Data Center 2.0: The Move to a Data @ the Center Architecture

In traditional thinking, the data center is a site where the collection of servers, storage, networking, and applications reside to provide IT services to the entire company. A sophisticated infrastructure has been developed to protect system availability with standards for data protection and new application introduction and testing; however, this model is increasingly outmoded as new types of data, such as sensor, log, IOT, audio, and video provide the opportunity for improving operations, customer interaction, and market understanding. Business departments have long created their own IT capabilities to meet their business objectives, resulting in siloes of isolated IT infrastructure where data is trapped and almost impossible for the company to fully leverage. As a result, the data center, ironically, no longer serves as the central repository of business data. But, there is a better way! Data Center infrastructure is the focus, but it’s time to return to the data center’s roots – the data. Data is the key element for business success, but to drive true competitive differentiation – and ultimately business success – we need to put Data @ the Center of decision making. Join Erik Ottem, senior director, Data Center Systems at Western Digital Corporation, as he shares tips on how to get the most from IT by focusing on the data and ensuring your organization is truly putting Data @ the Center of its decision making process.