Data centers use AI tools to manage their facilities and the workloads they process. AI helps data center managers with a variety of tasks, including power control, energy consumption monitoring, maintenance updates, and network security.
AI is an ever-changing business discipline for today's data centers. Administrators need to learn everything from how to deploy the latest AI tools in their data centers to the questions they should ask their AI vendors. Although there are concerns about customers' data centers supporting their AI-powered workloads, there are many benefits to deploying AI tools within the data center.
How to use AI in your data center
AI tools often collect and analyze data, processes that cannot be performed manually or are too time-consuming. This allows administrators to take preventive measures and optimize operations before problems occur.
AI power management
By combining AI tools with advanced power distribution management systems, facility owners and managers can reduce power costs and environmental impact. Advanced power distribution management systems prioritize the selection of electricity providers based on factors such as lowest cost and carbon source. AI tools then analyze power usage in real-time and automate relevant power choices.
AI cooling control
AI learning models monitor and analyze more data points than traditional cooling systems, helping you optimize cooling options across a wide range of applications. For example, Trane Technologies' partnership with BrainBox AI will allow facility owners to automatically control cooling based on a variety of factors, including weather, as well as schedules and sequences. BrainBox AI automatically analyzes data and predicts the thermal behavior of each area to ensure proper cooling.
AI network optimization
Beyond traditional analytics and predictive workload distribution, AI tools can be combined with data center infrastructure management (DCIM) applications to enhance network optimization. Some AI tools, such as Juniper Networks' Mist AI, automate the setup and configuration of new resources such as virtual servers. This frees up administrators to work on other tasks.
AI hardware maintenance
Monitoring the lifecycle of thousands of pieces of hardware in your data center can be a daunting task. Add AI tools to the mix to improve your maintenance processes. AI analyzes all available data within a facility and predicts when intervention is needed. Incorporate DCIM, IoT sensors, and equipment data into AI applications to analyze and notify equipment such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries, motors, and servers.
AI security
AI tools can analyze data center locations and suggest remediation based on physical hazards such as flooding, fire, and electrical damage. We can recommend steps to protect equipment and people from harm, such as installing fireproof enclosures for UPS batteries. AI tools are used during the facility design phase or when setting up new private networks for colocation data center clients.
AI provisioning and configuration management
AI-powered apps can automate the setup and configuration of datacenter resources such as VMs and network settings. Administrators can enable this through standard setup, configuration, and predetermined rules and policies for workload needs, saving time and reducing the chance of error.
Tasks required to integrate AI into your data center
Using AI tools and apps to enhance your data center operations requires research and planning. Here are some ideas for administrators to consider before implementing AI in their data centers.
Identify goals and uses for AI
As with any new strategy or operational tool, it is important to define the specific goals and uses for AI-based deployment in the data center. Administrators should consider their plans and ask themselves whether they want to monitor and optimize energy usage and consumption, or if they want to help allocate and provision resources.
Address data security
AI tools need to be fed large amounts of data in order to train and learn. Therefore, administrators must tightly manage that data to avoid breaches and privacy risks. Consider using synthetic data that mimics the real data your tools use in production. Ask potential vendors data security questions to ensure they meet your and your customers' requirements.
Research vendors and applications
Not all AI tools are data center compatible or suited for specific uses. Administrators should investigate her AI tools to see how they fit their needs. Look for vendors with experience building AI tools for your specific situation.
Start small and expand slowly
Applying AI across your data center can be a slow and expensive process. Implementing a simple AI tool can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take months to train. Achieving high ROI takes time. So start small and expand slowly. Each new implementation and usage method is easier and delivers faster ROI.
Plan the future of AI in your data center
As AI tools and their usage evolve globally, data center managers and owners must prepare for the future. With the increased use of AI by customers, they should consider using more AI tools to manage and operate their facilities. Manual processes and her 100% human intervention are insufficient to handle large amounts of data.
Administrators need to stay up to date with the latest AI tools to help manage operations. You should test tools that meet your requirements, introduce new tools to better automate processes, and constantly monitor that they are working as intended.
For data centers powering customer AI workloads, you can redesign your configuration to maximize performance. AI tools can help you design a modern data center, identify areas for improvement, and monitor workflows.
AI-related training will take up a large part of a data center administrator's schedule, but it doesn't just include how to understand AI algorithms. Administrators and other staff need to stay up-to-date on AI technology and how to support it. Facilities that offer strong training programs are better able to attract and retain top talent.
Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter and content marketing strategist who helps B2B technology companies publish valuable content.
