AI-driven workloads are accelerating global data center buildout and increasing ICT supply chain complexity, distribution, and security risks. Structured management systems are helping systematically assess risk, validate supplier practices, and embed cybersecurity into procurement and upstream processes.
AI is not just transforming how we compute; it is changing how we build. Every watt, every optical fiber strand, every square inch of these facilities is being redesigned to support a new kind of digital organism—one that learns, reasons, and scales exponentially.
*Modern network infrastructure installations in higher education and healthcare environments can face unique challenges that demand specialized troubleshooting approaches.*
Katherine Asbeck with contributions from Gayla Arrindell
*As industries embrace digital transformation, ICT networks must deliver high performance in harsh environments such as factory floors, oil fields, and transportation corridors.*
The worlds of energy and data are converging like never before. This convergence, driven by the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, is pushing existing infrastructure beyond conventional boundaries, and reshaping the very foundations of the digital world.
The line between the energy and communications systems industries is more blurred than ever. Determining the point at which power and data delivery converge has become more difficult due to the increasing overlap. Now more than ever, the two industries must learn to play in the same sandbox. There are ICT cabling systems that can deliver data and power to the devices simultaneously and it is becoming much easier to enable smart devices in a building that facilitates the convergence of power and ICT infrastructure.
11 min
The Three “C’s” in Agility Applied to Data Center Projects
Feature
Members
Yuri William Bravo Asencios
The integration of agile methodologies in data center project execution, particularly during the production phase of a corporate computer room, is explored in detail. Guided by international standards and best practices, the significance of agility in project management is discussed through the lens of the “three C’s of agile leadership.” The study includes a qualitative analysis of these aspects within agile project teams and offers insights into the practical application of agile practices, such as team formation, planning, risk management, ceremonies, and metrics. It provides practical recommendations for their implementation, underlining the importance of the Scrum framework and addressing the evolving technological demands and the inherent risks in data center operations.
With today’s Americans spending the majority of their time indoors, buildings should not only be comfortable and convenient—they should also be smart. There are a variety of ICT sources that support the foundation of artificial intelligence (AI), but to achieve smarter buildings, data must be carefully analyzed. AI technologies are evolving, and to realize their potential, understanding and optimizing operations is key. Smart buildings are the way of the future.
Data centers account for a significant percentage of the world’s energy consumption and are now facing pending regulations that make sustainability initiatives increasingly important. Simultaneously, power consumption in the data center is increasing due to heightened demand for more digital services and technology advancements that generate more data and require more power. Thus, the industry will see predictive power modeling combined with other emerging technologies to improve efficiency and availability.
The world is becoming increasingly connected, and remarkable volumes of data are being produced, processed, stored, and consumed. Companies are moving away from traditional data center strategies in favor of solutions like hybrid cloud to keep up with demand. Soon, the majority of infrastructure strategies will integrate on-premises, colocation, cloud, and edge delivery options. Organizations that stand the test of time will be proactive in their investment decisions.
In an ever-connected world, the need for multifunction test capability is increasing. While it is possible to have several standalone tools that provide twisted-pair, optical fiber, and wireless testing capabilities, using a multifunction test tool gives technicians the ability to offer the types of testing and troubleshooting needed within corporate local area networks (LANs), branch offices, and data centers. It is critical that ICT professionals understand how to properly use the testing equipment to interpret results for troubleshooting in the field.
16 min
Members
Robert Reid
When dealing with critical applications within the data center, the performance and reliability of cabling infrastructure is paramount. As performance requirements for networks have changed, so too have the specifications on the constituent components. Discover the most accurate and capable measurement techniques for higher speed intermodal links, and learn industry best practices to ensure that costs associated with the remediation of links are kept to a minimum.
Bringing together elements of intelligent passive infrastructure, construction SaaS platforms, and the automation and digitization of test and splice equipment, intelligent build solutions can bring many benefits to end-customers, ICT installers, general contractors, and suppliers.
15 min
Anthony Cortes
Discover how AV over IP connects 110 smart AV stands on three campuses from concept to completion in only three months. The stands feature smart network interfacing and auto-configuration when moved to a different network drop, allowing non-technical people to connect the stands to new network drops without any help from IT tech support.
Discover how to navigate the complex landscape of data center design and deployment options, including the practice of cloud repatriation that has most enterprise organizations adopting a hybrid approach where computing, storage, and services are comprised of both the public and private clouds.
Explore the new best practice approach of bonding that simplifies and expedites this misunderstood practice in the ever-evolving low voltage world of ICT infrastructure. Learn how ICT professionals can build upon what has come before and make it better—not by tearing down the past but by building it back up, better. Benjamin Franklin would approve!
IoT technologies have proven instrumental in shaping the landscape of intelligent building architecture and automation, with PoE lighting emerging as a significant driver and support mechanism for smart network integration and success. As office workers across the globe face unprecedented changes in how businesses operate, office occupants will need to rely on automated, data-driven building solutions in ways both old and new.
As data centers evolve to support digital transformation, MPO and polarity testing has become essential, reflectance is now a vital consideration, and cleaning and inspection are more important than ever.
Due to increasing demand for technology-based solutions and the decreasing cost of wireless sensors, there is significant business in converting, retrofitting, and upgrading data centers. Asset management and labeling are important for a successful structured cabling or data center install in any environment to ensure maximum uptime and audit compliance.
Most of the challenges inherent in POL deployment can be avoided by adopting efficient and thorough test procedures for the installed fiber optic cables and active devices before final turn-up. Learn how testing ensures first-time-right service turn-up and enables meeting customer deployment objectives.
Explore the ways to leverage infrastructure that impacts the deployment, monitoring, management, and operation of an edge data center. Infrastructure choices address common challenges related to security, environmental conditions, and reliability, thereby ensuring uptime for the network and those systems dependent on the network.
The AV industry is in the midst of a challenging transition. The migration of AV systems to the IP network requires a lot of planning. Detailed knowledge of network topologies, deployment issues, best practices, and quality-considerations ensure a smooth transition to AVoIP and a reliable and consistent AV system.
Mike Connaughton, RCDD, CDCD, Brooke Ford, Joost Grillaert, Ph.D., Michael Wang
Decisions Based on Scale: For the purposes of comparison, there are three categories of data centers: traditional enterprise, cloud scale, and hyperscale. Learn how each of these categories has a different set of cabling and connectivity requirements when considering transmission, data rate, installation, latency, density, maintenance and migration.
Nearly 75 percent of the optical fibers deployed in the LAN are multimode. Bandwidth-intensive applications and latency-aware traffic are becoming ubiquitous. With MPLC-based technologies, there is no need for large costly cabling projects; simply convert multimode optical fibers into non-dispersion singlemode.
Take the journey through the massive renovation of Georgia-Pacific’s headquarters in Atlanta. With few improvements since its opening in 1982, the space was not efficient for the technology and work habits of today’s mobile workforce. Discover the technologies that made the GP-Center a better place to work.
Today, the rack PDU must operate at full load in high temperatures, participate in support of environmental data collection, and assist in maintaining secure access to the cabinet. The rack PDU is becoming a data aggregation point in the cabinet with intelligence and control capable down to the receptacle.
13 min
Jeff Silveira, CAE, RITP
Change may seem overwhelming when keeping up with the continuous influx of new technologies and paradigms. The new ANSI/BICSI 002-2019, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices standard provides assistance and a path forward amid ongoing changes and trends in the age of IoT, big data and ICT transformation.
Smart technology advancements are being introduced at a furious pace. What is largely ignored, however, is how dumb security is when it comes to making these so-called smart things work. Building automation systems are inching closer to the edge, drawing interest to the 4-point security unikernels model as a potentially viable solution.
Explore the exciting implications of PoE technology, including infrastructure game changers like the recent ratification of the IEEE 802.3bt Power over Ethernet (PoE) over 4 Pairs amendment. What does this mean and how will it affect the ICT world?
From basic 10 Mb/s analog phones, ICT has progressed to 40 Gb on the horizontal, 400 Gb on the backbone and added remote powering via PoE. With the advent of IoT, the time has come for structured cabling to provide the infrastructure for not only all communication in the building, but also a significant part of the power.