Preparing IT Infrastructure for Net Zero Operations
Published on : Sunday 10-07-2022
Newly launched innovations by Schneider Electric support the next wave of sustainability and resiliency in data centres and distributed edge IT.
At the 9th Media Roundtable organised by the Secure Power Division of Schneider Electric, the company released three independent research studies to better understand the maturity of sustainability initiatives within IT and data centre organisations; more specifically, where the IT and data centre industry stand in achieving the vision of net zero IT operations.
451 Research, Forrester and Canalys independently collected data from more than 3,000 global participants, include the largest colocation and cloud providers, IT solution providers and IT professionals across many segments and organisation sizes. Overall, findings consistently demonstrated that across the data centre and IT industry, there is a discrepancy between where companies think they are and in implementing full life cycle sustainability programs across their IT infrastructure. According to the 451 Research findings, in surveying 1,100 IT professionals responsible for core and distributed IT, where 26% of participants self-identified as having a full lifecycle sustainability program covering all the infrastructure, only 14% are undertaking actions to have implemented the programs. The analysis further identifies 22% as not addressing sustainability as a major focus, though they may have efficiency initiatives to improve specific areas of operation. This showcases that while many companies are formulating their sustainability strategy and deciding on investment priorities, action plans are not always being implemented.
Sachin Bhalla, Vice President and Country General Manager, Secure Power Division, India and SAARC said, “At Schneider Electric, our steadfast commitment in powering efficiency and integrating sustainability with innovation directs our approach towards creating future-forward solutions to transform businesses. Aligned with this vision, we are determined to bring our combined expertise in IT and sustainability to define the future of green technology. Today, there is an urgent need to integrate sustainability and resiliency in data centres and edge IT to achieve the nation’s sustainability commitments and goals. We hope that with this endeavour, we can continue laying the groundwork for forthcoming research initiatives that will help usher in smart and sustainable data centre solutions for the future.”
According to IDC, the global edge computing market is facing massive growth, growing at 12.5% annually to an estimated $250.6 billion in 2024. Data centres play a critical role in driving Electricity 4.0 which is the key to changing the trajectory of climate change. As an industry, it is a collective responsibility to drive forward our environmental commitments with extreme urgency. To avoid a grave energy challenge, all data centres – including distributed edge data centres – must be more sustainable, efficient, adaptive, and resilient.
In addition to releasing these research studies, Schneider Electric announced a new mySchneider IT Partner Program designed to help data centre and IT professionals make progress towards their sustainability goals.
mySchneider IT Partner Program
The new mySchneider IT Partner Program will provide a simplified, innovative and collaborative approach to enable partner growth. This re-vamped program will focus on enabling diverse and evolving business models and allow partners to differentiate their business by becoming a strategic advisor and expert in their market across multiple IT competencies.
The IT channel landscape is constantly evolving. Building on the company’s award-winning channel history, Schneider Electric’s updated IT partner program accommodates this dynamic ecosystem by enabling partners to grow and differentiate their businesses for the long-term. The program focuses on unique specialisations, giving partners the flexibility to certify in one or more based on their current capabilities and future aspirations. This further differentiates partners and highlights the true value of a channel ecosystem by:
a. Enabling the development of diverse business models
b. Simplifying and increasing transparency for requirements & benefits
c. Capturing new business through market recognition and competitive differentiation
d. Strengthening channel-centric practice
“At Schneider Electric, we believe that data is our most important asset in an increasingly connected world. The mySchneider IT Partner Program is one of many such enabling technologies that will assist our partners in efficiently leveraging data for enhanced profitability and sustainability. We are certain that our IT enablement solutions will play a significant role in shaping the IT ecosystem's future for decades to come,” said Sachin Bhalla.
Availability of specialisations will roll out over the next 12-18 months, through a phased approach including IT Solution Providers, Data Centre Solution Providers and Software & Services Providers. The first specialisation, IT Solution Provider, which is ideal for IT providers who are experts in IT infrastructure solutions within distributed IT environments, is available now.
Key features of the IT Solutions Provider Specialisation include:
Data Driven Program Dashboard: This new program dashboard not only provides partners with transparency, but also identifies core focus areas.
Business-Specific Tools: Certified partners gain access to the tools needed in today’s environment.
Increased Profitability: IT solution providers will gain access to unique deal registration discounts.
mySchneider Rewards: Members of the partner account can earn points from various activities that can be redeemed for over 60,000 items, experiences, merchandise and more.
Dedicated support and account coverage: Ongoing sales account coverage provides support to business building activities and pre- and post-sales support.
To learn more and join the mySchneider IT Partner Program, visit apc.com/partners.
