F E A T U R E
To account for the introduction of high-density data centres , the cooling infrastructure itself is changing . Cooling pipework zoning , system redundancy and chilled water buffer vessels have become increasingly necessary in achieving the lower temperatures required . The speed the equipment can react is also a priority in design . Water and hydraulic systems must respond quickly to maintain the consistent temperatures needed by HPC environments .
Electrical engineers are also needing to adapt their designs . While data halllevel electrical design changes are minimal , the growing load demands of IT equipment require expanding capacity . This includes busbars , Power Distribution Units ( PDUs ) and block and distributed redundant power solutions . The expansion of campus-scale data centres , supported by more resilient grid connections , may impact the future demand for localised standby generation , especially for facilities focused on AI and Machine Learning .
Lastly , we ’ ve seen clients look for designs that accommodate these higher-density racks . In our experience , we have seen the industry move to a 20 + cabinet row layout providing the foundation needed for the next generation of High- Performance Computing . These layouts can accommodate larger , high-power HPC cabinets – spanning 20 to 40kW or more – essential for the new level of data processing . Flexibility remains the keyword even for rack arrangements so that the data halls can adjust in real time according to specific power and cooling needs without losing efficiency .
Ivo Ivanov , CEO , DE-CIX
The data centre crunch must be addressed . With applications like Generative AI and cloud computing firmly on the roadmap for businesses , it ' s little wonder that demand for data – and data centres – is booming . Our research shows data centre planning and construction is increasing – there is 11,200MW of installed data centre capacity across the US , with a further 5,500MW being built and 12,600MW being planned for development . That ’ s an increase of 160 % in the US that we can expect in the near-term future , with
places like Northern Virginia and Dallas experiencing the sharpest growth .
However , to meet the challenges of the data centre boom sustainably , we need to think beyond simply adding capacity and consider the nature of connectivity itself . Deployment of Internet Exchanges ( IXs ) in the country has surged by 600 % in the past decade , allowing for the strategic interconnection of data centre facilities across regions . These IXs allow different networks , organisations and enterprises of all sizes to connect and exchange data directly , reducing latency and improving performance by bypassing third-party networks .
More than 80 % of these IXs in the US are now data centre and carrierneutral , paving the way for high-speed , low-latency data traffic with built-in redundancy for added resilience .
The answer to the data centre crunch lies not just in capacity , but in how that capacity is used . By optimising the flow of data through the intelligent deployment of IXs , a more streamlined and sustainable data ecosystem can be achieved , alleviating the cost and energy burden placed on our data centres .
Murray Irvine , Senior Director , Global Specialty Sales ( GSS ), Central and Eastern Europe , Middle East , Turkey and Africa ( CEEMETA ), Dell Technologies
As we look to 2025 , Artificial intelligence ( AI ) is reshaping the data centres of the future , driving innovation , efficiency and sustainability in our increasingly data-driven world . The urgency to modernise infrastructure
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