JOIN US FOR GCDCS22
Resilient + Sustainable
DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE 4.0
Growing + Greening
the Global Net-Zero
Circular Digital Economy
Join us for the 5th Annual GCDCS
Five days of Interactive Engagement.
Knowledge Sharing. Conversation.
Contribution. Community.
Hosted by SmartNations Foundation
ONLINE 5 DAYS
Interactive Livestream Sessions
Virtual Village Marketplace Expo Hall
On-Demand Encore Presentations
ONSITE 1 DAY
In-Person + Livestream
McMaster (University) Innovation Park (MIP)
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Infrastructure 4.0 (DI4.0)
At its highest and best, DX differentiates from Digitalization in that the new business value created was either never before possible or is exponentially greater in value than what came before. The data centre and DI now require their own Industry 4.0 moment to meet the demands of IoT Edge-to-Cloud DX.
Digital Sustainability
DI4.0 powers the "Digital-First Era."
DX has an impact on sustainability via decarbonization as value continuously shifts from material atoms to data bits and analytics. The journey to net-zero is top of the agenda as organizations strive to balance efforts to curtail emissions while achieving healthy economic performance.
Digital Resilience
The velocity and scale-up of Digital Transformation (DX), Industry 4.0, continues to accelerate. The full IT, Facilities + Power stack of modern “Smart” Digital Infrastructure is continuously presented with a myriad of resilience + availability + security challenges.
Imagining + Innovating the Resilient + Secure Net-Zero DI4.0 to Power the Future
Direct + indirect digital transformation convergence with net-zero, circular + regenerative economics
What is the new ethical role for Investors + Capital Markets + Developers + Colo + Cloud Platform Providers?
Direct + indirect DX convergence with net-zero, circular + regenerative economics
How do Developers, Owners + Operators view their responsibilities for clean energy + embodied carbon
Potential social + economic impacts of smart nations’ resilient, sustainable DI4.0
Digital Transformation Converges with Circular, Net-Zero Economics
Forecasting for DI4.0 in the era of global Industry 4.0 + XR/Metaverse + quantum compute across all sectors
Reports + global DI4.0 implications of COP27, 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference - Egypt, Nov. ‘22
Challenges and opportunities business leaders face on the journey to a digital-first net-zero future
GCDCS22 is a curated for Senior Management and Professional Delegates with both a desire and a need to know how to best prepare their Infrastructure, policies and people in the 7x24-always-on, ever accelerating and climate-changing world.
Everyone faces the complexities, risks and growth opportunities in resilient + sustainable digital transformation and the DI4.0 that enables it during this era of intensive change.
Digital Transformation, Digital Infrastructure 4.0 executives + professionals
Developers of DI4.0, data centres + telecom, internet exchange RE
Investors in and capital markets for data centre RE + the emergent digital infrastructure asset class
Design + build for the IoT edge, modular, enterprise, colo, cloud, hyperscale
Facilities DCIM
ITSM for IT / Network / Cloud asset service management
IoT edge sensing, AI, monitoring, telemetry, analytics
Web3.0, XR Media, Metaverse
Blockchain, Crypto Mining, HPC data centres, Quantum Computing
Clean Power Generation, T+D, Smart-/ Micro-Grid, Storage, UPS
ESG, Sustainability, GHG, Carbon Management, Net-Zero
We welcome your input!
Click the button below to reach out to us regarding submitting:
Great Canadian Data Centre Symposium
> click drop down arrow to the right >>
During 2020 and 2021 - with the impact of COVID19 and driven by the necessity of the moment - the growth of Digital Transformation (DX), Industry 4.0, in every region of the world rocketed upward and quite nearly across all sectors of economies, industries and societies.
We all became both remote, as we sought shelter from the viral storm, yet simultaneously global overnight (with some admitted and continuing rough patches). We learned that, in the new virtual world, it's not only possible, but can be highly productive, to be remote and global in thinking and scope.
In a time when both Digital Resiliency and Digital Sustainability -- at once twin drivers for, and goals of, the next stage of global Smart Digitalization, calls on us to continue to shape the world of work and business toward Digital First and Forward as a big piece of the puzzle for how we might avert Climate Change catastrophe.
These twin themes: (a) the always-on, never-fail, realtime and resilient performance, in order to quickly grow a (b) greener, increasingly more sustainable, net-zero 2050 economy, are now both a quality and condition plus a primary function of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our use of the term Digital Infra 4.0 (DI4.0) embraces Industry 4.0 "smart" technologies (which mean little if not highly, resilient) and on the fastest possible journey to net-zero GHG (both operational and embodied) and circularity. And not later than 2050.
This idea is embraced by the likes of the World Economic Forum and Accenture, the World Bank and the Brookings Institution, McKinsey and EY. The joint WEF/Accenture report released in the Davos meet-up earlier this year is that digital transformation could result in 20% reduction in GHGs by 2050, if rigorously applied in three large industrial sectors: Energy, Materials and Transportation. But only if applied at scale and speed.
While we, of course, CAN return to all of our offices (and many if not most now have) and we CAN fly around the world for business purposes again, and, indeed we are. We CAN travel to live, in-person events again (and, of course, we CAN). While we CAN, when is it that we start making the choice to transition. While there may have been a great deal of pent-up desire to travel post lockdown, perhaps right now is time to rethink, reshape and begin to shift the balance -- increasingly so -- toward a significantly reduced carbon/GHG footprint in every realm. In our personal and family lives, many of us are challenging ourselves to find ways to alter our lifestyles in order to do our part in helping to heal the biosphere and live more healthily.
Cannot the same hold true for our businesses, careers and work-lives? Are we not called to this moment with that objective in mind? The Digital Infrastructure asset class and industry sector increasingly appears to believe so, from all news and evidence. And because the challenges of carbon/GHG emissions are truly global in nature and impact, we need to be learning together, worldwide, What works? What doesn't? and What's next on the journey? The world needs for digital infrastructure industry that enables and supports the Resilient, Sustainable Digital Transformation of the global economy, of all industries, to take the lead.
This is why the GCDCS has chosen to embrace the digitally transformative online, virtual, livestream meetings and events tools that we now have to help elevate this small but content-deep conference emanating from MIP in Hamilton, ON, to one that both "Thinks Globally and Acts Locally." Global non-transactional knowledge-sharing with local boots-on-the-ground transactional decision-making and action taking. (And we do understand that there is a broad greyscale spectrum between the two.)
-- Bruce Armstrong Taylor, Managing Director, GCDCS / Board Director, International Data Center Authority (IDCA)
WITH GCDCS22 we begin a Path Forward on the Journey toward Resilient Digital Transformation and to Net-Zero GHG emissions and Circularity in collaborative community with you. GCDCS's future is in bringing together global all-stakeholder thought-leadership, as well as peer networking and engagement. on some of the biggest challenges of our times through robust digital, online, virtual, interactive livestreaming technologies -- All Canada plus the full North American, and Global markets. We know it's challenging.
GCDCS NOW BEGINS ITS FIFTH YEAR -- Reimagined and reshaped-- and presented as a 5-day virtual event -- emanating from its MIP onsite venue home for one full day of in-person, keynotes and simultaneously globally livestreamed -- presenters, panelists, delegates and underwriters will fully participate from anywhere on the planet on whatever digital device they choose. Encore Presentations - One of the great values of livestreaming content sessions is that if you miss any session, you can view it on-demand on the event platform and in the future on the GCDCS YouTube channel.
Beginning in early September, GCDCS22 will formally kick off with a continuous flow of digital knowledge-sharing: white papers, tech notes, case briefs, webinars, video interviews and podcasts -- all designed to build a common background foundation for the work of...
GCDC SYMPOSIUM WEEK, a 5-day year-end capstone program.
Plenary Premier Keynotes -- Globally-recognized subject-matter-expert, thought-leader keynotes
Boardroom Director Roundtables -- Challenging keynote conversations among panels of top leaders
Design Charrette Studio Sessions -- deep-dive intensive workshops on digital resiliency and sustainability topics
"What's Next" Path Forward Roadmap Forums -- Readouts of findings and recommendations from each of the Design Charrette Studio Sessions. Thought-leaders take part in "Community Conversations" and enjoy peer-to-peer networking and relationship-building opportunities
Virtual Village Marketplace -- with interactive exhibit booths, private video meetings, and small-group presentations, throughout the five days.
ENGAGING WITH OVER 2,500 LIVESTREAM DELEGATES -- all Canada + rest of North America + Global
REACHING 200 INVITED GUEST DELEGATES ONSITE AT MIP for Day 3, Dec. 14, Plenary Premier Keynote Day
VIRTUAL LIVESTREAMING is one of the sets of digital transformation IoT technologies that has resulted in monumental business performance efficiencies and business travel carbon reduction. The resilient, sustainable and smart digital infrastructure that makes online virtual, real-time global livestreaming possible will only continue to grow in significance.
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE -- As a key component of the Symposia Series program design, GCDCS22 will introduce the formation of "Communities of Practice" (CoP) to provide thought-leadership direction for the on-going work of GCDCS around the DI4.0 powering the global digital future.
WHY CANADA for our global livestream meet-up of the digital infrastructure industry? As a country, Canada ranks as the fifth largest concentration of data centres globally, and measures as the second best country (after Switzerland) in which to live and work, and the third most trusted country (after Switzerland and Sweden). It stands to reason that its data centre technical, engineering professional and business leadership has global stature.
HARD-EARNED REPUTATION FOR THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE under the guidance and tutelage of founders, well-known IT analyst Michael O'Neil and IT journalist Mary Allen, principals of InsightaaS, in collaboration with McMaster University's Computing Infrastructure Research Centre (CIRC) and its founding director Dr. Suvojit Ghosh (now FYELABS), GCDCS gained solid marks as a unique meaningful and substantive subject-matter-expert conversations about the state of the digital infra and data centre arts.
AT THE HELM -- Beginning in 2022, Bruce Armstrong Taylor becomes principal and managing director for the next GCDCS chapter, working collaboratively with Michael O'Neil and Mary Allen. Taylor, following a long career in IT journalism and conference/expo producing, turned to the data centre universe, when he launched Uptime Institute's Data Center Symposium. Taylor is also well-known in the sector as the former EVP, US/Canada for Data Center Dynamics. Currently he is the co-founder (with Norwegian data center developer/operator Andre Eidskrem), of the SmartNations Foundation. He is also a Board Director of the International Data Center Authority (IDCA).
GCDC Symposia Series Program provides a global platform for defining Resilient, Sustainable Digital Infrastructure 4.0 for the Forward Digital era
Showcasing Canadian Voices - bringing together a Global Community via interactive livestreaming of virtual and onsite events
Communities of Interest and Communities of Practice (CoP) form around evolving themes and topics of GCDCS
Timely content based on forward-leaning Business and Technical Journalism, Interviews and Papers
PRE-SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM -- January to November, plus SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN SERIES elements include Mini-Meetups around Canada, eBooks, Substack publications and podcasts, webinars, YouTube videos, "fireside chat" interviews, and an online Silent Auction benefiting designated charitable organizations.
SYMPOSIUM WEEK -- December - Virtual & Hybrid Event
Content is offered to a global audience via interactive livestreaming and is available on-demand via the event portal + GCDCS YouTube channel
DAYS 1 & 2 of Symposium Week launch with livestreaming Deep-Dive Design Thinking Charrette Studio Sessions (intensive long-form, collaborative workshops)
DAY 3 is the Onsite "DI4.0 PREMIER KEYNOTE DAY" featuring:
Plenary Keynotes, Boardroom Panel Sessions, Awards Presentation, Holidays Reception and Silent Auction
DAY 4 of each Symposium Week focuses on "Community Conversations" engaging our Communities of Practice (CoP).
DAY 5 features Deep-Dive "What's Next?" Roadmap Forums to lay the groundwork for the next year's Symposia Series Cycle content.
POST-SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM -- December to February time period encapsulates knowledge sharing from the year and evolves it into the beginning cycle of the next calendar year's Symposium Series. Highlights include the eBook release of the "What's Next?" Deep-Dive Roadmap Findings Report and Webinar.
DAYS 1 & 2 of Symposium Week launch with Deep-Dive Design Thinking Charrettes (workshops), offered virtually via interactive livestream.
Discover the "Art of the Possible." Gain future-digital insights during these design thinking workshops.
Topics will be chosen with Underwriters and Advisory Board members to cover high-points of leverage for Digital Infrastructure 4.0 Resiliency and Sustainability (i.e. Immersion Cooling; Digital Infrastructure-as-Code).
Charrette participants have a change-agent mindset and include subject matter experts, "inquisitors" and all who are intellectually curious. Knowledge-sharing is enabled via open and collaborative discussions.
Communities are created and develop along with content, over two charrette days and beyond. The opportunity to network and build relationships as part of an ongoing online "Community of Practice (CoP) is built into the GCDCS Platform.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Deep-Dive "What's Next?" Roadmap Forums are offered on day 5 to wrap up Symposium Week.
These Forums serve as report-outs on key findings and future-forward insights from the Design Thinking Charrettes.
Forums focus on exploration of "What's Next" with proposed Roadmaps for future Deep Dive Design Thinking Workshops.
Roadmaps Forums and the takeaway findings (eBook) form a foundation for the evolution of each topic which flow into the subsequent GCDCS Series Cycle, continually engaging the GCDCS Communities of Practice and the wider global audience.
PETER GROSS
Chairman of the
Board of Directors
VIRTUAL POWER SYSTEMS
ALEX BENAY
Global Lead, Government Azure Strategy
MICROSOFT
STEVEN CARLINI
VP, Innovation & Data Center
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
MARK MONROE
Data Center Advanced Development
MICROSOFT
JULIE ALBRIGHT
Digital Sociologist
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
SUVOJIT GHOSH
Founder
FYELABS (formerly McMASTER UNIVERSITY CIRC
ANDREW EPPICH
Managing
Director
EQUINIX
FRANCOIS STERIN
EVP & Chief Industrial Officer
OVHCLOUD
ROCCO ALONZI
AVP - Data Centre Operations
SUNLIFE
SUSANNA KASS
Co-founder, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer
INFRAPRIME
MARY ALLEN
Chief Content Officer
INSIGHTAAS
STEPHAN ABRAITIS
VP, Global Technology
MANULIFE
KEVIN PEESKER
President
MICROSOFT CANADA
DAN SCARBROUGH
Founding Director
DIGITAL INFRA NETWORK
MICHAEL O'NEIL
Lead Research Analyst
STRATASCALE
MATT STANSBURY
Vice President,
North America
UPTIME INSTITUTE
KIRBY PETERS
Fmr. Director
Critical Facilities
BMO FINANCIAL GROUP
PRETTY KUBYANE
Cofounder
CORONET BLOCKCHAIN
ANDRE EIDSKREM
Founder
ARCTIC CIRCLE DATA CENTER
DAVID HAMNER
Digital Infrastructure Advisor
DATASPACE CORP.
EUGENE ROMAN
Exec. in Res. for AI & Applied Analytics
YORK UNIV., SCHULICH SCHOOL
GUYLAINE CARRIERE
Dir., Center of Expertise
SHARED SERVICES CANADA
JOAO MARQUES LIMA
Journalist | Editor
THE TECH
CAPITAL
MEHDI PARYAVI
Chairman
INTERNATIONAL DATA CENTER AUTHORITY (IDCA)
Plans deliver to Underwriters the opportunity to leverage their thought- and brand-leadership on the Digital Resilience + Sustainability of the Smart Digital Infrastructure required to enable and secure the on-going, high-velocity of Digital Transformation of the Global Economy. Plans also facilitate networking and demand generation with our all-Canada, US and Global delegates.
Plans are designed to enable Underwriters to select program assets to best fit their technology, engineering, business or finance expertise, thought- and brand-leadership, knowledge-sharing willingness and relative market positions.
SYMPOSIUM WEEK -- Hybrid - Onsite/in-person + Interactive Livestream -- Presentation and Panel Participation Opportunities
Exclusive Premier Keynotes or Fireside Chats
Boardroom Roundtables
Deep-Dive Design Charrette Studio Sessions - two days of extended intensive workshops on senior topics relating to Resiliency + Sustainability
Communities of Practice Development
Path-Forward Forums
SYMPOSIUM EXPO HALL -- Virtual Online Interactive Expo Hall + Directory Listings: Exhibit Booths with Scheduled "live" Virtual On-line Presentations + Private meetings
VIRTUAL PRIVATE MEETINGS + GROUP PRESENTATIONS -- Appointment setting + group presentations for Underwriters + Expo Hall Booth Exhibitors
DIGITAL MEDIA -- Reports, White Papers, Tech Notes, Case Briefs, e-Books - Feature Articles, News Stories for the full GCDC Symposium cycle, beginning September for the pre-Symposium period through Symposium Week and for the post-Symposium Week period through the publishing of the "What's Next?" Path-Forward e-Book compilation.
DIGITAL INTERACTIVE MEDIA -- Pre-, During + Post-Symposium Week Webinars, Interviews, Presentations, Podcasts. Full Symposium Week Interactive Livestream
BRAND SPOTLIGHT -- Multiple Sponsorship Items Offered - Showcase your brand in the ways best suiting your needs and budget. Available for individual acquisition or as an add-on to Plans
PLATINUM DI4.0 AWARDS CEREMONY + HOLIDAYS RECEPTION -- Awards will be given to companies demonstrating Technology, Design, Engineering, Development, Business + Finance leadership on Digital Infrastructure 4.0 (smart) Resiliency and Sustainability across the converged IT:OT layers of the full stack.
SILENT AUCTION -- "DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GOOD" #DI4Good -- proceeds to benefit select Canada-only charities/NGOs with the mission to benefit eco-sustainability in the age of digital transformation.
NETWORKING + Engagement with Delegates + Presenting Faculty
Both in-person + via interactive livestream, scheduled private online or onsite meetings.
SPONSORSHIP ASSET ITEMS -- Available to fit any budget. Items can be selected as one-offs or may be added on to, or traded out with, Underwriter Plans. Price points start at $500.
RSVP for a free early-bird pass to participate in Symposium Week's 5 days of interactive livestreaming sessions.
Apply if you are an executive, sr. manager, tech professional or a decision-maker for digital infrastructure tech systems & solutions.
