Monday11 November 2024
inbusinesskz.com

An oasis in the fintech world: OpenYard made computing power truly eco-friendly at FINOPOLIS 2024.

The company showcased the capabilities of its manufacturing complex to forum attendees and discussed green technologies in IT infrastructures.
OpenYard на FINOPOLIS 2024: оазис в финтехе, где вычислительные мощности стали по-настоящему экологичными.

Photo: Oleg UMAROV

The FINOPOLIS 2024 forum has concluded in Sochi, attracting banking professionals and fintech representatives year after year to discuss the latest trends in digital financial technologies. This year, the server equipment manufacturer OpenYard made its debut as an exhibitor, showcasing the capabilities of its production complex, discussing green technologies in IT infrastructures, and treating guests to traditional Ryazan desserts.

OpenYard is a young company that blends the experience of IT giants in the Russian market with the spirit of a startup. These qualities have enabled this Moscow-based server manufacturer to quickly become one of the key suppliers of server solutions for Russian businesses. Even if you haven't heard of OpenYard before, you have likely used services powered by their servers.

OpenYard's server solutions are produced in the Ryazan Technopark, located in the Ryazan region. Here, former fields have become home to responsible technologies for the technopark's residents, and in 2023, the first block of the production complex was completed, capable of producing over 60,000 units of server products annually, including printed circuit boards, servers, and even server racks. These products are created from scratch in a full-cycle manufacturing process, making them a true Ryazan product. Just like the Ryazan kalinnik, which was offered for tasting at OpenYard's booth during the main part of the FINOPOLIS exhibition. This traditional dessert made from bird cherry and wheat flour became one of the most popular treats at the forum.

Photo: Oleg UMAROV

At the FINOPOLIS 2024 forum-exhibition, the OpenYard team presented two stands: in the "Present" and "Future" zones. While the company focused more on its current achievements, capabilities, and products in the present, it shared insights on how data centers can contribute to a better and more sustainable future.

OpenYard's truly green and relevant stand featured a cozy lounge area where forum guests could hold informal meetings and learn more about the ESG agenda in data center construction. The themes of sustainability and corporate responsibility are not new, but they remain equally important and pressing. This is not just another trend, but a genuine challenge for Russian tech companies. Environmental protection is a key priority for businesses. With the increasing demand for computing power, which is essential for any banking or financial service, the number of data centers being constructed is also rising. These facilities are always associated with various environmental challenges, whether it's waste disposal or the use of renewable energy sources. With a responsible approach, these issues can be easily addressed and transformed into business advantages.

OpenYard genuinely cares about the environment. As noted by Evgeny Borisov, a technical specialist at OpenYard, during his presentation at the FINOPOLIS 2024 business program, the company strives for optimization and sustainability in everything it does. For instance, it uses reusable packaging for server racks—large stands that house the very server solutions. Standing two meters tall, the racks necessitate sizable packaging. However, OpenYard has devised a solution that allows for the safe and efficient transportation of large and valuable cargo without needing to dispose of the packaging after each delivery.

Photo: Oleg UMAROV

Surrounded by greenery and situated almost at the center of the "Future" zone, OpenYard's stand served as a true oasis of sustainability—among the foliage stood a moss-covered server rack. This choice was intentional. Not everyone knows that a server is the backbone of any IT infrastructure. All our services, applications, websites, and much more require computing power—small computers that perform complex operations every second, enabling us to hail a taxi, order groceries, or simply surf the web. To facilitate the maintenance and operation of servers, they are housed in those very server racks. Large clusters of these racks are located in data centers, which represent the fundamental unit of a complex and multi-layered IT infrastructure.

Data centers often become sources of various pollutants: complex logistics processes, heating or cooling of machine rooms housing the racks, as well as electronic waste generated during the production of printed circuit boards for servers. The overall impact of these factors poses a significant threat to the environment, for which businesses are accountable. However, the development of modern server solutions, the application of innovative technologies, and the search for new approaches can help rectify the situation and change the world for the better. This is precisely what OpenYard aims to achieve.