How is IoT Transforming the Data Centers

While the Internet of Things is rapidly gaining traction around the world, one factor is critical to the technology's survival and how, without it, the entire system could implode. We're obviously talking about data.

 

It is expected that by 2025, there will be over 65 billion active IoT devices around the world, each of which will require a data connection to operate and communicate with other devices. 

 

According to a recent IDC report, by this time, IoT devices will generate nearly 80 zettabytes. This is a massive amount of data, and as IoT adoption grows, we must investigate the impact on data centers around the world. It is critical to increasing data storage. A flood of new data is being produced and must be saved. 

 

Software ecosystems powering consumer IoT, such as Amazon Alexa, will automatically store data such as all voice searches and search history information, or an IIoT device's routing information, implying that the more a device is used, the more data is created and the more space is required, especially when the rate of data creation for an individual device is multiplied by 65 billion.

 

With the influx of new data, the majority of which is sensitive or at the very least personal, it's clear that data centers must do more to encrypt data sent and received, as well as secure data stored. 

 

Security is critical in most scenarios because multiple devices are used. As IoT devices evolve, hackers and unscrupulous internet users will experiment with new hacking techniques to crack these devices. Security measures are an ongoing and fierce battleground.

 

Also Read | Applications of IoT in Home Automation

 

What are Data Centers?

 

A data center is a facility that centralizes an organization’s shared IT operations and equipment in order to store, process, and distribute data and applications. 

 

Data centers are critical to the continuity of daily operations because they house an organization's most critical and proprietary assets. As a result, the security and reliability of data centers and their information are among the top priorities of any organization.

 

Data centers used to be highly controlled physical infrastructures, but the public cloud has changed that model. Except ‌where regulatory requirements cause an on-premises data center without internet access, most modern data center infrastructures have transitioned from on-premises physical servers to virtualized infrastructure that supports applications and workloads across multi-cloud environments.

 

Data centers are an essential component of any business, supporting business applications and providing services such as:

 

1. Storage, management, backup, and recovery of data

 

2. Email and other productivity applications

 

3. E-commerce transactions in high volume

 

4. Providing support for online gaming communities

 

5. Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and big data

 

There are reportedly more than 7 million data centers in the world today. Almost every business and government entity either builds and operates its own data center or has access to someone else's, if not both. 

 

There are numerous options available today, including renting servers at a co-location facility, using third-party data center services, or using public cloud-based services from hosts such as Amazon, Microsoft, Sony, and Google.

 

Also Read| All about Edge Computing 

 

IoT and Data Centers

 

Data center facilities run around the clock, consuming massive amounts of electricity and producing massive amounts of heat, measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs. As computing loads grow, so does electricity consumption and heat generation. Temperature control is critical in the data center to avoid overheating equipment, regulate cooling, and monitor overall efficiency. 

 

Traditional simple thermal sensors installed in IT closets, data center rack space, and critical points of inflection throughout the facility, such as air conditioning intake and exhaust vents, can monitor and control heat generation and output for cooling systems and the areas they affect, but not optimally.

 

Humidity control, like temperature control, is critical in avoiding damage to mission-critical equipment because excessively high humidity can cause corrosion of electronic contacts and other sensitive hardware, whereas low humidity can cause damaging static electricity buildup. 

 

Environmental sensors provide real-time data to ensure that the humidity levels in the facility are optimal. Water damage is one of the most serious threats to a data center. Water damage from a leaking air conditioner, a water-cooled rack, condensation, rainwater, or plumbing can have severe operational and financial consequences.

 

To meet demand, data centers could increase capacity 'ad infinitum' to meet the exponential growth in IoT.  However, adding new resources and building new data centers are time-consuming and costly processes, so first consider whether the current resources available to a data center are being used efficiently.

 

IoT sensors for leak detection notify teams immediately when a leak is detected, allowing them to take corrective action. Rope sensors, for example, can be installed in difficult-to-reach areas such as around each cooling system, cooling distribution units, beneath raised floors, and anywhere else a potential leak source exists. 

 

Small IoT leak detection devices are ideal for monitoring more isolated and small-scale areas, such as IT closets, as well as more prescriptive measures for specific assets in larger data center operations, such as overflow pans.

 

Also Read | IoT vs IoE 

 

Security Guidelines of IoT

 

As evidenced by the number of recent network intrusions caused by a poorly secured IoT ecosystem, properly securing IoT is no easy task. Security challenges remain, but data center operators can meet them by implementing some of these security guidelines of IoT :

 

1. Protect restricted devices

 

Storage, memory, and processing power are typically limited in IoT devices. These devices may also be required to support low-power environments and run on batteries. As a result, security solutions that rely on encryption may not be appropriate for low-power devices with limited processing capability. 

 

Simply put, the devices cannot perform complex encryption and decryption tasks while still transmitting data in real-time. As a result, the devices are limited to fast, lightweight encryption algorithms that are more easily broken. Adopters must provide multiple layers of defense to compensate for these device limitations, such as segregating devices onto separate networks and using firewalls.

 

2. Devices must be authorized and authenticated

 

IoT systems are densely packed with devices that could fail at any time. As a result, device authentication and authorization are critical. Security must be implemented so that devices must prove their identity before being granted access. 

 

Many IoT devices, however, use insecure basic password authentication. Data center operators may want to consider implementing an IoT platform that includes two-factor authentication and requires the use of strong passwords or certificates.

 

3. Control device updates

 

Keeping track of and applying updates to IoT devices, such as security patches, can be a difficult task. Administrators must put in place management controls to keep track of which updates are available and to apply them consistently across distributed environments. 

 

Administrators may need to implement device management solutions that automate updates and provide validation when updates are completed to resolve the issues presented by updates. Incorrectly handled updates can leave IoT devices vulnerable to attack or compromise.

 

4. Identify and report vulnerabilities and incidents

 

Vulnerabilities and breaches in security are unavoidable. Administrators must implement detection strategies for vulnerabilities and breaches. 

 

Monitoring network communications and activity logs for anomalies, engaging in penetration testing and ethical hacking to expose vulnerabilities, and utilizing security intelligence and analytics to identify and notify when incidents occur are all examples of these strategies.

 

5. Control your Vulnerabilities

 

When vulnerabilities are discovered, they must be mitigated, which may cause the deployment of systems that detect and respond to vulnerabilities. 

 

Sometimes, this entails automatically disabling or isolating affected devices until they can be patched or resolved. A rules engine that takes advantage of vulnerability management policies should automate and drive actions.

 

Also Read | IoT in Public Safety: Applications and Challenges
 

 

Impact of IoT on Data Centers

 

While the Internet of Things is rapidly taking off around the world, it's important to remember one thing that is critical to the technology's existence, and how without it, the entire system could collapse. Some ‌ways in which IoT is transforming data centers are‌:

---

Impact of IoT on Data Centers

---

 

1. Data Storage Expands

 

Data storage is a critical consideration. A massive amount of new data is being generated and will need to be stored. For example, all data from people creating new accounts, including personal and financial information, as well as usage data, must be saved and encrypted.

 

Software such as Google Now will automatically, by default, store data such as all voice searches and search history information, so the more a device is used, the more data is created, and the more space is required, especially when an individual's data creation rate is multiplied by 26 billion.

 

2. Security Enhancements and Issues

 

With so much new data, much of it personal, it's clear that data centers must do more to encrypt the data they send and receive, as well as secure the data they store. With multiple devices being used in most cases, security is critical.

 

As more IoT devices evolve, criminals or malicious internet users will try new hacking approaches and learn to crack these devices. Security is an ongoing and never-ending battle.

 

3. Connection Technology

 

With such an increase in data consumption and traffic, the connections between devices and data centers will need to be greatly improved. Currently, data traffic is analogous to water flowing through a pipe, with each drop representing a bit of data. When the pipe is full, there is no more space!

 

You can either add new pipes, make existing pipes wider, or make existing pipes faster. Whatever approach is chosen, an investment will be required.

 

4. Being Environmentally Sustainable

 

Businesses are increasingly concerned about becoming green and sustainable in order to avoid further environmental damage. Data centers consume a lot of energy and can have a significant carbon footprint. This is only going to get worse as more IoT devices continue to get introduced.

 

Fortunately, there are already technologies in place to mitigate the effects. AI-powered smart initiatives to control and manage data centers, underwater centers, and improved equipment and hardware are examples of this.

 

5. Making Profitable Data Centers

 

With all of the upgrades, investments, and adjustments that must be made to data centers around the world, one of the most important factors for operators and businesses to consider is how cost-effective these changes are. Will it be more cost-effective to make a single large investment, or should the costs be spread out over time?

 

Of course, infrastructure is required for the industry to grow, and a failed or unusable IoT product will only hold the niche back, so they must walk a fine line between profitability and suitably funded. This will cause extensive planning and organization.

 

Also Read | IoT in Logistics: Benefits, Challenges and Applications

 

The Internet of Things will almost certainly continue to raise the sophistication of data centers through automation. Patching, monitoring, upgrading, scheduling, and configuration of routine data center functions can all be managed remotely using algorithmically controlled IoT devices. This translates to less human effort, tighter operating parameters, lower costs, lower environmental impacts, and lower threats.