INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Back in 2014, Lenovo acquired IBM’s server line and in the years since, the Lenovo Data Center Group has continued to innovate and invest
Recently the unit has been working on edge computing and IoT solutions while creating hardware subscription models for the enterprise. To
learn more about Lenovo’s data center business, TheIndianSubcontinent Pro spoke with Per Overgaard, the executive director for Lenovo’s
Data Center Group, EMEA. Can you tell us a little about what your role as Executive Director of Lenovo’s Data Center Group EMEA
entails?As the Executive Director of Lenovo’s Data Centre Group (DCG) in EMEA, I lead a team of technical specialists, architects and
product managers who support our partners, customers and sales teams
Our expertise covers general data centre infrastructure as well as high performance computing, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things,
Edge Computing, storage, software and Software Defined Networking and service providers. My role allows me to spend a lot of time with our
customers in order to further my understanding of their daily problems and pain points
We use these insights to inform how Lenovo can tailor services to meet these demands in a bespoke manner
To overcome their data storage challenges, we provide technology that simplifies the deployment and management of data, future-proofs their
infrastructure, and provides agility and speed around enterprise applications. Your company entered the data center market after acquiring
IBM’s x86 server business in 2014
What progress have you made and what challenges have you encountered in the data center market?Over the last five years we have built a
complete data centre portfolio based on a strong foundation of compute, storage and networking hardware and services
We have also developed a broad set of engineered solutions designed for specific workloads including AI, Blockchain, DevOps, and Big Data
Our work has produced an efficient supply chain that can operate on a global level
Some of our achievements have also come through important partnerships, such as Intel, Microsoft, AMD, VMware, NetApp, Nutanix and many
others, which help to provide our customers with choice. We have also pioneered world-leading innovation, such as our liquid cooling energy
efficient technology, Neptune, or our consumption based, as-a-service, subscription model offering, Truscale™ Infrastructure Services
We are breaking world records, too
Lenovo is ranked first for performance for x86 servers with records across 155 global workloads as well as being first in reliability for
x86 servers, which we have retained for many years
We are also the highest ranked company on the Top 500 list for supercomputing with 173 placements. (Image credit: Christiana Morillo /
Pexels)What are the key differences between the UK, EU and US data centre markets?The UK, EU and US data centre markets are differentiated
by their unique customers that have needs specific to their region
This is characterised by the fact that certain industries are more prevalent in their respective markets
For instance, the oil and gas industry is Norway’s largest sector and accounts for 16 percent of the country’s GDP
Certain other industries are prominent in different markets
For example, the automotive sector is a main feature of the German economy, much like the banking sector in the UK.The European data centre
market is rapidly growing however the region experiences unique challenges that don’t exist in the US
The numerous different languages and currencies stretching across Europe can cause business complications when it comes to contracting and
multi-national product pricing
The countless borders that exist in Europe also create further difficulties around data sovereignty between countries
The introduction of GDPR however has allowed the EU to unify its data protection laws and add clarity across borders.Furthermore, Europe has
less space when compared with the US
This means that data centre providers must be more creative and flexible with their data centre designs in order to make the most of space
However, certain countries in Europe offer natural benefits when it comes to building data centre infrastructure
Places near the Arctic Circle, including Sweden, have seen multiple new data centres built
This is because its stable geography is ideal for data centre infrastructure due to extremely low risk of earthquakes
The cold climate also means an energy saving on cooling.Earlier this year you launched Lenovo TruScale Infrastructure Services
How have your customers responded to being able to purchase infrastructure-as-a-service and what are your plans for this business going
forward?I am convinced that all customers will eventually pay for technology using a consumption-based model
In my mind, the concept of ‘everything as a service’ is true
In the future customers will subscribe to infrastructure rather than buying it
The only question is how and when this will happen.IDC research shows us that 63 percent of IT buyers say that when selecting an IT
infrastructure provider, the availability of flexible payment options or pay-per-use is very important to them
So, we’ve tried to address this with TruScale
It’s a consumption based, subscription offering that allows customers to use and pay for data center hardware and services – on-premise
or at a customer-preferred location – without having to purchase the equipment
This means that customers never take capital ownership of the hardware or other IT assets and pay for what they use each month as part of
their operating expenses, with no required minimum capacity commitment
Also, this capacity can be scaled up or down to accommodate business needs, ensuring IT infrastructure is flexible and scalable at all times
Our customers are eager to learn how Lenovo TruScale differentiates from other vendors in the market
It’s a conversation that we need to have with them, to help them understand how we estimate risk, how we provide the service and how our
We can then work together to build a foundation for mutual success. How does Lenovo plan to bring edge computing into the telco
space?Lenovo introduced the ThinkSystem SE350 earlier this year, a compact edge server that is slightly larger than one of our ThinkPad
It’s a micro server that is designed to go anywhere, such as the rack, a wall, or even a shelf, and it can handle 0-55oC, 30G shock and 3G
It also has zero touch setup, full remote management, enhanced security facilities such as tamper detection and encrypted data protection,
and even wired, Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity.In terms of how we are bringing this to market, we have a dedicated specialist team who understand
our clients’ needs and challenges
We believe that for telco customers, and indeed other customers, the SE350 will help them to innovate
We are confident that with the wireless and 4/5G connectivity options, we have a platform with the SE350 where customers can run enterprise
applications in environments where no IT skills are present
This exemplifies our common goal to supply smarter technology for all by providing organisations with no previous infrastructure with
connectivity. Gartner predicts that by 2022, 75 percent of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside a traditional
centralised data center or the cloud
This in turn will increase customer concerns around data privacy, security, and regulations, coupled with challenges of latency, bandwidth,
connectivity and downtime
So with our edge server we are answering customers needs, and we can help them reduce the time of deployment too, such as the solution we
provided with Scale Computing for Delhaize, the food retailer based in the Netherlands
(Image credit: Barcelona Supercomputer)Can you tell us about your company’s work with supercomputers and high-performance
computing?We’ve worked hard to become the number one provider in the Top 500 supercomputers list
We have done this by working with institutions such as Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) on their SuperMUC Phase 2 supercomputer
Its researchers can now run larger simulations and receive quicker results which in turn help to solve some of humanity’s greatest
challenges, such as improving cancer treatments and predicting earthquakes
Our technology is also helping them to save 40 percent in operating costs with our water-cooling technology. We also worked with the
Barcelona Supercomputer (BSC) on their MareNostrum4 supercomputer, who by using the latest technology from Lenovo were able to push the
boundaries of human knowledge by analysing thousands of human genes and isolated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia mutations down to just four
We know we have software and hardware platforms that deliver outstanding quality and performance, but our biggest asset is our people
The experts we have in HPC at Lenovo provide the hard work and dedication behind the technology. As IoT adoption continues to increase, do
you think hardware manufacturers are ready to start taking the security of connected devices more seriously?The security of connected
devices must be taken very seriously by all hardware manufacturers
Without security, manufacturers run the risk of devices losing their connections to the data centre
If devices are locked out of data centres, we miss the opportunities IoT data present
IDC estimates there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices generating 79.4zb of data by 2025
That’s a massive explosion in data and devices, and security is imperative
That’s why we included both cyber and physical security features with the SE350, so if anyone tries to open it or tamper with it, the
storage encryption keys are disabled, and no one can access the data without authorisation.(Image credit: Shutterstock)Where do you see the
data centre market moving in the next five years and are there any new technologies you’re particularly excited about?Edge computing, 5G
and AI are the greatest opportunities for the data centre at present. 5G is going to enable some regions, which currently have little
connectivity due to lack of infrastructure, to really excel in the future
5G will create an advantage over other markets and be innovative with their IoT devices, because the bandwidth we will be able to deliver
will be 5-10 times faster than with 4G. Edge computers will further enable connectivity and the use of cloud computing which will in turn
lead to an increased use of artificial intelligence as well as the improved collection and analysis of data
This will allow customers to drive innovation through increased efficiency. u8i4msMW4MPqVsZTrvCwBM.jpg?#
