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Mark Fenton , Product Manager at Future Facilities model of your data centre – a Digital Twin , or virtual replica , of your real facility .
facility needs to deliver more value than its current run rate .
Thanks to the capabilities of CFD , you can map and test your data centre in a completely safe , highly accurate virtual environment . This allows you to identify the remaining available capacity , to manage different facility variables before deploying changes in the live environment and to make adjustments to your IT systems without risk .
None of these things are a failing on the part of the CFO , IT , or the facilities organisation . They simply don ’ t all have the visibility they need to keep up their part of the deal – and they certainly don ’ t have a ‘ common language ’ to discuss these matters . Again , this is usually from a lack of visibility that can be solved , but typically is not .
Define data centre success with a Digital Twin
Simulation and forward-looking modelling is used everywhere from financial services to climate mapping . These are vastly complex environments with an almost endless set of seemingly unpredictable variables and yet the core principle of simulating future scenarios to better-inform decision-making is the norm .
For all its complexity , the data centre is far more predictable , and yet simulation remains at an early stage of adoption . The enclosed , carefully managed nature of the typical facility lends itself to the use of simulation based on computational fluid dynamics . This can generate an extraordinarily accurate picture of what ’ s happening in that space . Using such tools , it ’ s already possible to create a highly accurate predictive
It gives you the information you need to maximise ROI and to understand the most expensive question of all – whether you need to increase or adapt your footprint . On an operational level , the Digital Twin provides a clearer picture across your IT and facilities systems by enabling integration of tools and creating a more complete operating picture of your facility . And it takes the term ‘ visualise ’ to its literal meaning – creating visual representations of the vastly complex data . This makes it easy to show key trends or patterns to all key stakeholders – not just in technical roles , but also to build better relationships with strategic and financial leaders .
We ’ re in an era where margins of performance , resilience and cost are tight . So while the wrangling between IT and facilities teams – and in turn with financial leaders within the business – may all seem like business as usual , it doesn ’ t need to be this way . The data centre has always been an area where risk and cost collide .
Thanks to simulation , a data centre Digital Twin can remove many of these pressures . It can help you turn your data centre into not only a higher performing environment , but also the CFO ’ s favourite investment . p
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