Google Using Machine Learning to Boost Data Center Efficiency

Google is using machine learning and artificial intelligence to wring even more efficiency out of its mighty data centers. In a presentation today at Data Centers Europe 2014, Google’s Joe Kava said the company has begun using a neural network to analyze the oceans of data it collects about its server farms and to recommend ways to improve them. Kava is the Internet giant’s vice president of data centers. In effect, Google has built a computer that knows more about its data centers than even the company’s engineers. The humans remain in charge, but Kava said the use of neural networks will allow Google to reach new frontiers in efficiency in its server farms, moving beyond what its engineers can see and analyze. Google already operates some of the most efficient data centers on earth. Using artificial intelligence will allow Google to peer into the future and model how its data centers will perform in thousands of scenarios. In early usage, the neural network has been able to predict Google’s Power Usage Effectiveness with 99.6 percent accuracy. Its recommendations have led to efficiency gains that appear small, but can lead to major cost savings when applied across a data center housing tens of thousands of servers. Why turn to machine learning and neural networks? The primary reason is the growing complexity of data centers, a challenge for Google, which uses sensors to collect hundreds of millions of data points about its infrastructure and its energy use. “In a dynamic environment like a data center, it can be difficult for humans to see how all of the variables interact with each other,” said Kava. “We’ve been at this (data center optimization) for a long time. All of the obvious best practices have already been implemented, and you really have to look beyond that.” Enter Google’s ‘Boy Genius’ Google’s neural network was created by Jim Gao, an engineer whose colleagues have given him the nickname “Boy Genius” for his prowess analyzing large datasets. Gao had been doing cooling analysis using computational fluid dynamics, which uses monitoring data to create a 3D model of airflow within a server room. Gao thought it was possible to create a model that tracks a broader set of variables, including IT load, weather conditions, and the operations of the cooling towers, water pumps and heat exchangers that keep Google’s servers cool. Original Article here The best products and services in Data center, telecom, and inter-networking supply

Telenor, Ooredoo get Myanmar licenses

Dylan Bushell-Embling | February 04, 2014 The Myanmar government has finally awarded nationwide telecom licenses to Telenor and Ooredoo, seven months after the two companies won the tender to build mobile networks in the nation. Myanmar lawmakers have after a long delay settled on a regulatory framework for the newly liberalized telecom sector, clearing the path for Telenor and Ooredoo to roll out services in the nation. In a statement, Telenor Asia head Sigve Brekke said the license terms are “a product of an extensive consultation process with the Government of Myanmar and international organisations. “It now represents an acceptable framework that we believe will go a long way to provide the necessary long-term predictability that Telenor requires when it formally starts operations in Myanmar.” Both licenses include mobile spectrum in both the 900-MHz and 2100-MHz bands, and are valid for 15 years. The licenses were awarded late last week, and formally come into effect tomorrow. After this time, the clock will start on the two operators' rollout commitments. Telenor has pledged to achieve geographic coverage of 83% of the nation for voice and 78% for data within five years of the license taking effect. Ooredoo has meanwhile committed to delivering geographic coverage of 84% for both voice and data after five years. Dylan Bushell-Embling | February 04, 2014 We are the number one supply! Specialize in data communication accessories Original Article here

Modular Data Centers: Adoption, Competition Heat Up in 2014

Last week’s Schneider-AST deal highlights the modular data center market, where both adoption and competition are on the rise. Will 2014 finally be the breakout year for pre-fabricated data centers? The year is young, but the modular market has already seen its first major M&A deal, and may soon have its first IPO. With marquee customers in the hyperscale market, and slow but steady progress with enterprise customers, modular designs continue to gain traction. New players and new designs are emerging, further advancing the potential for pre-fab deployments. But barriers remain. The ISO container casts a long shadow over the modular data center market. Executives in the sector say it will take additional education, as well as more public customer success stories, before the new breed of modular designs can overcome customer resistance dating to the early days of the “data center in a box.” M&A and IPOs On Friday, Schneider Electric announced that it had acquired AST Modular, a Barcelona-based modular specialist that has built a global business. The deal reflected the growing importance of pre-fabricated designs and Schneider’s ambitions in the modular sector. The market for modular data centers is also becoming more competitive, with U.K. specialist Bladeroom entering the U.S. market and investment firm Fidelity launching its Centercore design as a product. Late in 2013, IDC Architects announced that it is commercializing a modular design it has deployed for global banking customers, while newcomer NextFort opened a “modular colo” facility near Phoenix.. Meanwhile, IO is hoping to become the first modular specialist to go public. The company has announced plans for an initial public offering, but hasn’t yet indicated the date for its IPO. The Phoenix-based provider counts Goldman Sachs among its roster of clients, and is bullish on the outlook for modules as the delivery model for the “software-defined data center.” “The data center market has spoken, and the consensus is that modular has won,” said Troy Rutman, the spokesman for IO. Progress, But Also Resistance Other executives in the modular sector see pre-fabricated designs making their way into the mainstream more gradually, but say that resistance persists. “You’re deploying a new technology into a mature market that is questioning its delivery,” said Rich Hering, Technical Director Mission Critical Facilities at M+W Group. “Most folks don’t like change.” “A lot of people believe modular is just for scale-out and low reliability,” said Dave Rotheroe, Distinguished Technologist and Strategist for HP. “It’s not true. Modular designs can and do apply in the enterprise.” “Customers are just beginning to understand what modular allows them to do,” said Ty Schmitt, an executive director and fellow at Dell Data Center Solutions. “As the customer base matures and the supply chain matures, we’ll see exponential growth.” Early Adopters Hyperscale cloud builders Google, Microsoft and eBay were among the first earliest users of modular designs. AOL has deployed “micro-modular” data centers both indoors and outdoors. On the enterprise front, Goldman Sachs and Fidelity have been the marquee names embracing pre-fabricated data centers. Modular designs aren’t for everyone, but Schmitt says the concept is being proven with a nucleus of forward-thinking customers seeking cheaper and faster ways to deploy their IT infrastructure. “It’s customers who’ve transformed their business,” said Schmitt. “They’re the early adopters. As more and more customers take advantages of software resiliency, we’ll see more adoption. It’s going to be a series of small hurdles.” BY RICH MILLER ON JANUARY 13, 2014 Original Article here The best products and services in Data center, telecom, and inter-networking supply