Perth Convention 2024

One of the key features of the Information Age is the use of computing technologies to ensure the reach and availability of information anywhere, anytime and immediately.

How can networks, cloud, data centre and Edge evolve to help make this happen?

Our Principal Keynote will look at these questions in the context of Western Australia’s requirements and operating environments.

Cloud computing is considered to offer users agility, flexibility and efficiency in the digital economy and this looks set to continue – according to Grand View Research, the worldwide public cloud services market is forecast to grow 14.1% p.a. from 2023 to 2030.

Yet cloud is not immobile; which customer needs will drive the next wave of cloud computing, and how will the forms in which cloud is made available and specific services develop?

This keynote will consider the future paths for cloud providers and their possible future innovation and illustrate their projections through illustration and case studies.

Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre is home to Australia’s leadership-class research HPC system, Setonix – the Southern Hemisphere’s most powerful, energy efficient supercomputer, and a national hub for HPC and quantum computing.  Pawsey also provides essential HPC and data services supporting radioastronomy, including the now under construction Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

This keynote will explore sustainable supercomputing; through design and engineering, sustainable power and optimised use in a national research facility.  Pawsey strives to achieve sustainable supercomputing and has operated geothermal cooling and renewable energy infrastructure for a decade and is currently hosting thermal battery technology to prove operational capability. Pawsey is also exploring novel approaches to optimise applications and codes for scientific discovery including accounting for computing resources in units of energy rather than in compute ‘cycles’.

This presentation will explore the integration of digital healthcare solutions in rural and remote settings, focusing on the creation of holistic, sustainable, and patient-centric services. Dr. Ferreira will discuss the implementation of alternative healthcare facilities, advanced software solutions, AI integration and dynamic reporting systems. These integrations are designed to improve healthcare delivery by managing outcomes more effectively and addressing the unique challenges faced by rural and remote settings and communities.

Necessity is said to be the mother of invention and some of the environments, conditions and locations in which mining and other resource industries operate have led to innovation in adapting computing, networks and their deployment.

What requirements will drive the next wave of innovation in this industry in regards to its collection, processing and use of data?

The discussion panel will discuss the technologies, methods and the infrastructure that are emerging and their relevance and application beyond the mining and resources sectors.

The drive towards denser, more powerful computational infrastructure is unavoidable in today’s rapidly advancing digital landscape. With the advent of 5G, AI technologies, and increasing data centre densities, traditional air-based cooling systems are fast reaching their limits.

This keynote will explore the pivotal role of liquid cooling technologies in addressing these challenges. Drawing on the latest industry trends and research, we will delve into the reasons behind the shift towards liquid cooling solutions, examining technological drivers and environmental imperatives.

We will discuss how liquid cooling not only enhances efficiency and control but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint of data centers, aligning with global sustainability goals. The benefits of these technologies are not only in their efficiency but also in their contribution to environmental sustainability, making them a crucial part of the future of data centre cooling.

This expert panel will look at a number of the key technologies and I.T. innovations that are likely to come onto the market in the near and longer-term future.

Which will contribute most to the challenges currently faced in the management and operation of both data centers and other forms of digital infrastructure? In what ways will they do so?

How can one of the world’s oldest board games help shape the drive today towards data center and tech sustainability?

In a situation where every decision impacts sustainability in some way or another, the principles of ‘Go’ offer fresh insights into the challenges of balancing requirements of efficiency and resilience.  Dr Silvia Lozeva will illustrate how the 2500-year-old game cultivates strategic mastery, nurturing a mindset crucial for navigating the complexities of modern data center management.

Sustainability covers a wide range of E.S.G. activities and as pressures continue to mount on companies and on their digital infrastructure to deliver more sustainable outcomes, so the processes of planning, build and operation become more complex. How is it possible to draw up a realistic, achievable and acceptable strategy? How also is it possible to monitor progress? How adequate are the metrics and standards for doing this?  And how accurately are the wider impacts of digital infrastructure factored in?

This keynote will take an analytic look at how the objectives and delivery of data center and cloud sustainability will play out in the future as well as reviewing the assumptions and thinking that underpin current practices.

Western Australia’s location facing key growth economies to the north, north-west and west across the Indian Ocean represents considerable opportunities for the State’s resource, manufacturing and service sectors.

What role will the State’s digital infrastructure play in this and what role will they play in enabling local exporters to compete regionally?

The end panel will consider a variety of possible opportunities as well as the role of local IT and data centre providers in realising these opportunities and growing their own role across the region.