As the UK's digital footprint grows, so too does its reliance on data centres. Traditionally seen as a power-hungry hot-house with lengthy construction and certification requirements, they have been something that companies needed, not something that they wanted.

This is all changing, however, and we are delighted to be a part of this change. Working alongside some major players in the IT industry, we have been supplying management, technical and commercial candidates to support the innovative development of modular data centres. 

We are specialists in modular buildings and data centres so this new trend for combining the two that is gathering pace - not only in the UK, but in Europe and internationally - causes us great excitement.

How modular data centres work:

Modular data centres are portable and scalable. They are available as either prefabricated modules or containers. Either option is suitable for rapid deployments, being readily assembled at site within a couple of months at most and thereby allowing IT organisations to expand their infrastructure as required.

Modular data centres can be customised to suit the individual requirements of each company. This is not only in terms of their size but also the security features that they require, the cooling systems that will maintain the operational temperature of the IT equipment that they house at manageable levels and the power supplies that will drive them. They are ideal for firms that only require additional capacity for a short period, as well as for those that are scaling up rapidly but do not have sufficient space or resources to commit to a traditionally built data centre.

Benefits of modular data centres

Being customisable, portable, easily installed and scalable are clearly enormous benefits of modular data centres over traditionally built ones, but this is by no means where the benefits end.

Modular data centres are considerably more energy efficient than their traditional counterparts, often using advanced cooling systems and renewable energy sources to reduce their carbon footprint and running costs. 

Opting for a modular data centre can therefore solve three major problems for an IT company in one go:

1) Increased space. A modular data centre can allow an IT organisation to scale up very quickly, increasing its capacity within very short timescales to meet demand.

2) Reduced costs. Every business is looking for ways to cut costs and using a modular data centre is a simple way of reducing costs without impacting output and productivity. Swapping from a traditional, power-hungry data centre to a modular one which generates much of its own power is a simple balance sheet decision.

3) Environmentally conscious. With pressure growing for businesses to comply with the Government's plans for Net Zero, any new infrastructure should be selected for its ability to reduce the organisation's carbon emissions. Data centres are instrumental in the operation of many large IT organisations but there is no reason why they cannot also be used effectively to demonstrate an organisation's commitment to reducing its impact on climate change. 

Who is using modular data centres?

One might imagine that this next-gen technology is only employed by the military in field exercises. However, whilst they were some of the earliest adopters of this technology, there are, in fact, several companies in the UK that offer modular data centre solutions for permanent sites. They include Dell, Schneider Electric and Huawei. 

These companies offer a range of solutions with full Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) functionality as standard, in addition to ongoing customer support, including remote monitoring and extended warranties. These benefits allow companies to embark on their journey to green data centres with complete confidence in the capabilities of their systems.

Many other organisations are beginning to demonstrate an interest in the potential for replacing their own outdated data centres with new modular ones, including the UK government, which is keen to replace ageing IT infrastructure across their sites and support digital innovations in the UK.

Summary

Modular data centres will allow businesses to scale up to meet the growing digital requirements of the UK population, enable businesses to embrace the Internet of Things, address environmental concerns and logistic challenges whilst delivering cost savings and increased functionality.

There really is nothing to dislike about modular data centres and Build Space are excited to continue to promote and involve ourselves in projects of this nature. If you need support from personnel with a proven track record in delivering modular data centres, please contact us today.