Role of Copper in Data Centres
India is experiencing rapid digitisation , emerging as a fast-growing digital economy . Most cloud services are based in the West , leading to concerns over data sovereignty and security.
What are Data Centres?
A data centre is a facility that houses computing infrastructure such as servers, storage systems, and networking equipment to store, process, and manage data. These centres are essential for running online services, cloud computing, and digital operations.
Importance of Data Centres in India
- Supports Digital Economy – Essential for e-commerce, banking, and government digital initiatives.
- Data Localisation – Ensures compliance with laws like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act .
- Boosts AI & Cloud Computing – Helps industries leverage advanced technologies.
- Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Challenges – Requires improved power management to reduce environmental impact.
Government Initiatives to Boost Data Centres
- Government initiatives promote local data centres to ensure data privacy & security , aligning with laws like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act .
- 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) allowed in data centres.
- Special Economic Zone (SEZ) benefits & tax incentives to attract investment.
Concentration of Data Centres in India
- 90% of India’s data centres are located in five major
cities :
- Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad (due to power reliability & IT infrastructure).
- Data centres are energy-intensive , requiring constant power for servers & networking equipment.
Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) & Energy Efficiency
- PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) measures data centre
energy efficiency (Lower PUE
= More efficiency).
- India’s average PUE: 1.5 - 1.8 (higher than global benchmarks).
- Europe: 1.2 - 1.3
- Japan: 1.62
- Need to reduce PUE by improving electrical systems & cooling technologies.
Role of Copper in Data Centres
- Copper is vital due to its high thermal & electrical conductivity .
-
Benefits of Copper Usage:
- Reduces energy losses in cooling & power systems.
- Enhances reliability & efficiency .
- Global Copper Consumption in Data Centres:
- US, Europe, China: 36-40 tonnes per megawatt .
- India: 18 tonnes per megawatt (scope for improvement).
Way Forward for India
- Improve energy efficiency in data centres by adopting global best practices .
- Increase copper usage to enhance reliability & performance.
- Invest in sustainable energy solutions for data centre operations.
- Strengthen local infrastructure to support growth in digital services.
Prelims Questions
1. Which of the following is a major cybersecurity concern for data centres?
- Increasing dependency on renewable energy sources
- Data breaches and hacking attempts
- High costs of server maintenance
- Lack of global trade agreements
2. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act in India primarily aims to:
- Restrict all foreign investments in data centres
- Regulate the processing of personal data within India
- Prevent artificial intelligence use in data analytics
- Provide tax exemptions for cloud computing services
