Data Failures and the Energy Crisis: What You Need to Know
Happy October, everyone!
It's spooky season, and this month, we're diving into the real monsters that keep business leaders up at night: telecom outages, the ever-growing demands of AI, and how Big Data is now driving the need for Big Energy. We're seeing a perfect storm brewing, and it's time to face the frightful realities of our tech infrastructure.
But first, grab a cup of caffeine and some candy from the Halloween stash. You know everyone's refilling it again at the end of the month, anyway.?
Are You Doing Anything Next Week? Data-Sleek will attend the Coalesce Data Conference?next week in Las Vegas, NV. If you'll be there, shoot us a message, and let's meet up! Our team would love to connect, talk shop, and maybe even grab a drink while we're at it.
No time to read the full article? Here's the rundown:
Now, ready for the good stuff? Let's dive in!
Are you prepared for the next outage? Tough lessons from Microsoft, Verizon, and AT&T Failures
If you weren't directly affected by the recent Verizon outage, you've definitely heard about it. This isn't the first of its kind—earlier this year, Microsoft's Azure and (two!) AT&T outages shook up business operations nationwide. These failures resulted in interruptions, delays, and—yes—lost revenue for businesses that depend on these networks.
These outages serve as a blaring reminder that?no system is infallible. Sure, they're inconvenient, but they also expose a more significant risk that businesses can't afford to ignore. The infrastructure supporting our digital lives—and the global economy—is fragile, and the explosive growth of AI and cloud computing is pushing it to the breaking point. Quite frankly, our infrastructure is struggling to keep up with demand.
But what's driving this surge in outages? A lot of things, but?energy?is definitely one of them.
The Fragility of Centralized Infrastructure and Energy Demands
Recent outages have revealed the villain behind the mask:?overreliance on centralized infrastructure. When Microsoft Azure glitches, it doesn't just affect Azure users—companies using Microsoft 365, Teams, and a host of third-party apps integrated with these services also feel the impact. The same goes for the cascading effects of Verizon and AT&T outages.
But these outages aren't just caused by technical failures. As AI and big data continue to grow, they put immense pressure on energy grids to keep systems running.?The same infrastructure that powers our cloud services is also deeply tied to the energy systems keeping those servers online.?So, when demand spikes and energy grids are stretched thin, the risk of outages grows exponentially.
We're essentially having our own?"Jurassic Park" moment?for modern business infrastructure. Remember when the park's control systems failed, causing everything to descend into chaos? The whole operation depended on a single, centralized system. As Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) famously said, "We're so preoccupied with whether or not we?can, we never stop to think if we?should."
It's a good thing we're not dealing with dinosaurs, but we are facing?dinosaur-sized risks?with centralized cloud providers and telecom networks. Majestic as these systems are, they carry massive risks. In 2021 alone, there were over?1,000 major data center outages?worldwide, each costing businesses an average of?$100K per hour?in lost productivity. And with the explosive growth of AI pushing data centers to consume more energy than ever,?these outages are increasingly linked to energy instability—a risk your business can't afford to ignore.
But the real question is: Why is this happening?
Why Outages are Happening and the Three Mile Island Solution
It doesn't take Columbo to figure out that our current infrastructure is buckling under the strain of rapid data growth. Companies like Microsoft, Amazon (AWS), and Google dominate the cloud market, while Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile hold the reins on telecom services. But even these giants are struggling to keep pace with the skyrocketing demand for data.
That's not even counting the surge in computational power driven by AI and machine learning. Businesses are adopting these technologies faster than ever, pushing our systems to their limits. Outages are becoming more frequent—a definite sign that our infrastructure is being stretched beyond its limits.
But the real kicker??Energy. AI's massive computational needs now have their own section in the?global energy consumption?pie chart. Data centers will use 8% of US power by 2030, compared to the 3% in 2022. Traditionally, much of this energy has come from fossil fuels, but businesses are looking for alternatives as the push for sustainable power grows. As demand grows, the energy that powers these systems becomes critical in determining whether your infrastructure can stay stable.
Microsoft made a bold move last month: they signed a 20-year agreement(!) to purchase power from the?Crane Clean Energy Center?(formerly Three Mile Island). Yes,?that?Three Mile Island. The site of the worst nuclear accident in US history. By 2028, the plant will power Microsoft's data centers with sustainable and scalable nuclear energy.
With outages on the rise, energy is clearly becoming an important factor in ensuring?data infrastructure?resilience. As AI and big data increase the demand for reliable power, diversifying energy sources—whether through nuclear, renewables, or hybrid strategies—can help your systems stay online.
A Shift Toward Sustainability and Scalability
Microsoft's recent move to tap into nuclear energy marks a massive shift in how tech giants are responding to the growing energy demands driven by AI and big data. While this might seem distant from your business, it highlights an important point for those relying on cloud services:?the energy strategies of cloud providers may carry a lot more weight in the near future.
At Data-Sleek, we aren't in the business of energy consulting, but we do specialize in cloud provider consultations. We understand that where your provider sources its power can be an important factor in selecting which ones are right for your business. Chances are, you won't need to think about powering your own data center. It's worth considering whether your provider's energy infrastructure is robust and sustainable enough to avoid future vulnerabilities.?
Microsoft's nuclear deal is only one approach to energy stability, but it's not the end-all solution. For most businesses, diversifying your cloud infrastructure is well enough to tackle your most immediate needs.?
So, is Microsoft the only answer? Absolutely not. Energy from nuclear sources might help keep the lights on, but it doesn't protect against software failures, coding errors (looking at you, Cloudstrike), or cyberattacks. A resilient cloud strategy means considering not only the reliability of your provider's energy source but also their overall operational stability.?
"Yeah, it's nuclear power. Who cares?" You should, and here's why:
Getting back to the bigger picture, the switch to nuclear energy signals significant changes ahead for businesses. For one, it's becoming clear that the demand for data—and the energy required to power it—is only going to increase. But this shift also comes with new implications for business strategy that you can't afford to ignore:
While it's great to feel confident about your current?data management strategy, remember that there's?always?something new on the horizon. Keeping an eye on these developments will ensure you're prepared for whatever comes next.
Need guidance on your cloud strategy??Not sure which provider is right for your business? Our experts are here to help!?Contact us today?to learn how we can keep your data (and your business) running smoothly, no matter what comes your way.
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5 Actionable Steps You Can Take
Yes, it's spooky season, but that doesn't mean we can't be equipped for the lurking dangers in data management. So, what can businesses like yours do to safeguard themselves against the growing risks of outages? Here are five actionable steps every responsible business leader (like you) should consider:
1. Build a Core Data Foundation for Resilience
Your organization needs a strong data foundation before you can consider creating a resilient infrastructure. This means organizing and optimizing your data so that it can be easily accessed, analyzed, and leveraged, even during outages and disruptions. Robust data foundations focus on safeguarding your most critical business operations from being solely reliant on external providers.
2. Embrace Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Strategies
Relying on a single provider is efficient, but if an outage can seriously derail your business,?consider a multi-cloud or hybrid strategy.?These approaches enable businesses to distribute their data and services across multiple platforms. If waking up to the horror of yet?another?outage sounds like a nightmare, having a backup or secondary provider can be a lifesaver.
Are you unsure which one is right for you? We can help you figure out what providers are best for your business. Contact us today to learn more.
3. Build Infrastructure for Energy Efficiency
AI and big data are driving up energy consumption. Now is the time to start thinking about how you plan to structure your?data management?systems. One of the most effective ways is by building energy-efficient infrastructures that minimize data duplication, streamline storage, and optimize resource usage.
Experts predict data centers will account for 13% of global electricity consumption by 2030. As energy demands continue to soar, the cost of running these massive operations will only increase. Whether businesses start exploring renewable energy partnerships or dedicated energy sources, it's clear that energy will be a big part of the data strategy conversation going forward.
Now's the perfect time to start implementing?lean data storage systems?that reduce energy consumption while keeping your data accessible. This will help lower your operational costs and make your infrastructure more resilient to the unexpected.
4. Use Data Analytics to Identify Weaknesses in Your Infrastructure
There's nothing scarier than an unexpected outage. Data analytics regularly analyzes your infrastructure and performance data so you can monitor all sorts of things: spotting bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and potential points of failure wherever trouble might be lurking.
Data analytics provide valuable insights that help your business optimize workflows, improve decision-making, and enhance operational efficiency. They can also help you monitor KPIs and flag areas of vulnerability before they become a dinosaur-sized problem.
5. Make Real-Time Data-Driven Decisions So You're Not Left in the Dark
When outages happen, having your data at your fingertips can mean the difference between a hiccup and a full-blown disaster. With real-time analytics, you'll know exactly what's going on, even when everything seems like chaos around you.
We can help you?integrate real-time data analytics?into your operations, so you're always one step ahead. Whether you need to reroute your data, shift resources, or send quick communications to your team and customers, having real-time data ensures you make smarter and faster decisions—no flashlight required.
Is your data infrastructure ready for the future? Don’t let energy bottlenecks and outages catch you off guard. Let our experts help you build a resilient, scalable, and energy-efficient data strategy that’s ready for anything.
Closing Thoughts
As we wrap up this month's newsletter, I wish you great success for October. Whether you're gearing up for spooky season or just managing the occasional data "bump in the night" in your infrastructure, remember that Data-Sleek is here to help you navigate the fog.
Speaking of Halloween, did you know that the world's first computer virus was released in October? The "Creeper" virus, created in the 1970s, gave us an early glimpse of the vulnerabilities in our systems. While we're long past the days of Creeper (though there are still plenty of creepers on the internet), the threats to your data are very real. The good news is that Data-Sleek has your back.
I'll leave you with a few interesting things to take a look at if you're still enjoying the last sips of caffeine:
Here's to a smooth and successful October! If you have any questions or want to know how we can help future-proof your data, don't hesitate to reach out. Our data chaos experts are waiting to solve your monstrous-sized data management problems.?
That's all for this month. Thanks for taking the time to read through this month's newsletter. I hope you found it both entertaining and informative. If you did, can you do me a favor? Share this email with a colleague. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it! If you didn't, well, I'm glad you stuck around anyway. Not giving up is a good trait to have. I like that.?
I'll meet you back here at the same time on November 1st!
Jenna Newton
Marketing + Public Relations
About Data-Sleek: Empowering businesses with smart data management and analytics solutions. We specialize in data warehousing and consultancy, turning complex data into actionable insights. Stay ahead in a data-driven world with Data-Sleek.
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Published by Jenna Newton. October 1, 2024.
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