Grid said in this recent Data Centre News article, “it wasn’t too long ago that the main data exchanges going through a server room were email and file storing processes, where 2-5KW racks were often sufficient. But as technology has grown, so have the pressures and demands placed on the data centre. Now, we’re seeing data centres equipped with 10-12KW racks to better cater for modern-day requirements, with legacy data centres falling further behind.”

So, what does this mean for the data centre market as a whole and will it impact your choice as a customer?

One thing’s for certain; the number of traditional server rooms and legacy data centres is going to decline. Most businesses still using them will find themselves at a serious competitive disadvantage.

However, the good news (according to the same IDC forecast) is that you’re going to see data centre square footage grow by over a third compared to where we were 5 years ago - and it’s all going to be driven by new hyperscale and colo facilities that…

• Are fully equipped to deal with heightened computing requirements
• Can significantly reduce a business’s carbon footprint through more efficient energy use
• Give businesses the ability to grow and expand more cost-effectively without restriction

Time to make the move?

With this trio of major benefits on offer, you’d think that most businesses would have already made the move to colocation or are planning to. However, our own research (this time conducted with IDG – you can download it here) shows that while organisations see the benefits, they are worried about making the wrong choice of provider. In addition, the IDG research shows that they’re worried about the transition process and the level of support they’ll get throughout it.

If this sounds anything like thoughts within your organisation, it’s well worth taking a moment to look into our concierge service and the role that Datum can play in ensuring a successful transition. Our comprehensive package of services will support you in your transition, or manage the move for you entirely if you prefer. That way, you’ll be able to start receiving the benefits that colocation can offer without worrying about security or loss of uptime – everyone’s a winner.