Edge data centers are deployed near the point of transmission to reduce the latency of data traffic needed for augmented and virtual reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Companies are also increasing their computing power by putting the “edge” computing in their backyards, further reducing the data latency.
Deploying micro data centers, which include compute, storage, networking, power, and cooling in remote, outdoor enclosures is becoming the latest trend for many businesses with multiple locations and steady growth. The micro data center market is expected to grow from $3.65 billion in 2022 to $10.25 billion by 2030, according to a new report published by The Insight Partners.
Systems in those micro data centers needs to be monitored and managed. Battery backup, commercial power usage, temperature and humidity, security, HVAC, and generator status is important information to ensure the equipment is working within parameters. “The enclosures should be secure, so you must have visibility to see if the door is open. You need to confirm that everything is functioning inside, so you’re not losing data or damaging equipment,” Amy Walther, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, Westell, told Inside Towers.
That’s where Westell comes in, with remote site monitoring and management devices. Westell can provide remote site monitoring and visibility as a part of full Network Operations Center (NOC) services for the customer.
“We’re also monitoring the actual power consumption, because in some cases the providers might have multiple entities utilizing the micro data center and they need to know how much power each one is using. Additionally, they may want to monitor and charge each customer for the power usage.”
Westell created a centralized control dashboard so the end user can see what’s going on at any given location. “That’s what people really want,” Walther said. “They want quick access to the site information and alarms to ensure everything is functioning appropriately.”
The Rise of Micro Data Centers
While enterprises want to increase their compute power, many don’t have the proper space with power and cooling inside their facility, so they have the edge compute equipment pre-installed into a cabinet and deployed outside of the facility, which becomes their micro data center.
“Micro data centers can easily scale up based on the business’ growth and they are easy to size and deploy rapidly,” Walther said. “It is more cost effective to cool a small enclosure that is built specifically for equipment installed within, and there is less square footage inside to lease and maintain.”
The potential industries for micro data centers and monitoring span financial services, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, energy, telco, entertainment and education. “What I am seeing out there in the marketplace is companies that are selling their services with micro data centers,” Walther said. “Not only are they selling the enclosure with all of the servers inside but they are going to power, maintain and alarm it.”
Westell also provides a wide line of outdoor enclosures with extensive cooling options. Westell’s engineering and manufacturing teams will design a custom edge data center, wire all of the data and monitoring equipment, install the software, test the entire configuration, and ship it fully assembled to the final destination. Fully integrated enclosures save a great deal of time and troubleshooting at the final location.
It’s All Data-Driven
To compete in an AI environment, companies must up their game. “These micro data centers are becoming more prevalent solely because we are data hungry people. The whole globe is data hungry now,” Walther said.
Westell’s goal is to be a collaborative partner with its customers, providing customizable, secure, hardened products and software that provide intelligence at the end of their network as they monitor the edge compute systems. Westell provides flexible connectivity for management backhaul including out-of-band wireless or even dedicated fiber. Westell’s products are engineered for simplified device management, allowing large scale deployments with “class-leading network data usage.”
“We have been providing monitoring solutions for more than 40 years,” Walther said. “Micro data centers, in many ways, are a natural extension of our industry experience. It is definitely in our wheelhouse.”
To learn how Westell RTUs can make micro data center monitoring and management easy, call (800) 377-8766, visit Westell.com, or email them at [email protected].
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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