Data centres have come a long way since they began to emerge in the early 1980’s. Not only do they look completely different to what you would call a data centre in the modern world but definitely serving a far more important purpose.

Like all aspects of technology, the evolution of data centres and similar critical infrastructures is accelerating, and in our latest blog, we take a look at some of the most significant ways data centres have changed in recent years.

The Rise of Colocation and Cloud Computing 

The past decade has arguably changed data centres more than at any other time. The beginning of the decade saw companies move from modest in-house data centres to outsourcing their entire computing needs to new remote colocation facilities, as they quickly realised that this was a more cost-effective and efficient way of running a data centre. Whilst this is still the case for most businesses today, and colocation is still growing and evolving, there is a new player on the scene when it comes to the changing nature of data centres: the cloud.

With international tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft leading the way as innovators in this new field, many companies are only now beginning to explore the commercial benefits of a cloud data centre or using hybrid data centres to take advantage of both on-site and cloud-based networks.

What this shift means is, that while regular data centres, that are located in-house, are becoming less common practice, there is a significant rise in businesses offering colocation and cloud computing as a service, driving the need for large-scale colocation facilities.

However, in-house dedicated data centres haven’t become redundant just yet, as companies dealing with sensitive data and government agencies will need and want to keep their data centres in-house, to minimise any security risks.

The arrival of Artificial Intelligence

It’s hard to ignore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, particularly the ground breaking changes it has brought about in nearly every aspect of technology, from cybersecurity to everyday things like improved search results.

It’s no surprise then that artificial intelligence has also made a significant impact on data centres recently. Beginning as early as 2014 with Google’s announcement that it would use machine learning in its data centres to make them more energy efficient, AI is gradually being adopted by more and more companies in an effort to maximise the efficiency of their data centres while minimising their energy consumption.

Having operated for over 100 years, here at Sudlows we’re no strangers to the ever-changing technological landscape and offer a number of different critical infrastructure services. To find out how your business can benefit from our sustainable and energy efficient IT solutions, contact us today.