While essentially all elements of the data center have seen dramatic improvements in architecture over the decades, basic server design hasn’t changed since the introduction of the X86 some 40-odd years ago. Software design and the nature of workloads has changed dramatically, and are no longer being served well by the existing infrastructure.

On top of this data centers are accounting for more and more of the world’s energy consumption to the point of complete unsustainability.

We ask our panelists what is needed to update the status quo for data centers to meet the demands of modern software design, while meeting the challenge of massive scale without overwhelming the energy grid. What modern software design is needed to maximize performance?