The hub of many larger organisations, the data centre is a much neglected beast, and many are in dire need of a facelift, if not an entire refresh. In this On the Spot, Brainstorm asks what looks the data centre of the future will be sporting.

➚ The data centre of the future will be built to optimise energy and space. Infrastructure optimisation solutions will encourage more effective placement of servers and better management of hot and cool air. For example, at the moment, many people are guilty of over-cooling and over-populating cabinets (as opposed to spreading the load in the data centre), resulting in energy wastage. We will also see the phasing out of the characteristic ‘raised flooring’ and ‘false ceilings’ of server rooms, and the creation of ‘cold isles’ to concentrate correct airflow. Data centres will provide accurate tracking of performance and its carbon footprint.