Скачать или смотреть Pioneering the Future of Software-defined Data Centres: Insights from Dean Nelson

Dean Nelson, Founder and Chairman of Infrastructure Masons, brings a wealth of experience from leading $10 billion in infrastructure projects across nine countries.

Speaking with ADAPT’s Senior Research Director, Matt Boon, Dean shared his insights on the future of software-defined data centres, the realistic expectations of 5G, and how infrastructure leaders can drive transformation.

The Software-defined Data Centre Vision
Dean Nelson discussed the evolution of the software-defined data centre (SDDC) from its origins in 2009.

While compute, storage, and network resources have long been software-defined, he emphasised the need to incorporate power management into this framework.

Dean highlighted the discrepancy between highly efficient IT components and lagging facilities management.

By virtualising power like other resources, data centres can dynamically optimise their use of allocated capacity, enhancing efficiency and reducing redundancy.

Economic Drivers and Hyperscaler Demands
Economic pressures, particularly the demands of hyperscalers – the largest consumers of data centre capacity, are driving the need for software-defined power.

Hyperscalers, having already implemented advanced power optimisation in their own facilities, expect the same capabilities from colocation providers.

Colocation providers face the challenge of meeting these demands while upholding service level agreements (SLAs) and profitability.

Dean argued that software-defined power management offers a solution, enabling them to unlock stranded power, optimise capacity utilisation, and improve margins.

The Future of Edge Computing
Dean also touched upon the growing importance of edge computing, predicting it will eventually surpass core data centres due to the advent of 5G, enabling greater bandwidth and lower latency.

Emerging technologies like gaming, medical applications, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles will rely on edge computing’s capabilities.

He emphasised the need to rethink traditional data centre deployments for edge computing, considering modular units and micro-edge deployments, and addressing the unique security and scalability challenges posed by the edge environment.

Enabling Innovation and Transformation
For leaders in technology and infrastructure, Dean underscored the importance of fostering innovation and transformation.

He encouraged a departure from proven patterns, advocating for empowering engineering teams to think creatively and explore new solutions.

This approach has historically led to groundbreaking advancements, such as the first fuel cell-powered data centre at eBay.

Dean believes that true innovation comes from challenging conventional thinking and empowering teams to engineer transformative solutions.

Key Takeaways
Virtualise power management: Integrate power management into the software-defined framework to optimise data centre efficiency and reduce redundancy.

Meet hyperscaler demands: Adopt software-defined power management to unlock stranded capacity and improve margins while meeting the sophisticated demands of hyperscalers.

Embrace edge computing: Prepare for the rise of edge computing by designing scalable and secure infrastructure capable of handling the unique challenges of edge deployments.

Foster innovation: Encourage engineering teams to think differently and explore new solutions to drive transformative changes in infrastructure management.

Leverage economic pressures: Use economic pressures as a catalyst for adopting software-defined solutions, ensuring long-term efficiency and competitiveness in the data centre market.

Join our community to get regular ADAPT insights in your inbox: https://adapt.com.au/subscribe-to-ada...