Those responsible for technology with high requirements for the availability of computing resources are relying on the use of shared cloud as your main strategy. This implies the distribution of workloads in specialized external providers with the new associated management model.
Sharing cloud resources (cloud) also allows technology assets to be moved off-premises, without having to commit to a fully public cloud. These trends are also driving the onboarding of remote employees and the use of the latest development trends.
With those factors, there are a number of issues that CIOs need to consider.
- The hybrid cloud. There is intense demand for hybrid cloud and data center products and services. The COVID-19 pandemic and remote work have accelerated digital transformation, resiliency, and cutting-edge strategies for businesses and service providers. It also allows organizations seeking to make the size of their assets more efficient. That trend will prevail as hard-hit industries such as door-to-door sales, the rise of digital media, health care and education grow.
- Interest in telecommuting. The COVID-19 pandemic, with travel restrictions and quarantines, means that companies have had to increase support remotely, in most cases opening up new opportunities for organizations (bypassing the location , greater and better offer of professionals, proximity to the latest trends, flexibility of service hours,...) and employees (flexibility, conciliation, remote job offers, among others).
- Sremote security. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the first issues was to implement new security approaches associated with remote work, such as VPNs. New security and control models are appearing in organizations to handle this new scenario. For example, there are new means of filtering traffic through a centralized location. Traffic is funneled through a dedicated IP routing or VPN, which, equipped with centralized firewalls, can control access to websites and cloud-based applications.
- Evolution of edge computing
Colo facilities will need to weigh the effects of edge computing on co-location use cases, technology and investment strategy.
In 2021, edge computing and its impact will continue to be defined. We will see how different types of workloads will be able to take advantage of edge computing.
And, the new year will reveal how the continued development of 5G will help drive edge computing further down the road.
In that context, colocation providers are investing in edge data centers, seeking markets where hyperscale cloud providers are often absent.
Many colocation providers are targeting edge markets and making a lot of the investment needed to be there, as the trend turns more towards massive data consumption under 5G. Tier 2 cities like Pittsburgh and St Louis are experiencing more activity as a result of this trend.
Smaller, locally located edge data centers, which place storage and compute much closer to the end user, dramatically reduce latency for IoT and other cutting-edge technologies. The need for cutting-edge technology will only become greater as we move into the smart age where our everyday devices are connected and generating data.
- Renovated data centers. New data centers are very different from traditional facilities. Massive data center deployments are giving way to smaller deployments with specialized features with lower latency. The infrastructure is also constantly shifting towards pods (a group of one or more containers, with shared storage and network resources, and a specification on how to run them) and containers (a ready-to-run software package). For example, there are already solutions from physical infrastructure providers that make it less expensive and less risky to implement this model of pods and containers.
- Infrastructure that supports Artificial Intelligence (AI). Computing for AI and its use as a service significantly affects data centers. As artificial intelligence continues to expand, there will be a increase in demand low latency and, by extension, data centers. Electric vehicles, artificial intelligence assistants like [Apple] Siri, [Amazon] Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as constant communication and online gaming, for example, will require data centers that support low latency.
- Environmental impact. In a hybrid cloud, energy use can be more efficient. Innovations exist to minimize the impact on the environment with measurable CO2 emission reduction targets such as improved cooling or better battery performance. The technology manager must consider this factor within his decision-making model.
The pace of change in the data center will continue, and is expected to accelerate in the coming years. Intensifying demand for more digital services and the desire to adopt new technologies while mitigating uncertainties and additional contingencies drive growth.
