Covid-19
has altered industries across the globe highlighting just how dependant the
world is on data. The global
data centre security solutions market is expected to grow by $5-billion
from 2020 to 2024. The role of the data centre has never been more important
than during this pandemic, enabling business continuity with delivery of remote
working tools and cloud-based services.
When
it comes to healthcare, data has played a key role by facilitating artificial
intelligence and other tools for tracking the spread of the virus, including
emergency services systems, research and development into vaccines. Other
industries, such as retail and supply-chain management, have also seen a
surge in the use of the data centre as a mission-critical tool. This is also
applicable to media, content and gaming delivery, virtual gyms and even
schools.
Covid-19 has elevated the status of the data centre
industry
As
a result of Covid-19, governments and enterprises are starting to consider data
centres as mission-critical infrastructure alongside power and water utilities
due to their integral role in keeping economies, hospitals and society in
working order – from dissemination of information to online shopping. Entire
industries have been reset due to Covid-19, and this has made digital
infrastructure more important than ever. There is no doubt that there has been
a marked elevation in the status of data centres in terms of their recognition
as business-critical infrastructure.
The
datacentre has a long history of experience in operating through difficult
circumstances and environments and this has prepared it to play this key role
as the backstop for the rest of the economy. However, what the industry must
prepare itself for now, is the fact that this elevation in status is likely to
result in its actions and behaviour being scrutinised more than ever before. In
particular, on matters of resiliency, given how heavily reliant businesses and
consumers are on the data centre’s ability to function during all aspects of
their daily lives.
The world is dependent on the data centre community
As
organisations grapple to implement business continuity plans, this pandemic
increased remote working and necessitated a scale-up of the datacentre. We have
seen data centre engineers reclassified as essential workers, facing the
challenge of a changed work environment while still providing continuity of
service.
Online
digital usage across the world has surged. Employees have become reliant on
cloud-based remote services to conduct business operations. Hospitals,
utilities, and governments are battling with decreased staff and relying
heavily upon digitised services like never before. Media and network service
providers are also experiencing an unprecedented demand for streaming and
online entertainment, showing just how important digital services have become.
Behind
every one of these activities exists a data centre. It is not easy to
understand what these facilities do and how they run, but this ‘invisible
infrastructure’ is responsible for keeping the lights on for organisations and
activities we have come to rely on during this pandemic.
Data centres must be supported by modernised technologies
Today’s
digital landscape is generating information from data centres all the way to
the fingertips of staff and customers. This explosion of data and the
expectation for immediate decision-making requires infrastructure that can
deliver performance, mobility, security, and centralised management.
As
todays datacentre tries to keep up with the rapid rate of business change and
innovation. Solutions and technology partners must adapt alongside them. The
technologies organisations invest in today should improve agility and remove
bottlenecks to new opportunities. The addition of the Lenovo Data Center Group
and H3C to Rectron’s data centre solutions portfolio, has enabled Rectron to
provide technology solutions that compete at global scale.
Data centres will maintain growth momentum for the future
The
Covid-19 crisis has reinforced the importance of data. While this pandemic is
driving the present demand for data centres, these facilities are also set to
maintain their growth momentum for the future. The digital transformation has
been dramatically accelerated by Covid-19 and there is no doubt that this has
been a watershed event for the world, and a defining moment for the data centre
as a mission-critical business.
