EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
ROWLAND KINCH , CEO AT CUSTODIAN DATA CENTRES
As technologies continue to develop and evolve , data centre operators need to stay up to date with the latest innovations within our industry .
As a data centre operator , our position on Digital Transformation may differ from other users . However , with a new 10MW campus in development , there are a number of areas in which we are investing to ensure that our customers are both supported with resilient infrastructure and receiving optimum service .
Firstly , the more information we have about both new and existing customers , the more effective we can be in terms of meeting demand for whitespace . ERP and CRM systems are often overlooked , but they play a fundamental role not just within data centres , but in wider business .
By investing in these tools , we can provide our internal teams with a more rounded view of what is going on within the organisation , identify where our customers are in terms of decision-making and ensure we are ready to meet their demands .
Energy efficiency is also a key area that we ’ re focused on from a transformation perspective . CFD software has enabled us to model the rack layouts and technical suites within our new site and identify any hot spots ,
making it easier for us to become more energyefficient , while saving costs for our customers . Using an integrated DCIM platform also means that we can operate the environment with greater efficiency .
Physical security is another key aspect to ensure our customer ’ s data is proficiently protected . This includes biometric access , environmental monitoring , manned CCTV monitored all hours of the day , as well as mantraps and ultra-secure razor wire perimeter fencing .
As a data centre operator who ’ s scaling up and investing in a new site , customer data is one of the more important things we need to successfully expand .
Such solutions enable us to be truly insight-led and to develop our understanding of both current and potential customers . Creating a single pane of glass view means anyone in the business can leverage the insights from sales to marketing to technical teams and implement these findings to encourage customer growth .
Further , as a data centre operator who ’ s scaling up and investing in a new site , customer data is one of the more important things we need to successfully expand . By incorporating key learnings from our dynamic , technical service personnel , we can eliminate future pain points .
Finally , power consumption is ever-increasing , and resilience remains key , so Digital Transformation technologies within data centres need to develop to keep up with demand . Having the foresight to forward plan and ensure that your critical power infrastructure , like UPS , ATS and Switchgear are future-proofed and scalable , is vital for end-users .
As an operator , uninterruptible power is essential , but that power should also be sustainable . Here , diverse renewable energy feeds can play a critical part in delivering sustainable service to customers .
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