Can Houston Data Centers Adapt to Shrinking Footprints?

As the world becomes progressively digital, anyone who believes that they can cope with a conventional data center (that is hardware based) is sadly mistaken. Although it is true that hardware based traditional data centers can still function at the present time, the likelihood of it being left behind and missing out on a variety of benefits is highly conceivable.

When you look at a Houston data center, it becomes more apparent that data centers need to be highly adaptable to stay relevant. As more and more businesses incorporate new technology into their operations, data centers also need to adapt to stay relevant.

Survival in the modern world for data centers depends on significantly capitalizing on the following:

• Cloud computing
• Social media
• Mobile computing
• Emerging technology

Embrace the Cloud Revolution

If you look at Houston or any other part of the region, you will notice that the data center footprint is shrinking. At the same time, it is a fact that the data center footprint is also expanding. This is due to the swift adoption of the cloud.

The emergence of cloud technology has significantly reduced the need for space onsite by 50%. This is now possible as a variety of workloads can be leveraged in the cloud.

Businesses today are increasingly moving towards a pure cloud capex-based consumption model. This in turn eliminates the need to have an in-house data center. However, this is the opposite of what’s happening at cloud service providers (and industry giants like Google). As a result of the rising demand, cloud service providers are expected to grow their footprint enormously and rapidly.

Face the Competition Head On

As companies started to transition into the cloud, new data centers burst onto the scene to meet the increasing demand. These new players often invested heavily and had pioneering approaches to data centers. As a result, increased competition meant better prices for the end customer.

To be relevant in the future, data centers in the area need to adopt the following principles to stay relevant:

• Act like a factory (get ready to process considerably more data faster)
• Turn some parts into a laboratory (analyze and provide insights)
• Be agile and innovative (fast paced change demands bimodal IT)
• Manage a variety of risks (have a broad approach to risk in the modern digital world)
• Ensure that internal data centers can connect into broader hybrid topology
• Embrace change (new technology will need to be managed in a different way)

Houston, We Don’t Have a Problem

Data centers in Houston, Texas have seen a business explosion. Already established as the global capital of the energy sector, several Houston area data centers are taking advantage of growing their business.

Further, Houston has also seen a rise in demand from the financial and healthcare sectors.

Established players in the Houston market have already invested heavily on expanding their infrastructure:

• CyrusOne (Northwest Houston)
• Digital Realty Trust (Northside Greenspoint)
• Internap (Downtown Area)

With these major data centers all expanding in the area and with new entrants investing heavily, it’s no surprise that real estate firms have also been working on taking advantage of the boom (Stream Reality wholesale campus in The Woodlands, Greater Houston is almost completely leased).

So if you’re in Texas, you know that a Houston data center is going to go through a phase of major transition. As footprints shrink and expand, adaptability will ensure that data centers cope with change.

Have you worked with data centers in Houston, Texas? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments box below.

And if you’re responsible for finding new clients and revenue sources for a Houston data center, be sure to download your free copy of Lead Generation Best Practices for Colocation Data Centers.