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OPINION
In recent years, the evolving role of data centres has
changed the way in which they are designed and operated.
Data centres are migrating to higher bandwidths and port
densities: virtualisation, cloud, everything as a service and new
storage and data transport methods are key the drivers, as
the number of companies using IT services from external data
centres continues to grow. HD video is another, with recent
studies showing that some 91% of Internet data traffic is
related to video transmissions.
Another vital driver is the Internet of Things. Some nine
billion ‘things’ are currently connected to the Internet and
constantly transmitting data. Research suggests there will be
up to 30 billion things online by 2020. Most of the generated
data will end up back in data centres. Further drivers include
Big Data, edge networks that move content like HDTV
programmes closer to the end user, and the vast uptake of
portable computing devices.
Tackling
bandwidth
hunger
BY Andreas Rüsseler, CMO, R&M
www.rdm.com
With the Internet of Things and HD video streaming
services requiring more and more bandwidth, data
centres are evolving to keep up with demand
There’s a real need to add more and more fibre ports into
network cabinets to keep up with increasing demand, as data
centres become more widespread across a range of industries
and applications. High-density solutions can offer a lower cost
per port, and provide a flexible upgrade path for many years
to come. But that does require some smart preparation when
specifying and implementing a solution?
In today’s data centres connectivity requirements are
increasing rapidly, but the available real estate tends to
remain the same. Therefore, physical-layer infrastructure
required for network operations has to be capable of
accommodating higher speeds in a high-density footprint.
More ports and racks - same space
To accommodate current and future applications,
infrastructure needs to be flexible, scalable and reliable,
and there’s a greater need for processing power and energy
efficiency. Until quite recently, boosting capacity simply
meant adding racks and servers. However, growth in the
volume of data being stored and managed calls for the
largest feasible port density in the smallest possible space.
High-density systems require less physical space than
more traditional systems and can, therefore, be grouped
closer together. Reducing the space needed for servers
makes it possible to add more high-density cabinets,
thereby boosting capacity. A typical server rack, which
once might have averaged 5kW in the past, might now
be designed to accommodate 30kW or higher. A single
cabinet could have all the power of five industry standard
racks. This type of solution offers a lower cost per port
than existing platforms, and provides a flexible upgrade
path to accommodate needs for many years to come. You
can increase port density and improve the organisation of
ports and cabling. Adhering to structured cabling standards
such as TIA-942 also becomes easier, as do MACs and
maintenance.
Consolidating all of a point of presence’s servers into
a single rack space means there’s more space available
for switches and routers. High-density makes it possible
to minimise the meet-me-room area and gain space for
further racks and switches. Software Defined Network (SDN)
architectures can be planned more sensibly. Most currently
available high-density fibre solutions for data centres
offer up to 72 LC duplex ports per rack unit. However, as
management can be a little tricky, data centre designers
can often be reluctant to adopt HD. Things aren’t all that
bad, fortunately, but certain things do need to be taken into
account when creating an HD solution, ranging from power
distribution and redundancy to monitoring packages.
For one thing, high-density systems generally operate at
a temperature, which needs to be compensated by cooling.
The equipment simply requires more energy and produces
more heat. What’s more, in the event of a cooling failure,
temperatures will rise rapidly. It’s also important to realise
that higher density can also mean heavier racks. Needless
to say, checking whether the (raised) floor can cope is best
done before installation of racks and cabinets.
www.networkseuropemagazine.com