For years, uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) have primarily used valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries. Lead-acid batteries offered a good mix of price, performance, and safety for data center environments. Now, however, a newer technology is challenging the dominance of VRLA batteries … Read More
IT Infrastructure
Server Rack Cooling Solutions: In-Rack and In-Row Cooling
Traditional computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units are struggling to keep up with the heat generated by today’s power-hungry IT equipment. These systems circulated chilled air throughout the room, wasting much of the cooling capacity on empty space. Raised-floor cooling … Read More
The Importance of Effective Server Rack Airflow Management
Networking environments must be properly cooled to prevent IT equipment failures and shortened lifespans. The damage caused by heat doesn’t always manifest itself immediately. Equipment can crash intermittently over a period of weeks or even months, causing multiple episodes of … Read More
Examining Data Center Liquid Cooling: Immersion vs. Direct-to-Chip Systems
The rapid adoption of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) applications is driving increased density in the data center. General-purpose data center racks have a power density of 10 kW to 20 kW. Racks of equipment used to train AI … Read More
What Is a Hyperscale Data Center? Overview and Comparisons
Data centers have many common features — power, cooling, racks and cabinets, and of course, IT equipment – but they come in many different shapes and sizes. One company may have a variety of data centers, from a primary facility … Read More
Edge Computing and AI: Exploring the Benefits, Applications, and Use Cases
Edge AI combines two of the hottest trends in the data center and IT industries: edge computing and artificial intelligence. As we defined in previous posts, there are many types of edge computing applications and environments, but at its core, … Read More
What Is Edge Computing and How Does It Work? Use Cases and Examples
In a recent survey by IDC, more than two-thirds of business leaders said they are implementing edge computing solutions. Given the rapid growth of the edge computing model, IDC predicts that organizations will deploy more than half of all new … Read More
Hybrid Cloud vs. Multi-Cloud: Advantages and Disadvantages
The terms “hybrid cloud” and “multi-cloud” are often used interchangeably but are different models. A hybrid cloud can incorporate a multi-cloud environment, but the multi-cloud may lack a key element of the hybrid cloud architecture. Let’s examine the two models … Read More
What Is IT/OT Convergence? Benefits, Challenges, and Examples
The operational technologies (OT) used to monitor and control mechanical systems have traditionally been isolated from information technology (IT) systems, with a literal “air gap” between the two domains. Now, they are converging as more electromechanical, manufacturing, and industrial equipment … Read More