The Role of AI and Robotics in IT Infrastructure
Automation has proven to drive improvements and efficiency gains within the data centre environment. Central to this automation is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in IT industry environments. These technologies provide decision-makers with 360-degree intelligence to meet growing data centre pressures and demands. While AI and robotics are valuable individually, their combination enables data centres to scale in line with customer demand and helps them meet efficiency targets.
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an advanced technology that enhances the pattern recognition capabilities of Machine Learning (ML). AI can perform planning, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluations. It can interpret data to deliver valuable insights and programmatically manage relevant areas, thereby streamlining operations, reducing costs, and improving safety protocols.
How are Robotics and AI Used in the IT Infrastructure Industry?
Robotics and AI are commonly utilised in the IT infrastructure industry to monitor and manage data centre environments, including servers, storage, and network components. This application improves efficiency and reduces downtime by automatically identifying and addressing issues before they become critical.
Data centres now leverage the intelligent decision-making capabilities provided by AI to ensure proactive, real-time monitoring of IT, facilities, and security components. Automation has evolved to introduce a new generation of robots capable of elevating data centre operations to new levels of security and efficiency
Some examples of their use include more innovative power and cooling infrastructure to drive energy savings, and monitoring network traffic to learn typical patterns of network activity while detecting anomalies. AI-powered robots can automatically log details such as air temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, providing engineers with information to decipher potential causes of downtime. These readings can be instantly accessible to engineers and customers for personalised information.
Robots can also enhance overall data centre operations by providing security checkpoints, such as biometric finger scanning or security entrance checks. They could also be deployed to verify the source of lost power or connectivity such as an unplugged cord, or an open door, allowing hot and cold air to mix. Both examples are scenarios where Robots could save both time and money for the organisation.
The wider use of AI in the IT infrastructure sector has been driven by the rise of cloud technologies and advancements in computing resources. Cloud delivery models, like Software as a Service, have elevated the role of AI in cloud computing. Cloud-based subscriptions have also given rise to other solutions, benefiting organisations and robot manufacturers. We are now witnessing more examples of robot-as-a-service deployments in cloud computing environments. Our next article, The Benefits of AI and Robotics in IT Infrastructure, takes a deeper dive into the specific benefits they offer.