Copyright TechTarget - All rights reserved https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Techtarget Feed Generator en Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:18:10 GMT https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter editor@techtarget.com <p>One of the most vital tasks for any data center is environmental monitoring and management. High temperatures and humidity levels can damage IT equipment, leading to failures. Such conditions can also create discomfort for personnel working inside the data center.</p> <p>Fortunately, many systems and technologies can help monitor and manage data center cooling to maintain optimal <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-temperature-and-humidity-guidelines">temperature and humidity levels</a>.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is data center cooling?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is data center cooling?</h2> <p>Data centers consume a lot of power, which generates heat. The more equipment in a facility, the more heat it generates. Data center cooling involves the tools, systems, techniques and processes used to maintain ideal temperatures and humidity levels inside a data center.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-to-calculate-data-center-cooling-requirements">Proper data center cooling</a> ensures the entire facility has sufficient ventilation, humidity control and cooling to keep all equipment within the desired temperature ranges.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why is data center cooling important?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why is data center cooling important?</h2> <p>High temperatures and humidity levels are undesirable conditions for IT and electrical equipment. Most IT devices and equipment generate heat and need to get rid of it quickly to avoid performance degradation.</p> <p>Facilities and equipment setups should be designed to minimize excess heat and humidity because these conditions can damage devices and equipment, causing them to malfunction or stop working. Worse, damaged equipment increases the facility's fire risk and other safety issues for on-site staff. These risks raise operational costs, as equipment must be repaired or replaced more often.</p> <p>As most data centers run ASHRAE Class A1 and A2 equipment, facility managers must ensure their cooling systems are up to the task. The need to buy additional or up-to-date equipment to meet cooling requirements explains why the global cooling market will grow by nearly <a href="https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/data-center-cooling-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14% annually</a> until 2033, according to Astute Analytica.</p> <p>The U.S. cooling market alone is expected to reach <a href="https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5311271/u-s-data-center-cooling-market-landscape-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$8.24 billion</a> in spending by 2029, according to Research and Markets.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How does data center cooling work?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How does data center cooling work?</h2> <p>Data center cooling transfers heat away from equipment and the air, replacing it with cooler air. This is typically done in one of several ways:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Airflow strategies to maximize the removal of hot air and circulation of colder air, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/hot-cold-aisle">hot and cold aisle</a> design, raised-floor cool air delivery, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/adiabatic-cooling">adiabatic cooling</a> that uses air pressure differentials to regulate temperatures, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/free-cooling">free cooling</a></li> <li>Equipment cooling options that aim to cool directly onto hot components, such as direct-to-chip liquid cooling, immersion cooling, rear-door heat exchangers and microchannel heat exchangers.&nbsp;</li> <li>Cooling or heating the facility to the highest recommended temperature and replacing equipment once it fails. Using this heat-cooling, or close-coupled cooling, method can be cheaper, as it might cost significantly less than equipment replacement.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Current data center cooling systems and technologies"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Current data center cooling systems and technologies</h2> <p>Air and liquid cooling are two of the most popular data center cooling methods, each with several approaches.</p> <h3>Air cooling</h3> <p>Air cooling has been the standard for data centers since nearly the beginning. It is a well-understood technology and strategy, and when combined with other options such as raised floors and hot- and cold-aisle designs, it can be adequate for smaller facilities or those handling typical workloads.&nbsp;</p> <p>In a raised-floor setup, when the computer room AC (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/computer-room-air-conditioning-unit">CRAC</a>) unit or computer room air handler (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/computer-room-air-handler-CRAH">CRAH</a>) sends cold air, the pressure below the raised floor increases, forcing the cold air into the equipment inlets. The cold air displaces the hot air, which is then returned to the CRAC or CRAH, where it's cooled and recirculated.</p> <p>In-row cooling units offer a more focused approach by placing them closer to the heat sources, improving cooling efficiency and response times to alerts or monitoring system changes.&nbsp;</p> <p>A CRAH is more efficient than a CRAC, as it draws outside air in and cools it using chilled water instead of refrigerant. A CRAC functions like a residential AC unit, using refrigerants to cool the air. CRAC units are better suited to small data center closets because they can't keep up with the demands of enterprise-level data centers.</p> <h3>Hot and cold aisle layouts</h3> <p>With this air-based cooling strategy, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Avoid-common-server-racking-issues">server cabinets and racks are arranged</a> in rows, with each row facing the opposite direction from the one in front. The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Explore-hot-and-cold-aisle-containment-for-your-data-center">hot and cold air aisles increase the efficiency</a> of the cooling systems by enabling more targeted placement of intake and exhaust vents. Hot air is vented from the hot aisle, and cool air is pumped through the cold aisle. This prevents hot and cold air from mixing, allowing the cooling system to work more efficiently.</p> <p>Add doors, walls or partitions to the layout to further direct airflow for hot and cold aisles. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-to-understand-advancements-in-modern-data-centers">Cabinets should be as full as possible</a> to avoid the empty spaces, gaps and cable openings that can leak hot or cold air into the opposite aisle, causing the cooling system to work overtime.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_with_hot_and_cold_aisles-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_with_hot_and_cold_aisles-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_with_hot_and_cold_aisles-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_with_hot_and_cold_aisles-f.png 1280w" alt="Diagram of a data center set up for hot and cold aisle cooling." height="450" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>This diagram illustrates how hot and cold air circulates to maintain optimal temperature levels in the data center. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>Liquid cooling</h3> <p>Liquid cooling options are evolving as server workloads and density increase, especially with AI workloads. They are more efficient than air cooling because they transfer heat more effectively from the hottest components in the equipment. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Liquid-and-dry-cooling-in-a-water-stressed-world">Liquid cooling</a> is more cost-effective because it can be installed directly on the devices that need it the most. It can also support greater equipment densities and items that generate higher-than-average heat, such as high-density and edge-computing data centers.</p> <p>There are two main types of liquid cooling:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li><b>Direct-to-chip liquid cooling.</b> This method uses flexible tubes to deliver nonflammable <a href="https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-chips/direct-to-chip-cooling-everything-data-center-operators-should-know">dielectric fluid directly to the processing chip</a> or motherboard component that generates the most heat, such as the CPU or GPU. The fluid absorbs the heat by turning it into vapor, which carries the heat out of the equipment through the same tube.</li> <li style="text-align: left;"><b>Liquid immersion cooling.</b> This method <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/Liquid-coolings-moment-comes-courtesy-of-AI">places the entire electrical device into dielectric fluid</a> in a closed system. The fluid absorbs the heat emitted by the device, turns it into vapor and condenses it, helping the device cool down.</li> </ol> <p>An additional cooling method is rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx). This method is typically combined with liquid cooling and adds a specialized door at the rear of server racks to chill the hot air expelled by the servers. At the same time, coolant transports the absorbed heat to a secondary cooling system. It can be passive RDHx, where the expelling airflow is generated by the server's internal fans, or active RDHx, where fans are added to the racks to assist in pulling exhaust air out of the racks and through the secondary cooling system.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Secondary cooling system equipment</h3> <p>Beyond the main cooling systems and options, there are other systems and equipment needed to ensure a reliable and efficient cooling system, including:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Sensors</b>. Temperature, humidity and airflow.</li> <li><b>Monitoring applications</b>. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/A-close-look-at-DCIM-software-and-the-broad-vendor-options">Alerting software</a> or modules that provide real-time feedback to data center operators before issues happen.</li> <li><b>Ducting systems and other physical equipment</b>. Properly maintained ducting, heat exhaust/ingestion vents, hoses, raised floors and server racks are all necessary to preserve the cooling system's integrity, efficiency and uptime.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Importance of energy efficiency in data center cooling"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Importance of energy efficiency in data center cooling</h2> <p>Cooling systems should be part of a data center's overall energy-efficiency strategy. As hyperscale and AI-driven workloads increase, data center facilities will face ever-increasing energy bills, reaching nearly <a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/ai-has-high-data-center-energy-costs-there-are-solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">21% of global energy</a> demand by 2030, according to MIT Sloan School of Management.</p> <p>Ensuring the facility's infrastructure, such as HVAC and power systems, is in good repair is a good first step. Next, operators can review the IT hardware they use to ensure it remains optimally functioning. Replacement and sunsetting processes can help by introducing more modern, efficient technologies as needed.</p> <p>Exploring new cooling technologies is another way to manage energy efficiency. New and evolved technologies, such as free cooling and liquid cooling systems, can greatly reduce cooling needs and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Four-ways-to-reduce-data-center-power-consumption">increase energy consumption efficiency</a> across the facility.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_energy_efficiency_activities-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_energy_efficiency_activities-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_energy_efficiency_activities-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_energy_efficiency_activities-f.png 1280w" alt="Diagram of an energy-efficient data center." height="487" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Data centers are using technology such as energy-efficient HVAC systems and equipment racks with cooling systems to manage energy consumption. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Future data center cooling systems and technologies"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Future data center cooling systems and technologies</h2> <p>Although liquid cooling is still relatively new, other data center cooling technologies are on the horizon, such as geothermal cooling methods, smart technologies that use AI and machine learning to better monitor and manage cooling, and evaporative cooling.</p> <h3>Striving for carbon-neutral data center cooling</h3> <p>Here are some ways data centers can use nature to cool their facilities:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/geothermal-cooling">Geothermal cooling</a> uses the near-constant temperature of the Earth's crust to provide cooling. It's a centuries-old idea, once used to keep food cold, adapted to our modern era. In data centers, geothermal cooling uses a closed-loop piping system with water or another coolant that runs through underground vertical wells filled with a heat-transfer fluid. Iron Mountain's western Pennsylvania data center, Verne Global in Iceland and Green Mountain in Norway <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/The-pros-and-cons-of-geothermal-energy-use">use geothermal</a> cooling.</li> <li>Evaporative cooling, or swamp cooling, takes advantage of the drop in temperature that occurs when water is exposed to moving air and begins to vaporize and change to a gas. A fan draws warm data center air through a water- or coolant-moistened pad, and as the liquid evaporates, the air is chilled and returned to the data center. It can cost a fraction of an air-cooled HVAC system and works best in low-humidity climates.</li> <li>Solar cooling converts heat from the sun into cooling that can be used in data center air cooling systems. The system collects solar power and uses a thermally driven cooling process to lower the building's air temperature. This is useful in areas with a lot of sunlight or for data centers looking to supplement their current cooling with a more environmentally friendly method.</li> <li>Kyoto Cooling is an enhancement of the free-cooling method that uses a thermal wheel to control airflow between hot and cold zones in the data center. Internal hot air is vented to the outside as the wheel rotates. The outside air then cools the wheel and the air that is drawn back into the facility. It uses between 75% to 92% less power to run than other CRAH systems, reduces carbon dioxide emissions and eliminates the need for water in the cooling system. The technology is used by United Airlines' data center outside Chicago and by HP's data center outside of Toronto.</li> </ul> <h3>Making data center cooling smarter</h3> <p>Because many newer data center cooling technologies require significant investment from facility owners, smart technology has become popular. Data center smart assistants, AI and machine learning technologies can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/answer/How-can-I-build-AI-capabilities-for-the-data-center">monitor facilities more efficiently</a> and make real-time adjustments to ensure optimal temperatures and humidity levels. Google, for example, uses smart temperature controls to reduce heat output and cooling usage.</p> <p>Data center cooling robots can move within the facility, monitoring temperatures and humidity levels in specific server cabinets. One challenge with manually monitoring cabinet temperatures is that conditions change as soon as the cabinet is opened. Companies such as OneNeck IT Solutions have developed a robot sensor probe that fits into standard cabinets. The robot moves up and down a belt-driven rail inside the cabinet to collect temperature data for each rack. It then transmits the data using Bluetooth to connected devices so data center pros can create a full heat map of the cabinet.</p> <h3>Improving heat exchange technology</h3> <p>Most technology includes a heat exchange feature, and as data centers handle increasing computer workloads, this technology is improving too. Server microchannel heat exchangers are evolving to use larger channels and different fluids, enabling more efficient heat transfer. They also use less cooling refrigerant than traditional exchange options, increasing their overall performance.</p> <p>Data center demand will only increase, so facility owners and their customers must look to more efficient, cost-effective cooling solutions -- whether that's less environmentally harmful options, such as geothermal and free cooling, or investing in and combining newer technologies, such as liquid immersion cooling for high-powered servers.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> This article was updated in March 2026 to reflect new statistics, data center cooling practices and to enhance the reader's experience.</p> <p><em>Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter, content marketer, content strategist and geek. She writes about B2B tech, SaaS, DevOps, the cloud and other tech topics.</em></p> </section> Extreme heat and cold can keep equipment from operating at peak efficiency. Explore cost-efficient and cost-effective cooling technologies and smart options for your facility. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/storage_g1197646065.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-cooling-systems-and-technologies-and-how-they-work Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:45:00 GMT <p>Data centers must demonstrate compliance with industry standard guidelines. This quick checklist helps administrators create <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/data-compliance">data compliance</a> strategies to ensure the security of their customers' data and maintain high operational standards.</p> <p>Data centers are responsible for securely managing data for an organization's customers. A single data outage or breach can devastate the business that depends on that data and be <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-safety-tips-to-protect-staff">catastrophic for a data center facility</a>.</p> <p>An effective<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/tip/10-key-elements-to-follow-data-compliance-regulations"> </a><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/tip/10-key-elements-to-follow-data-compliance-regulations">compliance strategy</a> can help any data center<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Comparing-data-protection-vs-data-security-vs-data-privacy"> </a><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Comparing-data-protection-vs-data-security-vs-data-privacy">secure the sensitive data</a> it handles. The compliance strategy then becomes the foundation for highly available service delivery and drives long-term customer satisfaction.</p> <p>The compliance landscape has grown significantly more complex in the last few years. New regulations covering AI governance, sustainability reporting and cybersecurity disclosure have added fresh obligations for data center operators. Facilities intending to create or update a data center compliance strategy can use this checklist as a starting point.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Align data center and IT teams"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_v8qjmnje5aye"></a>1. Align data center and IT teams</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/Data-security-guide-Everything-you-need-to-know">Data security</a> often resides with interested or affected groups within the organization. True data center<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/tip/3-considerations-for-a-data-compliance-management-strategy"> </a><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/tip/3-considerations-for-a-data-compliance-management-strategy">data compliance requires alignment across an entire company</a>. Data center administrators must align or communicate with customer compliance teams to ensure full coverage.</p> <p>Admins should obtain approval from senior leaders in relevant teams and clarify how department relationships work. They should define each team and member's role in the strategy. This transparency increases the chances of acceptance and ensures compliance with the processes and procedures.</p> <p>As of 2026, many organizations are appointing a dedicated Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) or Chief Data Officer (CDO) to lead compliance efforts, reflecting the growing regulatory burden. Data center operators should evaluate whether their current leadership structures can manage the expanding scope of requirements, particularly in AI governance and sustainability.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Discover compliance options"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_1ad5269cr7ie"></a>2. Discover compliance options</h2> <p>Different compliance standards have distinct guidelines. If a data center handles healthcare data, for instance, it must be HIPAA certified and demonstrate compliance for patient privacy. If it handles e-commerce data, such as online stores or financial transactions, it must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/PCI-DSS-compliance-Payment-Card-Industry-Data-Security-Standard-compliance">PCI DSS</a>) 4.0 to protect transmitted data, such as credit card information.</p> <p><b>Note:</b> PCI DSS 3.2.1 was retired in March 2024. Organizations must now comply with PCI DSS 4.0, which introduces enhanced authentication and monitoring requirements.</p> <p>Other foundational standards that data centers should be familiar with include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>SOC 2:</b> The gold standard for cloud and SaaS providers, developed by the AICPA, covering security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy.</li> <li><b><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/ISO-27001">ISO 27001</a>:</b> An internationally recognized framework for information security management systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/General-Data-Protection-Regulation-GDPR"><b>GDPR</b></a><b>:</b> Required for any facility handling personal data of EU residents, regardless of where the data center is located.</li> <li><a href="https://www.fedramp.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>FedRAMP</b></a><b>:</b> Required for cloud service providers selling to U.S. federal agencies. The FedRAMP 20x initiative, introduced in early 2025, is streamlining third-party technology adoption by agencies.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/definition/NIST"><b>NIST Cybersecurity Framework</b></a><b>:</b> Increasingly referenced in government contracts and regulatory guidance. Often used as a foundational layer on which industry-specific requirements are built.</li> </ul> <h3><a name="_k70bg7pkcjwl"></a>Newer frameworks to know about</h3> <p>There are several new frameworks and regulations that data center owners need to be aware of, in case they apply to them or their hosted clients.</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/the-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>EU AI Act</b></a><b>:</b> The most comprehensive AI regulation to date, the EU AI Act began broad enforcement in 2025 and 2026. It imposes requirements for risk assessments, transparency reporting and disclosures on organizations running AI workloads and their hosting infrastructure. Data centers must be able to classify workloads, document how they are isolated, secured and monitored, and explain the controls that govern data flows.</li> <li><b>ISO/IEC 42001:</b> An international standard for AI Management Systems. This framework provides a certifiable structure for demonstrating compliance with globally recognized AI governance benchmarks to regulators, investors and customers.</li> <li><b>State-level regulations in the U.S.:</b> These are multiplying rapidly. More than 200 bills aimed at regulating data centers were introduced across U.S. states in 2025, and more than 40 were enacted into law. Data center operators handling customer data across multiple states should closely track these developments, as requirements vary by jurisdiction.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Learn compliance audit schedules"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_yer15zufcp2g"></a>3. Learn compliance audit schedules</h2> <p>Data centers must constantly review their operations and infrastructure. Small audits and updates of daily processes help keep things running smoothly, while thorough audits ensure data compliance. Most <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/compliance-audit">compliance audits</a> are conducted annually by third-party auditors, meaning facilities with multiple certifications must undergo several audits each year.</p> <p>Data center staff and customers must be aware of the audit schedule, as it can affect regular facility operations. An organization must include this information in any <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/service-level-agreement">service-level agreement</a> in customer contracts to ensure operational transparency.</p> <p>In 2026, the frequency of audits will increase for certain types of data centers. The <a href="https://www.sec.gov/resources-small-businesses/small-business-compliance-guides/cybersecurity-risk-management-strategy-governance-incident-disclosure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC's Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule</a>, which became effective in December 2025, mandates annual Continuous Attestation Reports from independent third parties for facilities that handle securities-related workloads. Data centers serving those customers should include this requirement in their audit planning.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Understand compliance proof"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_lyssfx5txgxi"></a>4. Understand compliance proof</h2> <p>Data centers can demonstrate their compliance by publishing the certificates and certifications they receive. What they should publish depends on the specific audit guidelines.<a href="https://www.thehartford.com/insights/cyber/cyber-third-party-assessments"> </a>Third-party auditing services award these certificates on behalf of the governing body and regularly assess the data center's operations and infrastructure.</p> <p>The certifications data centers require depend on their customers and specific compliance guidelines, so organizations should ensure they stay up to date.</p> <p>Proof of compliance is also evolving beyond paper certifications. The <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366630833/EU-Data-Act-comes-into-force-amid-fears-of-regulation-fatigue">EU Data Act</a>, which took effect in 2026, requires verifiable transparency records for the entire data flow chain, including cross-border transfers and data sources used for model training. Regulators in some jurisdictions now expect real-time or near-real-time access to compliance logs rather than point-in-time audit reports.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Develop procedures to align with compliance rules"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_hcjegjs2nukh"></a>5. Develop procedures to align with compliance rules</h2> <p>Data center staff must align their procedures with the compliance rules they follow, as compliance audits are conducted regularly. Example processes and procedures include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Security gap ID.</b> Data center admins should conduct a network inventory to identify any security risks, vulnerabilities and exposures.</li> <li><b>Physical security review.</b> Facility staff should verify the<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/news/4500248374/Data-center-physical-security-gets-a-tougher-look"> </a>physical access control of devices in the facilities. They should also install surveillance cameras and other monitoring equipment.</li> <li><b>Incident management.</b> Data center staff should document the incident management process, procedures, roles and involved staff. This includes responses and remediation efforts during an incident.</li> <li><b>Training processes. </b><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/What-does-a-data-center-facility-manager-do">Managers should ensure initial training</a> for all staff, onboarding training for new staff and ongoing training for everyone. They should emphasize employee reporting procedures so data center admins can learn how to report nonconformance.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Address AI workload governance"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_gdb5sqiyb2fj"></a>6. Address AI workload governance</h2> <p>AI has evolved from a rising workload to a dominant one for data centers. As AI infrastructure has expanded, regulators have begun enforcing specific governance standards for facilities that host or run AI workloads. Data center operators must develop a compliance strategy that clearly addresses AI, separate from general data management requirements.</p> <p>Key areas of AI governance compliance to establish include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Workload classification.</b> Data centers should be able to identify and classify AI workloads by type and risk level, consistent with the EU AI Act's risk tiers -- unacceptable, high, limited and minimal risk. This classification determines which compliance requirements are applicable.</li> <li><b>Transparency documentation.</b> Operators should document how AI workloads are isolated, secured and monitored, and be able to explain the controls that govern related data flows.</li> <li><b>AI incident reporting.</b> California's <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-sb-53-advancing-californias-world-leading-artificial-intelligence-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act</a>, effective January 1, 2026, requires critical safety incident management and reporting, including unauthorized access or modification of AI model weights. Data centers hosting such workloads should align their incident management procedures accordingly.</li> <li><b>Supply chain and vendor accountability. </b>AI compliance responsibilities are increasingly extending beyond operators to include supply chains and partners. Data centers should ensure that vendors and subprocessors handling AI-related data meet equivalent governance standards.</li> </ul> <p>The regulatory landscape for AI compliance is still developing. The U.S. federal government <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Who-wins-and-loses-with-Trumps-AI-executive-order">issued an executive order</a> in December 2025 to establish a national AI policy framework, which may override some state-level AI laws. Data center operators should develop flexible compliance programs that can adapt to ongoing regulatory changes.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. Track sustainability and environmental compliance"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_ji0wzup5nu96"></a>7. Track sustainability and environmental compliance</h2> <p>Energy consumption and water use have become compliance issues, not just operational ones. Governments worldwide are intensifying efforts to address the environmental impact of data centers, particularly given the high energy demands of AI workloads. Data center operators, especially those with EU customers or operations, are subject to mandatory sustainability reporting requirements.</p> <p>Key regulatory developments in this area include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-targets-directive-and-rules/energy-efficiency-directive_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)</b></a><b>.</b> A major revision of the EED took effect in 2023. It requires data centers to report operational efficiency metrics, including power usage effectiveness (PUE) and water usage effectiveness (WUE), and to adopt measures to optimize electricity and water use.</li> <li><b>U.S. state-level legislation.</b> While the U.S. has no federal equivalent of the EED, state-level activity is accelerating. Oregon's POWER Act, enacted in August 2025, establishes special electricity rates for data centers and other large power consumers, incentivizing efficiency and grid-friendly load profiles. Data centers should monitor similar legislation in the states where they operate.</li> <li><b>Energy reporting and green power procurement. </b>The <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48762" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clean Cloud Act of 2025</a> would authorize federal agencies to collect electricity-related information from data centers and their energy suppliers. Regardless of legislative outcome, operators should have systems in place to measure and report energy sourcing, especially for customers with renewable energy commitments.<b> </b></li> </ul> <p>Data centers should incorporate sustainability metrics into their compliance reporting systems rather than treating environmental reporting as a separate operational task. Monitoring PUE, WUE and carbon footprint data alongside traditional compliance information streamlines audit preparation and demonstrates operational maturity to regulators and enterprise customers.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> This article was updated in March 2026 to update existing information and to add two new sections: "Address AI workload governance" and "Track sustainability and environmental compliance." This article now highlights the importance of data center security compliance in the age of AI.</p> <p><em>Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter, content marketer, content strategist and geek. She writes about B2B tech, SaaS, DevOps, the cloud and other tech topics.</em></p> </section> Create a security compliance plan for the data center that includes various standards, audit schedules, and 2026 AI governance and sustainability reporting requirements. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g1205300933.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-security-compliance-checklist Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:45:00 GMT <p>Modern hybrid cloud frameworks extend public cloud services into private infrastructure. While these capabilities make building a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/hybrid-cloud">hybrid cloud</a> easier, the bigger challenge is assembling a tool set that enables effective management of hybrid cloud infrastructure and workloads over the long term -- specifically, by helping to streamline tasks such as hybrid cloud administration, performance optimization, cost management and security.</p> <p>Correct tools are essential, especially as hybrid cloud becomes the default deployment model. According to VMware's "Private Cloud Outlook 2025: The Cloud Reset" <a href="https://www.vmware.com/docs/private-cloud-outlook-2025">report</a>, 92% of enterprises run a blend of private and public clouds. Additionally, 75% of respondents said this blended approach is an intentional strategy, which suggests that organizations value the flexibility of a hybrid cloud environment to meet specific use cases.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why hybrid cloud management matters"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why hybrid cloud management matters</h2> <p>In recent years, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/public-cloud">public cloud</a> vendors have rolled out a new generation of frameworks for hybrid cloud creation -- most notably, Azure Stack Hub and HCI, Azure Arc, AWS Outposts and Google Cloud Anthos. At the same time, more conventional hybrid cloud management platforms, such as VMware Cloud Foundation and Cisco Intersight, continue to thrive. In addition, Kubernetes can be useful as a platform for hybrid cloud management, especially for organizations that use Kubernetes services, like Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) Anywhere, to manage workloads deployed on private infrastructure using Amazon's managed Kubernetes service.</p> <p>These platforms provide a centralized way to deploy and administer workloads across a cloud environment that mixes private infrastructure with public cloud resources. Integration between these entities is a significant improvement over earlier hybrid cloud architectures, which more closely resembled a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/private-cloud">private cloud</a> and a public cloud running side by side. Modern tooling has made creating a hybrid cloud environment easier than ever.</p> <p>Yet, hybrid cloud management remains a major challenge, and the platforms and frameworks mentioned above don't fully solve it. They simplify and centralize the deployment of public cloud services on private infrastructure, but they don't always address hybrid cloud management requirements, such as workload provisioning, log aggregation and analysis, and governance enforcement. These tasks often require additional functionality beyond what's available in hybrid cloud frameworks.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zae3jApGq-U?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <h3>The importance of visibility in hybrid cloud</h3> <p>Hybrid clouds are, by their nature, especially complex and not fully centralized. Because they mix private and public cloud infrastructure and services, they make it harder to centralize monitoring and management than would be the case with a cloud environment that includes only private or only public resources.</p> <p>Hybrid cloud management demands an especially deep level of visibility. Visibility ensures that organizations have an accurate, continuously updated understanding of the status of all their cloud infrastructure and workloads, including both the private and public cloud components.</p> <p>The lack of effective hybrid cloud visibility can create challenges, such as the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>Service disruptions resulting from failure to detect outages or performance anomalies across the various workloads hosted within a hybrid cloud.</li> <li>The inability to predict or optimize cloud spending due to poor visibility into the costs of both the private and public cloud infrastructure.</li> <li>Security risks, which could arise due to inconsistent access controls and governance policies across the private and public parts of the cloud environment.</li> <li>Difficulty modernizing or migrating hybrid cloud workloads because of a lack of understanding of where each workload resides, what its requirements are and so on.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3 types of hybrid cloud management tools"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3 types of hybrid cloud management tools</h2> <p>The hybrid cloud management landscape is complex. Tools have overlapping functionality. And, since there are multiple approaches to implementing a hybrid cloud architecture -- such as building it directly on top of cloud infrastructure or using a platform like Kubernetes as an abstraction layer -- not all tools apply to all hybrid cloud configurations.</p> <p>That said, hybrid cloud management tools are generally categorized as one of three types of tools:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li>Native tools built into frameworks for building a hybrid cloud.</li> <li>Third-party tools that integrate with hybrid environments but are not natively included in them.</li> <li>Tools for managing the physical infrastructure that serves as the foundation for hybrid clouds.</li> </ol> <h3>1. Native hybrid cloud management tools</h3> <p>The first category of management tools consists primarily of public cloud services that can extend into hybrid cloud environments. For example, if AWS Outposts is used to build a hybrid cloud architecture, the AWS public cloud's standard management tools -- including CloudWatch and CloudTrail -- can be used to help monitor the hybrid environment and manage logs. The Azure Stack suite of products provides a similar experience by integrating with Microsoft Azure public cloud's standard monitoring tools. Anthos does this as well, using Google Cloud Console.</p> <p>Platforms such as VMware Cloud Foundation and Kubernetes can be tied into some public cloud vendors' services, too. But, for the most part, they don't extend public cloud management tooling into hybrid environments. Instead, users manage hybrid environments via the native tooling that's built into the platforms, such as kubectl on Kubernetes. That said, some integrations between these platforms and public cloud platforms exist. For example, it's possible to use the AWS Identity and Access Management framework to govern some permissions within Kubernetes environments hosted by using Amazon EKS, a Kubernetes service available through the Amazon cloud.</p> <h3>2. Third-party hybrid cloud monitoring and management tools</h3> <p>Because of limitations in native hybrid cloud management tools, it's sometimes necessary to add third-party management tools. These tools can offer broader, richer functionality. They also offer the advantage of working across multiple cloud platforms at once, which is usually not the case when using cloud provider tools. This capability makes third-party hybrid cloud tools useful for businesses whose cloud strategy includes <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/feature/Multi-cloud-vs-hybrid-cloud-and-how-to-know-the-difference">multiple public clouds in addition to a hybrid cloud</a>.</p> <h3>3. Physical infrastructure integration and management</h3> <p>Hybrid cloud management isn't just about digital assets. It also extends to the physical hardware that hosts hybrid clouds. It's necessary to keep track of the servers, which hardware resources they provide and whether they're adequate to meet the hybrid cloud architecture's needs. Cloud providers have <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Evaluate-on-premises-vs-cloud-computing-pros-and-cons">extended their reach to on-premises</a> by bundling hardware with services and linking back up to their clouds. These products eliminate the need for an enterprise to manage physical infrastructure. But, sometimes, there are tradeoffs.</p> <p>For instance, with AWS Outposts, the servers must be acquired directly from AWS. On other hybrid cloud platforms, however, a company typically purchases and manages its own hardware.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/weighing_hybrid_cloud_connectivity_factors-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/weighing_hybrid_cloud_connectivity_factors-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/weighing_hybrid_cloud_connectivity_factors-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/weighing_hybrid_cloud_connectivity_factors-f.png 1280w" alt="Six connectivity parameters when building and managing hybrid cloud architectures" height="426" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Six connectivity parameters when building and managing hybrid cloud architectures. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Top hybrid cloud management tools"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Top hybrid cloud management tools</h2> <p>Hybrid cloud management tools represent a complex ecosystem that has evolved significantly in recent years through acquisitions and new product launches. The evolution is likely to continue, making it important to keep up to date with the hybrid cloud tooling landscape.</p> <p>At present, key vendors and offerings include the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Amazon (CloudFormation, Amazon CloudWatch and AWS CloudTrail).</b> These cloud services integrate with Amazon's hybrid cloud frameworks -- particularly Outposts and EKS Anywhere -- to provide visibility and monitoring capabilities. Turnkey integration among AWS services makes them especially easy to deploy.</li> <li><b>Broadcom (VMware Tanzu CloudHealth and Tanzu Observability).</b> Originally built to help administer VMware-centric private and hybrid cloud environments, these offerings are now part of the Broadcom portfolio and support virtually all types of hybrid environments, not just those built using VMware and Broadcom technology.</li> <li><b>CloudBolt Software.</b> Offers a suite of products for hybrid cloud monitoring, reporting and compliance management, with particularly strong capabilities in automated governance policy enforcement.</li> <li><b>CloudSphere (Illuminate360).</b> A holistic IT monitoring and visibility offering that can deliver visibility into hybrid cloud environments as well as on-premises, private clouds and public clouds.</li> <li><b>Flexera (Snow Commander).</b> Built up through a series of acquisitions, Snow Commander aims to provide a highly automated approach to hybrid cloud management and monitoring. User self-service capabilities further reduce the administrative burden placed on IT staff.</li> <li><b>Google Cloud (Google Cloud Operations).</b> A visibility tool complete with monitoring, logging, debugging and tracing capabilities that integrates easily with hybrid clouds built on top of Google Cloud using Anthos.</li> <li><b>HPE (HPE Morpheus).</b> Creates a centralized control plane for monitoring and tracking hybrid cloud environments built using virtually any underlying platform, such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, VMware, Kubernetes and others. It is notable for strong vendor agnosticism.&nbsp;</li> <li><b>IBM Cloud Pak for Multi Cloud Management.</b> A hybrid cloud management and monitoring service that integrates most tightly with Red Hat OpenShift -- a Kubernetes-based management platform owned by IBM. Although the product is tightly coupled with IBM's native cloud offerings, it can support third-party environments so long as they also run a version of OpenShift.</li> <li><b>Micro Focus Hybrid Cloud Management X (HCMX).</b> Provides a highly centralized approach to managing and monitoring workloads across virtually any hybrid or multi-cloud environment, with a strong focus on compliance and cost management.</li> <li><b>Microsoft (Microsoft Azure Automation and Azure Monitor).</b> These services integrate seamlessly with hybrid clouds constructed using Azure Arc or Hub solutions.</li> <li><b>Scalr.</b> Aims to centralize hybrid cloud and multi-cloud management by using infrastructure as code to automate workload deployment, provisioning and governance. It offers a few native monitoring and observability capabilities but can integrate with third-party tools to fill this gap.</li> </ul> <p>The tools should work with all parts of the IT infrastructure and cover all related management needs -- something that native management tools built into hybrid cloud frameworks sometimes can't do.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Evaluation criteria for hybrid cloud management tools"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Evaluation criteria for hybrid cloud management tools</h2> <p>Given the wide selection of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/cloud-management-tooling" rel="noopener">hybrid cloud management tools available</a> and the varying use cases they support, organizations should weigh a range of factors when considering options. These are some key areas of evaluation:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Platform support.</b> Not all hybrid cloud management tools work with all types of cloud platforms. For instance, some logging and monitoring tools might work with the public cloud platform on which the hybrid cloud is partly based. But they might not work well -- or at all -- with the abstraction layer, such as Kubernetes or Cloud Foundation, that runs on top of it.</li> <li><b>Tool integrations.</b> Consider how well the tools integrate with other offerings. For instance, if a hybrid cloud management tool automates log and metric collection, does it integrate well with analytics tools to help interpret them?</li> <li><b>Centralized visibility and operations.</b> Some management platforms are stronger than others regarding their ability to support all aspects of hybrid cloud administration, asset tracking, workload deployment and so on via a single, centralized vantage point.</li> <li><b>Prescriptive and predictive capabilities.</b> In addition to providing visibility into hybrid cloud environments, some tools offer features to predict how workloads will evolve over time and provide recommendations to support goals such as cost optimization.</li> <li><b>Security monitoring.</b> While performance and availability monitoring are the main focus of most hybrid cloud management tools, some also offer security monitoring and threat detection capabilities.</li> </ul> <p><i>Chris Tozzi, senior editor of content and a DevOps analyst at Fixate IO, has worked as a journalist and Linux systems administrator with particular interest in open source Agile infrastructure and networking.</i></p> <p><b><i>Editor's note:</i></b><i>&nbsp;This article originally published in 2023 and was updated in 2026 to include more hybrid cloud management tools.</i></p> </section> The techniques used to build hybrid cloud architectures have come a long way, but managing these environments long term is plenty more complex without the right software. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/cloud_g1183958722.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/feature/Top-enterprise-hybrid-cloud-management-tools-to-review Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:15:00 GMT <p>Power hardware for the data center provides admins with increased insight and management capabilities as it evolves. Smart power distribution units (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/power-distribution-unit-PDU">PDUs</a>) can optimize power management in data centers, but choosing the right PDU for your organization requires careful consideration of your specific requirements.</p> <p>The traditional PDU is a power-in, power-out distribution device typically mounted on the floor or in a rack near the devices it powers in the data center. It offers little to no data monitoring beyond power usage effectiveness (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/power-usage-effectiveness-PUE">PUE</a>) calculations and simple switching options. A smart PDU can monitor, manage and control power consumption throughout the data center, making it a sensible choice for many data centers.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is a smart PDU?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_4iizly2nra1m"></a>What is a smart PDU?</h2> <p>The smart PDU goes beyond the power distribution capabilities of a traditional PDU. It connects to a data center's IT network, enabling admins to monitor power flow to various hardware and devices using data center management systems and software applications.</p> <p>As data center facility owners seek to manage their infrastructure more efficiently, more are turning to smart PDUs to help them do so. The smart PDU market has grown substantially in recent years, reflecting the industry's shift toward more sophisticated power management tools for data centers. <a href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/data-center-rack-pdu-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mordor Intelligence</a> finds that smart PDUs lead the industry with over 61% of the market share and will grow at a 9.43% CAGR by 2031.</p> <p>Monitored smart PDUs track outlet levels, the device's environment, event logs and data logs. These devices send alerts based on user-defined thresholds. Switched smart PDUs do everything monitored smart PDUs do, but at a more granular level, allowing remote control of individual power receptacles on connected devices. Combine a smart PDU with an <a href="https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/20904/649328">overhead busway</a> to offer superior cooling and easier scalability, enabling a lower footprint design that increases space availability for key data center infrastructure.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What makes a PDU smart?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_tpp8xgid236"></a>What makes a PDU smart?</h2> <p>Like other smart devices, a smart PDU's main characteristic is its <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/remote-access">remote accessibility</a> and control. Usually, the device vendor provides this remote access; otherwise, you can integrate it with your larger data center monitoring system.</p> <p>A smart PDU makes it easier to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-much-energy-do-data-centers-consume">monitor power consumption</a> remotely by connecting multiple devices across locations, providing immediate access. It can often automatically gather and send power usage data to integrated systems for deeper insight into your data centers' power consumption. It can use this data to shift power and cooling resources to meet increased workloads, identify devices' specific PUE rates or proactively plan the replacement of inefficient devices.</p> <p>Newer smart PDU models offer numerous advanced capabilities beyond basic monitoring. Integration of AI and predictive analytics enables them to forecast usage trends, identify anomalies and trigger maintenance requests before failures occur. They can analyze energy patterns to optimize load balancing and enable real-time power cycling based on historical data.</p> <p>Integrating with IoT systems allows smart PDUs to function as communication hubs within the data center ecosystem. They can connect to environmental sensors for temperature, humidity and smoke detection, creating a comprehensive monitoring environment that feeds into <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/data-center-infrastructure-management-DCIM">DCIM systems</a>.</p> <p>With cloud-based management platforms now standard in data centers, smart PUDs can provide comprehensive analytics, centralized multi-site management and mobile access for facility managers, reducing the technology needed to manage a facility. This is particularly valuable for organizations managing distributed infrastructure or edge computing deployments.</p> <p>Other key characteristics of smart PDUs include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>High-density outlet technology.</b> Smaller than standard outlets, allowing for maximum equipment density.</li> <li><b>Configurable outlet options in a single PDU.</b> Reduces the need for adapters.</li> <li><b>Dynamic universal outlets.</b> Accommodates equipment with differing power demands.</li> <li><b>Alternating phase outlets.</b> Allows alternating-phase power per outlet -- not just per branch.</li> <li><b>IP aggregation capabilities.</b> Reduces the need for additional switch ports.</li> <li><b>Out-of-band communication options. </b>Useful in cases where the primary network to the PDU goes down.</li> <li><b>Unit- and outlet-level remote monitoring and control options.</b> Allows for finer control of connected devices.</li> <li><b>Remote reboot options for connected devices.</b> Increases the runtime of critical equipment and automates switch-over to UPS systems.</li> <li><b>Modular and scalable design.</b> Allows for capability upgrades without full replacement.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Key considerations when selecting a smart PDU"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_gjzp8ersm8o"></a>Key considerations when selecting a smart PDU</h2> <p>Smart PDUs provide precise monitoring and control of your data center's energy consumption, helping ensure its reliability, functionality and adaptability. However, before selecting the right smart PDU, consider several key factors.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Smart PDUs provide precise monitoring and control of your data center's energy consumption, helping ensure its reliability, functionality and adaptability. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <h3><a name="_3fe19assx3hi"></a>Reliability</h3> <p>The more features packed into technology, the more problems it can have. Choose a smart PDU from a manufacturer that focuses on quality and reliability. Not all manufacturers test 100% of the units they ship to customers, which could leave you with a PDU that has core functionality issues.</p> <p>Identify manufacturers that test every unit they ship and perform effective reliability testing as part of their <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/definition/quality-assurance">quality assurance</a>.</p> <h3><a name="_5dnucggbh35"></a>Requirements and goals</h3> <p>Most vendors offer a variety of PDU options, including smart PDUs. Each PDU addresses different power challenges, so define your organization's specific challenges before selecting a PDU.</p> <p>For example, if you have a large data center footprint at a heavily staffed location, focus on keeping costs down and saving physical space, which means a basic PDU can suffice. However, if you have the same footprint at a facility managed by a remote services provider, a smart PDU can save you money by reducing manual power restoration for your devices.</p> <h3><a name="_kbtpadtdkah9"></a>Power density</h3> <p>Today's data centers face critical decisions around power density. Consider whether you'll be supporting AI, machine learning, edge computing or other high-performance computing workloads that demand significantly higher power levels. According to <a href="https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2025/genai-power-consumption-creates-need-for-more-sustainable-data-centers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deloitte</a>, the average rack power density has increased from 15-20 kW per rack in traditional data centers to 36-132 kW for AI-centric racks. Your PDU selection must account for both current and anticipated future power requirements.</p> <p>Review the devices you power and monitor, where they're located, and the maintenance and support they require. If you're managing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/edge-computing">edge computing</a> sites or remote locations, prioritize PDUs with strong remote management capabilities, as on-site support may be limited or unavailable.</p> <h3><a name="_3qlsviz3ayed"></a>Temperature resistance</h3> <p>Data centers get hot. Some facilities may <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-to-calculate-data-center-cooling-requirements">try to save on cooling costs</a> by raising the temperature, which can cause certain PDUs to operate outside their designed <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-temperature-and-humidity-guidelines">temperature ranges</a>. This challenge has intensified with AI workloads that generate significantly more heat than traditional computing.</p> <p>Verify the temperature range of your chosen PDU to ensure it works for your geographic location and data center. You might require a higher-grade smart PDU to ensure it remains available for service at higher temperatures.</p> <h3><a name="_b30y2xtf6s17"></a>Adaptability and scalability</h3> <p>Most data centers use high-density racking and smaller devices, allowing for more devices in smaller spaces. This leads to lower facility costs as they have a smaller footprint, but demands greater efficiency and control of each device for optimal performance.</p> <p>Upgradeable smart PDUs offer greater flexibility than basic PDUs, enabling you to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Composable-architecture-Future-proofing-AI-expansion">future-proof your data center</a>. They can adapt to changing business needs without wholesale replacements or power interruptions and can be upgraded to accommodate new technologies. The trend toward modular PDUs has accelerated, allowing data centers to upgrade capabilities without replacing entire units, which is particularly important as power requirements continue to escalate.</p> <p>Newer smart PDUs support incremental capacity expansion through their component-level modular designs. Add or remove parts as the infrastructure grows without replacing the unit. Some PDUs offer hot-swappable components, such as controllers, that can be replaced live without interrupting power to individual outlets. This supports continuous operation during upgrades and maintenance -- saving time and money as the data center continues to run.</p> <h3><a name="_30ngb5ngl7n2"></a>Redundancy and high availability</h3> <p>For mission-critical operations, redundancy in a PDU configuration is essential to maintaining uptime. An N+1 redundancy model means having the minimum number of PDUs needed for full operation (N) plus one additional unit for backup. For example, if you require four PDUs, N+1 would include five units.</p> <p>Dual-input PDUs with <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/Automatic-transfer-switch-ATS">automatic transfer switch</a> functionality provide a more advanced N+1 redundancy at the rack level by connecting two independent power sources to a single PDU. When primary power fails, the ATS automatically switches to the backup source, keeping connected devices and infrastructure online during an outage or failure.</p> <h3><a name="_y3xy6mgkb09q"></a>Security</h3> <p>Because smart PDUs connect to a corporate network, cybersecurity should be a priority. Attackers increasingly exploit IoT devices and network infrastructure that cannot have traditional endpoint detection installed, making smart PDUs a prime target, according to <a href="https://packetwatch.com/resources/blog/2025-cybersecurity-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PacketWatch</a>.</p> <p>Start by encrypting all data transmitted to and from the PDU to secure both the PDUs and the networks they transmit data through. Implement <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/role-based-access-control-RBAC">role-based access controls</a> to protect the PDUs themselves, the firewalls they sit behind and any other connected systems. Smart PDUs should have their own cybersecurity protections in place, such as embedded firewalls that protect against DDoS attacks, login credential limits for multiple clients and timeouts for inactive sessions to prevent unauthorized access.</p> <p>Consider including the following in your smart PDUs' security infrastructure: a zero-trust network architecture, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/multifactor-authentication-MFA">multifactor authentication</a> for administrative access, network segmentation that isolates PDUs on management networks from general IT traffic and secure firmware update mechanisms with verified patches. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments are critical, as smart PDUs are often overlooked in security reviews despite representing essential infrastructure components.</p> <p>Also consider the physical security of your smart PDUs, as power outages can degrade network performance. Some smart PDUs have outlet locking mechanisms that secure the plugs to the PDU and prevent accidental removal.</p> <h3><a name="_vcg9basgyqxq"></a>Edge computing</h3> <p>Edge computing has become a major driver of PDU adoption because of its efficiency and remote capabilities. Edge data centers often operate in remote locations with limited IT staff, making remote monitoring and management essential rather than optional.</p> <p>For edge deployments, look for compact PDUs. They should be designed to handle non-traditional data center environments, operate over a wider temperature range, include advanced remote management features since on-site support may be limited, and support unmanned or lights-out operations. Switched PDUs are particularly effective for edge sites, offering complete remote control of individual outlets to support power cycling, remote shutdowns and usage optimization.</p> <h3><a name="_k62cyy47iuds"></a>Environmental, social and governance and sustainability reporting</h3> <p>Sustainability has shifted from a voluntary initiative to a mandatory reporting requirement in many jurisdictions, including the U.S. and Europe. Smart PDUs play a crucial role in environmental, social and governance (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/environmental-social-and-governance-ESG">ESG</a>) compliance by providing granular energy consumption data at the outlet and circuit level, enabling precise carbon footprint calculations.</p> <p>Real-time reporting capabilities allow for automated data collection that feeds sustainability dashboards and regulatory reporting systems. Integration with DCIM systems ensures that PDU data flows directly into data center infrastructure management platforms for comprehensive energy tracking and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Understand-the-power-usage-effectiveness-metric">PUE calculations</a>, a key sustainability metric.</p> <p>When selecting a smart PDU for ESG compliance, ensure it integrates with your reporting systems and provides the granularity required by the facility's regulatory requirements. Look for PDUs that can automatically generate reports and export data in formats compatible with ESG reporting frameworks.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Smart PDUs are no longer optional"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_szrlu55kr28"></a>Smart PDUs are no longer optional</h2> <p>Smart PDUs have evolved from a convenience feature into a critical component of modern data center infrastructure. Rising power densities from AI workloads, expanding edge deployments, mandatory ESG reporting and sophisticated cybersecurity threats require PDUs with capabilities far beyond those needed just a few years ago.</p> <p>The right smart PDU for your situation does more than distribute power; it provides the monitoring, redundancy and scalability your data center needs to adapt as technology demands continue to grow. By carefully evaluating your power requirements, security needs and compliance obligations now, you can select PDUs that protect your infrastructure investment for the future.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> This article was updated in February 2026 to reflect new smart PDU statistics and use with AI workloads.</p> <p><em>Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter, content marketer, content strategist and geek. She writes about B2B tech, SaaS, DevOps, the cloud and other tech topics.</em></p> </section> A smart PDU can help you monitor and manage power flow more efficiently than a traditional PDU. Here's what you should consider before deciding whether to adopt. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_a373894778.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Does-your-data-center-need-a-smart-PDU Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:00:00 GMT <p>Today's legacy data centers face unprecedented IT change and multi-pronged challenges. Initially, cloud services provided new levels of real-time scalability, compute power and storage. However, research indicates that C-suite leaders are beginning to retreat from these platforms due to data privacy and security concerns, as well as uncontrolled cloud spending.</p> <p>Rising cloud costs have led many organizations to move cloud workloads back to on-premises environments. Enterprise data centers remain essential for ensuring the low latencies that edge deployments and AI workloads depend on. Increasingly, administrators and IT leaders are considering the advantages of hybrid deployments, including on-premises, public and private cloud, sustainable energy sources, smart automation and new hardware adoption.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://journal.uptimeinstitute.com/the-majority-of-enterprise-it-is-now-off-premises/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> from Uptime Institute indicates that for the first time, less than half -- 48% -- of enterprise workloads are hosted in on-premises data centers. An increasing number of C-suite leaders are outsourcing these processing demands.</p> <p>This article takes a close look at the relevance of legacy data centers and future changes, as well as strategies for adapting to new IT requirements, from IoT and edge to AI deployments.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why do data centers still matter?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why do data centers still matter?</h2> <p>While the global demand for hyperscale data centers is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6% through 2030, reliance on today's enterprise data centers persists for several reasons. For example, processing data close to the source is important in healthcare, industrial IoT (IIoT) and financial markets. Real-time data analysis and nanosecond responses require edge or on-premises proximity to prevent latencies.</p> <p>Increasingly, government and industry regulations mandate that data must be stored in specific regions, requiring information to remain local within data centers. As IT leaders continue to reduce their cloud spending, they've identified hybrid environments as economically and operationally vital. In many instances, dedicated facilities are important for ensuring strong data backup, failover and business continuity to maintain operational resilience.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What could cause data centers to become obsolete?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What could cause data centers to become obsolete?</h2> <p>The energy requirements of AI workloads represent a serious challenge for legacy data centers. Data center electricity demand is projected to grow 16% in 2025 and <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-11-17-gartner-says-electricity-demand-for-data-centers-to-grow-16-percent-in-2025-and-double-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener">double by 2030</a>, according to Gartner.</p> <p>AI requires rapid technical and operational changes that may render existing data center infrastructure less competitive or unsuitable for meeting future demands. The obsolescence of older hardware can also leave operators with underutilized assets. Interestingly, in terms of repatriation, a steady increase in operationalizing AI could lead to greater reliance on cloud providers for LLM training, AI deployments, and long-term management.</p> <p>Common energy and resource bottlenecks in legacy data centers are detrimental to AI performance, and a greater reliance on GPU clusters could overwhelm existing power and cooling infrastructure. The result is C-suite and IT leaders turning to alternatives, such as major&nbsp;cloud hyperscalers, specialized&nbsp;AI platforms, and specific&nbsp;model and infrastructure providers.</p> <p>The prospect of data center obsolescence also hinges on the steady emergence of new technologies that require significant Capex and rapid hardware refresh cycles. Given the two-to-three-year time frame for building new enterprise-level infrastructure, data center designs could be obsolete by the time construction begins.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Anticipated changes to the future of data centers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Anticipated changes to the future of data centers</h2> <p>As data centers adapt to changes in resource requirements and a demand for edge capabilities, their infrastructure profiles will also evolve as AI workloads reshape data center designs and operations. For example, hybrid deployments that combine on-prem processing with private or public cloud will create a broad, distributed data center ecosystem consisting of hyperscale providers, colocation facilities and data-driven edge deployments.</p> <p>New protocols and hardware will be necessary to drive increased energy efficiency, including renewable energy sources, liquid cooling and greater waste reduction. A <a href="https://market.us/report/data-center-liquid-immersion-cooling-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Market.us points to significant global expansion in the liquid cooling sector, and in the U.S., the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.1% through 2033.</p> <p>Other changes include the drive toward intelligent automation to accelerate IT ops, increase high-bandwidth networking, and advance self-healing to repair equipment and network failures. Further, key aspects of workload deployments, IT management and security will all be automated in data centers of the future. According to <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ai-power-expanding-data-center-capacity-to-meet-growing-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McKinsey research</a>, demand for AI-ready data center capacity is expected to grow annually at a CAGR of 33% through 2030, when AI workloads are expected to comprise 70% of total data center demand.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Challenges of maintaining on-premises data centers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Challenges of maintaining on-premises data centers</h2> <p>Ed Featherston, Enterprise Architect and Independent Consultant with Osprey Software, said he felt any notion of widespread flight from data centers was "kind of naive and not reflecting reality."</p> <p>However, he agreed that the days of businesses building, owning and maintaining their own data centers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Pick-the-right-colocation-site-for-your-organization">are waning</a>. Simply put, that's because the time and resources required to operate and maintain those data centers are not core business activities. The challenges of operating data centers, particularly in finding talent, only grow more daunting, according to Featherston.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="AI adoptions boost data center efficiency"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>AI adoptions boost data center efficiency</h2> <p><span data-teams="true">Scott Sinclair, practice director of cloud, infrastructure and DevOps at Omdia, a division of Informa TechTarget</span>, confirms that AI integration within on-prem data centers offers a critical opportunity to extend automation and simplify IT processes. Increasingly, AI capabilities are being adapted for IT ops and observability solutions. As preexisting data centers are retrofitted to support AI deployments, they offer new opportunities for reduced complexity and lower costs.</p> <p>"In fact, 89% of organizations expect to leverage their budget for AI initiatives that will help modernize their infrastructure to better support not only AI, but other business-critical workloads as well," says Sinclair.</p> <p>It appears that the automation of on-prem data centers is inevitable. And for those businesses that expect to support their own private AI initiatives, manual IT ops are simply unsustainable. Moreover, IT decision-makers want the greatest flexibility when it comes to deploying new technology or applications. This versatility extends to AI-driven management for greater energy efficiency, hybrid cloud frameworks to harness the benefits of private deployments and absolute control over sensitive proprietary data.</p> <p>"According to our research, 76% of IT decision makers agree that they view on-premises application deployments more favorably today than they did five years ago," states Sinclair. "When business success is often derived from the strength of your digital capabilities, it's vital to have the flexibility to choose the best option for your application," he adds.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Competing IT priorities drive push to automated systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Competing IT priorities drive push to automated systems</h2> <p>When IT staff are so busy, they want to find ways to offload work, which is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Explore-the-benefits-of-data-center-as-a-service">helping the as-a-service approach</a>&nbsp;earn more attention.</p> <p>Addressing numerous organizational needs means the old consumption model is no longer sustainable. People saw that as their job -- for example, being an expert in forecasting infrastructure needs. But now, with more automation, IT departments want to focus on other areas.</p> <p>Part of the challenge organizations have in modernizing their on-premises infrastructure or offloading some applications frequently revolves around a lack of true cost visibility into their current on-premises facilities. For his part, Featherston takes exception to the cloud being the only, or even the primary, option.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_modernization-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_modernization-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_modernization-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_modernization-f.png 1280w" alt="Chart of data center investment projections" height="430" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Ways data centers will modernize include increased use of hyperscale cloud products and infrastructure monitoring. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>"There is a significant move and focus to colocation facilities and managed services," Featherston said. There, as in the cloud world, organizations are starting to realize economies of scale in real estate, power, cooling and staffing. <a href="https://www.coresite.com/state-of-the-data-center-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CoreSite research</a> has shown that 98% of organizations are embracing or adopting a hybrid model that blends on-premises, colocation and cloud environments.</p> <p>"When [colocation] and managed services prices are looked at, the pricing at first might be intimidating," Featherston said. "But those that do [look at] it find, ultimately, it is a much easier paradigm to manage."</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Plan early and often to adapt data centers to new demands, including staff"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Plan early and often to adapt data centers to new demands, including staff</h2> <p>Tracy Woo, senior analyst at Forrester Research, said the most important way to prepare for any changes ahead is to hire people with the right skills. For example, organizations moving to the cloud will need to find talent to support it. As IT roles compress, many will need to know how to code, manage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/Infrastructure-as-Code-IAC">infrastructure as code</a>, and use automation and orchestration tools.</p> <p>"It isn't about provisioning and providing services anymore," Woo said. "Much of that is done through self-provisioning, but it is more about integration and support activities." Moreover, security remains a concern for on-premises systems, and <a href="https://gptzero.me/news/how-many-companies-use-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GPTZero research</a> found that 54% of U.S. cybersecurity professionals use AI for network traffic monitoring.</p> <p>Likewise, there used to be more functional silos, such as testing. Now, IT is more about platform teams and integrated teams. It isn't like the old "develop it and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Confusing-jargon-Throw-it-over-the-wall">throw it over the wall</a>" model, Woo said.</p> <p>Because of that, traditional infrastructure management services teams need to know how to do continuous delivery and monitoring. Using observability, they need to figure out how to have visibility across the whole environment and how to use multi-cloud management tools.</p> <p>Greg Schulz, founder of IT analyst and consulting firm StorageIO, urges practitioners to think broadly about their existing data centers and their potential value. Some data centers are particularly well located for reliable, affordable power and bandwidth.</p> <p>"You can scale down your IT operations, but perhaps, you can use the facility for other things within the business," Schulz said. "There may be a high value to that facility that can help you or the business meet new goals."</p> <p><strong>Editor's note:</strong> This article was updated in February 2026 to reflect new data center infrastructure statistics and analysis aligned with popular trends, such as AI workloads and support, as well as edge deployments.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Kerry Doyle writes about technology for a variety of publications and platforms. His current focus is on issues relevant to IT and enterprise leaders across a range of topics, from nanotech and cloud to distributed services and AI.</em></p> <p><em>Alan R. Earls is a Boston-based freelance writer focused on business and technology. He has done freelance work for publications ranging from </em>CIO<em>, </em>Datamation <em>and </em>Computerworld <em>to </em>The Boston Globe<em>, </em>The Chicago Tribune<em>, </em>Modern Machining<em> and </em>Ward's Automotive<em>.</em></p> </section> Many organizations want to simplify or scale down their data centers -- but they won't disappear. Admins can examine as-a-service options and cloud to offload some applications. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/storage_g1180684429.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/Will-data-centers-become-obsolete Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:30:00 GMT <p>The 2025 data storage conference calendar was loaded with high-profile events and more specific technical shows.</p> <p>Shows ran throughout the year and featured heavyweight sponsor organizations such as Dell, Pure Storage, HPE and the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA). As is the case throughout the tech industry, AI is a theme that ran through the storage conference lineup. Memory technologies and flash storage were among the other major topics.</p> <p>Conferences are generally back to in-person attendance, although many have a virtual element, such as live keynotes and on-demand video for people who can’t attend. This list is presented in chronological order.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Dell Technologies World, May 19-22, Las Vegas"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Dell Technologies World, May 19-22, Las Vegas</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/conference/Dell-Technologies-World-news-and-conference-coverage">Dell Technologies World</a> is a mainstay on the data storage conference calendar. In 2025, private cloud and simplifying AI adoption were major focus areas. Dell launched several product updates, including integrations that support Nvidia's AI software and GPUs. Storage-specific sessions covered software-defined storage, midrange storage, AI storage and cyberstorage defense, among other topics. The speaker lineup included Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, Dell COO Jeff Clarke, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Pure//Accelerate, June 17-19, Las Vegas"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Pure//Accelerate, June 17-19, Las Vegas</h2> <p>Pure//Accelerate returned to Las Vegas in June, with focuses on the future of storage, how to solve demanding IT challenges and architecture for AI. Pure highlighted its <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/conference/Conference-news-from-Pure-Accelerate-2025">Enterprise Data Cloud software</a>, which manages and automates storage workloads across a user’s entire array platform. Data protection, cyber-resilience and sustainability were other top discussion points. Speakers included Pure Storage's CEO Charles Giancarlo and founder John Colgrove, as well as mentalist Oz Pearlman. &nbsp;</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HPE Discover, June 23-26, Las Vegas"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HPE Discover, June 23-26, Las Vegas</h2> <p>Like Dell and Pure Storage, HPE returned to Las Vegas for its signature show, Discover. The conference <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/conference/HPE-Discover-news-and-conference-guide">shined a spotlight on AI</a>, hybrid cloud and networking. Product updates had a heavy focus on AI, such as new tools for Private Cloud AI powered by Nvidia's GPUs. Session topics with a storage and data protection angle included object storage, AIOps and ransomware response. Antonio Neri, HPE president and CEO, gave his keynote from The Sphere.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="FMS: The Future of Memory and Storage, Aug. 5-7, Santa Clara, Calif."> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>FMS: The Future of Memory and Storage, Aug. 5-7, Santa Clara, Calif.</h2> <p>FMS: The Future of Memory and Storage, previously known as Flash Memory Summit, has featured a new look and broader focus since 2024. The show is an “all-inclusive international memory and storage showcase,” according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://flashmemorysummit.com/" rel="noopener">event's website</a>. The data storage conference provided sessions on DRAM, memory-centric computing, storage for AI, NVMe and emerging technologies. Keynotes included representatives from such companies as Kioxia, Micron, Samsung, Sandisk and SK Hynix.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="SNIA Developer Conference, Sept. 15-17, Santa Clara, Calif."> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>SNIA Developer Conference, Sept. 15-17, Santa Clara, Calif.</h2> <p>The SNIA Developer Conference returned in 2025. Speakers were from HPE, IBM, Microsoft, Pure Storage and Samsung, among other vendors. Sessions, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.snia.org/sniadeveloper/sessions-2025" rel="noopener">which are available online</a>, covered topics such as the evolution of NVMe, driving sustainability in data centers, rethinking storage for the AI/ML era and analysis of SSDs in AI data centers.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="But wait, there's more"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>But wait, there's more</h2> <p>Here are other conferences in 2025 that included a storage element:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/news/366623684/Nutanix-expands-storage-Kubernetes-and-AI-platforms-at-Next">Nutanix Next</a>, May 7-9, Washington, D.C.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/conference/Red-Hat-Summit-news-and-conference-guide">Red Hat Summit</a>, May 19-22, Boston.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchvmware/news/366629924/Broadcom-CEO-doubles-down-on-private-cloud-at-VMware-Explore">VMware Explore</a>, Aug. 25-28, Las Vegas.</li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.msstconference.org/" rel="noopener">MSST</a>, Sept. 22-24.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/news/366632757/NetApp-adds-AI-Data-Engine-expands-Nvidia-partnership">NetApp Insight</a>, Oct. 13-15, Las Vegas.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/conference/KubeCon-CloudNativeCon-news-coverage">KubeCon + CloudNativeCon</a> North America, Nov. 10-13, Atlanta.</li> <li>SC25, <a target="_blank" href="https://sc25.supercomputing.org/" rel="noopener">Nov. 16-21</a>, St. Louis.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/conference/A-conference-guide-to-AWS-reInvent">AWS re:Invent</a>, Dec. 1-5, Las Vegas.</li> </ul> <p><i>Paul Crocetti is editorial director of Informa TechTarget's Infrastructure sites, which include SearchStorage, SearchDataCenter and SearchITOperations. Since starting at then-TechTarget in 2015, he has also served as editor on the SearchStorage, SearchDataBackup and SearchDisasterRecovery sites.</i></p> </section> The 2025 storage conference calendar featured shows where vendors released major product updates and experts discussed top trends, such as AI, AI and AI. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_g1183318665.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/feature/2022-data-storage-conference-list-reflects-cloud-flash-trends Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT <p>The AI hardware market is evolving rapidly, with companies pushing the boundaries of performance, efficiency and innovation. As the industry grows, these advancements will shape the future of AI applications across various sectors.</p> <p>The following 10 companies are competing to create the most powerful and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366559452/Chip-sector-gears-up-for-AI-revolution">efficient AI chip on the market</a>.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="10 top companies in the AI hardware market"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>10 top companies in the AI hardware market</h2> <p>The following AI hardware and chip-making companies are listed in alphabetical order.</p> <h3>Alphabet</h3> <p>Alphabet, Google's parent company, offers various products for mobile devices, data storage and cloud infrastructure.</p> <p>Alphabet has focused on producing powerful AI chips to meet the demand for large-scale projects. In December 2024, Alphabet released a new quantum computing chip, Willow. With 105 qubits and the ability to scale up, the <a target="_blank" href="https://blog.google/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip/" rel="noopener">Willow chip</a> reduces error in quantum computing faster and more accurately than its predecessors.</p> <p><a href="https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/infrastructure-and-cloud/google-cloud/ironwood-tpu-age-of-inference/">Ironwood TPU</a> is the company's newest product, released in November 2025, designed to support the new age of inference. It scales up to 9,216 chips per pod, making it 24 times more powerful than El Capitan, the world's largest supercomputer.</p> <h3>AMD</h3> <p>AMD is expanding its AI hardware portfolio with new processors and GPUs.</p> <p>AMD released its latest CPU microarchitecture chip design, Zen 5, in January 2025. In January 2026, AMD released its next generation of <a href="https://www.amd.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-1-5-amd-introduces-ryzen-ai-embedded-processor-portfol.html">Ryzen processors</a>, the Ryzen AI Embedded P100 and X100 Series. The P100 Series processors are designed for human-machine interface and industrial automation, featuring four to six CPU cores -- eight to twelve cores planned for later in 2026. The X100 Series scales up to 16 CPU cores for high-performance, compute-intensive tasks, such as advanced autonomous systems and robotics.</p> <p>AMD's <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366615894/AMD-pushes-GPU-advantage-with-HPC-top-spot">Instinct MI300 Series chip</a>, MI325X, was released in 2024. This upgrade from MI300X has a larger bandwidth <a name="_Hlk202279956"></a>of 6 TBps. The MI350 series, including the MI355X chip, was released in June 2025. The MI355X chip is 4 times faster than the MI300X. These AI GPU accelerators are meant to rival Nvidia's Blackwell B100 and B200.</p> <h3>Apple</h3> <p>Apple Neural Engine, specialized cores based on Apple chips, has furthered the company's AI hardware design and performance. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/news/252514399/Apples-M1-Ultra-delivers-more-power-for-creative-pros">Neural Engine led to the M1 chip</a> for MacBooks. Compared to the generation before, MacBooks with an M1 chip are 3.5 times faster in general performance and five times faster in graphics performance.</p> <p>After the success of the M1 chip, Apple announced further generations. As of 2025, Apple has released the <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/10/apple-unleashes-m5-the-next-big-leap-in-ai-performance-for-apple-silicon/">M5 chip</a>. This chip has a 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core, delivering over 4x the AI performance of the M4 chip.</p> <p>Apple and Broadcom are developing an AI-specific server chip, Baltra. This chip is expected to be released in 2026, but it will only be used internally by the companies to handle inference tasks.</p> <h3>AWS</h3> <p>AWS is focusing on AI chips for cloud infrastructure. Its Elastic Compute Cloud (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchaws/definition/Amazon-Elastic-Compute-Cloud-Amazon-EC2">EC2</a>) Trn3 instances are purpose-built for running AI training and inference workloads. They use AWS Trainium AI accelerator chips to function.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/trainium-3-ultraserver-faster-ai-training-lower-cost">Trn3 UltraServer</a>, released in December 2025, has 144 Trainium3 chips and performs over four times better than Trainium2 UltraServers. The Trainium3 is also 40% more energy-efficient than previous generations.</p> <p>In 2024, AWS released <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/news/366561339/AWS-unveils-new-AI-chatbot-chips-Nvidia-partnership">Graviton4</a>, a 96-core ARM-based processor ideal for a range of cloud workloads, such as databases, web servers and high-performance computing. The fourth generation of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Break-down-the-different-AWS-Graviton2-instance-types">AWS's Graviton processor</a>, which powers EC2 R8g instances, delivers up to 30% better performance and offers three times the vCPUs and memory of Graviton3.</p> <h3>Cerebras Systems</h3> <p>Cerebras is making a name for itself with the release of its third-generation <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/news/366573575/Cerebras-introduces-next-gen-AI-chip-for-GenAI-training">wafer-scale engine</a>, WSE-3. WSE-3 is deemed the fastest processor on Earth with 900,000 AI cores on one unit. Every core has access to 21 petabytes per second of memory bandwidth.</p> <p>Compared to Nvidia's H100 chip, WSE-3 has 7,000 times larger bandwidth, 880 times more on-chip memory and 52 times more cores. This WSE-3 chip is also 57 times larger in area, so more space is necessary to house the chip in a server.</p> <h3>IBM</h3> <p><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252505661/IBM-unveils-Telum-to-combat-financial-fraud-in-real-time">Telum</a> was IBM's first specialized AI chip, and <a href="https://www.ibm.com/new/announcements/telum-ii">Telum II</a> was released in late 2025. IBM has also set out to design a powerful successor to rival its competitors.</p> <p>In 2022, IBM created the Artificial Intelligence Unit. The AI chip is purpose-built and runs better than the average general-purpose CPU. Based on a similar architecture, IBM released the Spyre Accelerator in 2025. Spyre has 32 AI accelerator cores and contains 25.6 billion transistors over 14 miles of wire. The Spyre Processor enables on-premises, low-latency inferencing for tasks like real-time fraud detection, intelligent IT assistants, code generation and risk assessments.</p> <p>IBM is working on the NorthPole AI chip, which does not have a public release date. NorthPole differs from IBM's TrueNorth chip. The NorthPole architecture is structured to improve energy use, decrease the amount of space the chip takes up and provide lower latency. The NorthPole chip is set to mark a new era of energy-efficient chips.</p> <h3>Intel</h3> <p>Intel has made a name for itself in the AI hardware market with its AI processors and GPUs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/news/366587618/Intel-launches-Xeon-6-for-AI-data-centers">Xeon 6 processors</a> launched in 2024 and have been shipped to data centers. These processors offer up to 288 cores per socket, enabling faster processing time and enhancing the ability to perform multiple tasks at once.</p> <p>Intel has released the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/news/366580394/How-Intels-new-AI-Gaudi-3-chip-compares-to-Nvidias">Gaudi 3 GPU chip</a>, which competes with Nvidia's H100 GPU chip. The Gaudi 3 chip trains models 1.5 times faster, outputs results 1.5 times faster, and uses less power than Nvidia's H100 chip. The Jaguar Shores GPU chip, the successor to the Gaudi 3 chips, is still set to launch in 2026. This chip will focus on energy efficiency.</p> <p>In late 2024, Intel released the <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099574/processors/intel-core-ultra-processors.html">Core Ultra AI Series 2</a> processors. The release included multiple processors under the Core Ultra 200 series, including 200H, 200HX, 200S and 200V. Each series focuses on specific features, such as enhanced security, AI capabilities, performance and energy efficiency. The Core Ultra 200 processor series is designed for desktop and mobile platforms, creating <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/AI-PC">AI PCs</a>.</p> <h3>Nvidia</h3> <p>Nvidia became a strong competitor in the AI hardware market when its valuation surpassed $1 trillion in early 2023. The company's current work includes its B300 chip, Blackwell GPU microarchitecture and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/news/366621003/Nvidia-readies-Vera-Rubin-to-replace-Blackwell">Vera Rubin</a>. Nvidia also offers AI-powered hardware for the gaming sector.</p> <p>The <a target="_blank" href="https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-blackwell-platform-arrives-to-power-a-new-era-of-computing" rel="noopener">Blackwell GPU microarchitecture</a> is replacing the Grace Hopper platform. Blackwell is 2.5 times faster and 25 times more energy-efficient than its predecessors. The Blackwell microarchitecture is designed to increase efficiency with scientific computing, quantum computing, AI and data analytics. The B300 chip series, or Blackwell Ultra, was released in the second half of 2025.</p> <p>Vera Rubin is Nvidia's next-generation GPU superchip architecture, expected to be released in late 2026. It combines the Vera CPU with the Rubin GPU, the successor to Blackwell.&nbsp;</p> <h3>Qualcomm</h3> <p>Although Qualcomm is relatively new in the AI hardware market compared to its counterparts, its experience in the telecom and mobile sectors makes it a promising competitor.</p> <p>Qualcomm's Cloud AI 100 chip beat Nvidia H100 in a series of tests. One test was to see the number of data center server queries each chip could carry out per watt. Qualcomm's Cloud AI 100 chip totaled 227 server queries per watt, while Nvidia H100 hit 108. The Cloud AI 100 chip also managed to net 3.8 queries per watt compared to Nvidia H100's 2.4 queries during object detection.</p> <p>In 2024, Qualcomm released <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366599273/Qualcomm-unveils-new-Snapdragon-mobile-platform">Snapdragon 8s Gen 3</a>, a mobile chip that supports 30 AI models and has generative AI features, like image generation and voice assistants. Later in the year, the company released the newest version, <a href="https://www.qualcomm.com/products/mobile/snapdragon/smartphones/snapdragon-8-series-mobile-platforms/snapdragon-8-elite-mobile-platform">Snapdragon 8 Elite</a>, which improved AI performance by 45%. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 was released in late 2025 and offers 30% more CPU power than the first generation.</p> <h3>Tenstorrent</h3> <p>Tenstorrent builds computers for AI and is led by the same man who designed AMD's Zen chip architecture, Jim Keller. Tenstorrent offers multiple hardware products, including its Wormhole processors and Galaxy servers, which together form the <a target="_blank" href="https://tenstorrent.com/hardware/galaxy" rel="noopener">Galaxy Wormhole Server</a>.</p> <p>Tenstorrent released the <a target="_blank" href="https://tenstorrent.com/en/hardware/blackhole" rel="noopener">Blackhole</a> series, an AI accelerator, in April 2025. It has 16 RISC-V cores and 32 GB of GDDR6 memory per chip. The p100a chip has 120 Tensor Cores and 28 GB of GDDR6. The p150a has 140 Tensor Cores and 32 GB of GDDR6. Both chips operate at up to 300 Watts.</p> <p>Wormhole n150 and n300 are Tenstorrent's scalable GPUs. N300 nearly doubles every spec of n150. These chips are for network AI and are put into Galaxy modules and servers. Each server holds up to 32 Wormhole processors, 2,560 cores and 384 GB of GDDR6 memory.</p> <p><em>Kelly Richardson is site editor for Informa TechTarget's SearchDataCenter site.</em></p> <p><em>Devin Partida is editor in chief of ReHack.com and a freelance writer. She has knowledge of niches such as biztech, medtech, fintech, IoT and cybersecurity.</em></p> </section> Due to rapid AI hardware advancement, companies release advanced products yearly to keep up with the competition. The new competitive product on the market is the AI chip. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/ai_a194810146.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Top-AI-hardware-companies Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:00:00 GMT <p>Data centers are essential hubs for company storage and client information, and they are evolving to meet the demand for more capacity, power and energy sustainability.</p> <p>Advancements in technology and sustainability goals are shaping the future of data center infrastructures. Here are five key trends taking center stage in 2026: The rise in AI and energy demand, hyperscale data centers, sustainability goals, advancements in liquid cooling and edge computing.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="AI and energy demand"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>AI and energy demand</h2> <p>The rapid expansion of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, and the continued popularity of cryptocurrencies are driving significant increases in data center energy consumption. The storage and processing requirements for digital currencies and AI-powered applications demand more space and computational power. Storage and AI workloads are also in demand, quickly pressing servers to their limits. AI, while still evolving, is expected to expand further in the coming years.</p> <p>AI tools are widely used to monitor energy, resources and operational use within facilities. Since the AI boom in 2025, most companies have adopted <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/answer/How-can-I-build-AI-capabilities-for-the-data-center">AI tools to monitor real-time statistics</a>, such as energy consumption, enabling them to actively <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/Assess-the-environmental-impact-of-data-centers">reduce carbon footprints</a>. These tools also reduce the need for manual intervention, allowing data center operators to focus on strategic initiatives like sustainability and equipment management.</p> <p>An increased need for AI workloads is directly linked to rising energy consumption. Berkeley Lab's "<a href="https://eta-publications.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/lbnl-2024-united-states-data-center-energy-usage-report.pdf">2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report</a>" projects that by 2028, data centers will consume between 6.7% and 12% of total U.S. electricity, partly due to advancements in AI. The use of alternative energy sources is critical to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-data-centers-can-help-balance-the-electrical-grid">prevent straining the electrical grid</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Hyperscale data centers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Hyperscale data centers</h2> <p>Hyperscale data centers are becoming increasingly popular due to the ever-rising demand for storage. They are the largest and most efficient data storage facilities used by tech-centric companies, such as AWS and Google, that house over 5,000 servers. They have more physical space than traditional data centers and use specialized <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/Server-hardware-guide-to-architecture-products-and-management">high-density server racks</a> to maximize server capacity. A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/A-primer-on-hyperscale-data-centers">hyperscale data center</a> can occupy hundreds of acres of land, while a standard -- 40-plus megawatt -- data center occupies about 10 acres.</p> <p>Tech giants Oracle, Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon are projected to invest about $600 billion in hyperscale facilities in 2026, 38% more than in 2025, according to <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/ai-tailwinds-bode-well-for-2026-it-spending-s101664922">S&amp;P Global</a>. These companies will invest in all aspects of their hyperscale data centers, including facility planning and construction, hardware and software upgrades, advancements in AI models and LLMs, and power options.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Stargate-AI-explained-Whats-in-the-project">Stargate</a> data center project is underway in Abilene, Texas. This project aims to expand the US' existing AI infrastructure by establishing a campus of hyperscale data centers. SoftBank, OpenAI, Oracle and MGX are investing $500 billion into this project over the next four years.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Sustainability goals"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Sustainability goals</h2> <p>The global push for sustainability continues to shape the data center industry. The United Nations' (U.N.) <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition">net-zero</a> commitment plan, which aims to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, remains a driving force behind the adoption of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Sustainable-resources-to-power-data-centers">renewable energy sources</a>, such as solar and wind power. This initiative is critical to preventing a global temperature increase of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/global-cooling-watch-2025">Global Cooling Watch 2025 Report</a>, announced at the 2025 U.N. Climate Change Conference, aims to reduce emissions by 64% by 2050. Strategies to achieve this include improving cooling system efficiency, using natural refrigerants such as water and air, and constructing data centers in colder climates to reduce cooling equipment requirements.</p> <p>The shift from a linear economy to a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Use-the-data-center-circular-economy-for-sustainability">circular economy</a> is accelerating. Companies are increasingly recycling, reusing and refurbishing older technology rather than discarding it. Nonrenewable resources like gold, silver and copper are being repurposed into new technologies, extending their lifespan and reducing waste.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yGkfBo2iSiI?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Liquid cooling"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Liquid cooling</h2> <p>Advancements in AI chip technology have driven a manufacturing boom among AI chip companies. More advanced chips are usually released yearly, and each one can handle more than the last. Servers that use AI chips are more likely to overheat because they require more computational power to handle higher workloads.</p> <p>Companies are investing in advanced hardware for their data centers, which will only increase temperatures as more servers take on AI workloads. Cooling technologies are evolving to reduce energy use through more efficient methods, such as direct-to-chip and immersion cooling.</p> <p><a href="https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-chips/direct-to-chip-cooling-everything-data-center-operators-should-know">Direct-to-chip liquid cooling</a> targets heat production at the source: the AI chips within the server. This cooling method uses liquids, such as water, dielectric fluids or propylene glycol-based fluids, that flow through a plate on top of the hardware chip. The heat from the AI chip quickly dissipates when in direct contact with a cooled surface.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/Liquid-coolings-moment-comes-courtesy-of-AI">immersion cooling</a> method takes a larger-scale approach, using a dielectric liquid to surround entire servers or racks. With proper handling, hardware is placed in a sealed tank filled with circulating dielectric liquid, where heat is absorbed and transferred to a connecting cooling system.</p> <p>Companies are adopting <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/A-close-look-at-DCIM-software-and-the-broad-vendor-options">DCIM</a> software to monitor cooling data. AI-enabled smart cooling is also popular among data center infrastructure, as it can enhance energy efficiency up to 40% by predicting and optimizing cooling systems in real time.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h2>Emerging technology: Quantum computing</h2> <p>Quantum computing development is expected to advance in 2026 with increased use in commercial and industrial applications, such as pharmaceutical development and financial modeling. This emerging technology will greatly enhance field research, as quantum computing chips use qubits that can run complex algorithms much faster than supercomputers.</p> <p>Quantum computing is not yet a data center trend as it is very expensive to install, has limited scalability, and requires very specific infrastructure to function, such as cryogenic refrigeration systems. However, quantum computing is gaining popularity as companies like Google, IBM and Microsoft offer cloud-based quantum computing platforms.</p> </div> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Edge computing"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Edge computing</h2> <p>Edge computing continues to gain traction due to faster data response times and lower latency than traditional cloud computing. Rising cloud subscription costs have further incentivized companies to adopt edge computing, which processes data in real time without relying on distant cloud servers.</p> <p>Since data is stored closer to its source, it has less distance to travel to reach company servers than if stored in a data center hundreds of miles away. With shorter travel distances to the network, edge computing uses less energy than a permanent data center to transfer data and maintain the environment.</p> <p>The growth of AI and IoT is driving the expansion of edge computing. According to <a href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/edge-computing.asp">MarketsandMarkets</a>, the global edge computing market will reach $249 billion by 2030, up from $168 billion in 2025, reflecting its increasing importance in the data center landscape.</p> <p><i>Kelly Richardson is the site editor for Informa TechTarget's Data Center site.</i></p> </section> Data center trends for 2026 focus on sustainability and AI, highlighting energy demand, hyperscale data centers, innovative cooling methods, sustainability goals and edge computing. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/storage_g1197646065.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-trends-to-watch Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:00:00 GMT <p>The data center market is continually evolving, necessitating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/data-center-infrastructure-management-DCIM">data center infrastructure management</a>&nbsp;software to adapt accordingly. DCIM tools are now a necessity for most data centers, as managing complex computing operations -- often with far-flung segments -- can quickly overload the human ability to process.</p> <p>The DCIM industry is projected to grow from $3.02 billion to $5.01 billion by 2029, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/data-center-infrastructure-management-market-576.html" rel="noopener">research</a>&nbsp;from MarketsandMarkets. DCIM is considered so essential that ASHRAE published a book titled&nbsp;<i>Advancing DCIM with IT Equipment Integration</i>&nbsp;as part of its Datacom book series -- now integrated into the ASHRAE DataCom Encyclopedia.</p> <p>This article examines six of the most used and recognized DCIM products on the market: Cormant-CS, EkkoSense, FNT Software, Nlyte Software, Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IT and Sunbird Software.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is DCIM?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is DCIM?</h2> <p>Although DCIM is widely adopted, many users remain unaware of its full capabilities or the significant advantages it can offer in managing complex data centers. Even long-term users of DCIM tools can quickly become outdated as these products add and refine capabilities related to AI and very large complexes.</p> <p>In general, DCIM is a software suite for managing data center infrastructure and the resources it uses. In simplest terms, DCIM tools collect data from IT and facilities, consolidate it into relevant information and report it in real time. This enables the intelligent management, optimization and future planning of data center resources, including capacity, power, cooling, space, network and assets.</p> <p>Vendors might incorporate all or some of the following categories that fall under this definition:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>AI and machine learning (ML) optimization.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/Ultimate-guide-to-network-management-in-the-enterprise">Network management and optimization</a>.</li> <li>Centralized and remote monitoring.</li> <li>Energy and environmental monitoring.</li> <li>Asset and workflow management.</li> <li>Event reporting and management.</li> <li>Structured cable management.</li> <li>Data center visualization.</li> <li>Capacity planning and what-if scenarios.</li> </ul> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WpaM7z9TPuo?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>Before adopting DCIM tools, it is recommended that prospective buyers do the following:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Determine which aspects of your operation can most benefit from improved information.</b>&nbsp;Limit to one or two areas; more than three is probably overextending. Trying to do too much at once is the leading cause of product dissatisfaction and failure.</li> <li><b>Concentrate on offerings that advertise those functions and features.</b>&nbsp;Get trial versions or demonstrations of the two or three tools that seem to best fit your needs. See how easily they can be implemented and how intuitive they are to use. For example, if asset auditing and tracking are essential, consider how they are accomplished and how realistic each approach is for you. If optimizing power and cooling is the goal, see how products accomplish that, and examine how claims of user efficiency improvements have been derived.</li> <li><b>Speak with existing customers to get first-hand feedback on their experiences.</b>&nbsp;This helps you understand the personnel resources required for successful implementation.</li> <li><b>Consider a modularly expandable product if you anticipate broader future needs.</b>&nbsp;However, be sure it can integrate the useful resources you already have. Add capabilities only when you have learned to maximize the value of what you have, which might mean adding to your initial package or acquiring another compatible product that better addresses those specific additional goals.</li> <li><b>Ensure you can allocate staff resources to implement and maintain the selected product.</b>&nbsp;Budget for customization, which is usually necessary, or for hosted monitoring, which you might want if you don't have sufficient staff. DCIM products are essentially&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/database-management-system">database management systems</a>. They can be configured to perform many tasks automatically, but they may require manual data entry and programming to keep them up to date.</li> <li><b>Examine vendor training programs.</b>&nbsp;Ask yourself: Are training programs done once or continuously? What is the added cost if you need additional training?</li> <li><b>Try a demo program.</b> Before you buy, find out how intuitive the program is. A good approach is to pretend you have a new employee on the night shift who hasn't been trained on the product. Select someone who has never seen the program but has reasonably good screen navigation skills. Since monitoring power and cooling is essential for almost every DCIM product, have the vendor simulate a major failure. Can this person, without help or coaching, quickly isolate the general nature of the problem and know who to call or what to shut down?</li> <li><b>Fully evaluate what is required to secure an acceptable ROI on your</b>&nbsp;<b>DCIM project investment</b>. Base expected savings on feedback from existing users, or at least discount vendor claims by 10% to 15% in making ROI calculations. ROI goals differ across organizations, and you may even need to convince the management team of operational benefits that can't be measured in monetary terms.</li> <li><b>Evaluate security.</b>&nbsp;This remains critical with all DCIM products, but simply restricting to one-way communication might be too simplistic. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-much-energy-do-data-centers-consume">Data center power usage</a> and temperature information are probably useless to a bad actor, but obtaining IP addresses, DNS information, router network paths or remotely managed PDU accesses could be very beneficial to a hacker. Security requirements vary from business to business. Take a close look, particularly with cloud-based services.</li> </ol> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="DCIM products"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>DCIM products</h2> <p>The six DCIM products outlined here -- in alphabetical order -- align with market drivers and aim to deliver real-world benefits, including increased reliability and reduced operating costs. The expansion of AI and the commensurate growth of mega data centers have required these vendors to significantly extend many of their capabilities from just a few years ago.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Cormant-CS"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Cormant-CS</h2> <p>Cormant-CS, BGIS's leading DCIM product, supports the management of equipment across owned, colocation and edge data centers, with additional support for cloud connectivity and campus infrastructure management. It also includes co-location vendor support and services for global deployment</p> <p>The latest version,&nbsp;Cormant-CS 13.0, introduces significant advancements, including augmented reality (AR) capabilities for enhanced visualization and asset insights. This update also optimizes the scripting engine and API integrations, ensuring seamless and efficient workflows.</p> <h3>Data integration</h3> <p>Cormant-CS continues to treat infrastructure management data as a shared resource, supporting full multiprotocol network query and discovery with automatic association, updates and linking. Multiple two-way API-to-API services support complex integrations, all delivered with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/Extract-Load-Transform-ELT">UI for an extract, load and transform service</a>&nbsp;that supports deep integration.</p> <p>Some options include a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/configuration-management-database">configuration management database</a>, IT service management, ticketing, vendor supply, purchasing, financial asset management, flat-file, direct SQL, virtual device and cloud management platforms. Additionally, a modern RESTful API supports high-volume, two-way integration for customer-built integration.</p> <h3>Power and environmental data management</h3> <p>Cormant-CS monitors devices and provides real-time data on power, environment and capacity. It features Albums for storing documents and images linked to specific locations or devices, enhancing documentation and record-keeping.</p> <p>Search functions are integrated for user convenience, enabling real-time filtering of data such as floor plans, racks, alerts and tasks. Starting pages feature graphical Health Cards for quick, user-defined views of racks, devices and sites. Advanced data analysis tools identify environmental changes and their causes, enabling proactive management. Mobile devices can access data online or offline through integrated barcode scanning.</p> <h3>Record-keeping with Albums</h3> <p>The platform's Albums feature allows users to store and link documents and images to specific locations or devices, enhancing documentation and record-keeping. Search functions enable real-time filtering of data, such as floor plans, racks, alerts and tasks, while graphical Health Cards provide quick, user-defined views of racks, devices and sites.</p> <h3>AI capabilities</h3> <p>AI capabilities have been expanded to include augmented facility utilization and reduced stranded network capacity. The AI-driven features simplify change request creation, provide intelligent location and connectivity suggestions, and ensure security and privacy by avoiding external contact outside the enterprise.</p> <h3>Mobile and real-time accessibility</h3> <p>Cormant-CS supports online and offline mobility, ensuring users can access records in the field and record moves and changes as they occur. Instant documentation ensures records are accurate and can be trusted while a technician is making the change. Full support for barcoded assets and cables ensures that data entry is as fast and accurate as possible.</p> <h3>Security</h3> <p>Cormant-CS offers highly granular <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/role-based-access-control-RBAC">role-based security</a>, integrating with Active Directory and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, and provides end-to-end application encryption. Its proven security measures have made it a trusted solution for military and financial institutions, including compliance with the U.S. Department of Defense's Security Technical Implementation Guides.</p> <h3>Cost-efficient models</h3> <p>Cormant offers customer-specific planning, project management, consulting, integration and training services for global deployment with various licensing models and price tiers. It also provides migration tools to support Trellis users since Vertiv discontinued its DCIM platform, as well as processes to support migration from other assets and DCIM software.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/typical_data_center_equipment-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/typical_data_center_equipment-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/typical_data_center_equipment-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/typical_data_center_equipment-f.png 1280w" alt="Typical data center equipment" height="453" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>There are several types of equipment used in data centers. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="EkkoSense"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>EkkoSense</h2> <p>EkkoSense became a leading DCIM vendor with EkkoSoft Critical, its data center performance-optimization software. EkkoSense was the original product to integrate AI and ML technology with the traditional monitoring and alerting services. The goal was to provide a useful interpretation of the myriad data derived from <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-cooling-systems-and-technologies-and-how-they-work">data center power and cooling systems</a> to improve operations.</p> <h3>Sustainability management</h3> <p>EkkoSoft Critical data center software provides comprehensive monitoring, evaluation and capacity management capabilities, along with operational visibility, which can help reduce thermal and power risks. Data center cooling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Use-the-data-center-circular-economy-for-sustainability">energy costs and carbon reductions</a>&nbsp;all help meet corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements. EkkoSoft Critical also features embedded ESG reporting, which automates the production of ESG and sustainability reports required by the EU since January 2024.</p> <p>The release of EkkoSense Critical v9.3 further expands their real-time operational visualization of complex hybrid systems that incorporate air and liquid cooling in the same environment. 3D liquid-cooling objects now include liquid-cooled racks, CDUs, immersion cooling, water-cooled chillers, adiabatic cooling and updated models for passive and active rear door heat exchangers.</p> <h3>Power and PUE data aggregation</h3> <p>The power data aggregation capability, part of the EkkoSoft Critical Estate Page, displays the average or maximum power data over a select time period, making it much easier to combine power and PUE data from multiple rooms. For estates with 50 sites, for example, this is said to reduce a half-day task to just five minutes.</p> <h3>Enhanced security</h3> <p>Security has been enhanced for users without <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/single-sign-on">single sign-on (SSO)</a>. EkkoSense enables configuring multifactor authentication (MFA) using an authenticator app that enables sign-on using an authenticator QR code. MFA can be enabled or disabled from email, with admins seeing the MFA state of their users.</p> <h3>Model design management</h3> <p>A new cable tray layer allows cable tray assets to be added to the graphics. These remain hidden in Viewer and Capacity modes to simplify 3D views but are visible by default in the software's Editor mode. There's also a Viewer mode toggle button that shows or hides the cable tray layer.</p> <h3>Cooling and energy management</h3> <p>Next to IT equipment, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-to-calculate-data-center-cooling-requirements">Cooling systems are the largest energy users in a data center</a> and are the prime focus of this targeted software. Based on measurements at multiple installations, EkkoSense states that it has achieved actual cooling energy reductions averaging 30% and has released up to 60% of stranded cooling capacity.</p> <p>EkkoSense wireless sensors can be fixed to cabinets and placed in cooling units. Alternatively, the software can access existing sensors and, where necessary, supplement them with EkkoSense wireless sensors. All data points are sampled every five minutes, and the AI and ML engine analyze the effects of changes. The result is a dynamic picture of the cooling Zones of Influence -- in other words, which cooling units provide most of the cooling to each cabinet and how well they do it.</p> <p>Based on this data, plus integrated asset management details, total rack power data and other room measurements, the software delivers 3D illustrations of how the room cooling system operates. It also shows the power usage per cabinet relative to available power and specific instructions for making the best adjustments to the cooling systems. EkkoSoft Critical can also integrate with other leading DCIM platforms, combining monitoring and evaluation data with IT asset data to enable broad DCIM functionality.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="FNT Software"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_Hlk218239879"></a>FNT Software</h2> <p>FNT has repositioned from documentation to revenue enablement, defining itself as the digital twin of infrastructure operations, aiming to turn infrastructure growth into revenue velocity. With more than 25 years of domain focus, FNT's unified infrastructure is designed to support web-based tools and virtual, cloud and hybrid digital DCIM platforms. The purpose is to enable organizations to plan, operate and evolve complex environments with confidence.</p> <p>FNT concentrates on seven main areas:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Asset and lifecycle management</li> <li>Capacity planning and reporting</li> <li>Connectivity management</li> <li>Network management and optimization</li> <li>Structured cable management</li> <li>Visualization</li> <li>Workflow</li> </ul> <h3>Connectivity management</h3> <p>FNT is differentiated by the extent of its connectivity management. At the core of FNT's offering is FNT Command, which documents data center infrastructures. Functioning as its authoritative, operationally actionable digital twin, FNT Command spans the network and facilities disciplines. Through Paessler PRTG integration, digital twin models are unified with live telemetry, providing real-time monitoring and alerts to improve root-cause analysis and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/How-to-calculate-and-reduce-MTTR">reduction of mean time to repair</a>.</p> <p>Modeling spans IT network and facilities disciplines, including end-to-end physical assets and logical and physical connections. FNT modeling now examines asset inventory, capacity monetization, dependencies and lifecycle states, simulating power, cooling, space and connectivity together to accelerate time-to-revenue. The representations span OSP, data center, network, campus and hybrid environments.</p> <h3>Data and model visibility</h3> <p>For <a href="https://www.lightreading.com/6g/looking-ahead-ready-or-not-here-comes-6g">6G</a> and densification, FNT delivers end-to-end visibility from core to edge with pre-deployment simulation. Accurate modeling enables impact analysis, particularly where there is loss of redundancy. FNT Command recognizes when changes occur and sends change notices to event subscribers, enabling real-time data exchange and making the most accurate, up-to-date information available for analysis and decision-making.</p> <p>ProcessCenter now functions as a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/Business-Process-Modeling-Notation">business process modeling notation</a><b> </b>execution engine from request to commissioning, extending its capability beyond documentation into enterprise workflow orchestration. This enables standardized provisioning, change management, auditability and compliance. It is particularly beneficial when a high degree of standardization, transparency, planning and orchestration is needed to integrate provisioning and change processes.</p> <p>Advanced visualization capabilities include high-performance 2D and 3D views, utilization heat and geographical maps that provide global and regional spatial awareness. The graphics have been optimized to provide a realistic look and feel of the rooms and equipment, bringing the data center representation closer to how its real-world counterpart looks and behaves -- an important asset when <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/remote-infrastructure-management">remotely managing sites</a>. The imaging is harmonized with common augmented reality and virtual reality formats for mobile platforms, such as USDZ model behavior and control, enabling users to easily adopt these tools. In fiber and telecom, FNT compresses design-to-cash cycles by unifying planning, build, as-built and operations.</p> <h3>Integration</h3> <p>FNT's IntegrationCenter is a low-code, event-driven API architecture that provides real-time synchronization with downstream systems and enables orchestration across DCIM, GIS and operations. The IntegrationCenter provides low-code/no-code tools to adapt integrations without custom development. Enhanced integration capabilities make moving data between FNT Command and other applications fast, easy and accurate. The GUI and drag-and-drop functionality enable users to create and adjust interfaces between systems. FNT's software is standard off-the-shelf, but its IntegrationCenter makes it easily adjustable to the specific needs of individual integration scenarios.</p> <h3>Cost-efficient models</h3> <p>FNT offers flexible commercial models, including user-based licensing and rack-based pricing that aligns cost with infrastructure growth. Customers may choose either a model or a hybrid approach. This flexibility allows costs to align with organizational scale and usage while supporting broad adoption. Deployment options include on-premises, private cloud and cloud-ready architectures, with both subscription and perpetual licensing available.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/best_practices_for_data_center_management-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/best_practices_for_data_center_management-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/best_practices_for_data_center_management-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/best_practices_for_data_center_management-f.png 1280w" alt="Best practices for data center management" height="280" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Implementing best practices can help organizations maintain strong data center management strategies. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Nlyte Software"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_Hlk217289203"></a>Nlyte Software</h2> <p>Nlyte Software, a Carrier Global Corp. company, offers an advanced Integrated Data Center Management initiative. The DCIM offering integrates Automated Logic's WebCTRL building automation system with Nlyte's Asset Optimizer to enable asset management and monitoring, as well as control of security, power, cooling and lighting systems in one package.</p> <p>Part of Nlyte's approach is to participate in customer strategy teams to better tailor its products to specific industry and customer needs. Nlyte Software adapts to a wide range of operations and facility sizes. These include conventional enterprise DCIM monitoring, colocation facilities where capacity forecasting is challenging, cloud services where asset management requires metrics to know where to run workloads,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/edge-computing">edge computing</a>&nbsp;sites spanning cell towers and data centers in a rack.</p> <h3>Forecast behavior with AI</h3> <p>With the release of Nlyte Software v16, the company has introduced new tools to address complexity and compliance. Central to this update is Nlyte Operational AI, a predictive engine designed to address the growing complexities of hybrid infrastructures and to enhance reliability and capacity planning. Using AI to forecast behavior, the software uses "predict and avoid" to prevent unplanned outages and optimize application workload placement. Features include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>"What-if" scenario planning.</b> AI enables operators to simulate infrastructure changes, such as adding high-density servers, allowing them to assess the impact on power and cooling before making any physical deployments.</li> <li><b>Intelligent placement capabilities. </b>This feature automatically allocates space for up to 100 servers and chassis within a single project, optimizing power and cooling utilization without requiring manual input.</li> <li><b>Predictive maintenance.</b> By correlating data across the facility, AI can detect anomalies that may indicate potential failures. This allows teams to address issues proactively rather than waiting for problems to arise.</li> <li><b>Intelligent asset placement.</b> The system automatically identifies the optimal locations for new assets by analyzing contiguous U-space, cooling availability and power resources.</li> </ul> <h3>Security management</h3> <p>Security and firmware maintenance are critical in modern data centers. Nlyte Device Management offers a vendor-agnostic platform that enables mass monitoring and the management and updating of heterogeneous devices at scale. It automates the often-tedious process of patching vulnerabilities across thousands of devices simultaneously, reducing the data center attack surface.</p> <h3>Sustainability compliance reporting</h3> <p>To assist organizations in navigating the complex regulatory landscape, Nlyte has introduced a specialized Data Center Sustainability Compliance Reporting Solution designed to help organizations meet stringent regulatory mandates, such as the EU's Energy Efficiency Directive. It provides a real-time sustainability dashboard and automated reporting frameworks to automatically track carbon footprint, energy usage and water consumption, ensuring compliance with ESG goals. By combining this reporting capability with dense thermal monitoring and cooling optimization, Nlyte helps data centers optimize the cooling chain for efficiency and availability, enabling peak efficiency while meeting rigorous environmental standards.</p> <p>Because cooling systems are mechanical, they require the most maintenance and experience the most critical events. Nlyte focuses on the correlation between cooling systems and applications to detect anomalies and forecast behaviors of critical infrastructure and IT systems.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IT"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i><a name="_Hlk218238448"></a>Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IT</h2> <p>Schneider Electric's DCIM software, EcoStruxure IT, ensures business continuity by enabling secure monitoring, management, insight, planning and modeling. The software is vendor-neutral to maximize customer flexibility and ROI. Two of the Schneider Electric EcoStruxure IT offerings are EcoStruxure IT Expert and EcoStruxure IT Advisor.</p> <p>EcoStruxure IT Expert is a cloud-based DCIM platform providing real-time monitoring of Schneider Electric and third-party devices, and delivers user-defined reports, graphs and instant fault notifications. The "wherever-you-go" visibility, intelligent alarming, AI-driven load-balancing assistance and actionable insights keep operations resilient and efficient.</p> <p>EcoStruxure IT Advisor is an on-premises and cloud-based software for asset management and capacity planning. IT Advisor uses digital twin modeling and automation to optimize space, power, cooling and network across on-premises, hybrid and colocation environments.</p> <p>Three major enhancements to EcoStruxure IT include AI integration and predictive DCIM, scaling for hyperscale data centers, and sustainability, cybersecurity and skills gap.</p> <h3>AI integration: Predictive DCIM</h3> <p>Schneider Electric is embedding AI-driven analytics into EcoStruxure IT Expert and IT Advisor, taking the products beyond traditional monitoring to deliver predictive maintenance, intelligent alarm correlation and AI-assisted capacity planning, including:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Predictive battery-life modelling. </b>Proactive alerts reduce operating expenses and downtime.</li> <li><b>AI-driven load balancing recommendations.</b> Optimizes energy efficiency.</li> <li><b>Automated anomaly detection</b>. Identifies risks before they affect operations.</li> </ul> <h3><a name="_Hlk220081764"></a>Scaling for hyperscale data centers</h3> <p>The growth of hyperscale and colocation facilities redefines the scale and complexity of infrastructure management. To keep up with demand, EcoStruxure IT uses:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Cloud-based scalability. </b>Provides global visibility across thousands of devices and distributed environments.</li> <li><b>Hybrid architecture support</b>. Provides<b> </b>seamless management from hyperscale sites to edge deployments.</li> <li><b>Workflow automation</b>. Integrates with ITSM platforms such as ServiceNow to streamline operations and accelerate incident response.</li> </ul> <p>The flexibility is meant to ensure that operators can manage sprawling ecosystems without sacrificing control or efficiency.</p> <h3><a name="_Hlk220081790"></a>Sustainability, cybersecurity and skills gap</h3> <p>Schneider Electric DCIM solutions are intended to help operators address:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li><b>Sustainability</b>. Analytics pinpoint energy inefficiencies and support ESG reporting. These help organizations meet carbon reduction goals.</li> <li><b>Cybersecurity</b>. Continuous monitoring of firmware, certificates and vulnerabilities strengthens compliance and resilience against evolving threats.</li> <li><b>Skills Gaps</b>. Cloud-based tools and AI-driven insights simplify management tasks, reducing reliance on specialized personnel.</li> </ul> <p>When combined with Schneider's proprietary NetBotz for physical and environmental security, EcoStruxure IT protects uptime, optimizing performance and driving sustainability across the data center ecosystem. NetBotz protects IT infrastructure against environmental threats such as temperature and humidity deviations, or smoke and water leak detection. Physical security provides integrated sensing, surveillance options and badged rack-access control.</p> <h3>Design and sustainability</h3> <p>In the design stage of a project, combining EcoStructure IT with Design CFD, a separate cloud-based data center computational fluid dynamics tool, ensures sufficient cooling and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Four-ways-to-reduce-data-center-power-consumption">improved energy efficiency</a>. Years of data collection also enable cooling simulations that provide 90% accurate 3D thermal maps without sensors or CFD modeling.</p> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/6_components_of_a_dcim_architecture-h.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/6_components_of_a_dcim_architecture-h_half_column_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/6_components_of_a_dcim_architecture-h_half_column_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/6_components_of_a_dcim_architecture-h.png 1280w" alt="6 components of a DCIM architecture" height="250" width="279"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>DCIM components support an organization's IT functions and infrastructure. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Sunbird Software"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Sunbird Software</h2> <p>Sunbird continues to enhance its second-generation DCIM software to meet the demands of AI and hyperscalers. Sunbird delivers asset, capacity, change, energy, environment, power and connectivity management for a large installed base of customers. Their customers typically operate complex, distributed, multi-vendor environments where efficiency and uptime are critical.</p> <p>Sunbird's DCIM software is highly scalable, with 3D visualization to support remote management across data centers, labs, IDFs and edge sites. It is also vendor-agnostic, with broad compatibility across third-party meters, sensors and software. The DCIM software is intended to simplify the complexity of modern data center operations, including supporting AI and high-density infrastructure.</p> <h3>Real-time digital twin</h3> <p>Sunbird provides a 3D digital twin that tracks and models all infrastructure assets, along with their physical connections and relationships. This helps operators working remotely understand interdependencies, utilization and capacity of the total infrastructure power and cooling environment.</p> <h3>Single pane of glass</h3> <p>Free, bi-directional, out-of-the-box connectors consolidate key information from multi-vendor systems, including ServiceNow, Jira, VMware, Dell OpenManage Enterprise, HPE OneView, BMC and Cisco ACI, into a single data repository. This automation reduces manual effort, improves data accuracy, updates asset and ticket information among systems, and enables better cross-functional collaboration on compute and GPU utilization.</p> <h3>DCIM copilots</h3> <p>Sunbird's patented Auto Power Budget algorithm automatically updates actual voltage, current and power values. Machine learning on live measured intelligent rack PDU data enables setting highly accurate power budgets per device instance based on customer-defined policies.</p> <p>Sunbird states that customers report reclaiming up to 40% of stranded power capacity. Load Shift Detection detects and alerts customers when the load shifts from one power supply to another, indicating a potential loss of redundancy. The multivendor power and environmental data collection engine lets users combine asset information with power and environmental measurements.</p> <h3>Visualization</h3> <p>Sunbird's visualization capabilities turn data into actionable information. A world map presents health status and key statistics for all sites, with easy navigation. High-resolution floor-map visualizations enable remote operations management with accurate 3D views that often make it better than being there.</p> <p>All visualizations provide further detail. Users can view at the street level or isolate a row of cabinets to see front- and back-facing images of assets, along with an augmented overlay of actual power loads, temperatures and humidity levels.</p> <p>Sunbird also automatically creates single-line diagrams for data networks and for each AC and DC power circuit in a single interactive display. The diagrams support drag-and-drop editing and are printable. Details include utility feeds, fuel tanks, transformers, generators, switchgear, switchboards, automatic transfer switches, panelboards, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/uninterruptible-power-supply">uninterruptible power supply</a> units, floor power distribution units, plants and DC bays.</p> <h3>Zero-configuration analytics</h3> <p>Sunbird provides dashboards that work "out of the box" without manual setup. They have more than 300 charts and reports that are automatically populated as data is collected and updated. There are also free add-ons, including an additional 150 charts that present performance indicators to manage the capacity of key resources, such as space, power, cooling and data ports.</p> <p>Chart examples include "what-if" analysis for space and power capacity, spare parts stock levels, remaining cabinet space, power distribution and redundancy, and latest temperature per cabinet -- including Delta-T and power port capacity trends. This gives teams visibility into the most common data center KPIs. Dashboard reports can be automatically created and scheduled.</p> <h3>Support services</h3> <p>Sunbird's support services include free weekly training and a modern support portal. Sunbird also fosters a collaborative culture with customer user groups and workshops that provide forums for sharing best practices and influencing the product roadmap.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b><i> This article was updated in 2026 by Robert McFarlane. Extensive research was done, and updates on the information above were provided by specialists.</i></p> <p><em>Robert McFarlane is senior principal in charge of data center design for the international consulting firm Shen Milsom and Wilke LLC. McFarlane has spent more than 40 years in communications consulting and has experience in every segment of the data center industry.</em></p> </section> DCIM tools can improve data center management and operation. Learn how six prominent products can help organizations control costs, manage energy and track assets. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/storage_g1197646065.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/A-close-look-at-DCIM-software-and-the-broad-vendor-options Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:30:00 GMT <p>Hyperconverged infrastructure technology has made significant strides since emerging more than a decade ago, finding a home in data centers seeking to ease procurement headaches and management tasks.</p> <p>Vendors initially positioned the technology as a simple-to-deploy, all-in-one offering that combined compute, storage and networking with a hypervisor. This now-mainstream technology's essential&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/11-main-benefits-of-hyper-converged-infrastructure">selling points around simplicity</a>&nbsp;remain the same today. This article uncovers predicted HCI trends for the next several years.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Growth of the hyperconverged market"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Growth of the hyperconverged&nbsp;market</h2> <p>The HCI market is expected to continue growing in 2026 and beyond. According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hyper-converged-infrastructure-market-106444" rel="noopener">Fortune Business Insights</a>, the HCI market is predicted to grow from $11.98 billion in 2024 to $61.49 billion by 2032.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/hyper-converged-infrastructure-market-3309">SNS Insider</a>, the HCI market size was $16.16 billion&nbsp;in 2025&nbsp;and is expected to reach $84.72 billion&nbsp;by 2033 -- over $23 billion more than Fortune Business Insights' 2032 forecast.</p> <p>Companies fuel this growth by seeking ways to cut costs and improve operational efficiency.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Benefits to HCI"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Benefits to HCI</h2> <p>HCI systems use modular nodes. Each node contains dedicated compute, memory, storage and network resources. This reliance on uniform nodes makes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/6-top-hyper-converged-infrastructure-management-tips">HCI easy to deploy and manage</a>. Organizations can increase their capacity or scale workloads at any time by installing additional nodes.</p> <p>HCI is more than hardware. It abstracts hardware resources, enabling them to be allocated in a manner similar to that used by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Top-public-cloud-providers-A-brief-comparison">public cloud providers</a>. The architecture can be software-defined and offered as consumable services, making HCI an option for those who want to build private or hybrid clouds.</p> <p>Additionally, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Examining-hyper-converged-infrastructure-costs-and-savings">HCI architecture is designed to be low cost</a>&nbsp;-- admins can construct it with inexpensive hardware. The hardware nodes can collectively provide high availability and fault tolerance for mission-critical applications.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Challenges to HCI"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Challenges to HCI</h2> <p>HCI has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Four-disadvantages-of-hyper-converged-infrastructure-systems">disadvantages</a>. For example, a modular design might require hardware that an organization does not need. If an organization purchases a node because it needs additional compute resources, it also pays for storage that may not be necessary.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/vendor-lock-in">Vendor lock-in</a>&nbsp;can be another disadvantage. While it is possible to use reference architecture to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/answer/How-to-make-the-right-HCI-deployment-decisions">build an HCI deployment</a>&nbsp;from commodity hardware, prebuilt systems tend to use proprietary components that are not compatible with other vendor tools.</p> <p>Another challenge occurs when hardware vendors provide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/VxRail-vs-Nutanix-HCI-heavyweights-square-off">HCI tools</a>&nbsp;that integrate numerous components into a chassis. This can require significant power, which can be a problem if the chassis deploys in an edge environment. High power usage increases heat, so&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-cooling-challenges-and-how-to-solve-them">cooling can also be an issue</a>.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/cio-hyper_converged.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/cio-hyper_converged_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/cio-hyper_converged_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/cio-hyper_converged.png 1280w" alt="Hyperconverged infrastructure benefits and challenges." height="430" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The core selling points of HCI haven't changed much, but the technology continues to evolve in its relationship with the cloud. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HCI trends"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HCI trends</h2> <h3>1. Edge computing will continue to fuel HCI adoption</h3> <p>Edge computing, especially as it relates to AI driven or containerized workloads, continues to fuel demand for HCI.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/edge-computing">Edge computing</a>&nbsp;generates vast amounts of data, particularly when it involves IoT devices. The volume of this data often makes cloud computing impractical because it may exceed the network's ability to send data to the cloud. Even if sufficient bandwidth is available, processing data in the cloud could be costly or lead to latency.</p> <p>While traditional servers can, and sometimes do, support edge workloads, HCI is often a better fit. HCI can be less expensive and complex to deploy and manage than other tools. HCI is designed for clustered operations, making it easier and less costly to provide hardware redundancy for mission-critical applications. For example, it often costs less to build a three-node HCI cluster than to mirror a conventional server. It is worth noting that three-node HCI clusters were once the norm, but some vendors have begun supporting smaller HCI deployments, including single-node deployments.</p> <p>The role of HCI at the edge is also beginning to change. HCI was once viewed solely as a platform for hosting VMs. Now HCI is increasingly being used to host Kubernetes clusters and containerized workloads. Some organizations have also begun equipping HCI nodes with GPU resources, enabling them to perform AI inference at the edge rather than sending raw data off-site for interpretation.</p> <h3>2. HCI remains a preferred tool for hybrid cloud</h3> <p>Organizations adopted a cloud-first approach to IT when public clouds first came out. This adoption led companies to use the cloud over physical data centers. However, it became apparent that some workloads need to run on-premises. This led to the adoption of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Review-these-hybrid-cloud-connectivity-best-practices">hybrid cloud usage</a>.</p> <p>While there are many ways to create a hybrid cloud, HCI offers a compelling option. Consumption-based pricing and on-demand scalability have led many businesses to adopt the public cloud. HCI's reliance on modular nodes enables it to scale in a similar way.</p> <p>Early on, many organizations looked to HCI because it simplified workload migrations to and from the public cloud. Now that this type of workload mobility has become the norm, organizations have shifted their priorities from mobility to consistency. Specifically, organizations want to make sure that they can ensure consistent management, governance and tool usage across environments, and HCI aligns well with this drive toward consistency.</p> <p>Cost governance has also become a huge consideration in hybrid cloud environments. As such, organizations are increasingly treating HCI deployments as a strategic, cost-saving operation.</p> <h3>3. VDI will remain a significant use case</h3> <p>At one point, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchvirtualdesktop/definition/virtual-desktop-infrastructure-VDI?Offer=ab_MeteredFormCopyDef_ctrl">VDI</a> had become the dominant use case for HCI. Today, VDI remains one of the primary HCI use cases, but it is no longer as dominant as it once was. Part of this stems from organizations increasingly turning to cloud-based virtual desktops. However, the bigger reason is that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Top-8-hyper-converged-infrastructure-use-cases">HCI is proving useful for other workloads</a>, including containerized and AI workloads.</p> <p>Nevertheless, HCI remains a suitable platform for hosting virtual desktops. Each virtual desktop requires a specific number of CPUs, storage, memory and network resources. As such, companies can determine how many virtual desktops an individual HCI node can support and install additional nodes as needed. Additionally, HCI nodes generally offer good storage performance, which is essential in VDI environments, especially if an organization wants to support persistent virtual desktops.</p> <h3>4. HCI will help organizations reduce IT complexity</h3> <p>The move toward HCI adoption often comes down to operational efficiency and ease of management. Organizations are increasingly automating IT ops wherever possible to drive down costs, reduce the risk of human error and increase scalability. HCI aligns well with these types of lifecycle automation goals.</p> <p>Modern HCI platforms support automated upgrades, patching and other maintenance tasks. HCI has evolved, shifting its focus from "easy to deploy" to prioritizing automation, observability and compliance. As such, HCI is increasingly being treated as a general-purpose IT platform that is useful at the edge or for replacing siloed systems.</p> <h3>5. HCI will see increased use for AI workloads</h3> <p>Hyperconverged infrastructure is increasingly being used to host certain AI or machine learning workloads, particularly at the edge. This is especially true when an organization needs to minimize latency or when data residency requirements are in effect.</p> <p>Most modern HCI platforms support GPU-enabled nodes and high-performance storage, which enables HCI to handle many AI workloads with ease. HCI is being increasingly used for workloads involving real time analytics, computer vision or predictive maintenance. It is worth noting, however, that large-scale model training continues to be handled in the data center or in hyperscale clouds.</p> <h3>6. HCI will play a key role in security and zero-trust</h3> <p>Organizations are finding that HCI adoption can sometimes simplify their security and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/How-to-implement-zero-trust-security-from-people-who-did-it">zero-trust</a> initiatives. HCI simplifies policy enforcement, making it relatively easy to prevent configuration drift. Additionally, vendors have incorporated security features such as encryption, role-based access control and secure lifecycle management, which help HCI platforms more easily align with an organization's zero-trust initiatives. In fact, HCI is no longer just an option for simplifying infrastructure; it is a tool that an organization can use to make its on-premises resources more resilient and more easily defensible.</p> <p>Organizations face rising costs and the risk of significant security breaches, so they look to minimize IT complexity wherever possible. One of the easiest ways to reduce complexity is through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/standardization">standardization</a>. HCI adoption enables standardization, reducing management and maintenance costs and making it easier to keep an organization's IT assets secure.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b>&nbsp;<i>This article was updated in January 2026 to reflect changing technology information.</i></p> <p><em>Brien Posey is a former 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America. </em></p> <p><em>John Moore is a writer for Informa TechTarget covering the CIO role, economic trends and the IT services industry.</em></p> </section> Hyperconverged infrastructure is rapidly changing. Read what HCI has to offer in 2026 and what projected growth it may have within the next couple of years. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/container_g1294273513.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/5-hyper-converged-infrastructure-trends-analysts-predict-for-2023 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:00:00 GMT <p>Server hardware vendors offer servers of all shapes and sizes, providing organizations with a wide range of options. Most major players include rack servers in their inventories, but many also offer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/blade-server">blade servers</a>, HCI systems and mainframe computers. Other offers might include towers, high-density systems or supercomputers.</p> <p>The vendors discussed in this article were selected from International Data Corporation's (IDC) <a href="https://my.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS54034325">list</a> of the top 5 companies in the worldwide server market for the third quarter of 2025. IDC's selections were based on market shares and on generated revenue. According to IDC, Dell leads the market with Supermicro in second place. IEIT Systems and Lenovo are statistically tied, and HPE has the fifth greatest market share.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Dell"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Dell</h2> <p>Dell Technologies offers a wide range of rack and blade servers to accommodate different types of organizations. On its website, Dell offers servers in categories such as AI Servers, Data Center Servers and Edge Servers.</p> <p>Dell currently offers 23 rack servers in its PowerEdge R-Series. These servers range from $1,629 for the PowerEdge R260 to $12,998.99 for the PowerEdge R770.</p> <p>The PowerEdge R-Series includes 10&nbsp;single-socket models and 13 two-socket models. One of the more powerful rack servers is the PowerEdge R770, a 2U system that supports up to two Intel Xeon 6 CPUs and up to 8 TB of RAM. This system can accommodate up to six 75-watt GPUs. Like other Dell servers, this server is extremely customizable.</p> <p>Dell modular blade servers are available through the&nbsp;PowerEdge M-Series, which currently includes only a single model, the PowerEdge MX760C. It supports two processors and up to 8 TB of RAM. This model has a starting price of $37,998.99.</p> <p>Buyers can purchase servers directly on the Dell website.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HPE"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HPE</h2> <p>HPE offers a wide range of rack, blade and tower servers for all types of organizations. The HPE website offers recommendations for SMBs, including AI and remote worker solutions, entry-level servers and virtualization.</p> <p>HPE's rack servers are available in the ProLiant DL series, but other ProLiant series, like ProLiant ML, can convert to rackmounts. HPE servers use Silicon Root of Trust, which guards against firmware attacks by using an immutable fingerprint of the underlying silicon.</p> <p>The ProLiant DL series is the most extensive, with 13 Gen10 and Gen11 models. The models are available in 1U and 2U form factors and have either one or two sockets.</p> <p>The starting price for an entry-level server, the DL20 Gen11, is $2,110. HPE does not list pricing for most of its higher-end servers. The most expensive server listed on HPE's website is the HPE ProLiant DL385 Gen 11, priced at $6,042. This system is optimized for running AI or big data workloads and supports up to two AMD processors and up to 256 GB of DDR5 memory. The server adheres to a 2U form factor and features up to 8 expansion slots.</p> <p>Buyers can purchase this and other lower-end servers from the HPE website. HPE requires customers to request a quote for higher-end servers.</p> <div class="imagecaption alignCenter"> <img src="<div style="> <script src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/62y5y/embed.js" type="text/javascript" data-target="#datawrapper-vis-62y5y"></script> <noscript> <img src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/62y5y/full.png" alt="A chart comparing server hardware vendors."> </noscript> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="IEIT Systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>IEIT Systems</h2> <p>Although less well known in North America than the other vendors discussed in this article, IEIT Systems, based in Jinan, China, is quickly becoming a major player in the global server market. The company's meta brain servers fall into three categories: General Purpose Servers, Artificial Intelligence Servers and Edge Computing Servers. The company makes rack, tower, multi-node servers, and edge microservers, and focuses heavily on smart telemetry and remote operations and maintenance to enable automated diagnostics.</p> <p>Most of the servers in IEIT System's current lineup fall into the General Purpose category, which has 21 models. One such model, the NF5180G7, is a general-purpose, 1U server supporting two Intel Xeon Scalable processors. This system supports up to 32 DDR5 DIMMs and up to 32 E1.S SSDs.</p> <p>IEIT Systems does not list pricing information on its website. To purchase a server, customers will generally need to work with a channel partner.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Lenovo"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Lenovo</h2> <p>Lenovo offers a variety of server types, including rack, tower, and edge servers, as well as specialized servers, such as high-memory or multi-node servers.</p> <p>Lenovo's rack servers are part of the ThinkSystem line, which includes 17 models ranging from 1U to 8U. A few of these servers support only one processor, but most support two, with maximum memory capacities ranging from 128 GB to 8 TB or more. Lenovo does not list a maximum memory capacity for its higher-end servers; it only lists the number of slots.</p> <p>For example, the ThinkSystem SR250 V3 rack server is an entry-level 1U server that supports only one Intel Xeon processor and up to 128 GB of memory, with a starting price of $1,484.35. In contrast, the ThinkSystem SR650 V4 rack server is designed for data center workloads, supporting up to two Intel Xeon processors and 8 TB of memory. This system has a starting price of $9,358.30.</p> <p>Buyers can purchase servers directly through the Lenovo website. Rack servers start at $1,238, but prices can run higher depending on the model and configuration. Although many vendors require customers to call for a quote when purchasing higher-end servers, Lenovo allows customers to purchase servers priced over $300,000 from its website. However, Lenovo requires customers to agree not to resell, export or re-export products or services.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Supermicro Systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Supermicro Systems</h2> <p>Supermicro Systems, or Super Micro Computer, Inc., offers the largest selection of server hardware from these featured vendors, but its categorization can make it difficult to navigate the options.</p> <p>Supermicro offers rackmount, twin, GPU, blade and storage servers. There are several different product lines associated with each of these categories. For example, the twin server options include Flex Twin, Big Twin, Grand Twin, Twin Pro and Fat Twin. Similarly, rack systems are available in product families such as Hyper, Ultra, CloudDC, Mainstream WIO and MegaDC.</p> <p>Supermicro offers a wide variety of servers covering nearly every form factor, specification and price range imaginable. The number of options would be completely overwhelming if it weren't for the search interface on the Supermicro website, which makes it relatively easy to narrow down server selections based on specifications.</p> <p>Prices vary greatly depending on the server model and configuration. Generally, buyers must work with resellers to choose the best option because only a small number of servers are available for purchase on the Supermicro website.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article was updated in 2026 to reflect changes in server hardware and top competitors. The author researched server hardware vendors and chose them based on their popularity and reliability. Some companies previously included have been removed from the list because they no longer sell rack-and-blade servers.</i></p> <p><em>Brien Posey is a former 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. In his more than 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America. </em></p> <p><em>Robert Sheldon is a freelance technology writer. He has written numerous books, articles and training materials on a wide range of topics, including big data, generative AI, 5D memory crystals, the dark web and the 11th dimension.</em></p> </section> Discover and compare the leading vendors in server hardware with these in-depth overviews of the blade, rack and mainframe computers available to see which may be best for you. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery_a379640336.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/A-rundown-of-server-hardware-vendors-and-the-server-options Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:20:00 GMT <p>IT teams have had two primary options for implementing workloads over the past few years: maintain infrastructure on-premises -- incurring the costs and overhead that come with it -- or move workloads to the cloud and lose control over operations and data protection.</p> <p>More recently, a third option has emerged: The consumption-based model, which enables users to deploy infrastructure on-premises while still getting cloud-like benefits through a pay-for-what-you-use subscription model. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has been at the forefront of this consumption-IT effort with its GreenLake program.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is HPE GreenLake?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is HPE GreenLake?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/opinion/Aruba-Atmosphere-23-emphasizes-agility-matters">GreenLake is an as-a-service offering</a>&nbsp;that brings cloud-like flexibility to data centers and other locations, such as satellite and remote offices. When you sign up for a GreenLake product, HPE delivers a complete, preconfigured system that includes all the hardware and software needed to be up and running almost immediately.</p> <p>HPE manages the system throughout its entire lifecycle. In exchange, customers pay a monthly subscription fee based on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/consumption-based-pricing-model">consumption-based pricing model</a>&nbsp;similar to many cloud services. The composable infrastructure approach uses a "resources as a service" model that abstracts physical resources and enables management using a web or software interface.</p> <p>With GreenLake, HPE offers a range of infrastructure packages to support different types of workloads. For example, the virtualization package provides options for implementing a GreenLake solution that runs virtualized applications, and the composable package offers options for implementing a software-driven&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/composable-infrastructure">composable infrastructure.</a> HPE also offers packages for several other workloads, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/opinion/HPE-GreenLake-updates-reflect-on-premises-cloud-IT-evolution">storage, backup</a>, database management, big data, private cloud and high-performance computing.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How HPE GreenLake works"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How HPE GreenLake works</h2> <p>At the heart of these packages is the HPE hardware that supports each GreenLake implementation. For example, a virtualization offering might use&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/tip/How-HPE-SimpliVity-InfoSight-hyper-converged-analytics-works">HPE SimpliVity</a>, and a GreenLake composable infrastructure might use&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/feature/HPE-Primera-storage-makes-Synergy-Composable-Rack-more-intelligent">HPE Synergy</a> for improved storage performance. GreenLake products also use HPE hardware such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/news/252484676/HPE-goes-NVMe-storage-for-Primera-SCM-on-Nimble">Nimble storage</a>&nbsp;SAN solutions and ProLiant DL servers, as well as third-party software and services such as Docker, Hadoop, SAP HANA,&nbsp;Nutanix AHV,&nbsp;VMware Cloud Foundation, Microsoft Azure and AWS.</p> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/coverged_infras-consumption_pricing_02-h.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/coverged_infras-consumption_pricing_02-h_half_column_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/coverged_infras-consumption_pricing_02-h_half_column_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/coverged_infras-consumption_pricing_02-h.png 1280w" alt="benefits of consumption-based pricing" height="302" width="279"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>Technical services support</h3> <p>In addition to the hardware and software,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/greenlake.html" rel="noopener">GreenLake solutions</a>&nbsp;include professional and operational services from <a href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/services.html">HPE Services</a> (formerly HPE PointNext), a team of experts who help implement, manage and support each GreenLake offering. HPE Services provides an end-to-end portfolio of services that includes monitoring, administering and optimizing each system. These services are a critical differentiator between GreenLake and a basic leasing program, which rents out hardware equipment without offering support and optimization capabilities.</p> <p>In 2020, HPE&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/tip/How-GreenLake-Central-improves-HPEs-GreenLake-program">launched GreenLake Central</a>, an integrated management control plane that offers customers a unified view across IT ops, including private and public clouds, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/Edge-computing-trends-for-2020s-send-internet-into-a-new-era">edge environments</a>. GreenLake Central provides a self-service portal for monitoring usage, cost, security, compliance, performance and other metrics. The portal also enables developers and business units to find and use the services they need when they need them.</p> <p>Organizations benefit by receiving state-of-the-art data center products and exceptional technical support. They also avoid the deployment and maintenance headaches of traditional on-premises deployments. But what about capacity and planning? And where does the pay-for-what-you-use subscription come into play?</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> GreenLake's consumption-based model enables enterprises to access state-of-the-art data center products without the costs and complexities associated with a traditional approach to deploying infrastructure. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="GreenLake and the consumption-based model"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>GreenLake and the consumption-based model</h2> <p>Another GreenLake feature that sets it apart from a leasing program is its&nbsp;consumption-based pricing model, which aligns it more closely with a cloud services model. HPE installs the hardware in a customer's environment but offers it as a service rather than an outright sales purchase. Not only does this eliminate the initial Capex outlay typical of a traditional sales transaction, but it also reduces IT overhead. Customers pay the monthly subscription fee and provide a place to house the components, shifting on-premises IT to an operational expenses (OpEx) model.</p> <p>GreenLake bases the fees on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/metered-services">actual metered usage</a>&nbsp;rather than fixed amounts. In this way, users pay only for what they use, not for what they might use. HPE continuously monitors the installation using a wide choice of metrics.</p> <p>For example, HP meters the following resources:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Per container.</li> <li>Per virtual machine.</li> <li>Per Gigabyte (GB) for storage.</li> <li>Per Gibibyte (GiB) for memory.</li> </ul> <p>Customers must still make a minimal commitment, but beyond that, they pay only for what they use.</p> <p>HPE negotiates with each organization, examining potential workloads and customizing a payment plan tailored to particular use cases. As such, public pricing information is not available. This "one size does not fit all" approach is beneficial, as companies receive direct attention from HPE.</p> <p>Metered usage also provides an effective form of capacity management for organizations, as IT always knows how much capacity is being used and who is using it. If more capacity is needed, users can implement it immediately because the GreenLake product comes with additional capacity to accommodate potential growth. However, HPE doesn't charge customers for the extra capacity until they actually use it. The combination of metered usage and flexible capacity helps maximize agility while avoiding the costs associated with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/overprovisioning-SSD-overprovisioning">overprovisioning</a>.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/convergedinfrastructure_05_HPE-simplivity.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/convergedinfrastructure_05_HPE-simplivity_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/convergedinfrastructure_05_HPE-simplivity_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/convergedinfrastructure_05_HPE-simplivity.jpg 1280w" alt="HPE SimpliVity hyper-converged infrastructure system" height="330" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>HPE SimpliVity </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>GreenLake's consumption-based model enables enterprises to access state-of-the-art data center products without the costs and complexities associated with a traditional approach to deploying infrastructure. At the same time, IT&nbsp;maintains control over the systems and environment, while benefiting from HPE's ongoing monitoring, maintenance and support. Scaling systems is also easier and faster, leading to greater agility. These features simplify IT ops and free up IT personnel to focus on other endeavors.</p> <p>When taken together, these benefits can potentially reduce the costs associated with deploying and maintaining IT infrastructure. There are no&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/CAPEX-capital-expenditure">capital expenditures</a>; IT has fewer operations to manage, customers only pay for the services they use and systems are easier to scale without overprovisioning. As good as all this sounds, however, users should not assume that a consumption-based program will result in a lower TCO. Even under the best circumstances, those subscription fees add up and paying them over the long term can become quite pricey.</p> <p>With GreenLake, unlike traditional infrastructure, users don't own the equipment; HPE owns the hardware. Organizations can't sell the servers or use them for trade-in. In addition, they're still reliant on HPE to deliver the services it promises. Not only does this mean adhering to its schedule, but it also means they can access your systems, which may not be optimal in a highly secure environment. This is especially true in light of today's data sovereignty and compliance concerns. Carefully investigate any compliance requirements that might conflict with the HPE GreenLake deployment.</p> <p>That's not to say organizations should avoid the consumption-based model. It does mean they need to carefully analyze a program like GreenLake&nbsp;to get a true <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/TCO">TCO</a> and ensure it will accommodate their performance, compliance and business requirements over the long term. Be aware of the challenges associated with pay-as-you-go models.</p> <figure class="main-article-image half-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/storage-pay_as_you_go_challenges-h.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/storage-pay_as_you_go_challenges-h_half_column_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/storage-pay_as_you_go_challenges-h_half_column_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/storage-pay_as_you_go_challenges-h.png 1280w" alt="consumption-based IT challenges"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HPE GreenLake use cases"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HPE GreenLake use cases</h2> <p>The HPE GreenLake offerings are broad, designed to provide comprehensive services for standard enterprise requirements. Some organizations may opt to convert business workloads to the subscription model, while others may select only specific aspects, such as virtualization or data storage.</p> <p>Common uses for HPE GreenLake include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Edge, remote and branch consolidation.</b> Centralized management of edge locations with an efficient subscription model. Consider HPE GreenLake for Compute Ops Management.</li> <li><b>Hybrid clouds with regulated workloads.</b> Workloads that must remain on-premises for compliance reasons but need cloud-like elasticity. Consider HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Enterprise or Business Editions.</li> <li><b>Modernized private cloud platform.</b> VM platforms for on-premises IaaS with state-of-the-art deployment and management. Consider HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Enterprise or Business Editions.</li> <li><b>Modernized storage management.</b> Replacing network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN) systems with GreenLake storage services to enhance scalability without overspending. Consider HPE GreenLake for Block Storage or File Storage.</li> </ul> <p>HPE's consulting services can help your team determine the right deployment approach and related services. You'll also learn more about pricing, potential benefits and challenges, as well as additional services.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="HPE GreenLake cloud service offerings"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>HPE GreenLake cloud service offerings</h2> <p>HPE offers a complete set of <a href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/greenlake/portfolio.html">cloud-based solutions</a> tightly integrated with GreenLake services. These offerings emphasize hybrid cloud deployment and management solutions with service observability using a centralized, AI-enhanced management console.</p> <p>Offerings are categorized into various technologies, including:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>AI/ML:</b> HPE Private Cloud AI.</li> <li><b>CloudOps:</b> HPE Morpheus VM Essentials and Enterprise editions, OnRamp.</li> <li><b>Core compute:</b> HPE Compute Ops Management or OneView Edition.</li> <li><b>Data storage:</b> HPE Alletra, GreenLake for File Storage.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Modernization of the data center"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Modernization of the data center</h2> <p>The cloud has clearly demonstrated that organizations of all sizes favor a service-based delivery model, even if only for workloads such as backup and archiving. The model has proven so popular that more data centers than ever host their own private and hybrid clouds, as well as IT offerings such as composable infrastructure, which&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/feature/Composable-architecture-extends-the-reach-of-disaggregation">delivers resources as services</a>. It was only a matter of time before the&nbsp;as-a-service trend&nbsp;took hold of hardware vendors.</p> <p><a href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2025/10/hpe-named-a-leader-in-2025-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-infrastructure-platform-consumption-services.html">Gartner named HPE as a Leader</a> in the 2025 Infrastructure Platform Consumption Services field. The platform serves over 44,000 customers and represents approximately $2 billion in revenue. However, other organizations have launched consumption-based programs that offer a range of payment options and services to accommodate diverse requirements. Examples include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Cisco Plus/Cisco Open Pay:</b> Network, compute and hybrid cloud infrastructure offering.</li> <li><b>Dell APEX:</b> Compute, storage, data protection and high-performance computing portfolio.</li> <li><b>NetApp Keystone:</b> Storage-specific hybrid cloud program.</li> </ul> <p>As demand for service-based IT products continues to increase, so will consumption-based options, which could revolutionize the data center. Although as-a-service infrastructure still represents only a small portion of the overall market, the benefits of a consumption-based model are too great to ignore. This is especially so when applied to consolidated platforms such as HPE's&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/feature/HPE-SimpliVity-hyper-converged-FAQs-get-answered">SimpliVity hyper-converged infrastructure</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://searchconvergedinfrastructure.techtarget.com/feature/Products-to-go-Composable-infrastructure-vendors-and-products-glossary">Synergy composable infrastructure</a>, both of which are offered through the GreenLake program as fully managed solutions.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/HPE Syngery_1200_ComposableFrame.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/HPE Syngery_1200_ComposableFrame_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/HPE Syngery_1200_ComposableFrame_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/HPE Syngery_1200_ComposableFrame.jpg 1280w" alt="HPE Synergy 1200" height="390" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>HPE Synergy 1200 composable infrastructure </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>IT teams are turning to hyper-converged and composable infrastructures to meet the demands of their modern and complex workloads for the same reason they often turn to the cloud. For many, the ability to acquire these types of IT infrastructure products through consumption-based programs might be just the incentive they need to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-to-understand-advancements-in-modern-data-centers">modernize their data centers</a>&nbsp;-- without the capital outlays they've had to face in the past.</p> <p>Smaller businesses can also benefit from the consumption-based model, as they often lack the resources to handle everything in-house. The addition of HPE Services enhances the program's appeal by enabling organizations to maximize their investment and use the HPE team's expertise. Regardless of an organization's size, IaaS can help move just about any organization forward.</p> </section> GreenLake allows users to pay only for the IT resources they use. Discover how it works for HCI, composable infrastructure and other uses, including its benefits and challenges. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/searchFinancialApplications/payroll_benefits/financialapplications_article_008.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/What-is-HPE-GreenLake-and-how-does-it-work Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:19:00 GMT <p>Data center facilities pose various risks to the workers who operate them, so having a well-structured data center safety plan is crucial for protecting staff. Understanding proper data center safety, likewise, is essential for IT leaders, facilities managers, operations teams and employees.</p> <p>Common risks in data centers include environmental hazards -- such as heat, cold and noise -- as well as malfunctioning fire suppression and electrical systems. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked new and stringent protocols related to staff health.</p> <p>Establishing best practices for data center safety, along with appointing a dedicated facility or safety manager, can help teams stay out of harm's way.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The importance of data center safety"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The importance of data center safety</h2> <p>Given the right conditions, data centers can be a high-risk environment. For example, high-voltage equipment can cause electrocution; combustible material, if placed near hot equipment or near hot work, can cause a fire; heavy <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/rack">racks</a> can pose physical hazards if not properly secured; and a lack of training can lead to incidents caused by human error.</p> <p>Ensuring data centers have proper safety protocols is an important aspect for both employee health and the data center itself. A well-implemented data center safety plan prioritizes the safety and well-being of humans, enhances the ability to maintain operational continuity, safeguards infrastructure and ensures continued compliance.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f.png 1280w" alt="Illustrated list of five data center safety questions for facility staff to ask before performing tasks." height="347" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Data center facility staff should ask themselves a series of questions before performing a task that could contain some level of risk. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="10-step data center safety checklist"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>10-step data center safety checklist</h2> <p>A structured safety checklist will help an organization standardize procedures and reduce risk. The following 10 points cover different aspects that should be included in a data center safety plan.</p> <h3>1. Start with a detailed risk assessment</h3> <p>Conducting regular, comprehensive and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Best-practices-for-data-center-risk-assessment">detailed risk assessments</a> is a core aspect of data center safety. A risk assessment not only helps identify physical, environmental and operational risks, but it also enables the organization to evaluate the severity of each risk. This acts as a base for controlling and minimizing potential safety hazards.</p> <p>For example, a risk assessment might find poor airflow in a data center, which could cause equipment to overheat, potentially creating a fire hazard.</p> <h3>2. Revise lockout procedures</h3> <p>The term <i>lockout</i> refers to the practice of turning off or de-energizing equipment before performing maintenance or repair work. Having proper lockout procedures helps prevent accidental power-ups, electrical shocks or equipment damage.</p> <p>Lockout procedures should be revised and standardized to ensure equipment status remains off until any maintenance is complete. Additionally, all operating staff should be trained to understand lockout practices for relevant equipment.</p> <h3>3. Implement electrical work training and supervision</h3> <p>Only qualified employees should work on electrical-based tasks. Electrical equipment and systems will heavily rely on power systems, which can become a potential hazard if not handled correctly. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Create-data-center-electrical-safety-guidelines">Electrical safety guidelines</a> should be included in a data center safety plan to minimize the potential risks involved.</p> <p>A data center safety plan should also include employee training and regular checks of the electrical infrastructure.</p> <h3>4. Specify strict rules around hot work</h3> <p><i>Hot work</i> refers to any activity that involves fire, sparks or high levels of heat. Any activity considered as hot work -- such as welding, grinding or cutting -- should follow strict safety guidelines. Specific areas should be designated as hot work zones to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/What-to-know-about-data-center-fire-protection">minimize the risk of a fire</a>. Fire suppression equipment, such as fire blankets or fire extinguishers, should also be within reachable distances for the same reason. Before performing any hot work, inspect the area for any flammable materials. Some organizations might also choose to ban hot work around IT equipment.</p> <h3>5. Appoint dedicated facility managers</h3> <p>A facility manager will help oversee daily data center operations, ensuring that the data center is run efficiently and safely. Facility managers monitor data center systems, such as those for power, security, HVAC and mechanical operations. The facility manager is also responsible for environmental health and safety, personnel management, emergency preparedness, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management">change management</a>, energy management and financial management.</p> <p>The facility manager must collaborate with IT admins to ensure the data center runs smoothly. This individual should <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/How-to-design-and-build-a-data-center">understand data center design</a> principles, industry best practices, data center infrastructure management tools and emerging technologies. A facility manager should be thoroughly acquainted with all safety procedures and guidelines and be able to effectively communicate those procedures and guidelines to staff to ensure they are followed.</p> <h3>6. Ensure compliance with data center standards</h3> <p>Organizations should understand and adhere to relevant compliance standards. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/ISO-14644-cleanroom-standards-for-data-centers">Data center compliance standards</a> and similar relevant workplace safety standards, such as <a href="http://techtarget.com/whatis/definition/ISO-14000-and-14001">ISO 14001</a>, OSHA regulations, ANSI/TIA-942 and NFPA 70, are all standards that help ensure worker and infrastructure safety.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-70-standard-development/70" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFPA 70 is a standard</a> that outlines safe electrical design, installation and inspection guidelines to protect workers and infrastructure from potential electrical hazards. Likewise, <a href="https://tiaonline.org/products-and-services/tia942certification/ansi-tia-942-standard/?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ANSI/TIA-942 is a standard</a> designed by the Telecommunications Industry Association that specifies minimum requirements for telecommunications infrastructure in data centers.</p> <p>Compliance must be a continuous effort, as it helps ensure ongoing alignment with changing security and safety regulations.</p> <h3>7. Implement emergency response procedures</h3> <p>There's always a chance something will go wrong; in such cases, organizations should have a prepared plan of action ready to go. This means developing plans for what to do in case of fire, flooding, earthquake or other emergency.</p> <p>An organization might also choose to conduct emergency response drills to test its effectiveness and efficiency.</p> <h3>8. Ensure employees have the proper personal protective equipment</h3> <p>Some data center work -- such as electrical work, hot work, work at heights and heavy lifting -- might require personal protective equipment. PPE is essential to keeping employees safer in high-risk environments. Organizations should provide employees with proper gear to help ensure their safety.</p> <p>Electrical work, for example, might require the use of insulated gloves and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/dielectric-material">dielectric</a> footwear to reduce the risk of shock. Hot work might require welding helmets and welding blankets.</p> <p>PPE should also be inspected regularly to ensure it is still able to protect employees properly.</p> <h3>9. Conduct regular safety training sessions</h3> <p>Regular training sessions on safety procedures will help reduce the risk of accidents. This includes training employees on identifying risks, lockout and emergency procedures, compliance with safety standards, working at heights and ensuring proper use of PPE.</p> <p>The training should be tailored to role-specific tasks, as not every employee faces the same risks. Conducting the training on a regular basis will also help ensure it training stays top of mind for each employee.</p> <h3>10. Regularly hold safety audits</h3> <p>Holding regular safety audits will help ensure all in-place plans and procedures are being followed properly. Schedule audits periodically to review safety systems, equipment and adherence to standards. If any flaws or opportunities for improvement are found, then corrective actions should be taken to update any plans or procedures. An organization might also benefit from using a third-party auditor for a more objective and independent review.</p> <p><i>Alexander S. Gillis is a technical writer for WhatIs. He holds a bachelor's degree in professional writing from Fitchburg State University.</i></p> </section> Data center facilities pose various risks to those who operate them. Here are 10 best practices to follow when implementing data center safety. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/disaster_recovery_a379640336.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-safety-checklist-Best-practices-to-follow Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:26:00 GMT <p>System and service management are key components of ensuring customer satisfaction and service delivery. The Linux <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command streamlines these management tasks for admins.</p> <p>More Linux administrators are working in cloud environments than ever before, and they need to complete various system and service management tasks. The <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command manages both system and service configurations, enabling administrators to manage the OS and control service configurations. Additionally, <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> is useful for troubleshooting and basic performance tuning.</p> <p>This article presents 20 of the most common uses of the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command, helping you understand its functionality and apply your knowledge to crucial configuration tasks.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="A quick syntax review"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>A quick syntax review</h2> <p>First, let's recap the proper use of the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command. The basic syntax pattern is the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl subcommand argument</span></pre> <p>For example, to restart the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">sshd</span> service, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl restart sshd</span></pre> <p>In this example, the subcommand -- also known as a parameter -- is <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">restart</span>. The argument is the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">{servicename}</span> value, which is <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tutorial/Use-ssh-keygen-to-create-SSH-key-pairs-and-more">sshd</a> (SSH) in this case. Common parameters include <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">start</span>, <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">stop</span>, <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">restart</span> and <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">status</span>.</p> <p>Some parameters accept additional options. For example, you can specify the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">enable</span> parameter and then add the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">--now</span> option to cause it to start immediately, which enables you to skip using a separate <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl start {service-name}</span> command.</p> <p>Many <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> parameters exist, and this article covers only a handful. To see all available subcommands, try this trick: Type <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span>, press the <strong>spacebar</strong> once and then press the <strong>Tab</strong> key twice. This is normal Bash tab completion. This trick displays the complete list of subcommands or parameters.</p> <p>Many modern Linux distributions <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tutorial/How-to-create-custom-sudo-configuration-files-in-etc-sudoers">disable the root user account</a>. In that case, admins must precede the following <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchSecurity/tutorial/How-to-configure-sudo-privilege-and-access-control-settings">commands with sudo</a>.</p> <p>The <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command is critical for Linux administrators responsible for system and service management tasks.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="20 uses of the systemctl command"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>20 uses of the systemctl command</h2> <p>Let's evaluate 20 ways to use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command to understand and administer Linux systems better.</p> <h3>1. Start a service</h3> <p>A common task for admins is restarting services. Whenever admins <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/How-change-management-and-configuration-management-differ-in-IT">modify a configuration file</a>, they must restart the related service so it can reread the file and apply the changes.</p> <p>The <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command manually starts a service with the following command:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl start {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>2. Stop a service</h3> <p>To manually stop a service with <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span>, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl stop {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>3. Restart a service</h3> <p>Instead of manually stopping and then starting a service, it's faster to use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">restart</span> subcommand:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl restart {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>4. Reboot the system</h3> <p>Rebooting a server is a fundamental task for <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span>.</p> <p>To reboot, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl reboot</span></pre> <h3>5. Shut down the system</h3> <p>To initiate a shutdown process, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl poweroff</span></pre> <h3>6. Display the default interface</h3> <p>It's common for Linux servers to boot to the CLI, which, in systemd terminology, is the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">multi-user.target</span> mode. In many cases, however, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/What-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-CLI-and-GUI">admins might prefer the GUI</a> (<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">graphical.target</span>).</p> <p>To display the current default, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl get-default</span></pre> <h3>7. Change the default interface to the GUI</h3> <p>To change the current default from <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">multi-user.target</span> CLI to the GUI target, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl set-default graphical.target</span></pre> <h3>8. Switch to the multi-user.target interface</h3> <p>To switch to <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">multi-user.target</span> without changing the default from <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">graphical.target</span>, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl isolate multi-user.target</span></pre> <h3>9. Switch to rescue mode</h3> <p>To switch to rescue mode for troubleshooting, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl rescue</span></pre> <h3>10. Display service status</h3> <p>You can display the status of services in many ways. In some cases, admins might want to view information about all services. In others, they might only want to manage a single service. Either way, <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> can help.</p> <p>To see the status of all services, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl list-units --type=service</span></pre> <h3>11. List services by current status</h3> <p>To list services by status, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl list-units --type=service --state=active</span></pre> <p>Possible values for <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">--state=</span> include running, stopped, enabled, disabled and failed.</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl list-units --failed</span></pre> <h3>12. Prevent a service from starting</h3> <p>A service that is stopped or disabled can still be started if another service calls it. To prevent a service from starting in any case, use the mask subcommand. This setting links the service configuration to the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">/dev/null</span> file.</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl mask {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>13. Enable a service</h3> <p>Starting and stopping a service only applies to the current runtime. If admins need to configure the service to start when the system boots, they can use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">enable</span> command for that action:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl enable {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>14. Disable a service</h3> <p>Likewise, if admins need to configure a service not to start when the system boots, they can type the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">disable</span> command:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl disable {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>15. Confirm active status</h3> <p>The <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command confirms the current and startup status of specific services by using the command below with the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">is-enabled</span> parameter:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl is-active {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>16. Confirm enabled status</h3> <p><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> also uses the following command to confirm the status of specific services:</p> <p><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl is-enabled {servicename}</span></p> <h3>17. Kill a service with signal 15</h3> <p>Terminate services by using the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">kill</span> subcommand. However, it's best to use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">stop</span> subcommand whenever possible. By default,<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"> systemctl kill</span> sends <a target="_blank" href="https://access.redhat.com/solutions/737033" rel="noopener">signal 15</a>, which sends a request to terminate the service and enables the system to clean up as it does so.</p> <p>Here's the kill example for signal 15:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl kill {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>18. Kill a service with signal 9</h3> <p>To force the system to kill a service immediately, admins can send <a target="_blank" href="https://komodor.com/learn/what-is-sigkill-signal-9-fast-termination-of-linux-containers/" rel="noopener">signal 9</a> by typing the following command:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemctl kill -s 9 {servicename}</span></pre> <h3>19. Analyze services</h3> <p>You might want to include the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemd-analyze</span> command in <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> management scenarios. While this is a different command, it still relates to service management.</p> <p>The basic <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemd-analyze</span> command reports system boot time broken down into how long the kernel took to load before entering userspace&nbsp;and how long the userspace components took to load. This is a basic measure of startup time.</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemd-analyze</span></pre> <h3>20. Display service start times</h3> <p>In the context of services, filtering the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemd-analyze</span> command by service startup time is even more useful. To see a list displaying service start times, type the following:</p> <pre><span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;"># systemd-analyze blame</span></pre> <p>Some services might be delayed while they wait for other services to load. Still, this can be helpful information for determining which services are slowing down the system's startup time.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Final thoughts"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Final thoughts</h2> <p>Today's administrators manage more on-premises and cloud-hosted Linux systems than ever. Service management and monitoring are crucial to ensuring the timely delivery of resources to consumers. The <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command is a key administration tool that enables essential system configuration tasks and service management. These elements are the core of any Linux system's role in both on-premises or cloud deployments.</p> <p>Use the following best practices to get the most from the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> command:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Run <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl</span> commands using <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">sudo</span> privilege escalation.</li> <li>Restart services after any <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchDataCenter/tutorial/How-to-use-Vim-in-Linux">configuration file changes</a>.</li> <li>Use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl status {servicename}</span> command for troubleshooting, configuration auditing and verifying service functionality.</li> <li>Disable unnecessary services to reduce the system's attack surface.</li> <li>Mask unnecessary services to prevent them from being accidentally started by other processes or users, providing a more secure and controlled configuration.</li> <li>Use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">systemctl --failed</span> command to identify and troubleshoot failed units.</li> </ul> <p>Managing system and service settings is a crucial skill for any Linux administrator.</p> <p><i>Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to Informa TechTarget, The New Stack and CompTIA Blogs.</i></p> </section> Linux administrators are overseeing more systems than ever. Managing system and service settings can be a challenge, but the systemctl command can make those tasks easier. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/code_g1289411982.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/20-systemctl-commands-for-system-and-service-management Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:15:00 GMT <p>Data restoration is the process of copying backup data from secondary storage and restoring it to its original location or a new location. A data restore returns data that has been lost, stolen or damaged to its original condition or moves data to a new location.</p> <p>Several circumstances can prompt a data restore. One is <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252522226/SANS-Institute-Human-error-remains-the-top-security-issue">human error</a>, where data is accidentally deleted or damaged. Other circumstances include <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/Top-10-types-of-information-security-threats-for-IT-teams">malicious attacks where data is exposed</a>, stolen or infected; power outages; human-made or natural disasters; equipment theft, malfunctions or failures; or firmware corruption.</p> <p>Data restoration makes a usable copy of the data available to replace lost or damaged data and ensures the data backup is consistent with the state of the data at a specific time before the damage occurred.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why is data restoration needed?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why is data restoration needed?</h2> <p>If a situation occurs that threatens access to and availability of data and databases, a process is needed to take existing, backed-up data and return it to its original form. Almost always, data restore operations occur in response to a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/Data-loss">data loss</a>. Such events vary in scope. Many different circumstances can lead to data loss, including these:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Human error.</b> A user might accidentally delete a file or overwrite important data in a file.</li> <li><b>File system corruption.</b> File system corruption can render data files unreadable or break the structure. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/tip/How-to-check-and-verify-file-integrity">Corruption</a> can occur in databases, such as those used to store big data or <u>machine learning</u> (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/machine-learning-ML">ML</a>) data.</li> <li><b>Malicious activities.</b> A disgruntled user might delete or password-lock some sensitive data. Similarly, data loss might occur if data becomes encrypted by <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware">ransomware</a>, is infected with a virus, is compromised through phishing, or is unavailable due to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.</li> <li><b>Hardware failures.</b> If enough <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/array">disks within a storage array</a> fail simultaneously, data loss occurs. A disk controller can fail in a way that results in corrupt data being written to a storage array.</li> <li><b>Physical disasters.</b> An organization's data center might be destroyed by <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/news/252471281/Experts-disaster-recovery-plans-may-overlook-major-outages">fire or flood</a>.</li> </ul> <p>The best way to avoid losing data in these types of events and ensure business continuity is to create a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/The-7-critical-backup-strategy-best-practices-to-keep-data-safe">comprehensive backup strategy</a> designed to create backup copies of data. Backups can be written to a backup device residing on premises, to cloud storage, to tape drives or even an external drive. Regardless of the medium, it's important to ensure data is backed up. Initiating a restore operation is impossible if there's no backup data.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Key considerations"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Key considerations</h2> <ol class="default-list"> <li>Data restoration is highly time-sensitive, and this is where the recovery point objective (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/recovery-point-objective-RPO">RPO</a>) metric must be addressed.</li> <li>Data to be restored should be as current, ideally, as the data lost or damaged.</li> <li>When planning and implementing technology to respond to a data loss, data time criticality is crucial. If too much time elapses between when a backup is taken to when the data needs to be restored, the data's value will likely be diminished.</li> <li>Based on the RPO value assigned to specific systems and/or data, backups may need to occur more frequently so <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/mission-critical-computing">mission-critical</a> resources, if lost or damaged, can be restored from backups to almost exactly when the data was backed up.</li> </ol> <p>Data restoration is important for these additional reasons:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Technology disaster recovery. </b>Loss of a critical system, network service or data can disrupt business operations. Frequent system backups are essential for mission-critical activities. If a major system fails, the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Ways-to-use-AI-in-IT-disaster-recovery">disaster recovery</a> plan identifies a secure, up-to-date copy to help the business recover and return to normal.</li> <li><b>Business continuity.</b> Identifying the systems, processes and data tied tightly to mission-critical activities is the first step toward business continuity. If the relevant IT assets, data and databases can be identified, backed-up properly, and restored to the most current state possible, it will help the business recover from a disruption faster.</li> <li><b>Compliance.</b> Data backup and restoration require compliance with a variety of standards and regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (<a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/GDPRs-7th-anniversary-in-the-AI-age-privacy-legislation-is-still-relevant">GDPR</a>) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/feature/10-CCPA-enforcement-cases-from-the-laws-first-year">CCPA</a>).</li> <li><b>Confidence that the business will survive.</b> Disaster recovery and business continuity provide assurances that the company can survive a disruptive event. The ability to restore mission-critical systems and data within established timeframes (e.g., the RPO) can increase comfort levels among senior management.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Preparing for a data restore"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Preparing for a data restore</h2> <p>A key part of the overall data management process, data restoration requires having a system that can yield a good copy of the data via traditional backup, snapshots or continuous data protection (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/continuous-data-protection">CDP</a>).</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-typical_backup-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-typical_backup-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-typical_backup-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-typical_backup-f.png 1280w" alt="A flow diagram showing a typical data backup process." height="378" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Both local and off-site backups can be used in a data backup strategy. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>When preparing for data restoration, an organization should address these topics:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Data backup strategy.</b> A person or organization should establish a comprehensive data backup strategy that defines which data needs to be backed up, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/How-often-should-you-back-up-your-data-Answers-vary">how frequently backups should occur</a>, and where the backups will reside. For added protection, it's ideal to combine local backups with off-site or cloud-based backups.<u> </u></li> <li><b>Backup testing.</b> Test the restore process and tools to ensure a reliable data backup version is available for restoration.</li> <li><b>Define RPO and RTO.</b> The RPO is the longest period that can be tolerated between data losses. The recovery time objective (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/recovery-time-objective-RTO">RTO</a>) is the longest period of acceptable downtime following a data loss incident. Data being restored must be readable, consistent with a chosen time, and include the information needed for RPO and RTO compliance.</li> <li><b>Random checks.</b> Protection copies should be checked randomly at various times to ensure they satisfy RPO and RTO.</li> <li><b>Test data restore procedure.</b> All applications <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Ten-important-steps-for-testing-backups">must be checked</a> before an actual data restore to ensure they can use the restored data. That means the software used to format the data must be available, and security certificates, permissions, access control and decryption must be applied correctly.</li> </ul> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/benefits_and_challenges_of_effective_data_backup-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/benefits_and_challenges_of_effective_data_backup-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/benefits_and_challenges_of_effective_data_backup-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/benefits_and_challenges_of_effective_data_backup-f.png 1280w" alt="A chart listing the benefits and challenges of effective data backup" height="453" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>The benefits of effective data backup are compelling, but there are also challenges to overcome. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Common data restoration methods"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Common data restoration methods</h2> <p>Where backup data is stored affects the ease with which it can be restored. Some common backup locations include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>HDD backups.</b> HDD, or hard disk drive, backups provide a quick data restore because it's easy to locate data on disks, and the systems often live on-site. For this same reason, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Cloud-backup-vs-local-traditional-backup-advantages-disadvantages">HDDs are more secure</a> storage devices than off-site tape and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/The-pros-and-cons-of-cloud-backup-technologies">cloud backup</a>. However, external hard drive systems cost more than other data backup and restore methods; costs include the power needed to run the required disk and cooling systems. HDD backups are best for data that changes frequently and requires a short recovery time.</li> <li><b>SSD backups.</b> Solid-state disk technology is a popular alternative to HDDs because the storage devices have no moving parts, deliver fast seek times to find and retrieve data, and are non-volatile. <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366629991/Flash-drive-prices-grow-quickly-while-SAS-and-SATA-diverge">Flash drives</a> are convenient, offer large capacity, are still affordable and available in different forms for ease of use.</li> <li><b>Tape backup.</b> Tape backup systems provide high-capacity storage at a lower cost than HDDs. But even with the latest technology, tape still has a longer recovery time than disks or the cloud, and that time expands when data is stored off-site. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366580252/Spectra-Logic-introduces-new-tape-library-OS">Tape libraries</a> require ongoing management and testing to ensure data is accessible when needed.</li> <li><b>Cloud backup.</b> Using a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366625452/Rubrik-expands-cloud-databases-and-Oracle-Cloud-protection">cloud backup</a> service requires enterprises to send a copy of data over the corporate network or an internet connection to an off-site server. When it's time to restore that data, it must traverse the same path, which can take time due to network bandwidth limitations. For this reason, cloud backup and restore are generally favored for noncritical data. With cloud backup, it's easy to add capacity as data backup needs increase. In addition, costs are lower, particularly when using a cloud provider, because organizations don't have to buy and maintain backup software and hardware. Using a third-party provider also reduces the IT department's workload. However, as data volumes grow, cloud backup costs rise.</li> <li><b>Continuous data protection.</b> This backup technique saves every change made to data as it occurs in real time and stores the changes in a storage device. A <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/log-log-file">change log</a> keeps track of all changes and when they were made, so users can restore a system or data to the exact state or point in time needed. While backups typically occur on a schedule based on business requirements, CDP continuously replicates changes in data or systems, making it easier to achieve restorations within RPO values.</li> </ul> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Du88LYHx6Nk?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>New tools are emerging that leverage AI and ML to access and recover backup data more efficiently. Industry analysts acknowledge that, while there are still risk factors to consider, organizations are expected to increasingly adopt AI-powered tools that detect anomalies, predict failures and optimize policies to orchestrate backup and recovery.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Data restore techniques"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Data restore techniques</h2> <p>The approach used to restore data depends on several considerations, such as the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>What information was lost or damaged.</li> <li>How much data was affected.</li> <li>How the incident happened.</li> <li>The software used to create the data backup.</li> <li>The backup target media.</li> </ul> <p>Some backup software lets users restore lost files themselves. Data recovery software and services can retrieve accidentally deleted files that aren't backed up from the hard drive.</p> <p>More complicated data loss or damage requires IT to restore backup files from disk, tape or other backup media using various techniques, such as the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Instant recovery.</b> Also known as recovery in place, it redirects a user's workload to a backup server, eliminating the recovery window. Users get almost immediate <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/Using-snapshot-backups-to-replace-your-traditional-data-backup-system">access to a snapshot restore point</a> of their workload, where they can work while IT manages the full recovery and data restore in the background. Once that process is complete, the user's workload is redirected back to the original virtual machine.</li> <li><b>Replication. </b>This provides even faster, near-instant access to data; however, data backup with <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Storage-technology-explained-Replication-vs-snapshots-and-backup">integrated replication</a> often lacks a product that provides historical recovery and isn't a true backup capability.</li> <li><b>CDP.</b> It occurs when data is backed up using snapshots taken whenever data changes. This accommodates rollback to any point in time. However, CDP comes at a price in the load on a system's central processing unit and significant storage needs.</li> <li><b>Near-CDP. </b>It is when snapshots of changed data are taken at set intervals and changes are consolidated over a longer period. This approach reduces the storage required to accommodate backed-up data compared with full-fledged CDP.</li> <li><b>Traditional backup. </b>This is when data is stored on HDDs, SSDs or magnetic tape locally or at a remote location. Traditional backup is most useful when a major hardware or site disaster occurs. It lacks the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/scalability">scalability</a> and efficiency of other methods, but it's a better long-term approach for data retention and restoration.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mobile backup and restore"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mobile backup and restore</h2> <p>Backing up and restoring mobile data from smartphones, tablets and laptops poses specific challenges. Traditional backup software often assumes that devices being backed up have a permanent location, a consistently good connection to the corporate network and adequate bandwidth. But mobile devices frequently lack these capabilities.</p> <p>Enterprise file sync and share (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/EFSS-Enterprise-file-sync-and-share">EFSS</a>) services protect data on mobile devices by copying files to the cloud or on-premises storage. EFSS lets users access these files on other desktop and mobile devices, but it's not a true backup and doesn't allow for the rollback of data to a particular time should the device fail, if the device is lost or stolen, or if data on it is damaged or destroyed.</p> <p>Most Android devices and all <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/iOS">Apple iOS</a> devices have native, image-based backup, but that leaves the responsibility for backing up these devices with users. An endpoint backup product that supports mobile devices and incorporates file sync and sharing is one way to handle this.</p> <p>As with all enterprise data backup and data restore procedures, the key to smooth data restoration on mobile devices is to have a consistent, tested backup process and data recovery tools so data can be restored quickly and easily.</p> <p>Typical scenarios where mobile backups matter include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>When a device is replaced.</b> Mobile backups make it easy to transfer backed-up data from an old device to a new one.</li> <li><b>When device data is lost or stolen.</b> In case of accidental data loss or deletion, it can be restored back to the latest backup.</li> <li><b>When a device is reset.</b> If a device is reset to a factory install, the data that's backed up can be used to restore the device to its previous state.</li> <li><b>When a device is infected with malware and viruses.</b> After the infection is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-best-tools-practices-remove-malware-infections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed</a>, the device can be restored to the original settings with the latest backup.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Data restore vendors and products"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Data restore vendors and products</h2> <p>Numerous backup and data recovery service vendors offer products to back up, recover and restore an organization's data. These products vary widely in price, scope and capabilities. Some available products include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366570933/Acronis-Cyber-Protect-adds-new-capabilities-for-remote-users">Acronis Cyber Protect</a>.</li> <li>Active Backup for Business (ABB).</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366614262/Arcserve-prioritizes-cloud-choice-with-UDP-platform-update">Arcserve Unified Data Protection</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/AWS-Backup-best-practices-for-reliable-data-protection">AWS Backup</a>.</li> <li>Backup Exec.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/microscope/news/366613117/Barracuda-steps-up-partner-enablement">Barracuda Backup</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/news/252473794/OpenTexts-Carbonite-acquisition-expands-its-cloud-portfolio">Carbonite</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252502057/Cohesity-brings-DataProtect-backup-as-a-service-to-Europe-via-AWS">Cohesity DataProtect</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366618054/Commvault-automates-Microsoft-Active-Directory-reforestation">Commvault Cloud Backup and Recovery</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/news/252443589/DattoCon-2018-New-storage-features-development-schedule">Datto Siris</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/microscope/news/366615521/Exclusive-adds-Druva-to-the-mix-and-extends-Gigamon">Druva Data Resilience Cloud</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366610272/Google-Cloud-Backup-service-expands-with-vault-offering">Google Backup and DR Service</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Huawei-rises-in-the-storage-ranks-despite-sanctions-and-tariffs">Huawei OceanProtect Backup Storage</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/news/252491328/IBM-Spectrum-protects-OpenShift-container-data">IBM Spectrum Protect</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/365535110/Cohesity-Microsoft-Azure-bring-OpenAI-to-backup-software">Microsoft Azure Backup</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366614921/Nakivo-takes-aims-at-VMware-refugees-tempted-by-Proxmox">NAKIVO Backup and Replication</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/news/366572237/NetApp-deepens-storage-offerings-security-for-AI-buyers">NetApp SnapCenter</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366587427/Rubrik-returns-to-data-backups-at-Forward-2024">Rubrik Security Cloud</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/365531553/Veeam-bundles-backup-products-into-Veeam-Data-Platform">Veeam Data Platform</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Top-10-VM-backup-tools-for-VMware-and-Hyper-V">Vembu BDRSuite</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366617112/Cohesity-completes-acquisition-of-Veritas">Veritas Backup Exec</a>.</li> <li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.vinchin.com/" rel="noopener">Vinchin Backup and Recovery</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/news/366628476/HPE-Zerto-storage-networking-prioritizing-cybersecurity">Zerto</a>.</li> </ul> <p><i>Preparation is vital to prevent data loss and resume operations quickly and efficiently after a natural disaster. Learn how to </i><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Avoid-data-loss-in-a-natural-disaster-with-the-right-backups"><i>perform critical backups</i></a><i> and prevent data loss.</i></p> </section> Data restoration is the process of copying backup data from secondary storage and restoring it to its original location or a new location. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/3.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/restore Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:00:00 GMT <p>A configuration management database (CMDB) is a file -- usually in the form of a standardized <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/database">database</a> -- that contains all relevant information about the hardware and software components used in an organization's IT services and the relationships among those components. A CMDB stores information that provides an organized view of configuration data and a means of examining that data from any desired perspective.</p> <p>As IT infrastructure becomes <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Data-Matters/The-importance-of-simplifying-IT-enterprise-capability-without-the-complexity">more complex</a>, the importance of tracking and understanding the information in the IT environment increases. The use of CMDBs is a best practice for IT teams and leaders who need to identify and verify each component of their infrastructure to better manage and improve it.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How CMDBs work and why they are important"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How CMDBs work and why they are important</h2> <p>In the context of a CMDB, components of an information system are referred to as <i>configuration items</i> (CIs). CIs can be any conceivable IT components, including software, hardware, documentation and personnel. They can also indicate the way in which each CI is configured and any relationship or dependencies among them. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/configuration-management-CM">Configuration management</a> processes seek to specify, control and track CIs and any changes made to them in a comprehensive, systematic fashion.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/66gpOMI2m4Y?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>CMDBs capture CI attributes, including importance, ownership and identification code. A CMDB also provides details about CI relationships and dependencies; this makes it a powerful tool if used correctly. As a business enters more CIs into the system, the CMDB becomes a stronger resource to predict changes in the organization. For example, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/One-year-on-from-the-CrowdStrike-outageWhat-have-we-learned">if an outage occurs</a>, IT can understand from CI data which systems are affected.</p> <p>A CMDB can be used for many activities besides capturing CI data, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Performing problem management.</li> <li>Conducting <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/root-cause-analysis">root cause analysis</a>.</li> <li>Identifying potential vulnerabilities.</li> <li>Complying with regulatory metrics.</li> <li>Investigating workflows.</li> <li>Reducing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/The-cost-of-downtime-and-how-businesses-can-avoid-it">downtime</a>.</li> <li>Enhancing service delivery.</li> <li>Optimizing business services.</li> <li>Tracking software licenses.</li> <li>Capturing real-time data on potential performance issues.</li> </ul> <p>The CMDB connects to virtually every element in the IT infrastructure. It <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/feature/Configuration-management-vs-asset-management-simplified">provides asset management, as well as configuration data</a>, for system and network administration and security management. CMDB data is typically presented on a dashboard display.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/where_a_configuration_management_database_fits_in_it_infrastructure-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/where_a_configuration_management_database_fits_in_it_infrastructure-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/where_a_configuration_management_database_fits_in_it_infrastructure-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/where_a_configuration_management_database_fits_in_it_infrastructure-f.png 1280w" alt="A diagram showing how a configuration management database fits in IT infrastructure." height="403" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>A configuration management database contains information about all the hardware and software components in an organization's IT infrastructure. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Features of a CMDB"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Features of a CMDB</h2> <p>CMDBs are centralized repositories that capture and store data about IT assets, their configurations, and relationships. Among a CMDB's key features are workspace, data acquisition and integration, visualization and reporting. Here's a description of core CMDB features:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>CMDB workspace</b>. Provides a resource for managing and viewing CIs and how they interact.</li> <li><strong>Data acquisition and integration. This</strong><strong> </strong><strong>process</strong><strong> </strong><strong>captures</strong><strong> </strong><strong>and</strong><strong> </strong><strong>integrates</strong><strong> </strong>data from multiple sources, such as sensors, creating a total view of IT assets.</li> <li><b>Mapping of relationships.</b> The CMDB presents visually how different CIs interact and depend on each other; this facilitates operational analysis and change management.</li> <li><b>Visualization and reporting</b>. Prepares and presents detailed maps and diagrams of how CIs interact, helping the business understand how it uses CI relationships.</li> <li><b>Centralized asset management</b><b>.</b> Provides a single unified view of all IT assets, accommodating a single view of the truth.</li> <li><b>Compliance. </b>Data gathered from a CMDB can show how a system complies with specific standards and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/regulatory-compliance">regulations</a>.</li> <li><b>Access controls.</b> These govern access to the CMDB and detail how access is managed throughout the infrastructure.</li> <li><b>Lifecycle management.</b> CMDB data can be used to ensure all assets are being managed in line with their expected lifecycles.</li> <li><b>Root cause analysis.</b> CMDB data may be used as part of a root cause analysis, especially after a service disruption</li> <li><b>Risk and change management.</b> CMDB data can support risk assessments and change management activities.</li> <li><b>Incident and problem management.</b> Armed with CMDB data, technical staff responding to an incident or technical problem can examine the asset database for insights.</li> </ul> <p>IT teams use CMDB features to manage their technology and networking infrastructures, improve resource visibility and facilitate IT activities such as change and incident management.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Who needs CMDBs?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Who needs CMDBs?</h2> <p>IT organizations need CMDBs to capture information about the CIs. CMDBs can be paired with asset management systems to identify all elements in an IT infrastructure. CMDBs build on asset inventories, providing information on the relationships among CIs.</p> <p>Organizations use the CMDB to predict changes that can affect IT systems, which systems will be affected and how. IT administrators can also use CMDB data to identify when it's appropriate or necessary to replace a device or other asset.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Advantages of a CMDB"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Advantages of a CMDB</h2> <p>CMDBs provide various benefits, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Centralized view of data.</b> This capability gives IT administrators more control over the IT infrastructure. Admins can get data on each component in an IT infrastructure -- like a storage device or an application running on a server. This helps with planning, managing and maintaining the entire infrastructure. It also lowers the incidence of administrative and management errors, helps to ensure regulatory compliance, and increases security.</li> <li><b>Cost savings.</b> CMDBs help IT managers spot ways to eliminate unnecessary or redundant IT resources and their associated costs.</li> <li><b>Data integration.</b> CMDBs let admins integrate data from various vendors' software, reconcile that data, identify any inconsistencies in the database and ensure all data is synchronized. A CMDB system can also integrate other configuration-related processes, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/change-management">change management</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/IT-incident-management">incident management</a>.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Challenges of a CMDB"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Challenges of a CMDB</h2> <p>A CMDB can also present several challenges. A particularly difficult issue is organizational: to convince the business of the benefits of a CMDB and then to use the system properly once implemented.</p> <p>Other challenges include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Importing relevant data.</b> This can be a tedious task. Admins must input a wealth of information about each IT asset, including financial information, upgrade history and performance profile. Modern CMDB tools offer enhanced discovery capabilities, enabling the tool to find and profile CIs automatically. However, this data doesn't always come from the same source. In theory, a process called <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/news/252507049/Modern-data-strategy-includes-cloud-domain-federation"><i>data federation</i></a> brings together data from disparate locations to prevent IT from replacing or eliminating other data systems. In practice, data is dispersed across sources that aren't well integrated, which prevents IT managers from federating data.</li> <li><b>Updating and maintaining CMDBs.</b> Over time, IT administrators must <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Maintain-CMDB-data-integrity-for-automated-disaster-recovery">regularly review, update and maintain CMDB data</a>. A CMDB can fail if admins don't update the data, in which case it becomes stale and unusable.</li> </ul> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-cmdb_challenges-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-cmdb_challenges-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-cmdb_challenges-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-cmdb_challenges-f.png 1280w" alt="A chart detailing challenges of a configuration management database system in the areas of data entry, data lifecycles, data utilization and data storage and protection." height="342" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Data integrity is the cornerstone of a good configuration management database system. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p></p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="CMDB best practices"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>CMDB best practices</h2> <p>Several activities can be considered best practices when planning, implementing and managing a CMDB. As with any technology implementation, careful planning and alignment with business requirements are essential to a successful project. Additional best practices:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Define operating objectives.</b> Determine the goals of a CMDB, such as enhancing asset tracking, change management and incident response.</li> <li><b>Secure management approval and funding.</b> This is essential to ensure the CMDB initiative is fully supported and funded.</li> <li><b>Identify primary configuration items (CIs).</b> Launch the CMDB with critical assets, services, and operating relationships.</li> <li><b>Keep data accurate and current.</b> Minimize the likelihood of data inconsistencies, duplicates and outdated data by regularly reviewing, validating and reconciling data.</li> <li><b>Use automation when possible.</b> If the CMDB offers automation tools, use them for activities such as CI discovery and updating to minimize errors.</li> <li><b>Governance and access controls.</b> Manage the CMDB by defining roles and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Types-of-access-control">access permissions</a>.</li> <li><b>Integrate CMDB with ITSM and related assets.</b> For optimal operational efficiency, integrate the CMDB with incident, change, and service management activities.</li> <li><b>Dependency and relationship mapping.</b> Identifying how various assets work with each other is essential; capturing those relationships and dependencies eases incident response and problem resolution.</li> <li><b>Testing and performance analysis.</b> Periodic CMDB tests can ensure that it is performing properly and tee up the resolution of potential issues.</li> <li><b>Reviewing, auditing and monitoring.</b> Make sure the CMDB is reviewed periodically for completeness, accuracy, and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/feature/What-is-IT-business-alignment-and-why-is-it-important">alignment with business needs</a>.</li> <li><b>Training and documentation.</b> Provide training and any descriptive content on the CMDB to users to ensure the CMDB is leveraged effectively.</li> <li><b>Continuous improvement.</b> The CMDB is a living resource. Set performance metrics, gather feedback, and refine CMDB operations for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/kaizen-or-continuous-improvement">continuous improvement</a>.</li> </ol> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Evolution of the CMDB"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Evolution of the CMDB</h2> <p>As a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/post/Network-automation-success-begins-with-a-source-of-truth">single source of truth</a> of configuration information for IT assets, a CMDB facilitates monitoring of assets and dependencies, making upgrades deployment of new services easier. For example, CMDB data can help identify which servers run an older operating system (OS) version and how <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366627608/Current-approaches-to-patching-unsustainable-report-says">patches might alter security</a> and performance.</p> <p>Organizations can track and enforce CMDB information over time, which can improve security and compliance and reduce risks. CMDBs also play a central role in <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Enable-automated-failover-with-a-highly-available-CMDB">automated failover</a> and disaster recovery activities.</p> <p>The term <i>configuration management</i> continues to expand its meaning to reflect the increased use of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/feature/The-evolution-and-history-of-software-configuration-management">software-based configurations and interactions</a>: scripting the configuration of a software stack, container management and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/Google-Kubernetes">Kubernetes</a>, automation down to the code level, and cloud resources and provisioning.</p> <p>The DevOps universe of technologies and practices, including containers, microservices, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Infrastructure-as-code-principles-How-IaC-works-and-how-to-use-it">infrastructure as code</a>, source control, package management and release automation, has changed what it means to map and track asset configurations and dependencies. Machine learning and AI promise to predict the impact of undesirable results more quickly and accurately from configuration changes and their propagation.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-benefits_of_software_configuration_management-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-benefits_of_software_configuration_management-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-benefits_of_software_configuration_management-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/itops-benefits_of_software_configuration_management-f.png 1280w" alt="An infographic detailing the benefits of software configuration management" height="430" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Software configuration management provides several benefits to organizations seeking more control over their software development process, from source code to APIs to change requests. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <p>Configuration management for tracking configuration changes in physical and digital assets remains essential. Organizations still must understand the landscape of their IT infrastructure resources and how the interplay of those resources supports business objectives.</p> <p>CMDBs have evolved to more closely align with IT service management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/ITSM">ITSM</a>) and reporting capabilities, as well as the cloud and distributed infrastructure. Many CMDBs integrate with IT asset management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/IT-asset-management-information-technology-asset-management">ITAM</a>) platforms, which are similar information repositories about IT assets that support change management. CMDBs can also be used to store such information themselves.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="CMDBs and ITIL"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>CMDBs and ITIL</h2> <p>The IT Infrastructure Library <a target="_blank" href="https://www.itlibrary.org/" rel="noopener">service management framework</a> includes specifications for configuration management, although adoption of the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/ITIL">ITIL</a> framework isn't a prerequisite for configuration management. According to ITIL specifications, the four major aspects of configuration management are:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Discovery.</b> Identify CIs to be included in the CMDB.</li> <li><b>Security.</b> Control data to ensure only authorized individuals can change it.</li> <li><b>Reporting.</b> Maintain status, ensuring that the status of any CI is recorded and updated consistently.</li> <li><b>Auditing.</b> Verify accuracy through <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/tip/Prep-a-compliance-audit-checklist-that-auditors-want-to-see">audits</a> and reviews of the data.</li> </ol> <p>Prior ITIL versions introduced and expanded the importance of configuration management, which is designed to capture details of all configuration items as part of ITSM activities. The most recent ITIL release, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/opinion/ITIL-4-framework-brings-long-awaited-flexibility-to-ITSM">ITIL v4</a> (2019), defined an IT operations model for delivering products and services. It plays a role in the overall business strategy.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="CMDBs vs. ITAM"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>CMDBs vs. ITAM</h2> <p>There is functional overlap between CMDBs and ITAM platforms for change management. Their capabilities are also increasingly integrated into broader service management frameworks. However, they are different tools <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Figure-out-the-differences-of-asset-management-vs-CMDB">used for different purposes</a>.</p> <p>ITAM tools track asset data, such as hardware and software details, across the entire <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/IT-asset-retirement-in-the-data-center">asset lifecycle</a>. That data tends to be more static than the dynamic activities a CMDB tracks: acquisition and procurement, operation, change management, maintenance and disposal.</p> <p>ITAM data includes configuration information. It also tracks costs at each lifecycle stage, such as purchasing and licensing, service, support and depreciation. Asset management benefits include better asset utilization and proactive asset compliance and security auditing. Improved asset visibility also leads to faster and more accurate business decision-making.</p> <p>ITAM tools are typically used to achieve business-oriented goals, such as making and reviewing decisions through an infrastructure asset lifecycle. Configuration management tools are better suited for service-oriented goals, helping IT staff understand dependencies so they can plan and maintain IT services. Change management is an important CMDB activity.</p> <p>ITAM and CMDBs are not mutually exclusive. For example, an application server is an IT asset with financial value that depreciates over time. It also requires maintenance and can incorporate operational information, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Manage-your-IT-service-contracts-to-save-money">service agreements</a>, that are not part of a CMDB. That server is also a CI, and information about it can be tracked and managed through a CMDB, including its installed OS and software, server setup and firmware versions. The CMDB could reveal how changes to the server's configuration state might affect performance, stability and security; this is called an <i>impact analysis.</i></p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="CMDB vendors and tools"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>CMDB vendors and tools</h2> <p>General CMDB capabilities include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Discover and assess the CI of IT assets.</li> <li>Automatically update CMDB entries when an asset is changed or updated.</li> <li>Map dependencies between assets and CIs.</li> <li>Simulate or predict the effect of a change to CIs.</li> <li>Audit CMDB records for security and compliance initiatives.</li> <li>Ensure compliance with relevant standards and regulations.</li> </ul> <p>Many configuration management, asset management and CMDB tools are available for enterprises of various sizes and needs. Here are some available tools:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>AlgoSec.</li> <li>Atomicwork.</li> <li>BMC Helix CMDB.</li> <li>Broadcom CA Service Management.</li> <li>Canfigure.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/news/252516203/Device42-adds-intelligence-to-IT-discovery-asset-management">Device42</a>.</li> <li>Freshservice.</li> <li>GLPI.</li> <li>IBM Control Desk.</li> <li>IBM Tivoli Change and Configuration Management Database.</li> <li>InvGate Insight.</li> <li>ManageEngine AssetExplorer.</li> <li>Microsoft System Center Service Manager.</li> <li>OpenText Universal Discovery and Universal CMDB.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/feature/ServiceNow-Configuration-Management-Database">ServiceNow CMDB</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/news/252522170/ServiceNow-ITSM-users-recharge-workflows-with-familiar-tools">ServiceNow ITSM Enhancer</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/How-and-why-to-add-SolarWinds-modules">SolarWinds Service Desk</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/news/252465726/SysAid-launches-Automate-Joe-for-ITSM-platform-automation">SysAid Technologies</a>.</li> <li>TOPdesk.</li> <li>Virima.</li> </ul> <p>Integrated and third-party tools are also available to supplement a CMDB. Examples include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>ITSM tools.</b> They can integrate with CMDBs and often incorporate CMDB capabilities of their own. Many ITSM vendors offer standalone CMDBs as well. Tools from a single vendor may offer integration advantages but less so for users of third-party CMDBs.</li> <li><b>Automated discovery and change management tools. </b>They automatically generate and update data to capture the state of the IT environment. However, while discovery tools enable IT to take a more hands-off approach to configuration management, they don't eliminate the need for manual entry. For example, some details such as the hardware's purchase date, price and due date of the next renewal of service may require manual entry.</li> <li><b>IT operations analytics tools. </b>They can integrate with CMDBs. These tools can analyze the established configuration of each server, compare possible changes against an existing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/benchmark">benchmark</a> and alert IT managers to unexpected or disallowed changes to a configuration for examination and remediation.</li> <li><b>Data management tools. </b>They can address data federation by taking all IT data from a variety of sources and automatically storing it in a CMDB. Such tools increase the accuracy of an enterprise's CMDB data.</li> <li><b>Unified endpoint management and software asset management tools. </b>These<b> </b>are used as data sources for a CMDB to provide visibility for devices in their control.</li> </ul> <p><i>Find out more about the </i><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/How-change-management-and-configuration-management-differ-in-IT"><i>relationship between change management and configuration management</i></a></p> </section> A configuration management database (CMDB) is a file -- usually in the form of a standardized database -- that contains all relevant information about the hardware and software components used in an organization's IT services and the relationships among those components. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/6.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/configuration-management-database Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT <p>Cleanrooms and high-filtration systems are essential to industries that must filter airborne pollutants.</p> <p>The ISO standard 14644 series enables organizations to maintain cleanrooms and air hygiene for air-controlled environments like data centers. While data centers do not need to adhere to all parts of the ISO 14644 standards, many are relevant. The standard and related series outline everything from particle concentration classification to air testing methods and designs.</p> <p>This article explains the importance of ISO 14644 standards in a data center environment and includes details on parts 1 through 14 and 18. Follow the requirements of ISO 14644 standards to ensure data centers function at a high level and maintain operations and equipment.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="A brief history of ISO 14644"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>A brief history of ISO 14644</h2> <p>The ISO 14644 series has become the international benchmark for cleanroom practices. It replaces outdated systems like Federal Standard 209E in the U.S. and harmonizes global requirements into a unified standard. Unlike national or application-specific regulations, ISO standards apply across industries, making them ideal for multinational operations that maintain consistent cleanliness and compliance across multiple regions and product lines.</p> <p>ISO 14644 evolves with industries. In 2001, this standard was only one part. ISO 14644 then grew to four parts in 2015, 10 parts in 2019 and over 20 parts in 2023 -- which was revised in 2025. To keep the standard relevant, experts in the field update previous parts and add new ones when necessary. The latest version covers design, airborne particle sampling techniques, separative devices and energy efficiency.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why ISO 14644 matters in data center environments"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why ISO 14644 matters in data center environments</h2> <p>Data centers require controlled environments to protect IT equipment from contamination that can cause failures, reduce performance or shorten equipment lifespan. Airborne particles, chemical contaminants and surface contamination affect critical IT infrastructure.</p> <p>The ISO 14644 standards provide a framework for compliance requirements, energy efficiency, equipment protection, operational reliability and risk management.</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Compliance requirements</b>. Meets industry regulations and customer expectations for data center operations.</li> <li><b>Energy efficiency</b>. Implements controlled environmental practices that optimize HVAC and filtration systems.</li> <li><b>Equipment protection</b>. Prevents particle contamination that can damage servers, storage systems and networking equipment.</li> <li><b>Operational reliability</b>. Maintains consistent environmental conditions to ensure optimal equipment performance.</li> <li><b>Risk management</b>. Reduces the likelihood of contamination-related downtime and equipment failures.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Parts of ISO 14644 for data centers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Parts of ISO 14644 for data centers</h2> <p>While ISO 14644 contains over 20 parts relevant to situations where controlled environments are necessary, this section focuses on Parts 1 through 14 and Part 18.</p> <p>Parts 14644-6 and 14644-11 are not included as Part 6 was withdrawn by ISO/TC 209, and Part 11 does not exist.</p> <h3>Part 14644-1: Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-1 specifies the classification of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Data-center-air-quality-The-air-servers-breathe">air cleanliness by airborne particle concentrations</a> in cleanrooms and clean zones, as well as for separative devices as defined in ISO 14644-7. It outlines the classification for environmental cleanliness in data centers from Classes 1 to 9.</p> <p>ISO Class 1 environments are the cleanest, like those in silicon chip clean rooms. Classes 7 and 8 are the most appropriate for IT facilities like data centers and server rooms.</p> <h3>Part 14644-2: Monitoring to provide evidence of cleanroom performance related to air cleanliness by particle concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-2 specifies the monitoring and testing requirements for cleanrooms and clean zones. It outlines the minimum requirements for a monitoring plan based on parameters that measure or affect airborne particle concentration.</p> <p>To meet this requirement, data centers must use sequential, continuous or periodic air monitoring. For example, with periodic monitoring, the facility must specify the test frequency when proving compliance with the standard.</p> <h3>Part 14644-3: Test methods</h3> <p>Part 14644-3 specifies the test methods that support the operation of the controlled environment to meet the relevant air cleanliness classification, attributes and related conditions.</p> <p>Test methods depend on the controlled environment's airflow characteristics and occupancy states. Data centers fulfill multiple airflow and occupancy states at various times. Operators should read this standard carefully to ensure they are compliant.</p> <p>This ISO standard has not been approved as an American National Standard.</p> <h3>Part 14644-4: Design, construction and start-up</h3> <p>Part 14644-4 specifies <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Server-room-cleaning-not-a-DIY-project">creating a cleanroom</a> or controlled environment from design, construction and startup. It applies to new, refurbished and modified installations but does not prescribe specific technologies or methods to achieve the requirements. Each location can use any method, technology, mechanic and design to meet the standard.</p> <p>Data center builders, maintainers and owners can use the ISO 14644 checklist to ensure satisfactory operation for the entire lifecycle of the data center or controlled environment.</p> <h3>Part 14644-5: Operations</h3> <p>Part 14644-5 specifies the basic cleanroom and controlled environment operations requirements, but it has been significantly updated for 2025. This revision reflects modern cleanroom practices and regulatory expectations, and it strongly relates to Part 18.</p> <p>The revision of Part 14644-5 specifies requirements for establishing an operations control program to ensure efficient cleanroom operation within specified cleanliness levels. The OCP includes personnel management, personnel and material entry and exit, cleaning, maintenance and monitoring.</p> <p>The updated standard provides a system that specifies policies and operational procedures for maintaining cleanliness levels, training of personnel, and maintaining a comprehensive personnel management program. Data center operators should review this updated standard to ensure compliance with their operational systems, personnel rules, equipment and cleaning schedules.</p> <p>This only applies to contamination control and does not include aspects of national, local and industry-related safety regulations.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_center_safety-f.png 1280w" height="347" width="560"> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>Part 14644-7: Separative devices (clean air hoods, gloveboxes, isolators and mini environments)</h3> <p>Part 14644-7 specifies the minimum requirements for the separative devices used in controlled spaces. It outlines the approval, construction, design, installation and testing of the devices used in cleanrooms and other controlled environments, like data centers.</p> <p>Data center operators should review this standard to ensure they use the relevant devices that help them conform to the standard.</p> <p>This part does not include requirements by national, local and industry-related safety regulations, such as fire.</p> <h3>Part 14644-8: Assessment of air cleanliness for chemical concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-8 establishes the assessment processes for grading air chemical cleanliness levels in controlled environments according to specific concentration categories: individual, group or category. It provides a protocol for testing methods, analysis and time-weighted factors that affect determination.</p> <p>This part does not apply to industries, processes or productions not put at risk by the presence of air chemical cleanliness. This means it might apply to data centers, depending on the equipment, location and workloads it handles.</p> <h3>Part 14644-9: Assessment of surface cleanliness for particle concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-9 establishes a particle cleanliness level assessment for solid surfaces in controlled environments. It applies to all solid surfaces in the controlled environment, such as walls, ceilings, floors, equipment and tools.</p> <p>Data center operators should pay attention to this standard to ensure their facilities and operations meet it.</p> <p>This part does not outline cleanliness requirements or surface suitability for specific industries, processes or procedures. It also does not consider material characteristics for items within the controlled environment.</p> <h3>Part 14644-10: Assessment of surface cleanliness for chemical contamination</h3> <p>Part 14644-10 establishes the cleanliness testing processes of surfaces that contain chemical compounds or elements. It also applies to all solid surfaces in the controlled environment, such as walls, ceilings, floors, equipment and tools.</p> <p>This part would generally only apply to data centers located close to production or manufacturing facilities, but organizations should monitor it for each data center location as a precaution.</p> <p>This part does not include aspects of national, local and industry-related safety regulations that must be under observation in the controlled environment.</p> <h3>Part 14644-12: Specifications for monitoring air cleanliness by nanoscale particle concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-12 covers how to monitor the air cleanliness of airborne nanoscale particles. It covers particles with a lower size limit of 0.1 microns or less and is mainly used in operational facilities.</p> <p>This part is intended to support nanotechnology research, development and manufacturing. It might not apply to data centers unless they are located near or support these industries.</p> <p>This part does not include aspects of national, local and industry-related safety regulations that must be under observation in the controlled environment.</p> <h3>Part 14644-13: Cleaning of surfaces to achieve defined levels of cleanliness in terms of particle and chemical classifications</h3> <p>Part 14644-13 offers <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Consider-these-data-center-cleaning-best-practices">guidelines for cleaning surfaces</a> -- equipment and material surfaces -- in a controlled environment to a specific degree. It applies to all external or internal surfaces of interest within the environment.</p> <p>It provides guidelines for assessing cleaning methods that achieve the appropriate cleanliness level and surface cleanliness by chemical concentration class. It also offers techniques that facility operators should consider to achieve these cleanliness levels.</p> <p>Data center operators and facility managers should refer to their equipment's documentation for more details on processes, methods and products.</p> <h3>Part 14644-14: Assessment of suitability for use of equipment by airborne particle concentration</h3> <p>Part 14644-14 specifies a methodology for classifying air cleanliness by particle concentration to assess the suitability of the equipment.</p> <p>This applies to data centers and relates to any equipment that people bring, unbox and install in the facility, along with tools and equipment to perform regular activities.</p> <p>This part does not include aspects of national, local and industry-related safety regulations that must be under observation in the controlled environment.</p> <h3>Part 14644-18: Assessment of suitability of consumables (updated 2025)</h3> <p>Part 14644-18:2023 provides guidance for assessing personal and non-personal consumables for their appropriate use in cleanrooms, clean zones or controlled zones. Guidance is based on product and process requirements, cleanliness attributes and functional performance properties.</p> <p>ISO 14644-18 complements cleanroom operations as outlined in ISO 14644-5 and provides a structured approach to evaluate cleanroom consumables. For data centers, this applies to cleaning materials, protective equipment, maintenance supplies and other consumable items used in the facility.</p> <p>Key aspects of Part 14644-18 include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Consumable assessment</b>. Evaluates items used for operations in cleanrooms that can be disposed of or repurposed.</li> <li><b>Contamination control</b>. Addresses suitability assessment in respect to contamination in air and on surfaces by particles, chemicals and microorganisms.</li> <li><b>Functional performance</b>. Considers cleanliness attributes and functional performance properties.</li> <li><b>Risk identification</b>. Identifies associated risks with consumable use in controlled environments.</li> </ul> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> This article was updated in 2025 to reflect the recent changes to the ISO 14644 standards.</p> <p><i>Julia Borgini is a freelance technical copywriter, content marketer, content strategist and geek. She writes about B2B tech, SaaS, DevOps, the cloud and other tech topics.</i></p> <p><i>Kelly Richardson is the site editor for TechTarget's data center site.&nbsp;</i></p> </section> There are regulated requirements to maintain data center equipment and functionality. ISO 14644 cleanroom standards lay out guidelines to keep data centers clean. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g1255870711.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/ISO-14644-cleanroom-standards-for-data-centers Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:15:00 GMT <p>Off-site backup is a method of backing up data to a remote server or to media that's transported to another physical location. The purpose is to help ensure <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/data-recovery">data recovery</a> is still possible even if the original data and local (on-site) backup become compromised and are not available for use. This practice is a fundamental part of the widely recommended <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/3-2-1-Backup-Strategy">3-2-1 backup rule</a>, which requires at least one backup copy to be kept off-site to maximize resilience.</p> <p>The two most common forms of off-site backup are <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/cloud-backup">cloud backup</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/tape-backup">tape backup</a>. In cloud backups, which are also referred to as <i>online backups</i>, a copy of the original data is sent over a network to an off-site server. A third-party cloud service provider (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/cloud-service-provider-cloud-provider">CSP</a>) typically hosts the server, but an enterprise can also own it.</p> <p>In tape backups, however, a copy of the original data is written to magnetic tape cartridges that are physically removed from the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/tape-drive">tape drive</a> and transported to a secure off-site facility. Tape cartridges are known for their durability, low cost per terabyte (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/terabyte">TB</a>) and long shelf life. This makes them a reliable medium for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/data-archiving">archival storage</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery">disaster recovery</a>, even in the era of cloud computing.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The history of off-site backups"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The history of off-site backups</h2> <p>Early off-site backup solutions used reels of magnetic tape to store duplicate copies of data. As a reel reached capacity, backup software and tape management utilities worked with the operating system (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/operating-system-OS">OS</a>) to create labels and headers that identified the reel's content and help ensure <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/integrity">data integrity</a>. Once a tape reel was physically dismounted from the drive, another reel (either blank or prelabeled) could be mounted, and the system would re-initialize the drive for continued operation. When data storage needs increased, additional drives could be added.</p> <p>Early hard disk drives (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/hard-disk-drive">HDDs</a>) had multiple rotating platters, and each platter provided <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/nonvolatile-storage">non-volatile storage</a> for important data. In the 1960s and 1970s, IBM and some other vendors offered removable disk packs that contained multiple platters in a protective case. The packs were useful for off-site backups because they could be easily transported to a different physical location. However, their fragility and high cost limited widespread use, and tape media quickly became the standard for off-site backup because of its durability and affordability.</p> <p>Today's storage media is far more powerful and dependable than in the past. Modern tape cartridges can provide more storage capacity than reel-to-reel magnetic tapes ever could, and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/SSD-solid-state-drive">solid-state drive</a> technology can make restoring data from backup much faster and easier than ever.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How does off-site backup work?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How does off-site backup work?</h2> <p>Backups allow data to be captured at regular intervals. Off-site backups add an extra layer of protection by storing at least one copy of the backed-up data in a location that is geographically separate from the original data and any local copies.</p> <p>Here are some of the ways this can be done:</p> <h3>Public cloud backup</h3> <p>This method automatically transfers at least one copy of primary data to a multi-tenant <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/public-cloud">public cloud</a>. Using AWS, Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure to manage backups can be relatively easy and cost-effective, although costs can grow with long-term storage or frequent restores. To begin, data is either sent to the cloud over the network or transferred physically with a vendor-supplied appliance, such as AWS Snowball or Azure Data Box. After the initial data transfer, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/incremental-backup">incremental backups</a> can be scheduled and managed through application programming interfaces (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/tip/What-are-the-types-of-APIs-and-their-differences">APIs</a>), backup agents and/or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Evaluate-these-9-multi-cloud-management-platforms">cloud management tools</a>.</p> <h3>Private cloud backup</h3> <p>This method offers the scalability and automation of public cloud backups but stores backups in a single-tenant cloud environment that's owned by the organization or a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/managed-service-provider">managed service provider</a>.</p> <h3>Cloud-to-cloud backup</h3> <p>This method uses one cloud service to back up data that's stored in another service provider's cloud. The advantage of using <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/cloud-to-cloud-backup">cloud-to-cloud backup</a> is that it reduces some of the risks posed by <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/vendor-lock-in">vendor lock-in</a>.</p> <h3>Tape backup</h3> <p>This method involves copying data from primary storage to magnetic tape cartridges, which are then physically transported to another location for safekeeping. Tape has long been the most common medium for storing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/Why-data-backup-is-important">data backups</a> off-site because this type of storage media can be transported easily and is both cost-effective and durable.</p> <h3>Disk backup</h3> <p>This method involves using hard disk drives and solid-state disk drives to store data backups. In general, HDDs are popular for large-scale backups because of their relatively low cost per TB, while more expensive SSDs are used in environments where restore speed is a priority. Many organizations use both disk and tape backup to balance the need for fast recovery times with budget.</p> <h3>Removable disk backup</h3> <p>This method involves using portable <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/backup-storage-device">backup storage devices</a> like <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/USB-drive">USB drives</a> to back up files. As of today, 256 <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/answer/TB-vs-GB-Is-a-terabyte-bigger-than-a-gigabyte">gigabyte models are available for under $25 and 1 TB models</a> can be found for under $100 on Amazon. To reduce the risk of backing up important data on removable storage, best practices include encrypting removable drives before transport, scanning them regularly for malware and storing them in secure, climate-controlled locations when not in use.</p> <h3>Backup appliance</h3> <p>A backup appliance is a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/purpose-built-backup-appliance-PBBA">purpose-built device</a> that combines storage, backup software and sometimes <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/data-deduplication">deduplication</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/data-replication">replication</a> features into one integrated system. Many organizations deploy backup appliances on-premises to capture and protect primary data from servers, virtual machines and endpoints. Some appliances also support replication to the cloud or to another appliance in a secondary data center.</p> <h3>Immutable storage</h3> <p>Some backup-as-a-service (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/backup-as-a-service-BaaS">BaaS</a>) providers offer <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Immutable-storage-What-it-is-why-its-used-and-how-it-works">immutable backups</a> in their cloud service-level agreements (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitchannel/definition/service-level-agreement">SLAs</a>). This means that once a backup is written, it cannot be altered or deleted for a defined retention period. Immutable storage in the cloud can mimic the experience of storing a backup copy offline in a secure location.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why off-site backup matters"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why off-site backup matters</h2> <p>Off-site backups can help organizations <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Organizational-vs-operational-resilience-Whats-the-difference">maintain resilience</a> even if the original data and an on-site backup become unavailable. By ensuring at least one copy of each backup is stored in a different geographical location, data can still be recovered even if the main facility becomes unavailable.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kGq82NVOQ6I?si=uxq_BDCsDRK_AT0d?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> <p>Off-site backups play an important role in 3-2-1 backups and are often mandated in business continuity and disaster recovery (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/Business-Continuity-and-Disaster-Recovery-BCDR">BCDR</a>) plans. If an outage caused by equipment failure, natural disaster, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/ransomware">ransomware</a> attack or other disruption destroys the original backup stored on-site, an off-site copy can be used to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/tip/How-to-prevent-data-loss-Strategies-for-better-data-protection">prevent data loss</a> and restore operations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Off-site backups and the 3-2-1 rule"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Off-site backups and the 3-2-1 rule</h2> <p>The 3-2-1 backup rule is a well-known best practice for addressing the most common causes of data: hardware failure, human error and physical disaster.</p> <p>According to the 3-2-1 rule, there should always be three copies of data -- the original data and two backup copies. Two of the backup copies should be stored on different media to avoid a single point of failure (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/Single-point-of-failure-SPOF">SPOF</a>), one of the copies should be stored locally to ensure fast recovery for everyday failures and one copy should be stored off-site to ensure data can still be recovered if the primary location becomes compromised or unavailable.</p> <p>The 3-2-1-1-0 rule takes this best practice even further by recommending that at least one backup copy be stored offline in a secure location or virtually <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/air-gapping">air-gapped</a> by using <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/object-storage">object storage</a> with immutability enabled. The 0 in the 3-2-1-1-0 rule signifies that backups should be regularly tested and verified to ensure there will be zero errors if recovery is needed.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What to consider when implementing off-site backups"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What to consider when implementing off-site backups</h2> <p>Organizations should keep the following <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/feature/The-7-critical-backup-strategy-best-practices-to-keep-data-safe">best practices</a> in mind when implementing off-site backups:</p> <p><b>1. Assess both current and longer-term storage requirements</b></p> <p>It's important to plan for both current and future storage capacity needs and use technology that can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/scalability">scale</a> the backup environment when necessary. Data storage teams should regularly review storage performance to assess if the current backup technology is performing as expected or if more storage or a different backup strategy is needed.</p> <p><b>2. Have a cost projection</b></p> <p>Be sure to include the cost of storage media, cloud services, bandwidth, egress fees and management tools when allocating funds for data backup to avoid budget surprises. The cost of cloud-based backups, which typically depends on storage capacity, access frequency, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/bandwidth">bandwidth</a> and the number of users, can escalate quickly. The cost of storing tape backups offsite can also increase over time, especially when backup tapes require climate control or have complicated chain-of-custody procedures.</p> <p><b>3. Create a retention plan</b></p> <p>It's important to formally define how long backups will be kept to meet business and compliance requirements. Many organizations in healthcare, finance or government are subject to regulations that mandate how long data must be retained. Regardless, retention periods should balance the need for quick recovery with the ability to access older data when necessary.</p> <p><strong>4.</strong> <b>Consider data transfer costs</b></p> <p>Moving data out of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/cloud-storage">cloud storage</a> can be complex and expensive so it's important to factor this into planning just in case off-site backups need to be moved. For example, moving 100 TB out of AWS S3 Standard would cost around $7,800 just in <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/data-egress">data egress</a> fees -- and that doesn't include storage retrieval charges, transfer appliance costs or time/labor. It's worth noting that these charges aren't unique to Amazon; most cloud providers have similar fees.</p> <p><strong>5.</strong> <b>Take security into account</b></p> <p>Backups should be encrypted <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/data-in-motion">in transit</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/data-at-rest">at rest</a> with strict access controls to prevent them from becoming a target for different types of security exploits. Regular testing can help ensure backups remain safe and backed up data can be recovered when needed.</p> <p><strong>6. Ensure</strong><b> consistent maintenance of tape equipment</b></p> <p>Large <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/tape-library">tape libraries</a> can be challenging to manage in-house because they require specialized hardware, software and expertise. For many organizations, these challenges are a key reason why they outsource tape management to third-party providers or gradually move toward hybrid and cloud backup strategies. To limit the chance of tapes being stolen or compromised, an organization should ship tapes off-site as soon as writing to them is complete and ensure the off-site storage location is secure. The SLA should document who has access to the tapes and what the recovery time objective (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/recovery-time-objective-RTO">RTO</a>) should be.</p> <p><strong>7.</strong> <b>Consider disk staging</b></p> <p>Two common approaches to off-site backup are disk-to-disk-to-tape (D2D2T) and disk-to-disk-to-cloud (D2D2C). D2D2T writes a backup from the primary storage system to a <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/secondary-auxiliary-storage">secondary storage</a> disk, copies it to tape and then ships the backup tape off-site. D2D2C works the same way but stores the last copy of the backup in the cloud.</p> <p><b>8. Evaluate distance</b></p> <p>The distance from the primary data source to an off-site data center can vary by region and influence restore times. If the backup site is located close to the primary site, data can usually be restored more quickly because of lower network latency and higher throughput. However, keeping the two locations too close together can be risky, because a regional disaster such as a power outage, flood or storm could affect both locations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What to consider when choosing a backup service provider"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What to consider when choosing a backup service provider</h2> <p>Most BaaS providers in the market today support off-site backups, but the way they do this can vary widely, so it's important to carefully analyze vendor offerings and understand hidden costs before making a commitment. Some vendors just offer secure storage for backups, while others bundle off-site backup with disaster recovery as a service (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/definition/disaster-recovery-as-a-service-DRaaS">DRaaS</a>) solutions. Popular features to consider in purchasing decisions include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>The ability to support <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/hybrid-backup">hybrid backup</a> strategies that combine local and cloud storage.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/data-life-cycle-management">Data lifecycle management</a> features that can streamline data uploads and automatically expire outdated backups.</li> <li>Strong encryption and other cybersecurity protections.</li> <li>Data compression technology that can help reduce the size of a backup and keep transfer costs to an off-site location as low as possible.</li> <li>Backup options such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/storage-snapshot">storage snapshots</a> or replication across regions for added resilience.</li> </ul> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/3_cloud_storage_services_explained-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/3_cloud_storage_services_explained-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/3_cloud_storage_services_explained-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/3_cloud_storage_services_explained-f.png 1280w" alt="This image shows a comparison chart that explains the difference between cloud storage, cloud backup and cloud file sync and share." height="385" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Cloud backup services can automatically create and maintain off-site backups. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Advantages and disadvantages of off-site backups"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Advantages and disadvantages of off-site backups</h2> <p>Both on-site and off-site backups can provide peace of mind in terms of data security and reduction of system downtime, but neither option is perfect. The following are some pros and cons of off-site backups:</p> <h3>Pros</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Protects data from site-specific disasters, such as fire, flood or theft.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Business-continuity-roles-and-responsibilities">Ensures business continuity</a> by keeping a secure copy away from the primary location.</li> <li>Cloud-based off-site storage can be scaled on demand as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdisasterrecovery/tip/Change-management-in-disaster-recovery-and-business-continuity-planning">backup needs change</a>.</li> <li>Off-site backups support compliance regulations that require at least one backup to be stored in a different geographical location.</li> <li>Some types of off-site backups can be accessed remotely for restores.</li> <li>Off-site backup plans can be integrated with disaster recovery plans to help reduce downtime in major outages.</li> </ul> <h3>Cons</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>On-site backups are faster and provide quicker recovery times than off-site backups.</li> <li>Data restores for off-site backups can take hours or even days if large amounts of data have to be transferred over the internet.</li> <li>Ongoing costs for storage, retrieval and egress can be higher than on-site solutions.</li> <li>Reliance on internet connectivity makes restores less reliable in areas with poor bandwidth.</li> <li>Vendor lock-in can make it difficult and expensive to switch BaaS providers.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Off-site backup providers"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Off-site backup providers</h2> <p>Today, there is no shortage of storage vendors who can help with off-site backups. Services generally fall into one of these two categories:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Public cloud.</b> Hyperscale storage as a service providers like AWS, Google and Microsoft often provide customers with backup tools as well as scalable storage infrastructure in the cloud.</li> <li><b>Proprietary off-site location.</b> Most traditional backup services allow backup tapes and disks to be physically transported to the vendor's secure facility for long-term storage. They will also ensure that tapes and disks are stored under the proper conditions. Iron Mountain is an example of a traditional backup service provider that has done this for years.</li> </ol> <p>Here are some other examples of vendors who support off-site backups:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.acronis.com/en/products/true-image/backup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office</a>. This <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/What-is-cloud-native-backup-and-recovery">cloud-native backup and recovery service</a> provider can help customers back up and recover files or entire systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-storage/solutions/backup-and-archive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backblaze</a>. This popular cloud backup service offers unlimited storage and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/definition/versioning">versioning</a> control. It can retain deleted files and older versions of a backup for up to one year.</li> <li><a href="https://www.carbonite.com/safe/special-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carbonite</a>. Available for both Windows and Mac users, Carbonite can back up single PCs or servers. Pricing is based on the number of systems protected.</li> <li><a href="https://www.crashplan.com/solutions/ransomware-recovery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CrashPlan</a>. Designed for small businesses, CrashPlan provides unlimited storage, flexible scheduling for backups, and built-in security features for ransomware recovery.</li> <li><a href="https://www.idrive.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IDrive</a>. IDrive is a cross-cloud platform that allows Windows, Mac, Linux, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/iOS">iOS</a> and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Android-OS">Android</a> users to back up multiple personal computing devices with one account. It also allows data from servers and external hard drives to be backed up and stored off-site in the cloud.</li> <li><a href="https://www.livedrive.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Livedrive</a>. This U.K.-based cloud backup provider offers unlimited storage, desktop and mobile apps, and compliance support for European Union <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/data-privacy-information-privacy">data privacy</a> laws and regulations.</li> <li><a href="https://spideroak.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpiderOak</a>. SpiderOak offers cloud-based backup with file sharing and syncing across devices and uses zero-knowledge encryption to ensure the provider doesn't know what data has been stored off-site.</li> </ul> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-how_providers_stack_up.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-how_providers_stack_up_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-how_providers_stack_up_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/data_backup-how_providers_stack_up.png 1280w" alt="Comparison chart that compares Microsoft, Google and Amazon storage tiers, storage management tools, storage fees and availability statistics." height="426" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS all provide services that let customers align their off-site backups with specific retention requirements. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Future of the off-site backup market"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Future of the off-site backup market</h2> <p>The market for off-site storage is considered to be strong and is expected to continue growing. According to a research report from Data Insights Market, the current market valuation of USD 15 billion in 2025 is expected to grow and reach between USD 25 billion and 26.5 billion by 2033. Key factors impacting market growth include increasingly larger data volumes, compliance with regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/General-Data-Protection-Regulation-GDPR">GDPR</a>), continued <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/digital-transformation">digital transformation initiatives</a>, the need for secure record protection and the increased adoption of cloud backup services.</p> <p><i>Organizations need to consider internal operations as well as external regulations when planning backups. <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/answer/What-are-some-data-retention-policy-best-practices">Use this guide</a> to learn about the role of retention policies and best practices for storing backups off-site.</i></p> </section> Off-site backup is a method of backing up data to a remote server or to media that's transported to another physical location. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/5.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatabackup/definition/off-site-backup Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:00:00 GMT <p>Core HR (core human resources) is an umbrella term that refers to the essential, mandatory and fundamental tasks and functions of an organization's HR department as it manages the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-life-cycle">employee lifecycle</a> and develops human capital. This includes all the tasks related to employee recruitment, onboarding, management, development and compensation.</p> <p>HR personnel involved in core HR capture basic data about employees to keep employee data timely and gain actionable insights, which help them optimize <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/How-to-create-an-employee-journey-map">employee journeys</a>. They also use software to automate, streamline, and manage various HR processes, from recruitment to offboarding.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Importance of Core HR"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Importance of Core HR</h2> <p>An essential part of effective HR management and in developing and enhancing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-experience">employee experiences</a>, core HR is foundational to the HR function and supports an organization's goals and objectives.</p> <p>A streamlined core HR process yields advantages like improved internal communication between HR staff and other employees. HR personnel can also use various software tools to automate HR processes, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-onboarding-and-offboarding">onboarding and offboarding</a>, workforce planning, and benefits administration. Automations save time and help them focus on other, more strategic tasks for their and the organization's benefit.</p> <p>Core HR processes and tools also deliver actionable <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/10-HR-analytics-tools-that-can-optimize-your-workforce">insights gathered through data analytics</a>. Core HR software systems help to centralize data storage and can enhance data security. HR staff can use data and insights to inform their actions and decisions related to the management of employee journeys and enhancement of employee experiences. In those ways, HR personnel can improve employees' workplace productivity, engagement, and motivation, facilitating employee retention and reducing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/employee-churn">employee churn</a> (turnover).</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Core HR functions of the human resources department"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Core HR functions of the human resources department</h2> <p>For most organizations, HR is a vital department, with its personnel providing several core functions. Here, <i>core</i> means functions essential to the company meeting its stated goals and objectives through the effective development, retention, and utilization of human capital.</p> <p>The core HR functions include:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Employee recruitment and hiring.</li> <li>Collection and storage of employee data.</li> <li>Payroll and compensation.</li> <li>Benefits administration.</li> <li>Document signing.</li> <li>Internal relations and employee engagement.</li> <li>Employee training and development.</li> <li>Employee performance management.</li> <li>Employee health and safety.</li> <li>HR analytics and reporting.</li> <li>HR <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/compliance">compliance</a>.</li> </ul> <p>Facilitating employee self-service (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-self-service">ESS</a>) for tasks like requesting time off or updating personal details is a core HR function. Some companies also consider HR strategy and planning part of core HR since these are crucial to develop, manage, and optimize the human capital needed for organizational success.</p> <p>Core HR is sometimes used to mean these fundamental HR responsibilities in human capital management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/human-capital-management-HCM">HCM</a>).</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to manage core HR processes"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to manage core HR processes</h2> <p>Core HR processes encompass the whole employee journey, covering HR-related areas such as the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Talent acquisition and management. </b>This includes processes and practices to find the right candidates for specific roles, recruiting and onboarding new employees, and building a high-performance workforce through training, career advancement opportunities and performance management.</li> <li><b>Benefits.</b> This includes tracking employee benefits like health, dental and vision insurance, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/15-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-remote-work">remote work</a>, flexible hours, paid time-off and student loan assistance.</li> <li><b>Training and learning management.</b> This includes initial employee training and orientation, and training for upskilling and reskilling.</li> <li><b>Payroll and compensation.</b> This includes tracking employees' time and attendance, paying salaries, withholding taxes or other deductions, maintaining benefits data, developing a payroll policy, and keeping meticulous records of payroll transactions for compliance and tax purposes.</li> <li><b>Human resource planning.</b> This includes developing and improving HR processes and strategies for <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Challenges-of-AI-in-recruitment">recruitment</a>, performance management, employee engagement and succession planning. It also includes identifying current and future human resources needs to align the organization's overall strategic plan and identifying and addressing areas of improvement regarding talent availability, staffing levels, and skills gaps.</li> <li><b>Performance management.</b> This includes setting performance goals for employees, monitoring their performance, conducting <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/Performance-appraisal-types-for-HR-leaders-to-consider">performance appraisals</a>, providing feedback to improve performance, and recognizing and rewarding employees for their achievements.</li> <li><b>Offboarding.</b> This includes everything related to managing an employee's departure, such as <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/feature/Exit-interview-questions-to-ask-departing-employees">exit interviews</a>, processing final pay and benefits, deleting their data, revoking systems access, completing all necessary paperwork, facilitating knowledge transfer and responsibility handover, and ensuring that the departure follows relevant laws and policies.</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/HR-technology">HR technology</a> and software can help manage and streamline these core HR processes. Various tools are available that simplify the processes of storing, organizing, accessing, managing and deleting the information and data vital to core HR activities. Software also makes core HR processes more efficient by automating many data-driven or time-consuming tasks and enhancing the overall value of the HR function.</p> <p>HR technology for payroll can support tracking employees' timesheets, attendance, and time off; calculating wages, salaries, overtime, income tax deductions; and contributions toward insurance and other benefits. The software ensures that payroll is processed correctly. Error-free and timely payroll processing helps organizations maintain <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/Top-employee-retention-KPIs-for-HR">employee morale and retention</a>, keep accurate records to show compliance with tax laws and labor regulations, and avoid costly penalties.</p> <p>Training-based software could include a learning management system (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/learning-management-system">LMS</a>) that facilitates efficient administration and delivery of learning and development (L&amp;D) programs. Some LMS can design customized L&amp;D programs with personalized learning paths for each employee. Many tools also track whether employees have completed required programs, assess performance, and provide data-driven insights to drive improvement.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/fin_apps-continuous_performance_management_desktop.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/fin_apps-continuous_performance_management_desktop_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/fin_apps-continuous_performance_management_desktop_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/fin_apps-continuous_performance_management_desktop.jpg 1280w" alt="A graphic showing a timeline of key events in continuous performance management."> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>A timeline of key events in continuous performance management. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is core HR information or data?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is core HR information or data?</h2> <p>Core HR data refers to all the personnel-related information organizations must collect and maintain to employ staff legally. This includes the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Employee contact information.</li> <li>Birth dates.</li> <li>U.S. Social Security numbers or national identification numbers.</li> <li>Employment eligibility forms.</li> <li>Salary and payroll information.</li> <li>Compliance with organizational or government rules.</li> <li>Performance reviews.</li> <li>Work hours and absence tracking (e.g., sick days, vacation days).</li> <li>Training and development records.</li> <li>Benefits information.</li> </ul> <p>Core HR data also includes information such as job descriptions, titles, team demographics (gender, race, ethnicity, age, nationality), and organizational structures.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is core HR software?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is core HR software?</h2> <p>Besides fundamental HR <i>processes</i>, core HR also encompasses HR <i>software and technology</i> organizations can use to streamline these processes and manage basic personnel-related information and processes. Examples include the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/366552792/Oracle-adds-employee-recognition-rewards-to-its-cloud-HCM">Oracle Cloud HCM</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/366628460/SAP-hopes-SmartRecruiters-buy-will-bolster-SuccessFactors">SAP SuccessFactors HCM Suite</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/Workday">Workday Human Capital Management</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/366570816/HR-tech-market-now-more-competitive-with-HiBobs-acquisition">HiBob HCM Solution</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/news/366614475/ADP-expands-HR-tools-with-Lyric-HCM-and-WorkForce-buy">ADP Workforce Now</a>.</li> <li>Bamboo HR.</li> <li>Kallidus.</li> <li>Darwinbox.</li> <li><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/news/252505447/Mondaycom-brings-document-editing-to-project-management">Monday.com</a>.</li> </ul> <p>These and other HR software tools are typically called human resource management systems (HRMS), human resource information systems (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/HRIS">HRIS</a>), or HCM platforms.</p> <p>HRMS acts as the most generalized term used in relation to HR (and core HR), although it is also commonly used synonymously with HRIS. Core HR technology systems have long been marketed under the labels HRIS and HRMS, but HCM has begun to displace both terms.</p> <p>HRIS provides technology for storing employee data and automating core HR functions, while HRMS vendors add HCM features. The HRIS acts as a centralized database for employee information. It enables HR staff to handle core HR tasks like recruitment, training, and compensation. HCM is also referred to as either a set of HR processes or the name of the software category.</p> <p>To put it differently, HRIS is the core administrative system, while HCM also covers employee-centric processes like time tracking and labor management. HRMS platforms usually include all HRIS functions and additional features like payroll, talent management and analytics.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/hrsoftware-core_software.jpg"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/hrsoftware-core_software_mobile.jpg" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/hrsoftware-core_software_mobile.jpg 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineImages/hrsoftware-core_software.jpg 1280w" alt="A graphic listing common, primary examples of core HR information and processes" height="408" width="520"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>HR departments use core HR software to aid their basic tasks and processes. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What are the functions of core HR software?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What are the functions of core HR software?</h2> <p>Although functions vary from vendor to vendor and specific software, core HR platforms typically store basic information about an organization's employees in a centralized database. Employee data storage is one of the most basic functions of core HR software; the database contains personally identifiable information (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/personally-identifiable-information-PII">PII</a>) and other information, such as the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Job specifics, such as title and description.</li> <li>Payroll information, such as salary and tax withholding.</li> <li>Enrollment data for benefits, such as health, dental and vision.</li> <li>Sick days and vacation days.</li> <li>Documentation for mandatory training.</li> <li>Worker eligibility forms documenting the right to work in the country of employment.</li> </ul> <p>Additionally, core HR software may include features that support or automate core HR processes, such as the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Evaluating employee performance.</li> <li>Data <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/tip/10-top-data-discovery-tools-for-insights-and-visualizations">visualization tools</a> like dashboards.</li> <li>HR document signing and storage.</li> <li>Tracking benefits.</li> <li>Payroll processing.</li> </ul> <p>Many products include ESS portals that enable employees to independently access their information and self-manage HR-related tasks like updating personal data, requesting time off, or downloading pay stubs.</p> <p>Some core HR systems accommodate storage and management of HR documents and org charts and digital signing of contracts and agreements. In recent years, software has emerged that includes built-in data analytics capabilities, visualization dashboards, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/9-essential-social-media-guidelines-for-employees">social media</a> capabilities and other features, including the following:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Anonymous, sentiment and check-in surveys.</li> <li>Attrition trends.</li> <li>Pay error detection.</li> <li>Automated candidate matching.</li> <li>Automated tax filings (quarterly and/or annual).</li> <li>AI-assisted skills development.</li> </ul> <p>Many core HR systems are now cloud-based, which can aid in improving data accessibility. These systems usually include strong security measures like data backup and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Rethinking-secure-comms-Are-encrypted-platforms-still-enough">encryption</a>. The move from on-premises to cloud also allows HR teams to consolidate employee data easily for payroll, L&amp;D and compliance purposes. These platforms can automate many core HR tasks, increasing efficiency and productivity.</p> <p>Cloud-based systems use the software-as-a-service (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/video/An-explanation-of-software-as-a-service-SaaS">SaaS</a>) delivery model and <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/pay-as-you-go-cloud-computing-PAYG-cloud-computing">pay-as-you-go</a> pricing that avoids expensive hardware and software licenses. This can make the HR function more cost-effective.</p> <p>Many cloud-based core HR software products are <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/cloud-scalability">scalable</a>, so they can readily align to changing needs. They might support multilanguage requirements for geographically dispersed HR teams and include ESS portals and real-time reporting and analytics capabilities.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uzL1ZqzlWcw?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Core HR software self-service portal"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Core HR software self-service portal</h2> <p>Many software applications that support core HR functions provide managers and employees with an ESS portal. An ESS portal lets employees access, manage and make HR-related requests independently and without involving HR staff. The ESS portal is made available to employees as a secure web-based platform, typically, or a mobile application that the organization's HR department provides.</p> <p>Through the website or app, employees can perform tasks like managing their personal information, viewing pay stubs, enrolling in benefits, or requesting time off without needing HR department assistance. This improves accessibility and speeds up these tasks. It reduces the administrative workload of the HR department, allowing them to focus on more strategic tasks.</p> <p>Furthermore, ESS gives employees more control over their information and documents, fostering a sense of ownership while enhancing their motivation and performance. Also, employees are responsible for keeping their data updated, which reduces the potential for error in payroll processing or benefits administration. By controlling who can view employee information, the ESS enhances data security and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Privacy-at-a-crossroads-in-the-age-of-AI-and-quantum">privacy</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Integration with talent management and other systems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Integration with talent management and other systems</h2> <p>The concept of core HR functions is changing quickly due to major cultural shifts in employment and HR technology. Core HR software plays a major role in this series of changes, as it lets HR departments take on more strategic responsibilities. Software that automates accessing, managing and tracking core HR records is often integrated with software for related HR processes. For example, the software can integrate core HR with other HR functions like <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/talent-management">talent management</a>, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/workforce-planning">workforce planning </a>and learning management.</p> <p>Talent management systems support core talent management processes like recruitment, onboarding, performance management, training, payroll and professional development. Core HR software typically overlaps with the same areas. Core HR information such as job titles of employees, the number of employees and their salaries is also vital for effective HR management.</p> <p><i>Core HR software covers many different areas that follow the employee journey. Learn about </i><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/tip/15-must-have-HR-software-features-and-system-requirements"><i>different HR software features</i></a><i> and their requirements.</i></p> </section> Core HR (core human resources) is an umbrella term that refers to the essential, mandatory and fundamental tasks and functions of an organization's HR department as it manages the employee lifecycle and develops human capital. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/3.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/core-HR-core-human-resources Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:42:00 GMT <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What is data center infrastructure efficiency?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What is data center infrastructure efficiency?</h2> <p>Data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) is a metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center by measuring what percentage of total facility power is consumed by IT equipment.</p> <p>DCiE was developed by members of The Green Grid, an industry group focused on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/Four-ways-to-reduce-data-center-power-consumption">data center energy efficiency.</a></p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to calculate DCiE"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to calculate DCiE</h2> <p>DCiE, which is expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing IT equipment power by total facility power.</p> <p>DCiE = IT Equipment Power / Total Facility Power x 100%</p> <p>DCIE is the reciprocal of power usage effectiveness (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/power-usage-effectiveness-PUE">PUE</a>). PUE is defined as the total facility power divided by the IT equipment power.</p> <p>DCiE = 1 / PUE</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to determine energy use"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to determine energy use</h2> <p>Admins can monitor and measure the total facility power and IT equipment load.</p> <h3>Total facility power measurement</h3> <p>Measure <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/tip/How-much-energy-do-data-centers-consume">energy use</a> at or near the facility's utility meter. If the data center is in a mixed-use facility or office building, measure only at the meter that is powering the data center. If the data center is not on a separate utility meter, estimate the amount of power being consumed by the non-data center portion of the building and remove it from the equation.</p> <h3>IT equipment load measurement</h3> <p>Measure the IT equipment load, which should be measured after power conversion, switching and conditioning are completed. According to The Green Grid guidelines, the most likely measurement point would be at the output of the computer room&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/power-distribution-unit-PDU">power distribution units</a>. This measurement should represent the total power delivered to the server racks in the data center.</p> <div class="youtube-iframe-container"> <iframe id="ytplayer-0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ucmnHYCawyA?autoplay=0&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;widget_referrer=null&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.techtarget.com" type="text/html" height="360" width="640" frameborder="0"></iframe> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Current standards and measurement levels"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Current standards and measurement levels</h2> <p style="font-size: 16px;">The Green Grid specifies three different levels for measuring energy usage for both PUE and DCiE calculations.</p> <ul style="font-size: 16px;" class="default-list"> <li><b>Level 1 (Basic)</b>: Monthly/weekly measurements.</li> <li><b>Level 2 (Intermediate)</b>: Hourly/daily measurements.</li> <li><b>Level 3 (Advanced)</b>: Continuous measurements taken in intervals of 15 minutes or less.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Modern context and limitations"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Modern context and limitations</h2> <p style="font-size: 16px;">As of 2024-2025, while DCiE and PUE remain key metrics for measuring data center efficiency, industry experts recognize their limitations. The Green Grid now recommends using additional complementary metrics, such as:</p> <ul style="font-size: 16px;" class="default-list"> <li>Advanced Mechanical Load Component (AMLC)</li> <li>IT Equipment Work Capacity (ITWC)</li> <li>Total Usage Effectiveness (TUE)</li> <li>Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE)</li> </ul> <p style="font-size: 16px;">These additional metrics provide a more comprehensive picture of data center sustainability and efficiency, especially as the industry faces growing demands from AI workloads and increasing focus on environmental responsibility.</p> </section> Data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) is a metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center by measuring what percentage of total facility power is consumed by IT equipment. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/digdeeper/6.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/data-center-infrastructure-efficiency-DCIE Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:15:00 GMT 60 webmaster@techtarget.com