“The edge now plays a critical role in the operation of data centers and networks, as well as in the delivery of critical customer services,” said Vertiv CEO Rob Johnson. “This represents a dramatic and fundamental shift in how we approach computing and data management. It should come as no surprise that activity in the data center space in 2019 is entirely focused on edge innovation
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1. Simplifying the Edge: A smarter, simpler, and more self-sufficient network edge converges with consumer and industry trends, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and the imminent rollout of 5G networks, to bring more powerful, lower-latency computing to the end user.
For many businesses, the edge has become the most crucial part of their digital ecosystem. Intelligent infrastructure systems with machine learning capabilities working in tandem with cloud-based analytics are radically changing how we think about edge computing and its associated services. The result will be a more robust and efficient network endpoint with enhanced visibility and self-healing capabilities and minimal active management requirements.
2. Labor Market Revolution: With a workforce nearing retirement age, the lack of training programs aligned with the evolution of edge computing and data centers is creating significant challenges for the staff who manage them worldwide. This will trigger parallel actions in 2019. First, organizations will begin to shift their recruitment strategies for data centers, and traditional training programs will evolve toward more agile, task-specific, edge-oriented training. More training will be delivered internally. Second, companies will turn to machine learning and intelligent systems to streamline operations, preserve institutional knowledge, and enable more predictable and efficient service and maintenance.
“It’s clear that in such a fast-paced and innovation-driven sector, the lack of talent with specific skills is one of the imminent challenges we face as an industry,” said Giordano Albertazzi, President of Vertiv for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “Intelligent infrastructure management systems will help alleviate this shortage, but a concerted effort from both the public and private sectors is essential to develop the necessary roadmap to address the disruptive changes ahead.”.
3. Smarter and more efficient UPS systems: New battery alternatives will offer opportunities for the widespread adoption of UPS systems capable of more integrated interactions with the main power grid. In the short term, this will translate into peak shaving and load management capabilities. Over time, we will see businesses use some of the energy stored in their UPS systems to assist public utility companies in operating the power grid. Static storage of all that energy has long been considered a potential revenue stream. We are getting closer to everyday applications.
4. Toward Standardization: Data centers, even with modular and prefabricated design, remain too complex to expect complete equipment standardization. However, there is interest on two fronts: standardizing equipment components and normalizing data center architectures. The latter is manifested in the use of consistent product types and architectures, with regional variations, to maintain simplicity and low cost. In both cases, the goal is to reduce equipment costs, shorten deployment and delivery times, and simplify service and maintenance.
5. High-Power Processors and Advanced Cooling: As processor usage increases for running advanced applications such as facial recognition or advanced data analytics, the need for innovative approaches to processor thermal management is growing. Direct liquid cooling on chips, which involves partially or fully immersing the processor or other components in a liquid to dissipate heat, is becoming a viable solution. While its use is more common in high-performance computing setups, the benefits—including improved server performance, greater efficiency at high densities, and reduced cooling costs—warrant further consideration. Another area of innovation in thermal management is extreme waterless cooling, which is emerging as an increasingly popular alternative to traditional water-cooled systems.
