DATA CENTRES
When it comes to the data centre sector , artificial intelligence ( AI ) continues to dominate the headlines . From optimising workloads , to improving customer satisfaction , the technology has fast been touted as an integral solution for the next era of data centre operation .
However , AI has already led to data centres feeling the strain , particularly as far as energy consumption is concerned . As a result , businesses within the sector are being forced to design and build facilities in a new way .
With insights from Black & White Engineering ( B & W ), Vertiv , atNorth and KPMG UK , we focus on how data centre companies can design and construct new data centres to accommodate new and disruptive technologies moving forward .
Confronting a ‘ new ’ AI era The vast majority of data centres currently in operation today were not designed to support the high-power requirements of AI-led workloads . New infrastructure requirements are different from traditional data centres , as they generate greater levels of heat that current facilities cannot remove fast enough .
“ The industry is now facing unprecedented demand for new infrastructure solutions to efficiently power , cool and support this next generation of compute and as a result , AI is fundamentally reshaping the architecture of IT infrastructure ,”
DATA CENTRE DESIGN : THE NUMBERS
• According to insights from CoreWeave , traditional data centres are designed with five-to-10 kilowatts ( KW ) per rack on average . The advent of AI now requires 60KW + per rack .
• Quoted from Adam Asquith , Technical Director at Black & White Engineering : “ Data centres specifically designed for AI or HPC applications may encounter power densities exceeding 6.5kW / sqm , which is a significant uplift on the densities encountered for traditional compute data centres , with air cooling ( typically 1.5 – 2kW / sqm ).”
78 December 2024