On-Site Data Center Management Services

Still maintaining an On-Premise data center? You’re not alone…

Companies have been transitioning to the cloud for several years, but the reality is on-premise data centers aren’t going away anytime soon. Although the push has been to transition to the cloud, there are many reasons why data centers still remain on-premise and continue to evolve.

Hardware lifespans are extending

In the past, it was common to refresh server hardware every three years.  However, in recent years, hardware continues to become increasingly reliable causing refresh cycles to extend to every five years. Based on recent trends, there is a high probability that over the next few years hardware will continue to strengthen, expanding refresh out to seven years. In fact, a recent publication at Data Center Frontier stated “When it’s a question of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a refresh, you should evaluate your needs and access the facts to make the right decision for your environment. Based on our reliability data that shows stable failure rates over time for server and storage equipment, we recommend a refresh every 7-10 years. Your refresh cycle should always be driven by compatibility, capacity and reliability.”

Rack Densities are increasing

When planning to refresh a data center, power is usually the last aspect anyone thinks to address. As rack densities increase so does the power.  The amount is offset slightly by the efficiency of newer technologies, power saving or green features. However, many data centers charge by kWh per rack which should be considered when figuring out the total cost of ownership (TCO). The 2020 State of the Data Center report found 68 percent of respondents reported that rack density has increased over the past three years, with 26 percent saying the increase was significant.

With higher rack density comes higher power and cooling requirements. Yet another consideration in your on-premise data center:  will you have enough cooling for the higher density racks? Did you consider the power requirements for the additional cooling? Is this the time to investigate liquid cooling for your data center? Is it time to consider shifting to cloud service? These are questions that must be considered and factored in when you are refreshing your data center.

The People Impact: Skills & Leadership

As IT leaders face these rising trends, a top challenge that still remains is the shortage of skills and continual turnover – ultimately affecting business continuity. As a result, the industry is now seeing more and more demand for outsourced IT Managed Services. These solutions offer the ability to successfully manage data centers, while also maintaining responsibility for leading and developing their own teams.

The data center footprint is ever evolving.  We need to ensure that we have the proper technologies to ensure resources are being used to their highest potential whether on or off premise.” - Joe Faletra, Director of Infrastructure Services, Modis Consulting

A key factor to consider with IT Managed Services providers is that they not only possess the skill sets needed today, but also the ability to effectively upskill their people to stay in front of these rising trends. For example, our IT Managed Services teams leverage Modis Academy to offer courses across the IT infrastructure landscape so our teams can continue to service our customers’ changing business, while also reaching their individual career goals.

As hardware improves and space becomes more efficient, leveraging Modis Academy has allowed us to attain the skills to match the changes within the data center footprint.” - Benjamin Dose, Datacenter Services Manager, Modis Consulting

Beyond technical skills, we also place focus on securing the right leadership for our teams globally. Our service delivery managers are proven leaders with the technical expertise and effective people leadership skills needed to motivate, inspire, coach, and lead our consultants effectively.

Do you have the right combination of upskilling opportunities and strong leaders to address these trends facing the data center? Modis Consulting has the expertise to assist in evaluating all the questions above to help you determine your next plan of action. Contact us to discuss options for assisting with your infrastructure needs.