From scale challenges (ever-present) to sustainability (it’ll happen, by choice or by force); from supply chain (we’re all in it together) to cloud (it’s complicated); from talent (always top-of-mind) to diversity and inclusion (one way to bridge the talent gap) – read what digital infrastructure end users are thinking about today.
This is an overview of our End User Summit Top-of-Mind Blog Series, which reflects the top issues discussed during the Infrastructure Masons October 2019 End User Summit in San Jose. These posts are now available exclusively on the iMasons app. (Getting the app is easy, see below for directions.)
Just How Big, Exactly? (Scale)
Scale challenges impact every player in the digital infrastructure ecosystem. The only sustainable solution is aligned innovation of the network, the hardware, and the data center together.
Sustainability – By Choice, or by Force
The digital infrastructure industry is more sustainable today than in the past. But many of the gains are the result of migration from on-prem to more efficient cloud data centers. When the majority of workloads are in the cloud, data centers will have to support much more scale with the same or fewer resources. That will require industry-wide collaboration and truly disruptive innovation.
“When the majority of workloads are in the cloud, data centers will have to support much more scale with the same or fewer resources.” – Click to tweet
The Digital Infrastructure Supply Chain: We’re All in This Together
The tremendous demand on the digital infrastructure industry to provide more capacity more quickly creates challenges across the supply chain. Among the challenges most top-of-mind for industry leaders are safety, quality, and security.
The Path to the Cloud is Not One-way
As with most technology trends, cloud has proven to be neither a one-and-done nor a straight shot. Companies are finding that the cloud makes sense for some use cases, but not all. When it does make sense, not all cloud deployments or providers are created equal. The answer to ‘Which is best?’ can change over time. And yes, managing it all is complicated.
“The cloud makes sense for some use cases, but not all.” – Click to tweet
A Bottom-up and Top-down Approach to Talent
Given the digital infrastructure industry’s rapid growth and a national unemployment rate of less than 4%, it’s hardly surprising that talent remains a top-of-mind issue for industry leaders. At the End User Summit, attendees shared insights on why the talent challenge is so big (in part, it’s because technology is changing so fast). They shared concerns over the far-reaching impact of the talent gap – and ideas for how to solve it.
The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion
Increasing the diversity and inclusiveness of the digital infrastructure industry makes good business sense. For one, it’s the only way to bridge the talent gap (it’s just math: there simply aren’t enough white men to fill all the positions that are or will be open). But there are other benefits too – like the kind of diversity of thought that inspires innovation. Getting there will require efforts from every direction: attraction and retention, plus changing recruiting practices and company cultures.
“Increasing the diversity and inclusiveness of the digital infrastructure industry makes good business sense.” – Click to tweet
Getting the app is easy
These six blog posts are available exclusively on the iMasons app, which is free for members. To read these posts in full, access other exclusive content, find members near you, join conversations, and much more, get the app today.
Current and former Infrastructure Masons
The iMasons app runs on the Hivebrite platform. Current and former Infrastructure Masons will receive an activation link by email. (Didn’t receive it? Let us know.)
New members
The iMasons app is free, but it’s only for Infrastructure Masons. Fortunately, it’s now easier than ever to become a member! You can join iMasons and get set up on the app at the same time. Start here.