The digital tech revolution has seen the IT space grow at an exponential rate. Technology is constantly evolving and what you buy today will probably be considered substandard in a year or two from now. New concepts are constantly emerging that reshape the way that IT users, especially companies, manage their IT needs.
Corporate IT services continue to influence the digital ecosystem because the cost of downtime or any kind of interruption has more consequences for a large company that manages lots of staff or delivers its services through or via the internet. This has led to IT services emerging to accommodate these needs with a particular focus on maximising convenience and minimising the risk of IT failure. This has paved the way for two IT service industries that will likely change the way you use IT forever: data centres and cloud computing.
The market for data centres was valued at approximately $48.9 billion in 2020. It is predicted to grow to approximately $105.6 billion by the year 2026. Cloud computing, a more recent development, has taken the world by storm with a market valuation of $289.25 billion in 2020 and this is predicted to grow by 18.79% by 2026. But, what exactly are data centres and why does cloud computing matter? Well, the answer to that question can probably be answered with a single word: remote.
The digital world is headed toward a remote model
This is one where everything you require is taken care of for you and somewhere out of sight. Most companies do not have IT as their core competence, it is just something they use and quite extensively, to manage their core operations. So, companies with IT as their core competence aim to service non-IT companies, so IT is one less thing they need to think about, especially if they are growing and adapting to an evolving marketplace that requires infrastructure in multiple locations.
The pandemic has seen an increase in the number of people working remotely. It is a shift that was probably inevitable, but COVID-19 made it a necessity, proved the model and has accelerated the rate at which companies have made the switch, which has been a real boost to cloud computing services. The search for remote working jobs has increased by 450%, so this change is unlikely to change anytime soon. The result: you can look forward to a remote based digital environment from here onwards.
Let’s look at the advantages of data centres and cloud computing in more detail, so you can see how they will shape your future IT experience.
What is a data centre?
A data centre is a premises that is designed to house and manage IT infrastructure on behalf of companies. They provide space to house servers, bandwidth, coolers, hardware and often software too. They have a dedicated team of IT professionals that maintain their networks and physical facilities to ensure that IT operations are always running smoothly. If you use a data centre you do not need to hire a dedicated IT department in house. There are packages to suit most business sizes.
Retail colocation hosting services lets you rent server rack space. You provide the servers and they manage all the processes that keep the server running smoothly. Wholesale colocation hosting is more involved. The data centre leases out entire floors or even buildings and they charge you per KwH of energy used. The fee includes all of their servicing charges. They are a great solution for companies that handle a lot of data or grow constantly.
What are cloud computing services?
To put it simply, cloud computing is when you purchase access to an IT network as and when you need it. It lets you expand or reduce your IT use without having to buy or sell physical systems or having to worry about physical storage space, maintenance, power or hiring IT staff to oversee your infrastructure. If you hire someone new, simply purchase a new license to grant them access. All of your data is backed up, you can monitor their activity, share documents, use applications and do everything you would ordinarily, but probably faster. If that member of staff leaves, you simply cancel their subscription.
The flexibility that cloud computing provides makes it easy for companies to manage their growth without the need of direct investing in IT.
There is no risk of outdated hardware or unused IT that you’re still paying for. In other words, it makes IT much more affordable and productive.
