5G is a hot discussion topic that is seeing increasing traction. And no wonder. With high-speed data performance touted at 1Gbps and faster, support for extreme deployment densities and wired network-like latency, it is seen as the linchpin for a new generation of revolutionary technologies such as robotics, augmented reality on mobile devices, and autonomous vehicles.
5G is Coming
What is 5G exactly? By making better use of the radio spectrum and relying on much higher frequencies, the fifth generation of mobile connectivity promises significantly faster upload and download speeds than the fastest 4G LTE deployment today.
Crucially, 5G is designed to support up to a million devices per square kilometre, 10 times that of 4G’s 100,000 devices. This means that 5G will have no problem supporting the largest sporting events, supporting the projected 75 billion IoT devices in 2025, or operating at full tilt in the densest cities in the world.
On the other hand, some benefits of 5G such as its low latency performance can be negated with inadequate backhaul or slow networks to backend servers. If you think in terms of the speed of light, the maximum distance to meet the 1ms latency specification of 5G translates to servers located not further than 160km away under perfect conditions.
Of course, the reality of routing networks means that this distance is often much shorter. Indeed, a recent 5G test in Chicago downloading a 4K movie over both 4G and 5G saw the latter only being slightly faster due to the distance of the source server. This is the primary reason why maximizing the potential of 5G will require the deployment of micro data centres deployed at the edge.
The Role of Micro Data Centres
But what are micro data centres? They are small data centres designed to meet today’s diverse and fluid IT requirements. They typically consist of just one to two server racks and could be as compact as a 6U rack that hung on the wall or located at the corner of the room.
Computing and storage are not compromised in a micro data centre – they pack a massive amount of each with the use of dense, converged infrastructure. One class of solutions that is increasingly popular for micro data centres would undoubtedly be “Data Centre in a Box” offerings such as those from APC by Schneider Electric.
In the context of 5G, micro data centres serve an important role by caching frequently accessed data as near to the 5G radio access network as possible. By building local clusters within a projected radius for 1ms latency, it becomes possible to deliver the full benefits of 5G networks. To support 5G globally, potentially millions of micro data centres might need to be deployed.
As you might expect, there has been a lively discussion over the years at Schneider Electric and the data centre industry in general on the theme of energy efficiency for large data centres. This topic is just as pertinent in a world where micro data centres are more prevalent than ever. Think about it: A 10KW reduction in energy use across 2,000 micro data centres adds up quickly to 20MW. That’s roughly US$4 million per year, which is not an inconsequential sum.
For now, our strategy is to help companies from cable TV service providers to IT firms and Internet giants to add value in the 5G ecosystem. We are focused on integrating the more efficient power hardware, safest enclosures, latest battery technology, and the most innovative cloud-based management systems. May the best player win!
Article by Bhagwati Prasad, Vice President, Business Development, Secure Power Division, International Operations, Schneider Electric
