Virtual Reality for Data Centers – A Competitive Advantage

We work with a host of clients, helping them bring massive spaces, data and physical assets into the digital world. The technology makes it possible for anyone, located anywhere in the world, to explore their space in both 3D and virtual reality (VR). Tens to hundreds of thousands of square feet – and all of the details and assets inside and out – can be at your fingertips online, with varied levels of access to provide any audience the amount of detail they require. 

It was exciting to see Flexential (formerly Peak 10 + Viawest) using VR at a trade show, where the company was able to bring their Gen 4 data center facility along for the ride. A conference attendee would enter the Flexential booth, strap on a pair of Oculus Rift VR goggles, and take an in-depth tour of a Flexential data center, complete with an in-tour quiz to help people learn more about how the facility operates or be fully immersed in 360° panoramas.

No kidding – there was a line of people waiting to take the virtual tour. And it generated buzz and interest – exactly what you want at a tradeshow. VR opens up the door to many potential applications for data center operations, facilities management

It seems next year is perpetually the year that VR will take off. But business applications for VR are here today, and they are happening all around us. The hardware is getting cheaper, more and more people are excited and see the value (beyond gaming and entertainment), and the costs to get into VR – once restrictive – are now easily within reach for enterprise companies as well as for small- and medium-sized businesses.

Where I see the greatest application today is for VR to support sales and marketing teams. The trade show environment is a perfect example. But we’ve also seen clients be successful with using VR tours of future facilities to get the jump on sales, giving prospective clients the ability to take a deep dive into a new data center months or even years before the actual facility is built and operational. 

But tomorrow, as digital transformation continues to moves forward, the value of VR will shine with planning, operations and facilities teams being able to manage digital twins of assets, jump between locations across the globe, train new employees in the virtual environment, and manage and troubleshoot facilities, reducing the number of physical visits required and making it a whole lot easier to get a big-picture view on equipment, status, and company-wide needs. 

Not everyone is going to jump at the chance to explore a data center in VR. But we’ve seen VR used as a competitive recruiting tool for athletes, students, research scientists and in several other industries. I see no reason why the same wouldn’t apply to reach professionals seeking the best data center to support their needs.

The use of VR at data centers is already happening and is only going to become more common. The efficiencies from VR can expedite sales process, make it easier to keep track of assets and give prospective clients, as well as staff and new employees, access to what they need in an intuitive, visual format.

Imagine going to an in-person meeting with a professional who’s interested in your data center. You bring a pair of VR goggles and your computer – with your entire facility – and perhaps even some custom server rack layouts in 3D, ready to share. Alternatively, you can send out an inexpensive pair of VR goggles for a mere $20 with a link to access a VR tour of the data center, along with one or two custom, 3D layout options that can be viewed in first-person. Either way, the experience will not only give them a memorable experience tied to your facility but also demonstrate that you’re on the cutting edge of technology, ready to support their success.

Data centers are constantly planning ahead, preparing for the constant increase in need, which will only continue to increase as the Internet of Things grows and companies accelerate their digital transformations. With VR, planned or under construction spaces can be profiled years before completion, giving event and meeting planners a real-life idea about how they can take advantage of the space down the line. Being able to show future space is a big advantage.

VR has many applications within the data center industry, from marketing and sales, facilities, operations and logistics, to profiling future building and new spaces that will soon be available to clients. ‹