With governments and some big businesses reigning back on sustainability, does this mean channel businesses should dispense with it as a key element of their service offerings? Certainly not, says Tim Whiteley, co-founder at Inevidesk.
Sustainability is increasingly becoming a choice rather than an obligation. The seeming global consensus, always fragile, is disintegrating amid sluggish economies and the need to prioritise growth above all else. Whether it be the ever-decreasing green commitment in the UK, withdrawal from the Paris Agreement by the US or the international race to harness AI and the increase in energy supply demands, there is a definite shift in political and business priorities that is shunting the priority of sustainability back down the tracks.
One can argue that this has always been the case; that the adoption of more sustainable infrastructure, from an environmental perspective, could only ever be allied to sustainable growth. That this is what our economies demand. While environmental impact is of stated importance to customers, it is rarely, if ever, the overriding priority and is welcomed only if the offered solution also meets the more critical short-term criteria of performance, resiliency and budget.
Does this mean that we should dispense with sustainability as a key element of our service offerings and development? After all, vendors and channel partners need to meet their customers’ demands and what use is a sustainable solution if it doesn’t cater to these in the fullest way possible? In the all-consuming current landscape of AI development can we put sustainability on the backburner because other benefits are just too attractive to pass up? Are we going to put our trust in AI to, at some point in the indeterminate future, solve existential environmental issues for us?
The pragmatic case for sustainable infrastructure
This increasingly seems to be the world in which vendors and channel partners must operate. Given this reality, how should we act? Perhaps the most practical approach is to recognise that sustainable infrastructure remains the best way forward for clearly pragmatic business purposes. Several key considerations support this approach.
First, data centre space is likely to become increasingly scarce if AI investment continues at its current pace. As a result, infrastructure must become more high-density to ensure continued availability and accommodation. Taking less space and less power may become a necessity so factoring that potential requirement in now will prevent future challenges.
Additionally, reducing space and power usage also translates to lower costs. Maximising the value of data centre resources will help keep services more attractive to customers, particularly in economically challenging times. By optimising efficiency, organisations can maintain competitiveness while managing expenses effectively.
Geopolitical tensions further compound the need for a pragmatic approach, as they threaten to disrupt global supply chains. These disruptions could be even more severe than those experienced during the pandemic-related shortages of recent years. The ability to operate efficiently with fewer resources is not only a strategic advantage but may become necessary considering potential extended stock issues.
For similar reasons, it is prudent to plan to use underlying core hardware for an extended period. When specifying solutions, organisations should assess their projected performance needs over the next five years – a challenging task, but one that is crucial given the likelihood that future demands will exceed current requirements.
Finally, the volatility of energy prices is another factor to consider. Future spikes in energy costs are a real possibility, making it vital to keep energy usage as efficient as possible to minimise shocks and disruption when and if this occurs.
Supporting sustainable infrastructure
There are clear business justifications for the continued championing of sustainable infrastructure. All organisations should ideally be factoring these elements into their strategic thinking from a purely business perspective, even without considering the broader environmental benefits. Channel partners can be empowered to continue to offer and build out sustainable infrastructure by focusing on several key areas.
First, cost is a crucial factor. Solutions must be within budgetary reach and recognise the economic and environmental situation. Affordability should not come at the expense of sustainability or long-term value.
Performance is another key consideration. Beware of solutions that, in a bid to meet budgets, constrain the ability to work well. This is a particular concern with big tech offerings, where cost-cutting measures can sometimes hinder overall system performance.
Longevity is essential for maximising the value of infrastructure investments. High-quality, dependable components, smart builds that account for heat generation and other degrading elements and extended warranties all contribute to customer assurance.
Agility is also critical. Lock-in strategies may offer short- to mid-term gains but customers are becoming increasingly wary of such constraints. Providing flexible, adaptable solutions will foster trust and ensure long-term partnerships. Additionally, ease of use must not be overlooked. Make it easy for partners and customers to administrate and deploy solutions so they are operationally efficient and feel in control.
Ultimately, look beyond the obvious big tech offerings for more bespoke, progressive and transparent partners. The goal should be to push forward rather than revert to outdated approached or limit offerings to generalist technology.
The sensible path forward
Short-term thinking driven by ever hotter prevailing winds is almost certainly a mistake. The wheel will turn again, and priorities will come back around, especially as the planet warms and our energy needs exponentially increase.
In the meantime, sustainable infrastructure remains our best bet regardless, as until channel partners get their own personal nuclear reactors we are likely to be working within ever tighter resources. Using less space and less power, while meeting customer performance and budgetary needs is the only sensible way to go.
