FINAL WORD accept these changes not as a temporary detour , but rather a permanent adjustment to the way we work and do business . Over time , what is done in-person versus remotely will change and the change will be driven by customers looking to minimize their on-site presence . That places a premium on connectivity , remote monitoring , data analytics and even Artificial Intelligence to make decisions . has rightly focused on the ultimate benefits of the technology – increased bandwidth and reduced latency – and the applications it will enable . But , as many countries begin their 5G rollouts in 2021 and the early adopters start to drive breadth and scale , the focus will shift to the significant energy consumption increases brought on by 5G and strategies to deploy more efficiently and effectively .
“ Recovery requires a change in mindset for most organizations ,” said John-David Lovelock , distinguished Research Vice President at Gartner , in a recent statement . “ There is no bouncing back . There needs to be a reset focused on moving forward .”
BRINGING LARGE DATA CENTER CAPABILITIES TO SMALL SPACES AND THE EDGE : Today ’ s Edge is more critical and more complex , functionally an extension of the data center rather than the glorified IT closet of the past . Cost and complexity have prevented implementation of data center best practices in these spaces , but that is changing . Vertiv ’ s experts anticipate a continued focus on bringing hyperscale and enterprise-level capabilities to these Edge sites . This includes greater intelligence and control , an increased emphasis on availability and thermal management and more attention to energy efficiency across systems .
“ Critically serving communities and businesses , alongside electricity , gas and water , data centers will have a utility-like status ,” said Tony Gaunt , Senior
The coming year will see a wave of innovation focused on energy efficiency across the data center ecosystem .
Director Colocation , Cloud , BFSI Asia and India at Vertiv . “ Hyperscale cloud providers are offering organizations across Asia-Pacific the vital flexibility and scalability to manage an everchanging and moving business environment . While remote work was initially mandated due to the pandemic , it has already become a semi-permanent fixture in many workplaces . The need for low latency connectivity is no longer exclusive to large cities – we need on-thespot processing at the Edge , enabling businesses to be fully operational anywhere .”
THE 5G CONVERSATION TURNS TO ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND EFFICIENCY : In this early stage of 5G planning and launches , the discussion
The network densification necessary to fully realize the promise of 5G unavoidably adds to the increased energy demands – estimated to be 3.5x more than 4G . The coming year will see greater focus on managing that significant increase in energy consumption by exploring more efficient products and practices .
“ Australia and New Zealand are now at the forefront of 5G and driven by streaming and OTT content , we will continue to see data center limits tested , driving up heating and power loads . Mitigation strategies will be absolutely critical in maintaining 5G business viability and the good news is we ’ re already seeing this across the board . In 2021 , telcos will continue driving solutions which support this goal and maximize 5G-led revenue streams ,” said Robert Linsdell , Managing Director Australia and New Zealand at Vertiv .
SUSTAINABILITY COMES TO THE FOREFRONT : 5G is one piece of a broader sustainability story . As the proliferation of data centers continues and even accelerates , especially in the hyperscale space , those cloud and colocation providers are facing increased scrutiny for their energy and water usage .
The amplification of the climate change conversation and shifting political winds in the United States and globally will only add to the focus on the data center industry , which accounts for approximately 1 % of global energy consumption . The coming year will see a wave of innovation focused on energy efficiency across the data center ecosystem . The benefits for data center operators are clear , starting with cost reduction , compliance with existing and anticipated regulations and the goodwill that comes with establishing a leadership position in the global sustainability movement . Look for important innovations across the data center infrastructure space and especially in the area of thermal management .
“ While the energy required to move a packet of information has reduced , our unquenching thirst for more data is causing power consumption and costs to increase ,” said Linsdell . “ As we move into the new year , data volumes will continue to sky-rocket and with the climate change conversation rising again , we ’ ll see technology and infrastructure solutions a big agenda item to enable green practices .” p
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