Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2020. Read them in this 12th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
By John Day, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gateview
Technologies
2020 Will See the "Power" of Big Changes in Small Devices
Rack
Power Distribution Units (rPDUs) are the last line of defense before the server
is connected to power and anecdotal evidence suggests that they perform well.
However, in 2019, there continued to be issues reported with the rPDU
connections to the monitoring systems and one weak point is the internal
connections for power. Potential for faults involve the labor-intensive process
of using insulation displacement and fast-on connectors at the factory level
and-a single missed connection often results in high failure rates.
2020
will be the year when rPDU manufacturers solve the problem of loose and
malfunctioning connections that bring down server racks.
PDU Manufacturers Address Big Picture
In
2020, the rPDU manufacturing process will need to evolve to keep up with
industry demands for a more reliable product. Automated machine solder
processes where most of the power connections in the rPDUs are connected and
soldered with minimal human interface. This new, highly-efficient process is
already adopted by companies such as Gateview Technologies and reduces the number of physical connections made by the factory
associate during assembly. This process has been found to increase rPDU
reliability by 100 times over the traditional wiring methods and the new year
will only bring more advancements to boost reliability.
More Streamlined PDU Form Factors
Within
data centers, the meticulous attention to space utilization has always been a
constant, and throughout 2020 we will see this attention amplified when applied
to server racks. Space conservation is just as important inside the server rack
as outside of it. More data center
managers and IT personnel will depart from the bulky, industrial-style rPDUs
and spec-in slimmer and more streamlined rPDUs that are easier to install while
also offer more flexibility for rack-mounted device power connectivity.
Conclusion
In
2020, we will witness the evolution of workload processing, the growth of IoT,
and the broadening of streaming services as 5G rolls out across the U.S. This
growth will not require one of those "paramount shifts" in our technology
overlay, but it will demand special attention to the devices that power these
new services. If the power feed fails, services fail-it's that simple. Given
the responsibilities placed on power devices such as rPDUs to keep services
flowing, it makes sense to infuse the rack with new rPDU capabilities and
innovation that better conform to easy installation in small spaces. As the new
year unfolds, additional attention will be given to PDUs and operational
performance elevated to match the expectations of those who rely on the net
result of a server rack's output.
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About the Author
John Day is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gateview Technologies. He has been in the electrical and mission-critical business for nearly forty years. While John’s focus is on sales, he has also participated in an entrepreneurial capacity over the last twenty-five years. His expertise has been to energize organizations in need of leadership for growth and product development. John built many successful sales teams across several companies. His experience culminated in explosive growth at PDI which resulted in the sale of the company in 2007. John maintained his status as a shareholder and sales leader after the acquisition, and he further developed PDI’s customer base as he initiated its expansion into international markets in Europe and Asia.
Prior to joining PDI, John spent eighteen years with Schneider Electric. During that time, he held a variety of positions including Director of Marketing for the North American division of Telemecanique, channel management positions, and a variety of sales management roles. John’s experience at Schneider spanned the industrial, automation, construction and data center markets.