What is missing from prediction of Top 5 Green Data Center Trends in 2011? Words of wisdom from a conversation with Olivier Sanche

TriplePundit has a post on the Top 5 trends in Green Data Center in 2011.

Top Five Trends for Green Data Centers in 2011

By Kathryn Siranosian | January 18th, 2011 3 Comments

Last year, Triple Pundit took an in-depth look at how companies are greening their data centers.

Now, it’s time for us to revisit that issue and ask, “What’s new?”

What’s the list of top 5?

1. Continued emphasis on efficiency –with a twist.

2. Improving business flow through virtualization and cloud computing.

3. Modularity.

4. Innovative design and design integration.

5. Continued evolution of certification and regulation.

But does this list really help you green the data center?  Something is missing.  Something more important.  Then, it came to me as I am researching stories for a eulogy I’ll give for Olivier Sanche’s memorial service.  A method that Olivier practiced – a passion to drive for a complete system that works and is better than the rest.  Which now that I am writing this makes sense why Olivier fit in Apple’s culture and admired Steve Jobs when he read about the company 20 years ago.  Olivier had the same passion for data centers that Steve Jobs has for consumer products.

Read this story shared by Nic Bustamente.  You’ll get the idea.

I was lucky enough to meet with Olivier a few weeks before his passing. We conversed about many issues. I was always amazed how he ably wore so many hats. Many folks in the industry wear one or a few hats, but Olivier wore them all so well. We fondly discussed typical data center guy stuff – outages, uptime, maintenance, design, construction – it went on for hours. Throughout the discussion he never seemed to tire. Olivier was ten years my senior, and I was starting to wear out. It was both embarrassing and humbling. I was battling bronchitis, (which later developed in to pneumonia) but we kept talking!  He continued asking me pointed and highly in depth questions. I was honestly starting to get pretty physically tired, but he was so mentally engaging I didn’t want it to end, and he kept me on my toes. It always amazed me how enthused and lively he could be with his energy – his questions and the discussion kept me going. We started discussing our various company’s positions and learned that later on that month we were due to meet up again at an industry event. We talked about how many in the industry present the same thing every year, how things don’t change too often, or as much as we would like. There are very few folks in this world who drive real change, and even fewer who embrace it. Of those among us who are agents of both, Olivier was one who you could always count on to do so intelligently and thoroughly, but most importantly, without ego. His was always a passionately genuine and humanistic approach. I am glad we had the opportunity to talk one last time, and I will always cherish the final experience.

I have a hard time thinking about it, cause every time I do I start to honestly cry. I didn’t think in a million years we would have to say goodbye like this.