NTT's Data Center Transformation: Elevating Efficiency, Scalability, and Sustainability

NTT DATA is a global company valued at $30 billion that provides IT and business services. They offer various services to help clients with their business and technology needs, including consulting, digital solutions, application development, and infrastructure services. NTT DATA also handles tasks such as managing data centers and business process outsourcing. With operations in over 80 countries, they focus on ensuring the success of their clients in the long run by combining their global presence with localized client service.

As NTT continues to raise the bar for excellence, its recently launched data center in Noida stands as a testament to its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and resilience. Situated in an eco-friendly zone and equipped with seismic bracing technology, this pioneering initiative reinforces NTT's position as a trailblazer in the field, ensuring uninterrupted operations and peace of mind for its clients amidst the uncertainties of the modern world.

In an exclusive interaction with Ciol, Shekhar Sharma, CEO & MD, NTT Global Data Centers India, and NTT Com India Network Services discussed the advancements in data center technologies and NTT's efforts to improve the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of its data centers.

In the context of evolving data center technologies, what investments is NTT making to enhance the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of its data centers?

In the field of data centers, significant changes are occurring in terms of technology, customer demographics, and the influence of AI and ML. Initially, from 2000 to 2010, data centers were primarily driven by internet-based services. Subsequently, cloud computing dominated from 2010 to 2020, with considerable growth driven by cloud service providers and larger companies. Now, in the current decade, we are witnessing even faster growth, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic triggering increased reliance on digital services. The adoption of AI and ML technologies is expected to further accelerate this growth. India is recognized as a strategic market for us to expand our business and provide high-quality services to major customers, along with robust infrastructure support for data center services.

How does NTT leverage cutting-edge technologies such as edge computing and AI within its data infrastructure?

AI is a buzzword nowadays, and you know, almost everything, like even our phones and watches, which we use regularly, incorporates some level of AI. So, what we do is we've been exploring how AI has significantly contributed to areas such as optimization of specialized skills handling large amounts of data, and synthesizing that into actionable knowledge.

AI has played a crucial role in converting data into useful knowledge, which in turn is utilized for decision-making processes. For instance, in data centers, we observe a trend where they are now capable of hosting larger infrastructures to support AI and ML technologies. Take, for example, our backend operations; previously, they relied heavily on manual processes, but with the increasing adoption of AI and new technologies, many operations have become more strategic and streamlined. This shift enables predictive analysis to be conducted more efficiently, driving higher levels of operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.

Combining all these aspects and adding a layer of intelligence through AI tools for information gathering and decision-making has indeed revolutionized the data center industry. Moreover, we're witnessing this transformation occurring at an accelerated pace.

How does NTT prioritize and enforce data governance practices to ensure the integrity, security, and compliance of the data it manages?

Yes, First of all, our data centers house very critical data. The safeguarding involves various measures, including physical security and software security protocols implemented within the data centers. We have a team of engineering resources and security experts who oversee how data is stored and protected within the data halls. We employ a variety of security tools to ensure compliance with payment and banking requirements for hosting data in data centers. Additionally, we continuously update our frameworks and tools for managing data within the data center environment. Leveraging our global reach and knowledge, we incorporate best practices into our operations in India to ensure the safety of our data centers both physically and in terms of connectivity.

As cloud services continue to evolve, how is NTT positioned to meet the growing demands of its clients, and what distinguishes NTT's approach in the competitive cloud services market?

The requirements for data centers are growing, and we're witnessing the entry of many new players into this space as they attempt to establish themselves. However, what sets us apart are a couple of key factors. Firstly, as a global player, we have access to knowledge and insights from various regions, which we leverage to stay ahead of the curve in India. This allows us to analyze and understand the evolving requirements and deliver state-of-the-art, sustainable data centers with cutting-edge technologies.

In our value chain, we offer consulting, design, construction, and operational expertise for data centers. This comprehensive approach ensures that we not only build but also run and optimize data centers efficiently. This journey of excellence is not a short-term endeavor but a continuous effort that NTT has undertaken globally. We aim to distinguish ourselves as market leaders by delivering high-quality services rather than merely making investments or promises.

Our focus is on providing innovative, sustainable, and scalable data centers that meet the highest standards. These are the key aspects I would like to emphasize.

Given the increasing threats to data security, what specific measures and protocols does NTT implement to safeguard the data it manages?

In our ethos, what we essentially do is employ state-of-the-art physical security measures alongside cutting-edge AI-driven monitoring and encryption mechanisms. NTT doesn't merely provide data centers; we also engage in various innovative endeavors. Our offerings extend to cloud solutions and software services as well.

So, we've developed numerous innovative security solutions. NTT Security, for instance, is one of the leading entities in this domain. We strive to deliver top-notch security services, not only at the physical level but also extending to server-level security, offered as services to our customers. Our solution portfolio includes secure-by-design offerings, encompassing tools such as SIEM, WAF, EDRs, MDRs, and others. Moreover, we provide expert engineering consulting to ensure the provision of state-of-the-art security services.

What more you would like to tell us about your recently launched data center in Noida?

We are quite proud of the data center that has been built in Noida because it's truly one-of-a-kind for the region. Firstly, the campus itself is situated in an eco-friendly zone with a good environment and readily available power supply. It's conveniently located near the IT zone and easily accessible. Moreover, it's a scalable campus, capable of expansion. We began with a 22.4-megawatt building and will soon follow up with a 30.4-megawatt facility adjacent to it.

What makes this data center exceptional is its resilience to seismic activity, a concern particularly pertinent to the North. Recognizing this vulnerability, we implemented seismic bracing technology, a first in the region. This technology ensures that even during significant earthquakes, the building remains intact, guaranteeing uninterrupted operations for all our clients.

To my knowledge, there are no similar initiatives in India, making us pioneers in this regard. This adds significant value to the region as it addresses a critical need for secure data centers capable of withstanding unforeseen events such as earthquakes. With the implementation of seismic dampers, clients can now have peace of mind regarding the continuity of their business operations, a promise NTG stands by.

Furthermore, this data center is seamlessly connected to our network of data centers across India, including Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai, bolstered by robust networks. Additionally, it is interconnected with the APAC region, ensuring seamless data flow.