W.Media - Global

Executive Editor

TAP Content Pte Ltd

I work as a technology journalist, contributing to trade, technology, and consumer publications. As a seasoned contributing editor, I have written over 2,000 bylines. In the enterprise space, I currently focus my attention on cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science and AI, and data centres.

Editor-at-large

I founded TAP Content as my day job to write and edit enterprise white papers, marketing collateral, and thought leadership content for top global brands. Working alone or with experts in diverse fields, I have produced a diverse array of content, including product brochures, EDMs, video scripts, infographics, e-Books, blog content, thought leadership articles, and white papers.

Contact me (paul@mah.sg) for more details or samples of my commercial work.

Founder

CDOTrends

Data science and AI are two niche topics that recently exploded into the mainstream. Here, I am responsible for the thrice-a-month Data Science and AI newsletter. I also moderate engaging (I might be slightly biased here) panel discussions and roundtable meetings for enterprise brands such as IBM, Informatica, Microsoft, and others.

Senior Editor

The Straits Times

Writing tech stories for consumers can be hard, especially for a techie like myself. This is how I stay sharp. Feel free to pitch ideas to me at paulmah@sph.com.sg, but please do look at the stories I cover first.

Contributing Writer

South China Morning Post SCMP

I have a soft spot for gadgets and tech gear, as you can probably tell. Am always on the lookout for the best tech tools.

DataCenterDynamics

This is where I write about everything related to data centers and the cloud. Love the opportunities to visit fascinating data centers and gallivant around the world attending tech conferences.

South East Asia Correspondent

Republic Polytechnic

Facilitate classes for modules such as operating systems, data communications and networking two or three times a week in a PBL (Problem-based learning) setting. Wrap up at the end of the day with a short lecture of the key learning points.

Associate Lecturer

TAP Solutions, Singapore

Accidental writer who quit a proper 9-to-5 job to pursue a "gig" lifestyle writing full-time. Had the privilege of contributing to some of the leading tech publications around the world and crafting content for multiple growing tech brands.

Notable past publications:
- Editor for CMO Innovation, Questex Asia (HK) - 5 years
- Practically Tech Blogger for ZDNet (SG) - 1 year
- Editor for FierceCIO, FierceMarkets (US) - 8 years
- Contributing Writer for CIO Magazine (US) - 6 years
- Contributing Writer for PC World (US) - 1 year
- SMB Blogger for IT Business Edge (US) - 5 years
- Contributor for Ars Technica (US) - 3 years
- Network Administrator Blogger for TechRepublic (US) - 4 years

Freelance Writer

Overseas Courier Service (Singapore) Pte Ltd

In charge of the IT department and its operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Lead a team to execute multiple concurrent IT projects to maintain and improve server hardware, pager/SMS infrastructure, client-server systems, and back-end software.

Head of IT

Razer

Management of Razer-branded computer peripheral as well as working with worldwide distributors to ensure that logistical and time requirements are met.

Product Manager

Technology had always fascinated me, and I loved getting computers to do things.

So no, I never planned to be a writer.

💾 𝗔 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀

As a youth, I had a blast learning to code and writing apps. When others went partying, I pored over IT magazines and compared the specifications of enterprise systems.

Technology works through rigid interfaces and often immutable rules. I enjoyed breaking preconceptions of what's possible and stitching new capabilities together in unanticipated ways.

I began my career as an IT professional.

- Wrote some code.
- Set up server rooms.
- Dabbled in networking.

The only writing I've done at this point is emails. And some code.

📝 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲

I collected my last monthly pay cheque in 2009, joining the gig economy before the term was coined.

It started with an attempt to earn some extra income writing some blogs. Then it became a full-time job.

Through fortuitous timing, I had the privilege of being paid to hone my craft writing for top global IT publications.

- PC World.
- TechRepublic.
- Computerworld.
... and many others.

Over 15 years, I've also written for local and regional broadsheets, trade media outlets, and consumer tech publications. I continue writing editorially to this day.

💰 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Glad you asked. Besides my editorial work - Muck Rack shows over 2,000 bylines, I help corporate clients with their content.

Here's what I've done:

🔸𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲: Content for top brands in the enterprise IT, cybersecurity, cloud, data centre, DBMS, and data science space.

🔸𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁: CIO statements for annual reports, research reports of over 80 pages, and custom ABM briefs.

🔸𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁: Edit or rewrite content for government agencies, banks, and enterprise tech firms.

🔸𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: Produce strategic content and put together content strategies for niche industries.

🔸𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀: Plan, record podcasts, host private roundtables discussions, and moderate panels.

☀️ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

The world is changing quicker than ever, and it's crucial to understand the implications of these advancements.

As part of my own exploration, I seek to write about new tech developments to:

- Add context and depth to bland reports.
- Concisely flesh out pertinent details.
- Highlight what is not being said.
- Explain what it means to you.

I get to the tech that matters and make complex concepts accessible.

👉 Follow me to see more of my posts.
✅ Or check out my blog and sign up for my newsletter.

Frothing water. Gurgling tanks. I visited Bridge Data Centres' state-of-the-art plant in Johor today and learned how it produces water for data centres.

Bridge Data Centres is the first in Malaysia to use treated wastewater for its sprawling 200MW MY-07 data centre campus. I realised today that there are multiple steps.

𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀?

- Join over 900 on my WhatsApp channel.
- Nobody can see your number.

👉 www.techstories.co/wa

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿

As demand for data centres exploded in Johor, so did the demand for water to cool power-hungry servers. But water is precious. How do we manage this precious resource in a sustainable manner?

That's where water reclamation comes in. Instead of discharging the non-potable treated effluent from sewage treatment plants (STP), why not further process it into high-grade water for data centres?

And that was how the Bridge Data Centres Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) at Ulu Tiram came about.

𝟭/ 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Effluent from nearby STPs is piped into the WRP for processing. Initial key steps:

- Anoxic tank: Removes nitrogen from water.
- Oxidation tank: Bacteria break down organic matter.

Together, they remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic pollutants to achieve high pollutant removal standards.

𝟮/ 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝗠𝗕𝗥)

Next, the MBR uses membranes to remove suspended solids, bacteria, and even some pathogens to produce high-quality effluent.

In photo 3, you can see the MBR in operation. Water is suctioned through the membranes, which retain pollutants (photo 4).

𝟯/ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝘀𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 (𝗥𝗢)

Finally, RO uses high pressure to force water through an extremely fine membrane to remove dissolved and microscopic contaminants.

These are spiral-wound membranes packed tightly inside a long tube. As I wrote previously, the ones in Bridge Data Centres WRP are made by Suntar International Group, a Singapore-headquartered firm.

Also, Bridge Data Centre's WRP uses 3 passes; Singapore's NEWater is produced from 2 passes of RO, though the latter is paired with other processes.

𝟰/ 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?

Today, I also learned that there are processes to clean both MBR and RO membranes to extend their lifespans, which I understand to be measured in years.

And as shared by Lye Yit Tho on a panel discussion at DCW Asia, if incoming treated wastewater quality is good, the team may elect to skip the RO pass.

There are some other steps I didn't go into due to space. Suffice to say, the WRP produces high-grade water that goes into storage tanks for data centre use.

Do you see this as the future of data centres - with a focus on sustainability with water treatment done in-house? What do you think?

🌐 go.techstories.co/FnDg

Photos:
1. RO.
2. Oxidation tank.
3. MBR in operation.
4. MBR before deployment.
5. Incoming water to MBR.
6. Anoxic tank underneath.
7-8. RO.
9. Treated wastewater from IWK.

Paul Mah

Helping global tech firms with their content and strategy

What is COC and why is it important in the data centre? Short answer: if not properly managed, it can significantly worsen a facility's WUE.

Why is that the case, and can water use be stretched? Let's take a closer look at this topic today.

𝟭/ 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱

Water is the lifeblood of modern data centres, used to dissipate the heat generated by powerful servers and GPUs in these facilities.

Water is primarily used for:

🔸Cooling systems that make use of evaporative cooling, where water evaporates as the primary mechanism to expel heat.

🔸Transferring heat from hot data halls to cooling systems, with chilled water re-circulated to feed CDUs (liquid cooling) or CRAHs (think "air-con").

Here's the issue: as water evaporates during cooling, trace amounts of dissolved minerals become more concentrated over time.

This is bad because it can speed up scaling, corrosion, and biofouling. And the presence of scale and deposits not only reduces efficiency but can damage cooling towers.

𝟮/ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗢𝗖 

What can data centre operators do? The industry typically discards this water ("blowdown") when it exceeds certain thresholds, bringing in fresh water ("make-up water") to top it up.

On its part, COC, or cycle of Concentration, is a common parameter showing the water effectiveness of water tower systems. COC is affected by factors such as:

- Incoming water quality.
- Efficacy of water treatment.

In general, the goal is to achieve a higher COC*, which measures the ratio of dissolved constituents. This reduces blowdown as it takes longer before it has to be purged.

*There is a point of diminishing return.

𝟯/ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲

As larger, more water-hungry data centres are built to meet digitalisation and AI needs, governments are starting to establish new rules regarding water efficiency.

More blowdown means worse WUE, or Water Usage Efficiency, which is measured by total annual site water used divided by annual IT energy consumption.

Let's just say when I met Mohammad Sherafatmand of Hydroleap for coffee in January this year, I knew nothing about COC.

🔸According to Moh, his company's proprietary technology eschews chemical treatment and reduces water use through electrooxidation.

🔸Hydroleap is actually mentioned by name in the IMDA Green Data Centre Roadmap (Page 16), for its AWS Singapore deployment.

If anything, the more I learn about data centres, the more I am constantly reminded that there's so much I don't know. What do you know about improving WUE in data centres?

🌐 go.techstories.co/9xDS

📆 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

Get my weekly updates with commentary via email: www.techstories.co/updates

Keep missing my posts? Here's my WhatsApp channel: www.techstories.co/wa

My name is Paul Mah and I explore tech developments with bite-sized Tech Stories.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁: Paul Mah. Cooling tower on the roof of a data centre.

Paul Mah "Tech Storyteller"

Talks about #ai, #cloud, #datacenters, #datascience, and #cybersecurity

taplio

Paul Mah's Linkedin Analytics

Paul Mah

Performance ScorePaul Mah's LinkedIn Performance

What is Paul talking about?

Who is engaging with Paul

Paul Mah's Best Posts (last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

.css-6ytdur{background-image:linear-gradient(284deg, rgba(39, 43, 72, 1) 0%, rgba(33, 47, 183, 1) 100%);color:transparent;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;}Paul Mah's Linkedin Analytics

Paul Mah

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Paul Mah's LinkedIn Performance

What is Paul talking about?

Who is engaging with Paul

Paul Mah's Best Posts .css-1emoo84{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:400;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);}(last 30 days)

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Paul Mah's Linkedin Analytics

Performance ScorePaul Mah's LinkedIn Performance

Paul Mah's Best Posts (last 30 days)