How Technological Change Is Positively Effecting Data Center Construction
What lies ahead for construction organizations building 5G networks and edge data centers solutions.
It is no secret that recent technological advancements are changing the way we perceive ourselves. Access to a seemingly infinite amount of content and information (thanks to the internet) is at our disposal within seconds and most of us do not have to wonder how it got there or who is responsible for managing it. Yet, we continuously desire for that content and information to be at our fingertips more effectively and efficiently every single day. How do we continuously push the limits of communication? Advancements in ubiquitous high-speed mobile access or 5G across the globe, widespread adoption of big data analytics, AI and edge computing are pushing boundaries never thought imaginable just a decade ago.
These technological drivers of change have a profound effect on the world as we know it and in turn are changing construction means and methodologies that have been around for more than a century. This new age, coined The Fourth Industrial Revolution is like none of its predecessors in that it will forever impact the way in which human and machine interrelate with one another.
Ubiquitous high-speed mobile Internet - 5G.
We have been hearing about the next generation of High-Speed Mobile Internet for years now and it looks like we are on the cusp of early stage deployment. The largest wireless carriers in North America: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint have all made commitments to release their 5th Generation or “5G” wireless networks in cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and Atlanta over the upcoming months. What we believe this means to those networks are internet speeds that are up to 100 times faster than previous networks (3G, 4G...etc.), the ability to support broader networks of machine to machine (M2M) communications and extremely low latencies between the available content and devices.
At this moment, it is hard to quantify the social, economical and financial impacts that 5G will have on our daily lives, but we know that it will dynamically change the way in which we interact with one another and machines alike. Network infrastructure that incorporates small cell technology will be deployed with more commonality and data center platforms like edge and micro edge data centers will need to be located closer to the users/devices. 5G will also push the network beyond the use of its traditional use with devices like smartphones and mobile broadband hotspots, tablets and laptops and into a world of Internet of Things (IoT) or always connected nodes/endpoints, smart cities, machine learning and autonomous vehicles.
How does this help the construction industry?
The reliability and uber low latency that comes with a 5G network can consistently help support these data-heavy compute platforms far better than previous networks could.
With low latency 5G networks and dense content sitting at the edge, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) tools will become robust and user friendly. These tools will allow for collaboration between designer and constructor and provide previously inaccessible insight to skilled trades in the field by the introduction of VR goggles. Imagine how an electrician might use VR in the field to install a piece of critical power equipment. VR will allow better visualization of the construction task and provide immediate availability of data required to ensure a high-quality installation.
Edge computing.
While a 5G network is critical to advancements in the current industrial revolution, the compute power, storage and networking capabilities of our existing architecture will not support the reliability and ultra-low latencies that a 5G network possess. In comes, edge computing!
It has been said that autonomous vehicles if and when they are released at economies of scale will create approximately two terabytes of data in a 25-minute commute to work. “To put this in perspective, the average U.S. consumer uses about 10 gigabytes of data per month and would take about 17 years to go through two terabytes.” And this is just one example of the data that will need to be accessed, stored and computated at the edge of our networks. Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart homes and the Internet of Things (IoT) will require an architecture that is not latency constrained and is more robust in locality to where the data is being accessed.
Edge computing devices, like the ones mentioned above and others will depend heavily on network access in order to deliver and receive information at ultra-high speeds. This kind of compute is not possible without accessing said content through a large network of edge or micro edge data center solutions. These iterations of edge data centers include interconnection points between network carriers and content providers, data storage capacity and network connectivity that make access to important data closer to the endpoint/end user/node than previously thought possible. The beauty of these solutions is that they can provide flexibility within the network architecture offering added layers of security, greater performance and access to critical data in a localized environment more rapidly.
What does this mean for construction organizations building out 5G networks and edge data center solutions?
Off site and modular construction will be paramount to speedy and successful installments of these types of solutions.
Secondary, trierarchy and rural installations are believed to be where 5G and edge computing will see the highest economic impact because most of the extended networks outside of many of the largest U.S. cities are undeveloped. Edge computing architecture in these areas will need the support of localized retrieval of content and data, this can be accomplished through deployments of an edge data center solution. Utilizing construction components and materials that are prefabricated offsite or built in a modular fashion reduces many of the challenges around construction manpower availability, usage and the cost associated with traveling long distances to meet job site requirements.
Other edge data center advancements center around critical infrastructure integration and testing, like precast structures; mechanical, electrical and plumbing installments; monitoring; controls systems; and advanced analytic software, by unifying infrastructure, software and testing procedures while still in production creates additional benefits. An acceleration on economies of scale occurs by establishing a uniformity to each product or system that leaves the manufacturing or production line. This lends itself to lower human interaction and much less potential risk when localized manpower is responsible for less smarts and parts installation and lastly it may lead to an overall reduction of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) for the owner, when a solution now becomes highly repeatable.
Keeping up with the pace of change.
The technological drivers of change affecting the construction industry are immediate and are not only transforming the construction industry but also transforming the expectation of owners. Building efficiently and cost effectively is still an important component of the construction industry, but the future lies in those who can implement the best high-tech tools combined with professionals that have a strong background in traditional data center build practices.
Constructiv Builders (Constructiv) is an organization focused on mission critical, 5G and edge data center deployments. Constructiv, by viewing these installments from a constructor’s perspective can offer flexibility and vast industry experience to client’s and we believe this gives us a competitive advantage to assist in designing and building complex projects.