Top 10: Emerging Technologies in Data Centres

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Data Centre Magazine showcases some of the key emerging technologies in the data centre industry
We look at some of the most high-profile emerging technologies within the data centre industry in 2025 so far and the companies that are deploying them

In order to keep up with rising demands, data centres have now become a pillar of digital transformation, helping to provide the infrastructure for emerging technologies. Yet, they are also having to bolster their own design to strengthen their power capabilities and guarantee customer satisfaction and maximum uptime.

Digital solutions for data centres can help to improve business operations, simplify hardware, lower operational costs and provide valuable insights.

With this in mind, Data Centre Magazine showcases some of the key emerging technologies in the sector that are improving operational efficiency and showcasing the best the wider technology sector has to offer.

10. Server virtualisation

Virtualisation can increase IT agility

Company in focus: VMware

Data centre virtualisation is the transfer of physical data centres into digital data centres using a cloud software platform. Through this process, operators can create a modern data centre that is highly scalable, available and secure.

Through this, IT agility is increased which creates a foundation for private and public cloud services to be managed alongside traditional on-premises infrastructure.

VMware is a data centre company that offers a range of benefits with its virtualisation capabilities, including supporting future evolution with its software stack, eliminating the need for vertical infrastructure silos.

9. Automation

Data centre automation can be immensely valuable to businesses

Company in focus: UiPath

​​​​​​​Data centre automation is the process of automating the routine workflows and processes of a data centre. This includes scheduling, monitoring, maintenance and application delivery.

Automation also aims to increase agility and operational efficiency, in addition to reducing the time IT needs to perform routine tasks. This is valuable to businesses because it frees up human computational time.

For instance, UiPath’s Automation Cloud platform supports automation work in one place, whilst offering opportunities for both public and private sector customers and partners to improve digital strategy.

8. 5G

5G can contribute to cloud and sustainability solutions

Company in focus: Intel

5G can help improve operational efficiency within a data centre, particularly as demand for data processing and communications services is rising throughout the industry. For instance, combining 5G and data centres at the edge can help industries tap into low latency, high speeds and large bandwidth that 5G can offer.

Innovative 5G can also contribute to cloud and sustainability solutions. Companies like Intel have been expanding its 5G core readiness for some time across industries and applications in the data centre sector to transform 5G networks from the cloud to the edge.

7. Intelligent monitoring

Monitoring can help to optimise a data centre

Company in focus: ABB

Operating at the base of a data centre system, intelligent monitoring improves data gathering and real-time prediction of system response. It can also help indicate where supply and demand can be optimised, which is beneficial as technologies like AI take hold of the sector.

ABB offers a diverse portfolio of digital solutions that provide deep component-level visibility of each asset as part of a data centre. This is able to support a more pro-active maintenance strategy that can save time and resources. 

6. Renewables

Renewable energy in data centres includes solar, wind and geothermal power

Company in focus: Ark Data Centres

Data centres are increasingly obliged to source electricity from renewable sources to stop guzzling power and be more sustainable. Transitioning to renewable energy, or building facilities with renewable materials, has been deemed vital for the industry to continue thriving without putting pressure on the grid.

Ark Data Centres has been at the forefront of addressing this challenge since its inception in 2005. The company has been integrating renewable energy sources into its operations from the very beginning and continues to find new ways to reduce environmental impact, which you can read in our report HERE.

5. Heat reuse technology

Heat reuse could help organisations to be more efficient

Company in focus: atNorth

As data centres are having to work harder to cater to demand, they are generating excess heat that could have detrimental impacts on the planet. Therefore, using excess heat from facilities could be a solution to the energy crisis, whilst ensuring organisations are more efficient.

For example, excess heat could be repurposed to heat houses and business buildings, thereby generating less waste and energy use. This, however, often relies on the support of local authorities.

Leading data centre company atNorth is already implementing the technology in Iceland to help meet AI and high-performance computing (HPC) needs in a more environmentally-friendly way.

4. Hybrid cloud

A hybrid data centre is an evolution strategy

Company in focus: Oracle

Hybrid cloud environments are designed to create new digital possibilities for data centres, whilst opening the door to cost-effective scalability, flexibility and modernisation. Hybrid data centres are an evolution strategy that allows organisations to create the right mix of cloud and traditional IT to suit their needs.

Plenty of businesses are working towards hybrid cloud solutions for their data centres. For instance, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a next-generation cloud designed to run any application in a way that is fast and secure. Users can operate with control over data, with Oracle delivering the cloud to customer data centres and edge locations.

3. Liquid cooling

Plenty of data centres are pioneering liquid cooling solutions

Company in focus: Telehouse

Arguably one of the most significant trends in current data centre development, data centre companies are starting to look more towards liquid cooling technologies. 

Liquid cooling itself refers to the use of liquid to lower the temperature of CPUs and GPUs in order to make processes more environmentally friendly amid the global climate crisis. The use of liquid cooling within data centres has been celebrated for its potential to improve energy efficiency. Additionally, it offers the possibility of redirecting excess heat to other purposes, such as commercial or residential heating.

In January 2025, Telehouse partnered with four cooling technology vendors to launch a liquid cooling lab at its London data centre to help customers explore innovation opportunities.

2. Edge computing

Edge computing distributes computing resources closer to the data source

Company in focus: Microsoft Azure

HPE defines edge computing as an edge data centre that is found closest to devices and end users as part of a distributed edge computing infrastructure. 

In contrast to traditional cloud computing, edge computing distributes computing resources closer to the data source, which then offers several advantages, including reduced latency, improved bandwidth utilisation and enhanced privacy and security.

Edge computing has emerged as a promising solution for big data management and analysis. 

Microsoft Azure's edge division, Azure Private Multi-Access Edge Compute (MEC), plays a crucial role in extending the reach of Azure's capabilities to the network's edge. 

These services also provide the ability to extend Azure services to on-premises edge devices.

1. AI

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Company in focus: Meta

AI remains a very desirable technology within the data centre industry, with data centre clients very eager to continue pushing for investments in the technology. As a result, data centre operators are having to find new ways to build the infrastructure to support these systems and provide enough power for AI without compromising on sustainability targets.

This technology is already revolutionising the data centre industry, offering new capabilities such as predictive analytics to help automate routine operations and streamline tasks. 

In such an era of AI-enabled digital transformation, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced via Facebook that the company is planning to build a 2GW data centre with more than 1.3 million Nvidia AI GPUs.

As part of this, he states that Meta will also be investing US$65bn in AI in 2025, hoping to solidify its position as a global technology leader and expand upon its offerings.


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