Top Data Center Management Trends to Watch in 2024

In the blink of an eye, 2023 has come to an end and the data center industry saw lots of movement towards sustainability, AI, and operational efficiency. Data center management is ever-changing and evolving, and it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends to guide you to success in the new year.

With 2024 just days away, here are the top 10 emerging data center management trends that you should watch out for. If you haven’t already created a strategy for these, it’s not too late to add them into your 2024 plan of action.

1. Sustainability remains a top focus. Data center sustainability is a leading trend in the industry as companies are being pressured to meet initiatives such as the EU Green Deal. Almost 58% of organizations have a target date for zero carbon emissions and 45.2% of organizations have implemented a formal set of sustainability goals. By leveraging a modern DCIM software, data center managers can more easily meet their objectives with real-time monitoring, more efficient facilities, reduced energy consumption, and compliance reporting.
2. Data centers race to be AI-ready. In 2023, the data center industry embraced AI and will continue to do so in 2024 as the market is projected to grow 37.3% annually into 2030. Data centers need to ensure that they can handle the increased demand and that they have capacity to install higher-density systems like the NVIDIA DGX H100. DCIM software gives access to real-time monitoring of high density power and environmental data so you can keep up with the AI movement.
3. Increased automation of data center operations. Data center managers are ramping up the amount of automated data center operations.  Automating routine tasks enables organizations to reduce manual effort, mitigate human error, and focus on more strategic projects. Companies like Comcast and Accenture use DCIM software business rules to automatically set installation dates, cabinet serial numbers, and more, while Comcast uses the Auto Power Budget feature to automatically calculate power budget profiles for each device based on their function in the facility which unlocked 40% more utilization out of their existing resources.
4. Better operations efficiency with system integration. Manually entering data into multiple tools and having to gather information from disparate systems is becoming a thing of the past thanks to modern DCIM software. Out-of-the-box connectors and APIs enable automation via integration that eliminates double manual data entry, increases data accuracy, and enhances the presentation of information. While ServiceNow is one of the most popular DCIM integrations, leading data center managers are integrating with other CMDBs, ticketing systems, Dev Ops tools, and BMS systems.
5. Rack densities are rising. Over the last 3 years, the Uptime Institute reports that 83% of enterprise data centers have increased rack densities. This can cause a strain on current equipment, create thermal management issues, cause capacity planning complexities, and drive higher energy costs. In the new year, data center mangers can mitigate risk with rising rack densities by using DCIM software to analyze power, space, and cooling parameters, visualize their environment with a 3D digital twin of their data center, and perform what-if analysis to predict the impact of future projects on space and power capacity.
6. Organizations are considering cloud repatriation. In the coming year, more organizations will take on cloud repatriation projects. This process involves the migration of applications, data, and workloads from public cloud environments to on-premise private cloud infrastructure. IDC reports that 70-80% of companies will relocate some amount of data each year. Cloud repatriation is a rising trend and DCIM software can drive efficiency of virtual environments with real-time visibility and monitoring capabilities and better utilization of resources for migrated workloads.
7. Data center managers are ditching spreadsheets. Data center managers will continue leaving spreadsheets and manual data entry behind in 2024. Organizations that use tools such as Excel or Visio to track data center assets are struggling with accuracy and visualization. Instead, data center professionals are swapping their spreadsheets for DCIM software. As a result, they are increasing asset tracking efficiency by up to 50%, leveraging real-time data to make more informed decisions, and much more.
8. Data center management remains largely remote. Data centers will continue becoming decentralized in the year to come and remote management is a must-have skill. With the right DCIM software tool, remote management can be better than being on-site. A second-generation DCIM solution allows professionals to leverage a digital twin of the data center for visualization of servers and equipment, physical connectivity, and power and environmental data collected from sensors.
9. More holistic approach to technology asset management. Data center environments are extremely complex, and managers can stay ahead of the game by implementing more complete technology asset management in 2024. For example, organizations with a sprawling IDF/MDF estate across may have difficulties managing them due to the amount of ports and connections, lack of visibility, and lack of documentation of moves, adds, and changes. However, those with modern DCIM software can maintain an accurate asset inventory, centralize monitoring, get more out of existing resources, and more. Learn how higher education customers are achieving this with DCIM.
10. Increased deployments of second-generation DCIM software. DCIM software is rapidly growing at a CAGR of 20%. In 2024, more companies will adopt a DCIM solution to further help sustainability efforts, maintain uptime, and keep costs down. To find the right vendor for you, you should ask key questions about licensing, costs, requirements, support, training, and more. This will help you find a vendor that is focused on your success and simplify the selection process.

Stay Ahead of These Trends in 2024

While being aware of these upcoming trends is a great start for 2024, real success will come with a comprehensive and cohesive data center management strategy that includes a DCIM software solution.

The end of 2023 is a perfect time to reflect on how your efforts this year will help you reach goals in 2024 or if you need to re-evaluate any areas in your management plan. These trends are here to stay, and the leading data center managers are prioritizing them as they become even more prominent next year.

Want to see why Sunbird’s customer agree that DCIM software is helping them prepare for next year and positively influencing data center management? Get your free test drive today!