Overcome Environmental Challenges at the Edge with Server Technology

Many businesses today are exploring edge computing, a process that involves decentralizing core network infrastructure and pushing it closer to end users in localized markets. With edge computing, the goal is to reduce long haul data transmissions, resulting in improved performance and lower operating costs. It can also provide access to localized analytics, which can help businesses understand and respond more effectively to users’ needs.

There are, however, some critical logistical issues at play in edge environments that need to be considered in order to experience a successful deployment — one of the most important being changing environmental conditions in and around edge data centers.

Here are some things that data center administrators need to be careful of:

Unfamiliar weather patterns: Opening an edge data center in a localized market will mean branching out into potentially unfamiliar climates. For instance, an organization based out of Texas could be in for a wild ride by opening up a data center in New England, where the weather can unexpectedly change by the hour—resulting in fluctuations in air pressure, temperature, and humidity. Data center administrators need to be able to respond immediately when environmental conditions change, as it can impact computing equipment.

Natural disasters:  Right now it’s still hard to tell how this year’s hurricane season will pan out. In the Central Pacific, for instance, there is a 40 percent chance of an above-normal season, a 40 percent chance of a near-normal season and a 20 percent chance that it will be below-normal. Altogether, at least 5 to 8 tropical storms are expected in the area. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure that backup power systems at edge facilities are fully functioning and ready for seamless failover in the event of a major storm.

Accidents: Last month, San Francisco suffered from a major power outage when a fire broke out in a substation. It was a stark reminder that accidents can happen when they are least expected, causing chaos in facilities that are unprepared. Heating and cooling systems can break. Sprinkler systems can accidentally go off. When such things happen, administrators need to be notified immediately to prevent major damage.

Server Technology provides switched rack power distribution units with embedded Per Outlet Power Sensing (POPS) functionality, for advanced power monitoring and management in edge data centers. In addition to providing real-time environmental and power monitoring, these racks can also provide historical environmental reports to aid in long-term planning.

Using Server Technology’s advanced PDUs, in conjunction with the our partner Sunbird's Power IQ platform, data center administrators can actively respond to important environmental changes at the edge of the network while reducing downtime and controlling costs.