F E A T U R E
CHALLENGES OF ADOPTING A GLOBAL REFERENCE DESIGN AND STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THEM
Standardised Global Reference Designs can help hyperscale data centre developers accelerate deployment, improve sustainability and maintain reliability across geographies while supporting evolving AI workloads, says Matt Wilkins, Global Director of Design & Engineering, Colt DCS.
he hyperscale era
T has redefined the data centre industry. Rapid adoption of cloud services and AI workloads continue to drive unprecedented demand for capacity. According to McKinsey, average rack densities have more than doubled in just two years, rising from 8kW to 17kW per rack and can peak as high as 2MW. Data centre developers are now under more pressure than ever to deliver infrastructure on accelerated, cost-efficient timelines while maintaining stringent quality control. But without standardised design, delivering quality infrastructure at scale and speed remains a significant challenge.
Enter the Global Reference Design( GRD). A GRD is a standardised, repeatable blueprint for data centre design. It is a‘ design once, repeat many times’ approach that enables data centre developers to embed sustainability into design cycles, ensure component reliability and reduce costs.
Standardisation shortens design and construction timeframes, accelerates time-to-market, lowers capital expenditure and improves supply chain reliability. Consistent design and operational practices strengthen reliability, maintainability
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