Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/207723
virtualizing the physical infrastructure. DCIM provides insight to IT operations, infrastructure, and energy components through a single interface in order to maximize data center reliability. As the energy crisis continues to dramatically impact the data center world, DCIM will force better planning and communication between facilities and IT. Improved communication will go a long way towards the ultimate goal of "doing more with less" by building more flexible data center architectures and better tools to manage the infrastructure. 2. Software Defined Data Center (SDDC) Software defined data centers can revolutionize the way IT runs the data center today. Essentially, a software defined data center is an IT facility where the elements of the infrastructure including networking, storage, compute, and security are virtualized and delivered as a service. The provisioning and operation of the entire infrastructure is entirely automated by software. By recasting every layer of infrastructure as software services that can be abstracted from physical systems, pooled, and delivered to support the needs of any application, the software defined data center makes it possible to automatically provision and scale infrastructure to meet the needs of the business. Today's CIOs are looking for ways to dramatically simplify and automate the IT processes. Software defined data centers can provide end users with the ability to help achieve their business requirements in a way that is faster, simpler, scalable, more efficient, and more cost effective. 3. Mobility, Virtual Workspace, and Virtual Desktops (VDI) End users will continue to drive the quest for "anywhere, anytime, anyplace" virtual workspaces. Mobility will push the boundaries of IT as we know it today. Smartphone, tablet, laptop, and other mobile devices will all begin leveraging virtualization technologies, shifting the user workload from desktop or laptop to data center. IT departments will have to create policies and procedures to support this growing trend in mobility. In addition, users will expect IT 12 | THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL to ensure that they can be confident in the security and interoperability of their work profile along with their personal profile on any device they choose, regardless of their location. According to an October 2012 Forrester report, 66 percent of employees now use two or more mobile devices for work. As the separation between the work and private lives of employees continues to blur, IT must accommodate and prioritize this new demand for efficiency and productivity. The way IT departments set up their data centers will play a key role in meeting the growing appetite for professional mobility on a personal level. 4. Hybrid Clouds The adoption of cloud is on the rise, and will continue to do so. Cloud technology will reshape the data center as we know it today. However, the increasing trend of using a combination of applications hosted internally and outside of the IT department are paving the way for new hybrid clouds that require more customized integration, bigger network connections, and more robust compute. Hybrid technologies are required when public and private cloud platforms have to collaborate to meet business requirements. This hybrid approach could simply be an organization's private cloud interfacing with other public clouds in a secure manner, or it could mean augmenting an internal private cloud with additional compute, storage, or cooling resources from a public cloud. Cloud interoperability and management will be huge. Private cloud adoption will continue to grow, but more and more organizations will adopt a hybrid publicprivate approach. 5. Cyber Security Cyber security in this new data center will become an IT must-have, not just a specialized silo. Security breaches span access, infrastructure, and apps across any industry. They can occur on fixed and mobile networks, impacting physical, intellectual, and financial capital – and the scope is global! As the drive towards cloud, mobility, BYOD, access to data from anyplace, anytime and any device, continues to grow, cyber security will become a top priority and must be built in to any solution that touches data centers. The majority of the spending on data center security will go to virtual security appliances that do a better job of securing messaging systems, applications, and websites; however, companies will still continue to invest in hardware infrastructure for supporting DDoS mitigation and firewalls. These technologies will create a secure, virtual, highly flexible, always available data center. Businesses will have access to the data they need to meet critical goals any time, any where; ultimately allowing them to do more, with less. n About the Author: Sudhir Verma joined Force 3 in September 2009 and is the Chief Services Officer. Under Sudhir's leadership, his team focuses on developing and delivering solutions across four Technology Practices to assist our customers in meeting their mission requirements. The Consulting Services group provides pre-sales, post-sales and managed services across Security, Communication and Collaboration, Borderless Networks and Data Center practices. Sudhir has over 15 years of IT consulting experience at all organizational levels, from sales and delivery to leading a consulting organization in federal as well as commercial space. Prior to joining Force 3, Verma led the Data Center Transformation practice at HP where his focus was developing Data Center practice by bringing value added solutions to the customers. He also had a short tenure at EMC Federal, where he focused on consulting opportunities. Verma has been successful in developing strong customer relationships while improving information technology capabilities through innovation and transformation. He has been featured in The Washington Post, Network World, CRN, FCW, the Washington Business Journal, CIO, Computerworld Tech World, and Federal News Radio. About Force 3: Force 3 is the trusted provider of Data Center, Communication and Collaboration, Borderless Networks, Cyber Security services, and Medical Imaging Solutions for Federal agencies, Enterprise organizations and their key partners. With headquarters in Crofton, Md. and offices in Herndon, Va., for over two decades Force 3 has delivered and supported costeffective IT solutions for the Federal government and industry. At Force 3, we have a relentless focus on our customers' success through innovation, unique solutions and highly trained, passionate people. Our dedication has resulted in being named one of Cisco's Top Federal Partners, as well as Federal Collaboration Partner of the Year in 2012. www.force3.com www.datacenterjournal.com