By Maryam Emdadi, Vice President of Sales at Carahsoft
Technology disruption and rising cloud costs are forcing public sector agencies to rethink their digital transformation roadmaps. Artificial intelligence and 5G promise revolutionary capabilities, but they also demand unprecedented computing power — and many agencies are discovering their current infrastructure isn’t ready. The solution? Strategic data center modernization is the critical first step on a practical path to implementing next-generation innovations.
The Evolution of Public Sector Infrastructure
Public sector IT infrastructure strategies evolved significantly over the last decade-plus, particularly at the federal level. “Cloud first” encouraged agencies to adopt commercial cloud computing — and some agencies soon discovered not all apps and workloads suit the public cloud. “Cloud smart” took a more nuanced approach, allowing agencies to adopt hybrid and multi-cloud strategies.
As agencies moved to the cloud, there were also multiple policies mandating underused data centers be consolidated or optimized. Reducing costs and meeting efficiency goals were the big focus of these efforts. And the most recent legislation — the Federal Data Center Enhancement Act — continues to prioritize consolidation, using commercial data centers, including hybrid cloud, multi-cloud and co-location. There is some flexibility for agencies to determine what infrastructure best suits them, but also more complexity when it comes to managing their IT environments.
Despite ongoing modernization efforts, federal agencies still allocate 80 percent of the $100 billion IT and cybersecurity budget to operating and maintaining existing systems. Some are now exploring cloud repatriation, partly to manage unexpected costs. Security concerns also persist, with agencies wary of relying too heavily on cloud providers. The government typically prefers greater control and visibility over their data and infrastructure, along with the desire to maintain backups and redundant copies to ensure resilience.
Why Agencies Are Rethinking Cloud and Data Center Plans
Agencies are investing heavily in data modernization, AI, 5G and cybersecurity without taking stock of the data centers and hardware that serve as their foundation. Outdated data centers can introduce security risks or impede these innovative projects.
Data center technology has changed significantly since the push to close data centers started — and plenty of components need to be refreshed. Upgrading hardware to new server technologies and adopting software-defined and hyper-converged infrastructures provide agencies maximum flexibility. Edge computing can reduce latency, while automation and AI-powered tools streamline maintenance and operations.
The computing demands of AI are particularly intense and increasing, prompting the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to seek input on supporting U.S. data center growth. Agencies must evaluate whether their data centers can handle AI projects, and may need to partner with vendors like Vertiv for new approaches to power, cooling, and sustainability.
The 5G Implementation Challenge
5G strategies and implementation are still evolving — though state and local agencies seem to be making the most progress. They’re taking advantage of technology from vendors like Ciena and Nokia, from edge to the core, for various smart city initiatives. Each network looks different, with a customized approach to create the right mix of vendors and hardware for a complete solution. There is no one-size-fits-all 5G network.
Visibility into the 5G supply chain is important, but so are performance and reliability. Similar to AI projects, 5G networks need significant computing power and appropriate power and cooling configurations to handle higher data volume at the speed it’s produced. All of these emerging technologies are interconnected. Success in this new era requires more than just upgrading technology stacks — it calls for a complete rethinking of power infrastructure, cooling architectures and sustainability strategies.
The stakes are clear: Agencies that strategically modernize their data centers today will be better positioned to harness tomorrow’s innovations. More information can be found here and here.
