DCW 2022: Great People, Great Energy and Great Information

By: Ryan Montgomery, Critical Facilities Operations Director, BGIS

Attending Data Center World in 2022 reminded me again just how much I don’t know and how quickly the world, technology and innovations are moving. The excitement and energy were palatable. After a couple of years of COVID-19, people were ready to interact with colleagues and peers, catch up and make new relationships.

I started Tuesday Morning attending the “Powering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” presented by leadership at Dell and Switch. They discussed critical trends impacting the data center ecosystem and what this means for the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. From enterprise to Edge, capacity, infrastructure, connectivity, latency, new and old companies are moving fast to keep up with current and future demand and finding new ways and technology such as AI to get there while keeping sustainability as a high priority.

Attending a DCW event is challenging as there are always multiple breakout sessions going on at the same time while you try to keep up with your actual work responsibilities. However, I was able to join a few sessions and pick up a few nuggets from the following presentations:

Colo & Cloud Pathway planning
Discussed the challenges and the key elements of companies moving towards Colo and Cloud when planning their infrastructure transformation.

Optimizing Efficiency: The Role of Smart Metering with Analytics
This session covered the transformation and enhancements of power metering, remote monitoring, and uses for risk mitigation.

Stormproof your facilities' last line of defense against downtime
A great discussion about the need for fuel testing, polishing, and treatment. Also, it covered fuel provider differences and capabilities during severe weather scenarios.

Optimizing Data Centers with AI & Machine Learning Technology
Patty Anderson, VP Business Development, BGIS and John Diamond, VP of OPS, Evoque, did a great job presenting about AI Technology and a recent implementation to improve data center temperature control and energy consumption. Here’s a recap by Data Center Knowledge’s Deborah Yao.

Preventing Thermal Runaway: Can lithium-ion battery fires be prevented?
Great presentation about the industry shifting from lead-acid to lithium-ion batteries, explaining the four stages of battery failure and how to prevent thermal runaway with proper "Advanced Detection".

The exhibit hall was large; visiting all the presenters and discussing their services or products was impossible in the time allotted. I was fortunate to connect with folks I have known for 20+ years and create new contacts that can assist my growth and knowledge in the Data Center industry and as a BGIS team member!

Attending industry conferences is an excellent opportunity for anyone in the business to meet people in the industry, see, learn and participate in the current and new aspects of technology, infrastructure, support, equipment and services.