Microsoft is trying to get ahead of the curve in the fast-expanding data centre market with plans to produce pre-assembled components - or ITpacs. These pre-configured components for data farms would enable the easy delivery of hardware – and performance - in volumes from one to one thousand. By Helen Beckett [Published 03/09/2010]
This scalability is the unique proposition of ITpacs, reckons Kevin Timmons, general manager of Microsoft's Data Centre Services: "With the variability in our demand projections, it is as important to send out for one new server as it is to order 40-50,000 servers, and to plug them in at one time."
Greater efficiency a goal
Microsoft’s goal is to halve the time to market for the delivery of data centre kit and also to significantly reduce the cost. Timmons is pushing to cut the cost in next-generation builds of data centres by 50%. The move to make data centres far more modular and bespoke is certainly in tune with current thinking of the data centre specialists.
"Physical servers and fat storage that suck power and drink cooling resources are deftly humming themselves into obsolescence", said Craig Nunes, VP of marketing of utility storage company, 3PAR, earlier this year.
However, future challenges for the datacentre include not only becoming more efficient but also sourcing the necessary skills to manage emerging models. The modern datacentre demands that IT professionals understand multiple disciplines as well as the facilities infrastructure — and that is proving a headache for recruiters.
Management a challenge
The advent of the virtual machine and the model of ‘thin provisioning’ have brought other problems, says analyst firm, IDC. Chief among these is that virtualisation has changed the nature of datacentre management.
The European Datacentre Management Survey 2010 found a major concern among CIOs and IT directors, cited by 31% of respondents, was to integrate server, storage, and network management.
Giorgio Nebuloni, Research Analyst in IDC's Systems and Infrastructure group said: "CIOs are grappling with the consequences of virtualisation. While the benefits are clear, the impact on management is proving to be a challenge; new models for management will be needed to ensure that virtualisation continues to contribute positively to the datacentre."
Skills in short supply
And the good news? All these difficulties and complexities mean that IT pros with relevant skills are in demand. CIOs and IT directors anticipate spending on data centre staff will increase by 10%, IDC found, a rate that dramatically outstrips the overall growth in IT expenditure this year. Search for storage jobs, network management jobs and infrastructure jobs.
Search for storage jobs, network management jobs and infrastructure jobs.
