Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Written by: Izzat Najmi, Journalist, AOPG.

There is no doubt that as we go toward an intelligence-driven society, we are living in a world that collects more and more data. Massive volumes of data are being collected and processed to make educated decisions, modify services, and develop new technologies, fuelling this influx of intelligence. Nevertheless, despite remarkable developments ranging from the Internet of Things (IoT) to 5G and beyond, we have just begun to tap into the information that we gather from data.

There are problems with the existing data centre design. According to estimates from IDC, worldwide data volume would increase from 33 Zettabytes (ZB) in 2018 to 175 ZB by 2025. The same study also found that 90% of unstructured data will never be evaluated. Why? Simply put, even with all the computers in the world combined, they could not possibly process that data fast enough to get anything useful out of it.

To solve this problem, we need an unimaginable usage of power. Now, just like what Ben Parker used to say, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Who would be brave enough to take the blame as the universe’s fingers are pointed towards them as the world starts to crumble within itself due to all of the environmental impacts from the power-hungry data centres?

This is where the green data centre initiative comes into place.

Greening the Evergreen

Green data centres should be on the radar screen for every company that uses data centres. By definition, according to the General Manager of Malaysia, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, Kun Huang, a green data centre is one that primarily utilises energy-efficient technologies. These data centres typically use next-generation technologies instead of outdated or obsolete tech which are far more efficient and are able to compute much more than traditional setups.

As mentioned earlier, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of cloud computing as a result of the increasing trend of enterprises moving away from on-premises servers and toward cloud-based ones. Since data centres are among the highest energy consumers, it is not surprising that power bills are among the largest expenses associated with overseeing data infrastructure. So, eco-friendly measures and sustainable methods have opened the way for a proactive strategy to lessen the impact of data centres’ carbon footprints.

Since users and customers can do so much more with the capability at their fingertips, this evolution in cloud computing infrastructure should be of great importance and interest to businesses of all sizes who are still relying on on-premises servers that cannot compete with cloud computing in terms of performance to cost-benefit ratio.

Moreover, green data centres are critical for businesses aiming to achieve their ESG objectives, as they lower total costs such as software and hardware infrastructure, as well as energy consumption, due to the necessity of relying on cloud computing infrastructure.

Take, for example, Alibaba Cloud which according to Kun Huang, has been using its own innovative “soaking server” immersion cooling method for data centres since 2015. It uses a cooling liquid that is immersed in insulation to remove the heat produced by its servers. When compared to conventional mechanical cooling methods, this non-mechanical approach can reduce energy consumption by nearly 70%!

Alibaba Cloud’s computing capabilities were comparable to 1.5 million cores from April 2020 to March 2021, all generated through the reconfiguration and refurbishment of outdated servers. This is in addition to the company’s use of greener cooling technology to minimise its Scope 2 emissions.

A Green Revolution

The Green IT movement has clearly changed the way customers look at their data centres through efficient and sustainable facilities. For data centre providers, much of the daily operations involve ensuring the equipment is kept cool to ensure the continuity of its operation. Kun Huang said that through the innovation of green technologies, Alibaba Cloud has been able to develop its own sustainability solutions to reduce its carbon footprint as well as make its data centres greener.

Many people regard the green trend in data centres as a necessary progression that responds to the needs of the present climate. Consequently, data centres may run more effectively by reducing their energy use and getting more out of the energy they do consume. Cost savings on both ends mean consumers can save money while reaping the benefits of increased efficiency from the solutions and services on offer.

Consumers will start to think that their current computing configurations are too expensive for their purposes as a result of this change. Furthermore, eco-conscious business owners may begin to consider the necessity of transitioning to green data centres that are consistent with their own ESG objectives as a result of the trend toward green initiatives.

In addition, Alibaba Cloud sets the bar for the industry by developing and installing green data centres that utilise cutting-edge technology that not only optimises performance and data-crunching but is also extremely ecological in terms of power management.

The Problems Within

Since more people are becoming concerned about climate change and global warming, green computing has grown in popularity. Despite its sky-rocketing popularity, the green data centre initiative does come with challenges.

“In my opinion, a lack of awareness about green cloud computing is one of the biggest obstacles to implementing green IT. This is because not many companies are fully equipped with the knowledge and information as to how green cloud computing can bring big benefits to them. While awareness of the subject is important, education that follows it is just as important,” Kun Huang mentioned.

Kun Huang believes that we can increase interest in green cloud computing by spreading awareness of its benefits among the general public. “Create” and the “Alibaba Cloud Apsara Conference” are two examples of conferences and in-person events that do a great deal to educate the public and businesses on the advantages of green cloud computing, both in terms of energy savings and in terms of how the cutting-edge products and services provided by Alibaba Cloud can help them succeed.

In addition, businesses need to take action to raise awareness in the workplace by announcing the green computing intentions to all employees and advocating for the use of energy-efficient equipment, as this may help in educating workers on why green computing is essential in improving business performance.

Not only that but even though it is possible that certain deployments of environmentally friendly technology can incur a premium cost, Kun Huang believes that it is a price that is well worth paying. When discussing more complex technologies, the costs associated with studying, inventing, manufacturing, and implementing the technology can be substantial; nevertheless, the benefits that come in return make the premium cost worthwhile.

Many organisations are opting to be early adopters of the next generation of computing technology rather than remaining at the same, outmoded level of computing technology as they were in the past. Additionally, in comparison to conventional server configurations, the green computing technology of the next generation will be able to provide a greater number of options and services, and as a result, in the long run, the additional cost that was initially incurred for green cloud computing has actually been justified.

Even though businesses are now able to do so much more with computing performance at their fingertips, they are able to grow and develop their business even further while simultaneously consuming much less energy and resources than they did in the past. This allows for a greater degree of efficiency. Companies now have the opportunity to expand their operations and further improve their businesses as a result of this.

“As an infrastructure provider for a green economy, Alibaba Cloud is committing to having its global data centres running entirely on clean energy by 2030 by employing cutting-edge green technologies,” the General Manager of Malaysia, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, Kun Huang said, a sign of showing their commitment towards making the world more sustainable.

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