Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/611691
THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL | 11 www.datacenterjournal.com It's no secret that FAAST aspirating smoke detectors watch over your important assets and prevent downtime. But here's something you may not know: FAAST is now available in three different varieties to accommodate any coverage area. Whether you need to protect a small space or a large space, FAAST has a solution for you! Meet the FAAST family of aspirating smoke detectors. With the addition of FAAST XS for smaller applications, our family of aspirating smoke detectors has grown. With the same look, functionality, and technology, FAAST can meet all application needs. Meet the new addition, FAAST XS, at: go.systemsensor.com/ FAASTXS-DCJ ©2015 System Sensor. All Rights Reserved. There's another one? pushing down the cost of debt, the Fed- eral Reserve has helped stimulate stock buybacks (owing a bank may be much cheaper than owing an investor), rising stock prices and, likely, malinvestments in a variety of categories. (e bust in the housing market during the Great Recession was an indicator of malinvest- ment in that market.) An ominous sign for 2016 is the fact that the Federal Reserve has been reluctant—and even afraid by some accounts—to raise interest rates by even a quarter of a percent. (For context, the effective federal funds rate, which drives other interest rates, is about 0.1% as of November 2015. For 2007, it averaged about 5%.) Aer more than five years of "free money" thanks to the central bank's printing press, this reluctance or fear suggests the economy has serious struc- tural problems. One, of course, is the national debt, which stands at nearly $19 trillion. If interest rates on that debt rise even to pre–Great Recession levels, the budget of the federal government will be quickly consumed by interest payments, leading either to default of some sort or to higher taxes and/or reduced spending. Each of those scenarios, however, would spell trouble for markets and companies that rely on government spending. So, in many ways, the financial situation for IT in 2015 and beyond ties in closely with Federal Reserve policy. Unfortunately, that organization appears to have painted itself—and the entire economy—into a difficult corner. Accurately predicting an outcome, particularly with an attached timetable, is difficult. What's certain, however, is that some tough times may be ahead, including for IT. ConClusions One of the unfortunate facts of IT economics in 2015 is that Federal Re- serve policy has become entwined with major trends like stock prices and share repurchases, as well as the presence (or absence) of a tech bubble owing to malinvestment. But even ignoring that underlying factor, 2015 saw a number of interesting stories that may converge in 2016 to create interesting times for com- panies in this sector. e future of social media appears to be up in the air—ex- cept for Facebook, at least, which has a firm footing at present. e dynamics of energy and the state of IT spending worldwide create a puzzling picture that may simply take time to untangle. But combined with technical changes and trends, such as the questionable future of Moore's Law, these economic dynamics will no doubt keep the industry plenty entertaining in 2016 and beyond. n An ominous sign for 2016 is the fact that the Federal Reserve has been reluctant—and even afraid by some accounts—to raise interest rates by even a quarter of a percent. (For context, the effective federal funds rate, which drives other interest rates, is about 0.1% as of November 2015. For 2007, it averaged about 5%.) After more than five years of "free money" thanks to the central bank's printing press, this reluctance or fear suggests the economy has serious structural problems.