Data Center World promises to assist experienced industry professionals in both data center and facilities management increase their knowledge and insights about how IT goals and business goals can be aligned to improve operations. The conference will provide attendees with educational sessions facilitated by some of the most respected minds in the data center and facilities management fields, allowing participants to leave with not only a solid action plan, but valuable business contacts.

The conference’s keynote speaker, Vivek Kundra, formerly the United States’ Chief Information Officer and now with Salesforce.com, will discuss the challenges he faced while leading the federal government’s information technology bureaucracy at a time when cutting costs, increasing efficiency and driving innovation was of great importance. His keynote presentation will focus on the use of technology to create lasting change, tapping the creativity of people to keep innovation optimal, and confronting the tough decisions to keep your organization growing and competitive.

Data Center World will also include:

• More than 80 informative presentations
• An engaging keynote presentation
• Powerful networking opportunities and luncheon
• Expo welcome reception
• Data Center Manager of the Year Award ceremony and dinner

The presentations fall into these topical groupings:

• General Data Center Management
• Disaster Recovery/Security
• Cloud Computing
• Data Center Builds/Expansion and Design
• General Facilities Management
• Power and Cooling

Visit the Data Center World calendar page on Data Center Knowledge for more details.

For more events, return to the Data Center Knowledge Events Calendar.

There is growing interest in the Data Center World conference this spring, since the keynote speaker is Vivek Kundra, who formerly served as the U.S. Chief Information Officer. Kundra was recently hired by Salesforce.com to serve as Executive Vice President of Emerging Technologies.

Kundra’s keynote will emphasize leadship in times of change and transformation, and the lessons every organization can learn from when leading a transformation in a change-averse environment.

As the first federal CIO, Kundra faced significant challenges as he oversaw the federal government’s information technology bureaucracy at a time of cutting costs, increasing efficiency and driving innovation. His responsibilities included managing the $80B federal technology budget as well as transforming the way technology was purchased. He brought best-in-class private sector solutions to solve massive public sector inefficiencies.

Kundra is credited with saving over $3 billion in taxpayer dollars, adopting game-changing technologies in the public sector, strengthening the cybersecurity posture of the nation and launching an open government movement through that data.gov platform, which has been replicated across 21 nations, 29 states, 11 cities, and several international organizations.

Also, Kundra will explain:

• His leadership principles and how to use technology to create lasting change.
• How to create a transparent and accountable environment that sheds light on what’s going on within an organization.
• The importance of action-oriented, executable and nimble methodologies.
• People are our biggest asset. How do you source people using the Silicon Valley approach?
• How do you tap into the power and creativity of people to keep innovation optimal and stay on top of the latest technologies?
• How to confront the tough decisions that need to be made to keep your organization growing and competitive.

For further information and registration, visit our Data Center World page on the events calendar.

AFCOM was founded in 1980 to provide networking and education opportunities for data center professionals, and currently has more than 4,500 members and 40 chapters worldwide. The group is known for its twice-yearly Data Center World conferences.

iNET Interactive operates online communities and news sites, including Web Hosting Talk, the primary forum for the hosting industry, as well as the HostingCon conference. Earlier this year iNET acquired The Web Host Industry Review, a leading publication covering the web hosting sector.

AFCOM said the deal will provide the group with access to the resources of a larger organization and improved online expertise to fulfill its mission. AFCOM’s current team will continue as part of iNet Interactive, including Jill Yaoz, president of the AFCOM association and chairperson of Data Center World.

“Becoming a member of the iNET Interactive family is a milestone for AFCOM as it expands the breadth and depth of our services,” said Yaoz. “Both my team and I will remain deeply involved with our current services and conferences, but we also look forward to rolling out enhanced offerings through iNET Interactive’s leadership. I am confident that iNET Interactive will continue to grow and develop AFCOM with the same passion and commitment that has driven this organization for thirty-plus years.”

“AFCOM is a perfect fit to the iNET Interactive family,” said Troy Augustine, iNET Interactive president and CEO. “Our goal is to further enrich AFCOM’s services for its valued members, while strengthening iNet Interactive’s presence in the data center, web hosting and technology markets.”

The Spring Data Center World conference is set for March 18-22, 2012 at The Mirage in Las Vegas. The keynote speaker will be Vivek Kundra, who just completed his duties as the United States’ first chief information officer. For a look back at the fall 2011 show, see Highlights from Data Center World Fall 2011.

Participants enter the AFCOM Data Center World expo hall. About 675 attendees were on hand in the Orlando World Center Marriott. (Photo: Colleen Miller)

The Fall Data Center World conference included presentations and case studies from private and government data centers such as GE Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Intel Corporation, CA Technologies, and Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Also, there were many vendors of products from data center containers to hardware and software in the exhibit hall, meeting and greeting old and new customers alike. See Highlights from Fall 2011 Data Center World for more photos from the event.

AFCOM Data Center World Fall 2011 kicks off in Orlando, with topics such as cloud computing, data center management and disaster recovery featured.

The fall meeting of AFCOM’s Data Center World kicked off on September 11, 2011 in sunny Orlando at the Orlando World Center Marriott and Convention Center.  About 675 people were in attendance, according to event organizers. The conference included multiple tracks on topics such as cloud computing; facilities; data center management; data center protection, prevention and recovery; and end-user case studies. Our photo gallery, Scenes from Data Center World 2011,  provides a look at the conference proceedings on Monday.

The familiar Data Center World globe and branding greeted attendees as they arrived at the registration area for the conference at the Mirage in Las Vegas.

The spring version of AFCOM’s Data Center World 2011 was held this week at the Mirage in Las Vegas. The event provides four days of training, panels, presentations and networking. For a look at some of the sights at the show, both on the expo floor and in the conference sessions, check out our photo gallery, Scenes from Data Center World 2011.

The 2011 State of the Data Center report is an update of a 2009 survey by AFCOM, the largest industry group for data center professionals. The survey polled 358 data center managers on key topics and trends. The AFCOM survey is interesting because it includes data on many smaller data centers, including on-premises facilities. Eighty six percent of the survey respondents had data center budgets of less than $10 million.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the trends in data center staffing and workloads is to let the graphics tell the story. Here’s a look at trends in data center staffing, followed by trends in the growth of servers, applications and storage:

Is this a serious problem? Or will automation software and cloud computing make it easier for small staffs to manage larger and larger infrastructures? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Cloud computing has been a prominent focus of industry events and discussion for several years. AFCOM has taken a deliberate approach in offering guidance on the topic for its 4,000 members. The group has featured keynotes on cloud computing at recent Data Center World conferences, but today’s paper represents its most specific guidance to date on the transition to cloud services.

AFCOM says the paper is ”not designed to debate the definition of cloud computing” but instead provide specific guidance for the data center manager. 

“The purpose of this paper is to help AFCOM members understand the issues they will need to address since the architecture of clouds will drive the way future data centers are built, configured and operated,” said Tom Roberts, Director, DC Facility Management, Trinity Information Services.

“The decision to move to the cloud can be challenging because it raises many concerns dealing with having less direct operational control, and the preparedness of the cloud provider when it comes to training, meeting your existing Service Level Agreements, and physical and data security,” Roberts added.

AFCOM says the guide addresses tips for selecting the right cloud provider, the value of cloud computing, and ”Ten Steps for Building an Internal Cloud.”

“Data center managers are dealing with cramped facilities, massive data growth, tight budgets and archive mandates that have created nearly impossible storage requirements,” said Jill Eckhaus, the CEO of AFCOM. “Cloud computing works to contain these issues and make data centers more manageable and cost effective, but data centers will have to be prepared in order to leverage public clouds, or become a public or private cloud.”

Wright Line will be spotlighting its Independent Containment System (ICS) at Data Center World. The patent-pending ICS is a free-standing, vendor-neutral containment solution for high-density computing environments that brings together several airflow management strategies. The ICS accepts a variety of end row doors, including café style and single-swing models.The aisle ceilings are constructed of a light-weight steel frame and clear Lexan panels allowing ambient room light to enter the ICS aisle. This also eliminates the need for energy-consuming supplemental lighting. The ceiling accepts 2′ x 2′ adjustable chimneys which can be added anywhere on the ceiling structure as IT loads increase. At Data Center World, Wright Line will be showing an ICS configuration that can accommodate 10 racks. “We designed the ICS to provide maximum flexibility in all environments,” said Carl Cottuli. “Though our DCW demo model will be set up in a hot aisle configuration, the ICS can also be used as a cold aisle containment solution. At Wright Line, our Professional Services Team does not advocate one solution over another. We analyze the data center issues, work with the data center manager and create the solution that is best for that individual center, be it from a hot aisle, cold aisle, or rack-based perspective.”

Bick Group announced the launch of the Cloud Computing Quick Assessment Program (CCQA). CCQA provides commercial and government clients with a quick look at their existing IT assets and the potential use of private and public cloud computing resources to bring more cost and operational efficiencies to existing IT. “This program is designed to provide those asking about the viability and application of cloud computing for their existing and future IT assets, with solid initial answers,” said David Linthicum, CTO of Bick Group. “We designed this program to look at all architectural assets, including data, applications, and business processing, looking that whatʼs working, what needs improvement, and how the emerging use of private and public clouds can provide value, and where they can provide value.”

AFCOM’s Data Center Institute (DCI) met Monday at the conference to discuss cloud computing. The group’s recommendations will be summarized in an AFCOM DCI Cloud Computing report to be released next month by the AFCOM DCI board members. “In our continuing effort to keep data center managers up to date on the very latest technologies and best business practices, I am pleased to announce that AFCOM’s Data Center Institute is in the process of preparing an in-depth report on cloud computing,” said Jill Eckhaus, CEO of AFCOM. “This is the report the data center industry has been waiting for. It will include a description of what cloud computing really is, the opportunities and risks for the data center, the various types of clouds such as private, public and hybrid clouds, and many other specific details that a data center manager needs to know in order to intelligently discuss the advantages, disadvantages and best approaches to this technology for their specific data center.”

Minicom Advanced Systems, a leading developer of IT & KVM remote access and management solutions, welcomes PDI, a manufacturer of electrical equipment for computer data centers, industrial and commercial buildings, and alternative energy applications to the Data Center Alliance (DCA). The Data Center Alliance, formed with Minicom, Wright Line, ServerTechnology, Uptime Devices and Digi International fills the information gap in the marketplace by providing a centralized, comprehensive source for building successful IT infrastructures. “In addition to the opportunities that this partnership offers for significant market expansion, we are looking forward to contributing towards the collaborative efforts by the DCA members to help IT managers with better data center planning and operation,” said Dave Mulholland, VP Marketing, Service at PDI. “Joining the DCA is a great way for us to work with the people who keep data centers running efficiently, and to offer PDI’s unique, effective solutions to a wider audience.”

Data centers are making progress on energy efficiency, but a large percentage of green initiatives remain informal and a significant number of data center operators admit to procrastinating on efficiency measures.

Those are the key findings of a survey released today by AFCOM, the largest association for data center professionals. In a survey of 436 of its 4,500 member sites, AFCOM reported that progress is being made on energy efficiency, but much work remains. The good news: more data centers are measuring their energy usage and montoring their data center operations.

The survey found that 71.3 percent of respondents are actively engaged in “greening” initiatives, but that only 42 percent of those had a formal program in place.  What steps are they taking?

• 61 percent are using less power in their data centers
• 51 percent report implementing cooling efficiency strategies
• 12 percent report significant savings in water usage

Government data centers are lagging the private sector, according to the AFCOM survey, which found 62 percent had greening programs, but just 36 percent had formal initiatives. 

“The surprise here is that one would expect government agencies to lead the way in terms of protecting the environment, but when it comes to saving energy and water, private industry is 10 percent more proactive,” AFCOM said in its analysis.

Data center operators report a variety of obstacles to implementing energy efficiency strategies. Thirty nine percent reported not having enough money in their budget to purchase more energy-efficient equipment, while 29.6 percent blamed procrastination, saying they were “paying lip service” to the issues while not moving ahead with efficiency projects. Another 22 percent said they have not been able to get a clear commitment from management.

One of the bright spots in the survey was the adoption of performance monitoring by AFCOM members. Power consumption is now being monitored by 68 percent of respondents, network traffic by 65 percent, storage capacity by 64 percent, server utilization by 61 percent and Web security by 54 percent.