The blueprint for efficient data centers, with Applied Digital

The surge in artificial intelligence is revolutionizing all the things from smartphone features to enterprise strategies, yet it brings significant challenges for efficient data centers. As AI’s power demands escalate, data centers face mounting pressure to administer increased energy loads and implement advanced cooling solutions to maintain up with the pace of innovation.

“[Wes] Cummins highlighted that traditional data centers typically devour around 7.5 kilowatts per cabinet for several servers, networking and storage,” said Bob Laliberte, principal analyst at theCUBE. “Nonetheless, a single Nvidia H100 server, essential for high-performance AI tasks, requires over 10 kW. This disparity highlights a fundamental shift: next-generation data centers must support higher power densities.”

In his full evaluation, Laliberte dissected the increasingly pivotal issues from sophisticated, power-hungry AI and supercomputing hardware equivalent to graphical processing units and data servers. He also highlighted several approaches to combat the issue and construct efficient data centers.

Designing the efficient data centers of the longer term

Next-gen data centers call for a meticulous approach to design, architecture and infrastructural considerations. First, they need to be situated to enable access to ample power supply, seamlessly combining traditional and renewable sources.

“A key component of any recent data center’s sustainability strategy is sourcing power from renewable sources,” Laliberte said. “Selecting renewable energy aligns with global efforts to cut back the carbon footprint of knowledge centers and supports the transition to greener energy sources.”

Next up is cooling efficiency. Today’s AI and supercomputing workloads generate unprecedented amounts of warmth, which require ingenious cooling solutions. The facility usage effectiveness metric measures cooling efficiency, with the perfect coefficient being as close as possible to 1.

“A lower PUE indicates that more of the ability consumed goes to actual computing reasonably than cooling and other infrastructure needs,” Laliberte explained.

Site selection is one other critical factor. The alternative of physical location must consider environmental aspects and drive, reasonably than hinder, operational efficiency, in accordance with Laliberte.

“Northern climates not only provide natural cooling but additionally assist in minimizing operational costs,” he wrote. “Moreover, proximity to renewable energy sources, equivalent to wind farms, plays a critical role in reducing the environmental footprint of those facilities.”

Data center design highlights the increasing need for sustainability considerations. Offsetting the ability load by investing in carbon-neutral solutions is vital to balancing the general resource strain and architecting efficient data centers, in accordance with Laliberte.

“For instance, the Applied Digital Ellendale, ND facility can be powered by wind energy, with roughly two gigawatts of wind power feeding into its substation,” he said.

Moreover, green initiatives equivalent to heat recovery mean that excess energy will be repurposed.  Transitioning to liquid cooling systems facilitates the recycling of warmth for applications equivalent to heating greenhouses or shrimp farming, offering additional advantages to local communities.

Finally, tight collaboration and integration with stakeholders will inevitably end in leaner, more efficient data centers. Applied Digital Corp., for instance, works with technology providers equivalent to Nvidia Corp., Super Micro Computer Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc. to deliver optimal and energy-efficient environments. Being an elite-tier partner with Nvidia ensures access to advanced GPU technology. Collaboration also extends to data center design and construction, leveraging expertise to optimize facilities for high-performance computing and AI workloads.

“Applied Digital’s approach to addressing the high power and cooling demands, optimizing connectivity and latency, and incorporating sustainable options where possible highlights its leadership on this space,” Laliberte said.

Read the full evaluation here.

Image: SiliconANGLE/Canva