Title: The assimilation of sensor information systems: an empirical investigation in the data centres industry

Authors: Adel Alaraifi; Alemayehu Molla; Hepu Deng

Addresses: School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, 239 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, Australia. ' School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, 239 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, Australia. ' School of Business Information Technology and Logistics, RMIT University, 239 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, Australia

Abstract: The demand for and on data centres continue to pose several power, cooling, and performance constraints associated with operational, economic and environmental and inefficiency. Sensor information systems (SIS) is one of the best practises for addressing these constraints. This study investigates the assimilation of SIS in data centres. Based on the empirical data gathered from five case studies of Australian data centres, the paper evaluates the current state of SIS utilisation. The results indicate that the utilisation and assimilation of SIS in data centres is very limited. A conceptual framework and several theoretical propositions rooted in the TOE model are proposed for explicating the conditions that might influence the assimilation of SIS in the data centres. A number of factors including perceived SIS complexity, affordability, reliability and compatibility, the infrastructure characteristics, the age and the type of data centres, green IT strategic orientation, managers' knowledge and expertise of sensor technology, governance and regulatory requirements have been identified as antecedents for the successful SIS assimilation in data centres.

Keywords: sensor information systems; SIS; sensor technology; energy informatics; IS assimilation; automation; data centre sustainability; green IT/IS; information technology; sustainable development; data centres; sensors; Australia; complexity; affordability; reliability; compatibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2012.049567

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2012 Vol.11 No.3, pp.283 - 303

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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