Data centers or centers are capable of storing and processing large amounts of data. Therefore, as technologies promote and generate a greater amount of data, the demand for data centers also increases, which will need more sustainable, efficient and consistent infrastructures.
Thus, in a world dominated by the digital age, where the use of technology in all economic and social spheres is constantly increasing, the place where the information of each environment is generated is increasing more and more.
In Latin America, according to the Statista portal, Mexico is the country with the most centers in the region with 154; Brazil followed, with 150. Also, according to a recent ReportLinker report, the data center market in Latin America is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% between 2021 and 2026, due to increased demand for cloud services, increased connectivity, and the adoption of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT ).
However, while these figures are encouraging, Latin America still presents many challenges to grow and be competitive in this sector. For Gustavo Hilsenrad, Vertiv SSA Sales Manager, the main challenges facing the country to improve and expand the infrastructure of its data centers are:
How will the 5G network influence the infrastructure of data centers?
“The 5G network remains essential for Latin American authorities, but an important part of implementation is linked to infrastructure and investment in new hardware to support the growing demand. “Statista estimates that the six largest economies in Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru) will probably invest a total of US $120 billion to install a 5G network in all their territories,” says Gustavo Hilsenrad.
This investment, the executive continues, includes changes from the modernization of antennas and telecommunications towers, to the capacity of batteries for the continuity of the electrical supply. “When it comes to data centers, the deployment of 5G networks enables significantly faster connections than previous mobile networks, which means that greater demand can be expected to support data transfer. Faster data, which also requires greater investment in network infrastructure and data centers for higher data transfers. sustainable rates,” he said.
In addition, “as countries continue to move towards 5G, we expect to see progress in the development of products and services with innovative technological capabilities that will only become possible with the widespread adoption of 5G. In addition to speed and latency reduction, the capabilities that the 5G network will bring to industries are enormous, with direct it will have an effect on business models, mechanisms and supply chains”, emphasizes the Enterprise Sales Manager of Vertiv SSA.
How centers are positioned to care for the environment
According to a report published by Greenpeace in 2020, renewable energy accounted for 8% of the inaugural capacity of Latin American data centers, and this figure is expected to increase the number of cloud service providers.
With regard to the expansion centers in Latin America, this “requires other infrastructures that influence the consumption of electrical energy. In the case of deploying the 5G network, it can increase the consumption of the total network power by 150-170% from 2026, when operators need to invest in more efficient technologies, such as efficient cooling solutions, increasing costs, highlights Gustavo Hilsenrad.
