New Federal Law Is a Huge Opportunity for Data Center Specialists
The federal government has recently issued a new imperative for how it handles its data centers. The Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) lays new rules for all federal agencies. Under the DCOI, any room with at least one server is now considered a data center, and the law of the land is requiring major improvements on the efficiency of these centers while also requiring every agency to reduce its total hardware stockpile. This opens the door for private IT to swoop in and save the day. Ultimately there are two paths that will enable the required agencies to stay within the new lines, and they both require innovation and intelligent deployment.
Virtualization
If the physical presence of data centers has to be diminished, then this is the obvious choice. Virtualization gives working offices access to the same, if not better, levels of computing with less hardware. This can be achieved by outsourcing data centers to private companies that will then provide the virtual work-spaces, or existing facilities can be upgraded to a point where they can offer the virtualization themselves. Either solution is a huge opportunity for any IT group willing to work with a government agency to solve these problems.
Consolidation
While virtualization offers a kind of consolidation, good old fashioned upgrades can also bring data centers in line with the new regulations. Simply put, better data centers can support more employees. This allows groups to reduce their overall hardware without the major platform changes that can be tied to virtualization. For many agencies this might be the better choice, and it means large investments in designing new data centers or massively improving the existing ones. Since the guidelines on power management and monitoring have been increased so much, at least some upgrading will be necessary to maintain compliance.
These are not the only two ways to help the government follow its new initiative, but they are the most promising. Whatever path to resolution is chosen, all government facilities will need access to smart IT groups. Reducing the entire government’s expenditure on data centers by 24 percent will be a grueling and almost overwhelming undertaking. The sheer scope of the changes required to meet the DCOI is a lush opportunity for the entire industry.
