Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1219491
34 I ICT TODAY These micro EDCs come in a few different forms depending on where and how they will be located and used. The idea behind them is that they are essentially fully self-contained data centers that include complete internal hot aisle/cold aisle cooling, uninterrupted power supply (UPS), power distribution, central monitoring, remote interface and near full control of the system and security functionality. They are able to internally repli - cate hot aisle cold aisle with incorporated AC and pro- vide power distribution and battery backup. They are adaptable for 110/120 and 220/230 VAC feeds, contain their own DCIM type monitoring and communication, and allow for almost entire remote management. As these features have been developed, new concerns arise and manufacturers are addressing them also in evolving product solutions: • Rear doors and top that automatically open if there should be an unexpected temperature rise • Cameras within the unit to document who opened the door to access and to record what they did • Enhancements to monitoring of PUE, RU availability, power consumption, and battery health • A fully opening top to vent as opposed to the equivalent of a tilt up sunroof • The implementation of fingerprint, voice, and facial recognition security features for access to the cabinets as opposed to a physical key access FIGURE 6: With EDCs migrating closer to the data, micro EDCs may become more common and likely unmanned, which will require remote monitoring and security measures on par with larger data centers. Keeping in mind the concerns about EDCs and MDCs, some TIA working group participants do not see any of the edge use cases listed that could not either be put into a local building (e.g., smart factory data center or any smart building data center, local server that supports access control for security, telecom/ICT network site where SDN equipment is deployed) or in a colocation site that serves a geographic area (e.g., AR/VR, video processing, video content, traffic monitoring and alerts). Part of the analy- sis considers that the speed of light in a vacuum is 186,000 miles per second and the speed of light through optical fibers is 67 percent the speed of light through a vacuum. Therefore, each mile adds about 8 ms delay (8x10 -6 sec- onds). Supporting EDCs in colocation data centers, for example, provides a computer room environment with security and on-site trained technical staff that can pro- vide hands on service and rectify serious problems on the spot, unlike unmanned MDCs. The colocation data centers typically serve a metropolitan area—assuming a 50 mile radius—so the maximum expected delay is 8 ms/mile x 50 miles or only 400 ms (0.4 seconds). Some MDC manufacturers have been taking steps to address the concerns of TIA and many others in the industry, such as implementing security and monitoring measures to replicate that of a manned data center in a purpose-built location (Figure 6). • Enhanced GUI/remote monitor- ing and control features to include Android, IOS, and Web portals When working with an MDC manu- facturer, it is wise to choose one that incorporates ANSI/TIA-942-B standards, such as applicable hot/cooling channel isolation, capacity redundancy, emer- gency backup, and environment online monitoring in the development of the unit. Often one technician or network manager may be responsible for many EDCs. The incorporated DCIM, artifi- cial intelligence, machine intelligence