EXPERT OPINION
Enhancing data centre operations : Why robots pose no threat to human expertise
Ozgur Duzgunoglu , Head of Engineering and Design ,
Telehouse , outlines the benefits of automation for data centre facilities and how robotics and humans can work to enhance each other ’ s strengths , helping to foster innovation and drive operational excellence . ata centre demand has accelerated rapidly in the last
D few years . Data-generating and data-hungry technologies , including cloud computing and IoT , have enabled expansion in the global data centre market . In fact , it is speculated that the market will reach US $ 105.6 billion by 2026 , up from US $ 48.9 billion in 2020 . To keep up with the escalating demand , the hyperscale data centre seen today is typically a densely populated , complex and interconnected building .
For data centre operators overseeing these operations , the risk of downtime has never been more detrimental to customers , with reliability on 24 / 7 secure access . However , the proactive monitoring of all the associated components , including IT facilities and security , requires unprecedented levels of visibility and oversight . Dispersed teams essentially require radar-like skills to be able to actively monitor all the equipment and respond to any issues or faults as soon as possible .
With human resource stretched to its limits , more businesses are exploring the potential benefits offered by robotics , particularly as automation falls under the spotlight as a way of incorporating day-today scheduling , application delivery and other tasks . While previously derided as the threat to people ’ s careers , robots are showing their value in augmenting human capabilities and providing greater visibility across the data centre ecosystem . The latest innovations are even enabling the automation of otherwise mundane activities to enable faster response and resolution times and drive greater efficiencies , all while easing the pressure on the human worker .
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