We discuss the following topics in this blog:
- Evolving Data Center landscape.
- Key Technology Evolutions Marking the Future of Data Center Ecosystem?
In addition to these topics, we shall also be answering the following FAQs:
- What is WiFi?
- What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
Contents
Are Data Centers Evolving?
Technology is constantly changing and to keep pace with the exorbitant amount of data generation, data centers are undergoing a significant transition.
Clearly, as data centers of yesterday have been rendered unusable today, data centers of tomorrow will have to be significantly different from the ones currently used.
To keep up with the business dynamics, technological explosion and quantum of data generation, data centers of the future are constantly trying to evolve from being static and rigid to becoming fluid and agile so as to meet the demands of tomorrow’s digital enterprise.
“By 2025, over 175 zettabytes of data is expected, thereby paving the way for the data centers to play an indispensable role in the computation, storage, and management of information.”
Source: IDC’s Data Age 2025 Whitepaper
Changing Data Center Landscape
Cloud computation. Artificial intelligence. Service Virtualisation- with their rising popularity, the movement of traffic across the data center is significantly shifting from its traditional module. Data centers have no other choice but to meet the demands of the next-era of IT infrastructure.
What are the Key Technology Evolutions Marking the Future of Data Center Ecosystem?
Operating on Cloud
Building own data center, using colocation data center, or entrusting the management to a service partner- the ownership of a data center varies as per organisation’s need. However, they all come with some amount of latency. But the future is cloud and the rise of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offer the provision of a virtual data center in the cloud in just a few mouse clicks.
Centrally controlled network architecture for agility
Agility is the key to any business. But enterprises, carriers, and service providers are surrounded by numerous challenges. Cloud computing explosion, mobile usage proliferation, and continuous business pressures to reduce cost can no longer be supported by traditional business models. Hence, many players are turning to Software-defined networking (SDN) technology to revolutionise their network design and operations. SDN enables the network to be intelligently and centrally controlled, or programmed, using software applications bringing in agility and cost effectiveness.
Simplification in Deployment
Building the right data center for the right task, needs the right mix of servers, storage and networks. All this is required to support high-demand applications. Hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) simplifies the process by combining storage, compute, and networking into a single system making the process cost effective to build, easy to operate, and scalable in approach.
Mega data centers
Huge data centers or hyperscale connectivity is what most major companies are aiming for. These facilities are large enough to serve tens of thousands of organizations. While mega data centers are expensive to build, the cost per square foot is far lower than that of an average data center. Major tech companies including Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple are actively building mega data centers to support their growing data storage needs.
Data centers are critical to the success of businesses of every size. Technological enhancements are bringing in new ways to deploy a data center to make operations more agile and latency proof. The ones who change with the changing times are the ones who will succeed.
FAQs
What is WiFi?
Put simply, WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to create a wireless network through which devices like mobile phones, computers, printers, etc., connect to the internet. A wireless router is needed to establish a WiFi hotspot that people in its vicinity may use to access internet services. You’re sure to have encountered such a WiFi hotspot in houses, offices, restaurants, etc.
To get a little more technical, WiFi works by enabling a Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN that allows devices connected to it to exchange signals with the internet via a router. The frequencies of these signals are either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidths. These frequencies are much higher than those transmitted to or by radios, mobile phones, and televisions since WiFi signals need to carry significantly higher amounts of data. The networking standards are variants of 802.11, of which there are several (802.11a, 802.11b, 801.11g, etc.).
What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
An optical fibre cable is a cable type that has a few to hundreds of optical fibres bundled together within a protective plastic coating. They help carry digital data in the form of light pulses across large distances at faster speeds. For this, they need to be installed or deployed either underground or aerially. Standalone fibres cannot be buried or hanged so fibres are bunched together as cables for the transmission of data.
This is done to protect the fibre from stress, moisture, temperature changes and other externalities. There are three main components of a optical fibre cable, core (It carries the light and is made of pure silicon dioxide (SiO2) with dopants such as germania, phosphorous pentoxide, or alumina to raise the refractive index; Typical glass cores range from as small as 3.7um up to 200um), Cladding (Cladding surrounds the core and has a lower refractive index than the core, it is also made from the same material as the core; 1% refractive index difference is maintained between the core and cladding; Two commonly used diameters are 125µm and 140µm) and Coating (Protective layer that absorbs shocks, physical damage and moisture; The outside diameter of the coating is typically either 250µm or 500µm; Commonly used material for coatings are acrylate,Silicone, carbon, and polyimide).
An optical fibre cable is made up of the following components: Optical fibres – ranging from one to many. Buffer tubes (with different settings), for protection and cushioning of the fibre. Water protection in the tubes – wet or dry. A central strength member (CSM) is the backbone of all cables. Armoured tapes for stranding to bunch the buffer tubes and strength members together. Sheathing or final covering to provide further protection.
The five main reasons that make this technology innovation disruptive are fast communication speed, infinite bandwidth & capacity, low interference, high tensile strength and secure communication. The major usescases of optical fibre cables include intenet connectivity, computer networking, surgery & dentistry, automotive industry, telephony, lighting & decorations, mechanical inspections, cable television, military applications and space.
