Are The Hyperscalers Using Refurbished IT Hardware?

The hyperscalers are the largest tech companies in the world, and include companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. They operate enormous data centres that power a massive amount of the internet and the services that we all use.

What is a Hyperscaler?

In short, a hyperscaler is a business that runs enormous data centres that are used to deploy and manage large-scale applications. A key component of a hyperscaler is their ability to handle enormous amounts of data efficiently, allowing everyone else to benefit from a seamless online experience.

The difference between a hyperscaler and a regular data centre can be seen in the name – the scale. The size of these data centres is at such a huge level that the way they are fundamentally designed is different. This is also done in part to accommodate for rapid growth, meaning that they can continuously add more devices and hardware to increase capacity.

The Elephant in the Room – Environmental Impact

Data centres require a large amount of equipment and power to operate, and this is only multiplied when it comes to hyperscalers. A study from 2020[i] found that some of the world’s largest data centres can house tens of thousands of devices and require over 100 megawatts of power.

It is also important to note that this data is from before AI had truly hit the mainstream like it has today, which has been a major factor in the explosion of data centre sizes in recent years.

The top 10 hyperscalers accounted for more than half of the global data centre capital expenditure, largely due to investments in artificial intelligence[ii]. These investments include expanding structures, as well as upgrading existing hardware to cope with the new workload, which again will require more energy to run. This disregard of excessive usage needs to be addressed, and the hyperscalers are aware.

Minimising Their Impact

Size is certainly one of the primary issues with hyperscalers, but it also provides opportunities for a solution. Large data centres are beginning to look into onsite power generation that operate independently from the main power grid, helping to reduce the strain on surrounding areas. Renewable energies are also a popular choice, such as solar and wind. Renewable energy helps to reduce the footprint and impact of a data centre. Energy efficiency has also helped to lower the overall energy usage. Strategies such as adaptive cooling and heat recovery systems that allow the reuse of waste heat for a multitude of tasks, such as heating nearby buildings, homes or offices.

Refurbished Hardware in Hyperscalers

All the aforementioned changes are great; however, they do not address a large part of the issue. Not only does the constant increase in scale require a constant increase in hardware, but also the requirement to facilitate AI has caused many data centres to replace existing equipment that was otherwise in perfect working order.

This issue is not going unnoticed, and hyperscalers are actively trying to change for the better through utilising refurbished technology[iii]. Refurbished technology reduces e-waste, as well as the requirement to manufacture new devices.

Microsoft put themselves at the forefront of refurbished data centres with their circular centres, dedicated to reusing and repurposing IT hardware. It isn’t just Microsoft though, when looking at the requirements that they need from hardware, other hyperscalers are realising that refurbished can do the job they need it to, especially for non-critical workloads.

Using refurbished hardware benefits the hyperscalers in more ways th an one. Refurbished hardware provides a cost-effective alternative to new while still outputting solid performance, even matching new hardware in a like-for-like comparison.

If it’s Good Enough for the Hyperscalers...

The hyperscalers, by nature of what they do, demand the absolute maximum performance of their hardware. If these businesses that can deploy large scale services can trust refurbished hardware to get the job done, then so can you.

Techbuyer has 20 years of experience in refurbished IT, meaning we have a wealth of knowledge and insight to offer your business when it comes to utilising refurbished equipment in the way that suits you best. Contact our team to find out more.