In an exclusive interview, Xavier Surentherathas of Park Place Technologies discusses the importance of sustainability in data centers and the company’s commitment to the circular economy. He highlights innovative technologies and collaborations that are shaping a greener future for the IT industry.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: Why is sustainability crucial for data centers, and how does it relate to the circular economy?
Mr Xavier: Data centers, the engines powering the digital age, come with a hefty environmental cost. Their large energy consumption for operations and cooling relies heavily on fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources. Apart from their carbon emissions, data centers require hardware upgrades that generate considerable electronic waste, posing a disposal challenge.
Sustainability is no longer a choice, but a necessity for data centers. The circular economy offers a path forward. This approach prioritizes resource efficiency and waste reduction. Data centers can extend equipment lifespan through maintenance and energy-efficient systems. Additionally, re-using and refurbishing equipment, coupled with responsible e-waste management, minimizes waste. Ideally, data centers would create a closed-loop system – designing for modularity, partnering for e-waste recycling, and utilizing renewables. By embracing the circular economy, data centers can operate more sustainably, leaving a smaller footprint on the planet.
TimesTech: What are the main initiatives by Park Place Technologies to support circular economy principles in hardware maintenance and disposal?
Mr Xavier: Park Place Technologies actively supports circular economy principles in hardware maintenance and disposal through several key initiatives. The efforts are focused on the “Re-use, Reduce, and Recycle” ethos. Firstly, we extend the life of IT equipment by providing post-warranty and End of Service Life (EOSL) support for storage, server, and networking hardware. This allows organizations to continue using their existing hardware beyond the manufacturer’s support period, significantly reducing the need for new equipment. Through our Curvature Hardware division, Park Place Technologies offers pre-owned IT hardware for those seeking to refresh their systems. This not only helps reduce electronic waste but also provides cost savings and immediate availability, mitigating the impacts of global supply chain disruptions.
To further support the circular economy, Park Place Technologies implements a robust IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) service. This service ensures the safe, secure, and environmentally responsible disposal of data center hardware. It includes secure data erasure and compliance with Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) standards. Moreover, the company recycles unwanted equipment by integrating it into maintenance, hardware brokerage, pre-owned hardware supply, and scrap/refining markets. These initiatives collectively help minimize environmental impact, promote the reuse of IT resources, and uphold sustainable practices in the technology sector.
TimesTech: How is Park Place Technologies using innovative technologies to enhance data center sustainability?
Mr Xavier: Technological advancements play a key role in enabling data centers to perform at maximum efficiency while also reducing their environmental footprint. Innovation is at the forefront of Park Place Technologies’ efforts to empower its partners with the best possible hardware and network capabilities. Our initiatives cover:
Hardware Maintenance – These are usually targeted at IT storage and servers. Our End of Service Life (EOSL) support services enable companies to use their hardware for longer instead of resorting to a full overhaul. Refreshing hardware is an expensive process that also produces sizeable amounts of e-waste. Our ParkView Managed Services meticulously monitor, upgrade, and replace hardware whenever necessary, extending its lifespan and help organisations maximise their resource utlisation.
Network Monitoring – Our Entuity software proactively monitors productivity levels, which allows it to ensure critical network availability for data centers. It also raises alerts before server impact, drastically reducing downtime and service interruptions. AI/ML and automation help boost operational efficiency, eliminating the waste of valuable resources.
Liquid Cooling – An alternative to legacy air cooling, liquid immersion cooling is a modern alternative that yields long-term power saving results for operators. Maintenance of temperatures is vital for data centers, and the constant process can take a heavy toll on resources. Liquid immersion cooling is a viable choice that is effective at reducing energy consumption and related costs. Park Place Technologies’ Liquid Cooling Systems are designed to help data center operators do more with less space, less energy consumption, and less expenditure.
Secure Waste Disposal – A large part of the waste generated by data centers requires careful disposal, in compliance with the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) standards. Park Place Technologies’ approach consists of extending the life of hardware, re-using and re-furbishing spare parts wherever possible, and miniziming the impact of landfills by recycling and securely disposing waste.
TimesTech: How is Park Place Technologies collaborating with other industry players to promote sustainability in data centers?
Mr Xavier: We collaborate with our global Client Advisory Board and Partner Advisory Board which is made up of our key customers and partners, sharing our product roadmap to gather feedback on ways to pursue sustainable services for delivery and execution in the data center. They in turn will give us insights into their own sustainability journey and what IT services they may need in the future to help their IT operations contribute to their overall ESG strategy for their business.
We also collaborate with industry analysts and ESG/sustainability bodies to ensure we are on the bleeding-edge of where the market is/is going regarding IT and data center sustainability, as well as ensure that as an organisation we are well equipped to be sustainable ourselves in tandem with providing our customers with sustainable services to benefit their IT infrastructure and data center.
TimesTech: What strategies and technologies are used by Park Place Technologies to retrofit legacy data centers for better efficiency and sustainability?
Mr Xavier: Our liquid immersion cooling technology is a new cooling solution which addresses the limitations by air-cooled methods by delivering a turn-key sustainable immersion-cooled solution that enables superior thermal management and increased infrastructure density. The solution helps protect customers’ enterprise infrastructure investments and provides greater assurance to future technologies than traditional air-cooled systems, all while helping customers reach their global sustainability goals
Additionally, Park Place’s IT Professional Services offerings can manage a client’s assets from the data center. Services that can be employed in retrofitting legacy data centers include: Wireless Transformation; IT Asset Disposition; Data/Storage Migration; IMAC Services; and Deployments for refreshing/upgrading existing Data Center, Edge, or EUC Hardware. Systems are increasingly built to be replaced relatively quickly. With a plan in place, IT managers do not have to worry about being unable to replace key components when a system does fail. A maintenance and support vendor with a robust parts catalogue can actually enable clients to retrofit machines and add value to them despite their age.
TimesTech: What are Park Place Technologies’ future goals and plans for advancing sustainability and achieving carbon neutrality in data centers?
Mr Xavier: India is an incredibly promising market where the data center industry is primed for growth. Importantly, sustainability has emerged as a key focus in the country’s data center landscape. At Park Place Technologies, we are dedicated to advancing sustainability in IT by integrating environmental considerations into our operations. We strive to streamline the entire process, from leveraging renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency to using our training programmes to address talent gaps. Our approach aligns with our customers’ needs while also contributing to India’s overall sustainability goals. We are focused on attaining this balance at a global level, helped by innovation and a customer-centric focus. Park Place Technologies is poised to lead the way shaping the data center industry’s approach to environmental responsibility in India.
