Data Centre Review Summer 2024 by SJP Business Media

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This issue

10 • Sustainability

John Byrne from Enel X and Evan Barker from Digital Realty explain how data centre UPS can support the renewable energy transition.

14 • Edge

JLL’s Daniel Thorpe explores the opportunities opened up by the rapid growth of the edge data centre market.

16 • Industry

Europe’s data centre growth faces capacity shortfalls, with investors navigating regulatory hurdles, rising costs, and sustainability challenges, writes Dominic Rowe of Herbert Smith Freehills.

19 • AI

Ann Keefe of Kingston Technology takes a look at how data centres can prepare for the explosive demand of the AI revolution.

20 • Power

David Tranter of Cundall outlines the many shades of green energy.

22 • Data Centre Design & Operation

Neil Potter and Grant Bilbow at Eaton EMEA explore how a systems-engineered approach to data centre design can meet demands from AI and IoT technologies.

25 • Training

With skills shortages intensifying, data centre operators should prioritise problem-solving and learning potential over experience, says Mary Pender at Pulsant.

26 • Certification

Chris Wellfair at Secure I.T. Environments takes a whirlwind tour through data centre certification.

29 • Final Say

When it comes to cooling, it’s time to go hybrid to survive, says Venessa Moffat, Channel Partner Manager, EMEA EkkoSense, and DCA Advisory Board Member.

Editor’s Comment

Let’s get critical (national infrastructure)

Once more, we are creeping towards the close of the year. The knitwear has come out (although, let’s be honest, it probably played an active part throughout all of this year’s non-existent summer) and we inevitably start to look back at the last 12 months – and on to the year ahead. What have we achieved, and what challenges we will face, begin to nag at the edges of our consciousness as the merriment of the festive part of the year descends.

The data centre sector has, like any other, seen its ups and downs in a year where the news has brought us war, natural disasters, and changing politics – but of course, the topic du jour is the UK government’s designation of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). This move ensures that data centres will receive prioritised support during emergencies such as cyberattacks or natural disasters, enhancing their resilience and security.

This is the first new CNI classification since 2015 and elevates data centres to the same importance as energy and transportation infrastructure – which underscores this sector’s role in supporting vital services like finance, healthcare, and digital communications.

It’s an important development, considering data centres come under continuous scrutiny due to their power-hungry reputation. In an era where sustainability is king, it’s important to note the vital role that data centres play in the day-to-day operations of the country – and also the strides the sector is making towards going green.

For the UK data centre sector, this new designation will mean stricter security protocols and increased regulatory oversight to comply with national security standards. However, it will also hopefully boost investor confidence, leading to greater investment in expansion and modernisation projects – like Amazon Web Services’ recent announcement of its plan to invest £8 billion in UK facilities.

This development, as well as the sector’s efforts towards sustainable operations, meeting changing regulations, and many more of the crucial issues facing us will all be explored by industry experts at Critical Insight 2024. Now in its third year, this three-day event is taking place 12-14 November and will give you, our audience, the chance to be part of the conversation about how the sector will meet the challenges ahead. To check out the agenda for this year’s event, and register for your place, visit: critical-insight.co.uk.

In the meantime, please reach out with any questions, comments or article ideas – you can drop me an email at kayleigh@ datacentrereview.com, and find us on X (@dcrmagazine) and on LinkedIn (Data Centre Review).

All that’s left for me to do is to wish you a happy remaining 2024 – and the best of luck for 2025 (or until the first ed note of the year rolls back around, anyway).

Kayleigh Hutchins, Editor

EDITOR

Kayleigh Hutchins

kayleigh@datacentrereview.com

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RMD & Schneider add an edge to education at the uni of Lincoln

Schneider Electric explains how it has worked with RMD and the University of Lincoln to enhance the university’s IT infrastructure, ensuring reliable, resilient power for its tech-driven campus operations.

Established around 25 years ago, the University of Lincoln is one of the newest centres of academia in the UK. The main university campus is situated in the heart of the city of Lincoln. To date, the university has constructed or acquired 25 buildings at a rate of approximately one per year, recently opening a substantial new student village.

As an academic institution that has more or less been conceived and grown up in the Internet Age, its student population is techliterate, and the university depends heavily on IT to support the many faces of college life. For example, the campus has become largely cashless in recent years. “You can’t buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich if the IT isn’t working,” says Darran Coy, Senior Infrastructure Analyst and Team Leader for the Compute and Storage Team at the university. “Everything has to work 24 x 7.”

With IT and network uptime critical for the function of the university, the university’s IT team supports a variety of services, some of which require large amounts of data storage and processing. For instance, at Lincoln Agri-Robotics (LAR), established at Lincoln University as the world’s first global centre of excellence in agricultural robotics, lightweight robotic vehicles are sent into fields for a variety of tasks, using image recognition for a variety of applications.

Elsewhere, Coy says many of the standard applications used by students and the university itself have moved to a Software as a Service (SaaS) or cloud-based delivery model. Accordingly, downtime is a luxury the university simply cannot afford. “In times past, we could arrange to shut down IT systems on, say, a Thursday morning to carry out essential maintenance and upgrades, and of course our weekends were completely free,” he says. “But

today, many of our buildings are open all day and every day. So we have to make sure that everything is up and running all the time.”

The challenge of reliability at the edge

“We open a new building nearly every year,” says Coy, “and each one needs its own comms room. Despite the fact that we operate a central data centre, each comms room is populated with IT racks, including servers and networking equipment, together with all the necessary supporting infrastructure, including cooling, structured cabling, power distribution (PDUs) and power protection. It is the epitome of edge computing.”

These edge environments, distributed across the city centre campus and satellite campuses at Riseholme and Holbeach, provide wi-fi connectivity, enabling access to SaaS applications required by students and staff. These edge facilities are, therefore, missioncritical to academic and back-office operations. Each person has a unique IP address, allowing them to print documents and materials for example. Even those studying traditional subjects like Geography and Music use as much technology as the Computer Scientists, according to Coy.

“We have something like 1,000 teaching groups that rely on AV, for example – they’ve got big screens, sound systems and digital projectors, all kinds of cool stuff to enliven lectures and make information more consumable.”

The university is also a major user of Power over Ethernet (PoE). “All of our access points use PoE,” continues Coy. “And it’s also used to power other assets such as Raspberry Pi operated digital information displays widely used around the campus and security cameras. PoE requirements increase the need for reliable power in all situations.”

Like many universities, Lincoln works with outside companies on research projects as well as providing incubation services for innovations which may have wider market appeal. These sorts of activities are incomegenerating for Lincoln, and therefore, the IT which supports them needs to be robust and demonstrably resilient.

Power reliability is, therefore, a major challenge for the university. Given its location in the city centre, the utility is generally dependable, and since prolonged power

blackouts are not seen as a major threat, there is no provision for secondary power generation to any of the university facilities. However, intermittent disruptions do occur to the main power supply, and there are occasional ‘brownouts.’ Taken together, these are recurring problems which could present a threat to continuous uptime.

Consequently, the university depends heavily on UPS systems to build resilience into its network. UPS systems provide battery backup in the event of a disruption to mains power so that essential functions can continue operating as normal until mains power is restored. Given the distributed nature of the edge IT infrastructure around the college, there has been a substantial wide variety of UPS systems in place. Currently, there are 110 APC SmartUPS systems from Schneider Electric providing backup to essential assets.

Given the lack of power-generating equipment at the university, UPS is specified with battery systems to deliver one hour’s runtime for the attached load. It had been the custom to add UPS support on an ad hoc basis as new buildings were built and fitted out with IT. In the early days, there was no systematic or co-ordinated approach to deploying UPS systems and in fact it was only the loss of expensive IT equipment in the early days which made their use standard.

“The distributed edge nature of the IT infrastructure in the university and the ongoing expansion with new buildings, together with the growth in dependence upon SaaS and cloud services, has sometimes meant that infrastructure has not always kept up with demand. We faced two tasks – the need to maintain and upgrade existing UPS systems to ensure they could deliver the required runtime and the need to meet the provision of new Schneider Electric UPS and installation services in new construction projects. To help us, we partnered with RMD UK.”

RMD and Schneider Electric are the solutions for reliable edge Coy and the team began their relationship with RMD UK over a decade ago when the Schneider Electric Elite partner won a tender for the replacement of some ageing APC Smart-UPS On-Line SRT units on-site. Soon after, the university took the step to implement a programme to ensure regular inspection and maintenance of the UPS devices on which it

The distributed edge nature of the IT infrastructure in the university and the ongoing expansion with new buildings… has sometimes meant that infrastructure has not always kept up with demand

is so dependent. “In many respects, Schneider Electric is a victim of its own success – the UPS were so reliable and worked so well we hadn’t really realised that many of them were well past their use-by date!”

Opting for a systematic approach to securing power by contracting with a specialist UPS service provider, RMD UK was selected on the basis of an open tender. Based on various single- and three-phase UPS systems from Schneider Electric, the approach to maintenance has since become much more proactive. RMD’s Scot Docherty says, “Our start point was to understand the condition of the UPS under contract using a simple traffic light scheme – there were a lot of red lights!”

Together, Coy and RMD started to renew the UPS and bring them up to spec. This ongoing programme covers the UPS installed in buildings as well as adding UPS protection to some of the older campus buildings, which had never had the benefit of protection. In addition to the maintenance and modernisation services, RMD were also tasked to work with construction contractors to support them with sourcing and the installation of UPS to ensure power protection of edge server rooms in the new buildings.

The expertise of RMD has yielded benefits to the university, from procurement of UPS systems to maintenance and replacement, allowing the university to match new UPS systems to the exact requirements needed in each location.

“We’ve found it useful to involve RMD at the construction phase of each new building,” says Coy. “Sometimes a main contractor might recommend a UPS system that is wholly excessive to what we really need. Whereas

The improved monitoring and maintenance has resulted in a more efficient and reliable power-security environment that provides peace of mind to the IT staff

RMD, which has specialist expertise in the field, is much better placed to recommend what sort of UPS system we need and how many battery packs should be installed. So, it’s great to have a relationship which allows us to ‘rightsize’ our UPS requirements and therefore keep an eye on the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed solution.”

The RMD relationship has made for a more systematic and regular approach to maintenance. “RMD knows us and our requirements and how we work,” adds Coy. “Now, instead of waiting until something dies before replacing it, we have an ongoing system of regular maintenance and of replacing batteries and UPS units in accordance with their condition rather than their age.”

Two other important measures have been implemented as a result of the relationship. Firstly, the installation of monitoring software; using Data Center Expert – part of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT data centre infrastructure management solution – Coy is now able to manage and monitor all elements of the data centre infrastructure, including UPS and cooling centrally, to ensure maximum efficiency and reliability.

Data Center Expert provides a scalable monitoring software solution that collects, organises, and distributes critical device information to provide a comprehensive view of equipment. Importantly, the application

provides instant fault notifications for quick assessment and resolution of critical infrastructure events that could adversely affect IT system availability.

The software gives Coy’s small team of six full visibility of infrastructure equipment spread widely across the campus in different edge locations, with the ability to prioritise remedial tasks in the event of unforeseen circumstances and respond more quickly to events.

Secondly, and further demonstrating how RMD’s expertise has benefitted the university, bypass panels as an aid to maintenance and replacement activities are now being installed as standard in the electrical design for infrastructure supporting the edge server rooms. “They’re not the cheapest things to put in,” says Coy, “But they have saved us a lot of downtime. If a battery fails and needs to be replaced, for example, you just flick a switch to bypass the UPS, and that allows you to keep IT services operating while you swap out any parts that need to be replaced.”

Results

Immediate results from the university working with RMD and Schneider Electric include improvements to power availability as well as the serviceability of its infrastructure. By increasing temperature setpoints, the university is saving energy as a first step to moving towards becoming net zero carbon for IT services.

The improved monitoring and maintenance has resulted in a more efficient and reliable power-security environment that provides peace of mind to the IT staff and also presents opportunities for improvements in the area of sustainability. The insights made available from Schneider Electric APC UPS systems, APC PDUs and APC NetBotz sensors made available using Data Center Expert software have enabled Coy and the IT team to collaborate more effectively with the University’s Sustainability Team, tasked with improving the overall carbon footprint of the campus and its sustainability.

The IT team has been slowly raising temperatures in its comms room – which naturally means using less power on air conditioning – using insights provided by a Data Center Expert and custom software written by the IT team: “I can use query data to generate helpful graphs that provide an overview of whether the temperature is right in a room and where it can be appropriate to raise the operating temperature for better overall efficiency,” says Coy. “Being able to mine the data allows us only to use the power that we need.”

In addition, monitoring using Data Center Expert software together with NetBotz sensors ensures that servers, as well as the UPS batteries are kept within recommended temperatures. This ensures that warranty requirements are maintained and the batteries are in an environment that maximises their useful lifecycle. Another benefit is that equipment changes can be planned according to their condition rather than their age.

On the recommendation of RMD, physical infrastructure in edge locations is now being deployed in new builds with bypass switches as standard and upgraded in older installations, improving the efficiency of maintenance operations with no break in IT services.

“We enjoy working with RMD – over the years, their site engineers have given us straight advice, which we’ve found to be trustworthy. This is backed up by the quality of Schneider’s products and solutions. They not only help us deliver a first-class student experience, but also help us to achieve our efficiency and reliability goals whilst working towards greater sustainability. Together, we’re giving an edge to the education of all those choosing to enrich their lives by studying at the University of Lincoln,” concludes Coy.

How data centres can support THE RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION

John Byrne, Managing Director

Ireland at Enel X, and Evan Barker, Manager, Facilities Engineering at Digital Realty, explain how leveraging data centre UPS through dynamic frequency response is supporting Ireland’s renewable energy transition.

Electricity grids of the future will depend on the evolving relationship model between user, technology and local regulations. This evolution unlocks a massive opportunity for businesses of all types – but especially data centres – to use their energy storage assets in new ways that add commercial value, resilience, and improved sustainability for their organisation and for the grid.

Grid stability – a growing challenge

Ireland has emerged as a major hub for data centre activity, attracting both domestic and international companies. The sector is an important source of income for the country, with revenue projected to reach US$1,198m in 2024.

At the same time, the sector is coming under criticism for its heavy use of electricity – consuming up to 18% of the country’s electricity in 2022. Capacity constraints on the grid have caused so much concern that there has effectively been a moratorium on the connection of new data centres in the Dublin area until 2028.

This is coupled with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan’s ambitious target for 80% of the country’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. Ireland is well on the way to meeting this target with over 35% of its power currently generated from renewable sources.

Renewable energy sources are more sporadic than traditional carbon fuelled power sources. Integrating them makes the grid less stable. Variations in power production cause small shifts in the balance between supply and demand on the grid that can be seen as frequency fluctuations.

Ireland’s secure and sustainable electricity

policy

EirGrid, the electricity Transmission System Operator (TSO) in Ireland, has designed its ‘Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System’ (DS3)

with the specific aim of creating the right conditions to safely and securely add more renewable energy to the Irish power system – without having to rely on traditional power stations for backup.

DS3 works by balancing the frequency of the grid as it fluctuates in response to variations in the quantity of renewable energy generation. If the frequency of the grid can be maintained at 50 Hz, more carbonfree electrons from renewable generation can be added to the power transmission lines feeding businesses and homes around the country.

Frequency response programmes, including DS3, require standby energy assets that can react to grid signals within seconds or even milliseconds. This is where data centres come in. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are a highly versatile form of storage found in the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) of most data centres. The main purpose of the UPS is to provide power conditioning and backup electricity for the servers.

UPS systems – a fast acting remedy

With response times below 0.5 seconds, UPS systems are fast enough to prevent data centres from losing power during an outage. Data centrescale UPS systems typically store enough energy for a few minutes of backup power. After providing backup power, UPS systems can recharge their batteries from the grid.

The availability required by the data centre determines the capacity of the battery and generator installation to ensure that the facility keeps the IT load going, no matter what. This results in often unused capacity that, with the right tools, can be made available to the grid to help it recover from an outage or even prevent one occurring.

A collaboration between Enel X and Digital Realty is implementing this approach in Europe, in what is known as grid-interactive UPS.

Enel X installed hardware at Digital Realty’s data centres to both

Grid-interactive UPS can help data centre operators become more energy aware and use their UPS to support demand management programmes with the local grid – also known as ‘peak shaving’

meter the UPS and send power requests to the UPS during times of grid disturbance. These devices have been designed and built to meet the requirements set out by the TSO. Grid compliance testing ensured that the system worked as expected following its installation.

In order to provide frequency balancing support to the electricity grid, the data centre batteries had to meet essential criteria:

• 20 millisecond event data

• GPS time synchronisation of +/- 2 ms

• 1 second real-time data

• 5 second data latency

• Response time <2 seconds.

How data centres can reduce grid stress and costs

Digital Realty is now using batteries on its installed UPS systems to give back to and support the grid through dynamic frequency balancing services. Whenever minute fluctuations in grid frequency occur, its UPS batteries are enacted to remove load from the grid in sub-2-seconds. This supports the constraint on the grid and allows the frequency to reset to its normal operating frequency of 50 Hz, and avoids the need for taxpayers’ money being used to have power plants on standby.

The project is setting a scalable precedent for data centres and other large energy consumers to use their UPS to bolster the electricity grid they depend on, becoming an intrinsic part of Ireland’s electricity system and facilitating the country’s transition to renewable energy.

By creating a solution that was compliant with EirGrid’s strict programme rules, the data centre batteries can provide frequency balancing support to the electricity grid. This turns a largely idle asset into an active facilitator that helps to create the grid necessary to achieve renewable targets.

A triple win

There are benefits to the data centres through this approach in addition to becoming good grid citizens. As well as supporting the grid through frequency balancing services, the grid-interactive UPS can help data centre operators become more energy aware and use their UPS to support demand management programmes with the local grid – also known as ‘peak shaving’.

In this way, data centres can lower their energy consumption by switching to on-site power generation or using stored capacity in batteries. This helps to avoid grid outages and reduce overall energy cost, with a positive impact on a facility’s Total Cost of Operation (TCO) –which is primarily led by the cost of energy.

A study by Baringa considers that if all data centres utilised their UPS as grid-interactive UPS, the need for peaking power plants that rely on fossil fuels would be negated, saving 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually for the Irish power sector. For context, this is equivalent to 2.47% of total CO2 emissions in Ireland in 2022, or the annual carbon emissions of more than 700,000 private cars on Irish roads. Without the need to burn fossil fuels to provide these frequency balancing services, the cost passed on to end consumers for electricity could also be reduced with estimated savings of €270 million per year.

Rising to a global challenge

As other countries transition to a greater reliance on renewable energy, they are encountering a similar situation to the one in Ireland. In the UK and Europe recent grid modifications and code changes have been introduced to accommodate more variable renewable energy.

Such reforms are enabling the innovative use of data centre battery assets to support electricity grid stability – as homes and businesses around the world make the transition to net zero.

200kW Data Centre Loadbank:

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Small footprint, stackable for easy storage

AC load bank resistive-only (200kW)

Voltage range: 400V or 415V

50/60 Hz Operating frequency range

3 Phase

Control up to 20 units from one controller

Forklift pockets for lifting

Sheet steel construction with IP55 rating

Low Delta T

Low noise

Internal or external auxiliary supply operation

Crestchic launches new 200kW load bank

Crestchic has announced the launch of a new 200kW load bank, designed specifically for use in data centres.

With over 40 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, selling, and renting load banks and power testing solutions, Crestchic has built a reputation in the data centre sector. After thorough customer research, the team has introduced a stackable 200 kW load bank aimed at simplifying and improving the efficiency of heat load testing in server halls and electrical infrastructure.

Paul Brickman, Crestchic’s Commercial Director, shared insight on the development: “Our years of serving the data centre sector have allowed us to collaborate with key customers and understand their specific needs. We took that feedback to our engineering team to develop a solution that meets exacting specifications.”

The result is a machine that facilitates integrated system tests, is user-friendly, and compact enough for convenient storage. As data centres increase in density, testing cooling systems and conducting integrated systems tests become more critical. This product addresses those requirements.

Measuring 1159 mm x 876 mm x 983 mm, the load bank is compact, allowing multiple units to be linked and strategically placed throughout a server hall. This placement closely mimics the heat generated by

servers, replicating airflow patterns and rack configurations, including hot and cold aisle setups.

Operators can configure and control up to 20 linked load banks (totalling 4 MW) using a single LC10 handheld digital controller. This enables full remote operation and easy management of incremental loads, allowing for testing the server hall’s cooling performance, system redundancy, and identifying any potential hotspots that may require reconfiguration.

Innovative design

The units can also connect to Power Distribution Units (PDUs) for testing the data centre’s electrical infrastructure, such as power to servers, switches, bus tracks, and other essential devices. Equipped with heavy-duty casters, the 200 kW load bank is designed for easy mobility within the server hall, enabling full system testing at each PDU location.

One standout feature of the load bank is its low Delta T rise, remaining below 100°C at the exhaust face, which ensures accurate simulation of real-world conditions. This helps assess the cooling system’s ability to handle the expected heat load during actual operation.

In addition, the load bank’s stackable design

allows two units to be safely stacked, reducing storage space when not in use. Its design also ensures that there are no awkward shapes or protrusions, minimising the risk of damage. With noise levels at a class-leading 83dBA at 1m, it is well-suited for indoor operation.

“With the industry expecting 99.999% uptime, it’s essential for data centre operators to test their critical systems,” Brickman added.

“These units enable integrated systems testing that simulates real-world scenarios, such as full load operation, power outages, and cooling system failures. This testing helps identify weaknesses or bottlenecks before deploying critical IT equipment. It also provides valuable data on system performance under various loads, establishing a baseline for future maintenance and troubleshooting.”

Crestchic offers various solutions for testing backup diesel generators, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems, as well as electrical bus and distribution cabling. Load testing at commissioning and regular intervals helps ensure that systems remain operational and reduces the risk of costly downtime.

The 200 kW units are available for both hort and long-term rental, with immediate purchase options and delivery scheduled for January 2025.

Making the most of the EDGE DATA CENTRE BOOM

Daniel Thorpe, Associate Director of Data Centre

Research at JLL, explores the opportunities opened up by the rapid growth of the edge data centre market.

The global edge data centre market is projected to exceed $317 billion by 2026, a significant increase from last year’s market value of $208 billion, largely driven by the surge in data-dependent technologies such as the IoT and AI.

This expansion is essential for seamless business operations in the future economy, whilst also improving security measures and protecting against potential disruptions. However, despite these advantages, the edge data centre market faces certain challenges, such as managing the complexity of distributed networks and addressing the high costs associated with deploying and maintaining edge infrastructure. With these challenges, however, comes an opportunity for the market to improve energy efficiency, re-distribute energy consumption, and increase support for renewable energy integration while also benefiting new investors in underserved markets.

What’s driving edge data centre demand?

We’ve observed that enterprises typically use a combination of different data centre types, including on-premises, colocation and edge when deploying their IT infrastructure – depending on user needs. However, the continual growth in data and connected devices has driven the need for increased storage, computing, and network capabilities closer to the end-points of use and created a need for edge computing and associated data centres.

The rise of AI has also played a significant role in increasing edge data centre demand. Edge data centres enable organisations to process and

analyse data in real-time at the edge of the network, facilitating faster decision-making and more efficient operations. AI-driven applications need low latency, and the need for high bandwidth in several sectors has contributed to this demand. If you look at sectors such as the gaming market, it needs ultra-low latency for a seamless experience, and edge data centres provide the infrastructure to support a growing number of cloud gaming users.

High-profile data breaches and increasing cybersecurity threats have made data security even more of a top priority for organisations across many industries. The need for better data security and privacy has also aided edge data centre demand.

Edge data centres, strategically placed closer to these users, are essential for providing the speed and responsiveness needed to support

Edge data centres… are essential for providing the speed and responsiveness needed to support digital services in areas with traditionally limited infrastructure

digital services in areas with traditionally limited infrastructure. As internet access expands to more rural and remote regions, it brings with it a massive influx of new users. As a result, we see similar growth in demand for the same low-latency, high-bandwidth applications (streaming, gaming, video conferencing, etc.) that are influencing edge adoption in urban areas.

Markets where there is a high differential in internet penetration rates between urban and rural environments will see the greatest opportunity. Africa and the Middle East are prime examples of this, with a penetration rate of just over 60% for Middle East and 37% for Africa. To capitalise on this growing trend, investors and operators need to establish partnerships with local stakeholders and communities to identify suitable locations and engage with data centre market experts.

The challenges

Despite the promising outlook of growth, the edge data centre market faces certain challenges.

Managing the complexity of distributed networks is a significant hurdle. Unlike traditional centralised data centres, edge facilities require coordination across multiple locations, which can complicate network management and increase operational costs.

Unlike traditional data centres, edge facilities need to be deployed close to where data is generated and utilised, such as factories, smart cities, and research labs. This proximity, while crucial for low latency, often presents development hurdles. These locations may lack the robust power infrastructure, network connectivity, or physical space required for a traditional data centre, demanding innovative adaptation and deployment strategies.

The edge market is a whole ecosystem of companies that includes IT and device vendors, chip manufacturers, telecommunication services providers, data centre operators, cloud service providers and hyperscalers. The competition in the market could pose challenges, as it could lead to aggressive price cuts, potentially squeezing profit margins for smaller players.

Opportunities for growth

The unique demands of edge computing are driving innovation in data centre technologies, benefiting the entire market. Edge data centres require efficient cooling systems to handle higher power densities in smaller spaces. Meeting the diverse demands of edge computing requires collaboration between data centre providers, telecom companies, hardware and software vendors and cloud service providers.

Growth in edge computing is pushing data centre development into new geographical markets, particularly those previously underserved by traditional facilities. This creates opportunities for both established players and new entrants in the market.

In summary, the edge data centre market is poised for explosive growth, driven by the insatiable demand for data processing power closer to end-users. This $317 billion opportunity promises seamless business operations, enhanced security, and new avenues for regional development, creating exciting prospects for investors and operators alike.

As this dynamic sector evolves, there are clear opportunities for growth in improving energy efficiency, re-distributing energy consumption and increase support for renewable energy integration into the wider data centre market.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS in Europe’s booming data centre market

AAs demand for data centres increases, Europe faces rapid growth but struggles to meet capacity needs. Investors must navigate regulatory hurdles, rising construction costs, and sustainability challenges to succeed, writes Dominic Rowe, Of Counsel in Herbert Smith Freehills’ TMT and Data Practice.

round the world, data centre demand is outstripping supply – with some estimates suggesting assets in Europe will need to more than double over the next few years if the hunger for them is to be sated.

Geographically, Europe is lagging behind the US on capacity and the race is on to close the gap, with the continent experiencing double-digit growth rates, all whilst Africa and APAC are also seeing unprecedented levels of demand.

Yet, despite this picture of optimism, the prevailing view remains one where supply will fail to mirror demand.

To invest or not; that is the question?

It may be true that the global surge in demand has attracted investors’ attention. Certainly, with the long-term, inflation-linked cash flows and risk-adjusted yields on offer, most commentators would argue that investors will remain interested.

But things are never that simple and it would be naïve to think that investing in data centres is without its challenges.

To begin with it is becoming increasingly difficult to build new data centres in some jurisdictions. Whether this is for practical reasons, such as the lack of suitable land in densely populated urban areas, or legal and planning factors, such as Singapore’s four-year moratorium on new builds.

Even where permission is granted, the rising costs of construction, data centre equipment, labour rates, and less predictable development timelines, are making it difficult for developers to commit to deliver projects to fixed timelines and budgets, and are requiring increased flexibility to be built into construction and supply contracts.

With some countries adopting restrictions on adding major new loads to the grid, and some (such as the Netherlands and Ireland) pausing new developments in an effort to reduce the strain on power grids, investors are also questioning when or whether they will see a return on their investment. It’s no surprise, as rapid growth in data centre demand has been matched by a similarly rapid growth in the regulatory regimes. In my view, those classifying the processing and storage of data as being ‘critical infrastructure’ will likely continue as a trend.

Circumventing barriers to success

Most people agree that the key to the development of new data centres is securing land in suitable locations, along with the requisite rights over such land. However, successfully navigating the relevant consenting processes for data centres involves a delicate balancing act of interests in what can be a highly political climate.

Understandably, consenting authorities are increasingly focused on sustainability – so for those looking to create new data centres, it is worth highlighting how any sustainability synergies resulting from a new development could prove significant. Think, for example, about connecting the data centre to local district heating networks to deliver waste heat as a heating source for surrounding communities.

Of course, managing business-critical ESG impacts requires continuous analysis of supply chains to ensure they are compliant and have robust governance processes in place. After all, without these, how can risks be identified to protect capital investment or even raise debt that satisfies relevant environmental policies and investors’ ESG mandates?

To put this into context, significant recent developments relating to misleading conduct in ‘green’ and ‘social’ claims have ensured regulators are increasingly shining a light in this space, meaning that data centre sponsors and investors must become responsive to potential risks from making misleading claims about environmental and sustainability commitments.

Even if initial hurdles are overcome, the fact that data centres are –

Even if initial hurdles are overcome, the fact that data centres are – rightly – considered to be critical data storage and processing assets means they are also attracting enhanced security obligations in some jurisdictions

rightly – considered to be critical data storage and processing assets means they are also attracting enhanced security obligations in some jurisdictions.

Many jurisdictions have also introduced legislation to enable intelligence agencies or other government bodies to intervene, audit, and secure data centres in the interests of national security. This includes powers to enforce ownership or governance requirements, or directing that customers meeting certain criteria are prohibited from using the data centre (effectively precluding operators of data centres from providing services to certain sectors).

Making data the centre of success

Despite the plethora of barriers, my view is that anyone claiming the barriers are too tall is failing to analyse what the data is trying to tell them.

For one thing, success can be dependent on the ownership structure. Rather than ‘going it alone’, joint ventures, with equity interests determined by the value of the operator’s contributions in the form of data centre assets and offtake agreements, can help mitigate risk. Part of this should also include a governance regime that requires consent to be obtained with respect to various matters, corresponding to ownership interest. In the context of data centre joint ventures, a matter which is particularly important is material amendment or termination of any customer contract.

Investors, particularly those investing from close-ended funds, will also need to ensure there are appropriate avenues to achieve liquidity. Typically, after a lock-up period, a minimum percentage of shareholders are entitled to initiate an IPO, recapitalisation, or combination of the group with another business. In other words, exit strategies outlined at the beginning could be your key to success.

Ultimately, as technology advances our collective desire for – and creation of – data is only going to grow. It means that if the thirst for data centres is going to be quenched, those at the helm of the data centre (r)evolution will have to pay close attention to the rapidly changing legal, regulatory and financial demands being placed upon them. In other words, they need to understand and analyse the data at the centre of what promises to be an exciting opportunity..

Ai Preparing data centres for the growing demands of AI

Ann Keefe, Regional Director – UK and Ireland at Kingston Technology, takes a look at how data centres can prepare for the explosive demand of the AI revolution.

The advent of AI is transforming industries at a breakneck pace. McKinsey has said that if 2023 was the year the world discovered generative AI, 2024 would be the year that organisations truly began using and deriving business value from it. But this rapid expansion is placing tremendous pressure on enterprise data centres. As AI-driven applications become more pervasive, the demand for computational power has skyrocketed. This challenges the capacity and efficiency of existing infrastructure, which brings AI to the forefront with features such as Copilot, Recall, and AI-augmented camera and touchscreen capabilities. These innovations underscore the growing need for data centres to evolve to meet the burgeoning demands of AI workloads.

Windows 11: A catalyst for AI demand

Windows 11 has been a game-changer in the computing landscape, particularly with its deep integration of AI features that cater to both consumers and enterprises. The Copilot feature, for instance, serves as an AI-powered assistant that streamlines user interactions, making it easier to manage tasks, search for information, and automate routine processes.

These AI-driven enhancements are not just incremental improvements; they represent a fundamental shift in how users interact with technology. While applications like Copilot will sit on Microsoft’s own servers, or on dedicated devices such as AI PCs, they will pave the way for other similar applications and contribute to the exponential growth of data processing requirements. AI models, especially those used in real-time applications, require substantial resources to function efficiently.

Microsoft invests in infrastructure

Recognising the growing demand for AI-driven services, and the need to support its own technology developments, Microsoft has already announced plans to expand its UK data centre footprint significantly. The tech giant is investing £2.5 billion to expand its next generation of AI data centres – the single largest investment in the UK in its 40-year history. This expansion is not just about adding more servers; it’s about creating a robust and scalable infrastructure that can handle the complex computational needs of AI applications.

Microsoft’s strategy highlights a broader trend among hyperscalers who are racing to build out their data centre capabilities to keep pace with the rapid adoption of AI. However, simply adding more physical infrastructure

is not enough. Data centres must also focus on optimising the performance of their existing resources to maximise efficiency and reduce costs.

Key strategies for boosting server capacity

As AI continues to drive up performance demands, data centres need to explore strategies that can enhance the capacity of their existing servers, and two of the most effective approaches are to increase the DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory) capacity and better optimise storage solutions.

AI workloads, particularly those involving large-scale machine learning models and real-time data processing, require substantial memory to operate efficiently. By increasing DRAM capacity, facilities can ensure their servers are better equipped to handle these increasingly memory-intensive tasks, particularly when it comes to faster data retrieval and processing, both of which are crucial for maintaining the performance of AI applications under heavy loads.

Moreover, modern AI models often operate on large datasets that need to be held in memory for rapid access. Without sufficient DRAM and HBM, both of which can work hand-in-hand to deliver flexibility, these operations can bottleneck, leading to slower processing times and reduced overall efficiency. Upgrading server DRAM can mitigate these issues and offers scalability which enables data centres to support more complex AI workloads without compromising on performance.

Storage is another critical factor, as AI applications generate and require access to vast amounts of data. By optimising storage solutions, such as SSD drives, data centres can improve data throughput and reduce latency, ensuring faster access to data needed for AI processing. This, combined with increased DRAM, can create a more resilient and responsive data centre infrastructure.

Support for robust, scalable infrastructure

Windows 11 is just the latest in a series of developments that are bringing AI closer to businesses and users. The more it is integrated into the applications we use every day, the more we need robust, scalable and efficient data centre infrastructure. Data centres must also look inward, optimising their existing resources to withstand the explosion of AIdriven workloads.

By increasing DRAM capacity and expanding storage, data centres will be better positioned to enhance their performance and remain competitive in this new era of AI.

Understanding renewable energy use in data centres

TDavid Tranter, Principal Engineer, Critical Systems at Cundall, explains the many shades of green energy.

he UK aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, focusing on integrating renewable energy into the National Grid. As data centres globally and in the UK are substantial electricity consumers, shifting them to operating with renewable energy will be crucial to meet environmental targets.

Data centres support most of our daily digital lives. But, like most things, they come with a cost. This comes in the form of electricity usage, and as AI and the sheer number of data centres grow as expected, they will require more than ever.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that global data centres (excluding crypto mining) consumed between 240 and 340 TWh of energy in 2022, accounting for approximately 1-1.3% of global electricity demand. This marks a staggering 70% increase since 2015, underscoring the rapid growth of the sector and its footprint.

In the UK, data centres currently consume up to 2.5% of the country’s energy, which may rise to 6% by 2030. Given their substantial electricity consumption, exploring, and evaluating renewable energy procurement options is essential to support the UK’s decarbonisation goals.

Potential ‘green’ sources come in many shades.

Should you listen to the guidance?

To source electricity, the UK Green Building Council – a membership organisation designed to influence policies to move the built environment forward sustainably – released their best practice guidelines.

They emphasise three main points:

1. Ensuring that on-site or traceable renewable sources match the energy consumed.

2. Improving the grid’s capacity through the procurement strategy.

3. Aligning energy purchases with renewable supply hourly or subhourly.

Understanding these three elements is essential when evaluating different renewable energy purchasing schemes. With these questions in mind, we are now armed to assess these agreements against our criteria properly.

Alternatives to green tariffs

A ‘green’ tariff may seem an easy way to support renewable energy, but it’s one of the least effective methods. These tariffs often fail to guarantee that the energy supplier uses renewable energy.

Loopholes in the system allow Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) backed contracts to be traded separately from the actual amount of electricity, meaning green tariffs do not contribute any new capacity to the grid. These tariffs are usually based on annually reported data for consumption and generation and fall short of the best practice metrics set by the UK Green Building Council. While they are acceptable for carbon reporting, they are not considered the gold standard.

A more practical alternative is tariffs, where suppliers must demonstrate that the sourced energy aligns with REGO certificates. These can be traced back to the actual power generation and reported hourly, meeting items 1 and 3 of the UK Green Building Council’s best practice criteria. While these schemes still rely on the existing supply without adding new capacity, they are less widely available. However, they offer a more reliable and transparent way to support renewable energy. Key providers include Good Energy, GEUK, and Ecotricity.

Some data centres are setting a high bar by purchasing energy hourly. For instance, LevelTen Energy has collaborated with Google, Microsoft, and others to establish a time-based energy certificate trading marketplace, supporting the ambition of 24/7 renewable energy usage. This approach ensures a closer match between consumption and generation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in renewable energy procurement.

Upgrading Power Purchase Agreements

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for off-site generation are an excellent option for data centres to source renewable energy. They offer a reliable energy supply with stable pricing, making them a cost-effective choice for data centre operators. Moreover, they allow for direct investments in expanding the grid’s capacity, ensuring a good return on investment.

Although PPAs may not be practical for smaller electricity users, they are well-suited for data centres due to their high energy consumption. These agreements help build strong partnerships between data centre operators and energy developers, meeting the criteria set by the UK Green Building Council. According to their sustainability report, a significant example is Google’s recent PPAs, with a rated capacity of 1.5 GW, representing approximately 60% of their global annual energy demand.

On-site PPAs are even more effective for renewable energy procurement. Positioned ‘behind the meter’, they minimise emissions from grid transportation, reduce distribution losses and avoid utility connection costs. Similarly to off-site PPAs, on-site agreements meet

Although PPAs may not be practical for smaller electricity users, they are well-suited for data centres due to their high energy consumption

the UK Green Building Council’s criteria. However, due to the massive energy demands of data centres, more than on-site PPAs are required. In such cases, organisations must complement with off-site PPAs or energy matching.

Ultimately, while both on-site and off-site are compelling, often a combination of both is best to meet the needs of data centres. Given the scale of these buildings, this provides a comprehensive approach to grid resilience and promoting sustainability.

Creating a new benchmark

UK data centres are not just here to stay but here to grow. For the UK to reach its net zero carbon targets, these critical buildings must be viewed differently. They are major energy consumers, key stakeholders, and

policy influencers. The operators in charge must do more than choose ‘green’ energy. They need to use the industry’s advice to understand where suppliers are sourcing energy and work with these companies to obtain accurate data. Only then can they match consumption with generation.

Achieving this alignment is more straightforward than expected. As overviewed, entering Power Purchase Agreements enables operators to align their goals with the energy industry’s. They can go further by directly investing in local or off-site renewable energy sources.

However, PPAs are just the beginning if data centres are to achieve net zero carbon. While electrical demand is essential, operators must look holistically to reach sustainable targets. It is what needs to be done for the industry to progress.

Rewiring data centre design to deliver SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS A

Neil Potter and Grant Bilbow at Eaton EMEA explore how a systems-engineered approach to data centre design can enhance sustainability, energy efficiency, and meet rising demands from AI and IoT technologies.

s the UK economy continues on the slow and winding road to recovery, businesses are searching for ways to grow sustainably and efficiently. Naturally, this has led them to adopting technology such as AI, IoT and cloud services – all of which depend, and are putting more strain, on data centres. So much so, the UK’s National Grid expects data centre power usage to increase six-fold in the next 10 years.

However, in light of growing environmental reporting, data centre operators find themselves under increasing pressure to find ways to meet such urgent demands sustainably. The revised European Union’s Energy Efficiency Directive, for instance, introduced an obligation for member states to monitor the performance of data centres.

It’s clear that the industry needs to rethink the way data centres are designed, built and managed. We need to adopt an approach that enables operators to minimise environmental impacts, whilst also optimising their performance and reliability in an era of increased demand.

Introducing a systems-engineered approach

A systems-engineered approach to data centre design presents a clear way forward to unlocking truly sustainable progress.

Methodical and multi-disciplinary, a systems-engineering approach considers the data centre as a complex system composed of interrelated and interdependent elements, rather than a collection of isolated components. It moves away from the conventional practices of mixing and matching, and instead ensures all parts of the data centre – such as power, cooling and IT infrastructure – work together efficiently throughout its lifecycle. Taking this approach enables the sustainable design and management of data centres by equipping operators with four essential abilities:

1. Flexible and dynamic design

Improving the environmental performance of a data centre – whether it be its carbon footprint, water consumption, or waste management – is a challenge when you cannot comprehensively review the full picture. If you don’t know how components interact with each other, let alone the external environment, any changes you make to the system could deliver unintended externalities, undermine synergies and generate trade-offs.

At the same time, the need for agility is apparent, with emerging technologies generating variable demand patterns. To effectively address challenges associated with variable loads, operators must have access to a full system view.

By looking at data centres as a unified whole, you can identify the changes required in design and the best way of making them. All while understanding their impact and optimising flexibility, meaning you can ensure design remains effective in fast-evolving environments.

2. Prioritising energy efficiency

Ensuring you are able to review data centres in their entirety is particularly useful when looking at energy efficiency, as it enables the review of the power train and its associated interdependencies across the full lifecycle.

Efficient use of energy is only going to become more important, as the proliferation of emerging technologies puts even greater strain on the power supply to data centres. Morgan Stanley analysts predict that generative AI alone will drive more than three-quarters of global data centre power demands in 2027. Therefore, it is essential operators renew their focus on efficiency, to ensure they can handle increased demands whilst responding to increased environmental scrutiny.

With greater visibility of both the distribution of power and the conservation of power consumption downstream, data centre operators can understand each components’ characteristics and impact on electrical properties, voltage, current capacity and impedance.

At the design stage, for example, selecting and considering the right equipment with the entire power chain in mind enables improved energy efficiency. For example, in low voltage systems, using copper busbars will reduce power loss by around 25% compared to aluminium ones.

Along with this, a digital software platform can monitor and manage energy efficiency through machine learning and AI to better understand where losses in the power distribution system may occur and how they can be prevented.

3. Integration with renewables

Improving energy efficiency alone will not meet demand, nor progress

A systems-engineering approach considers the data centre as a complex system composed of interrelated and interdependent elements, rather than a collection of isolated components

sustainability ambitions. Instead, attention must also turn to renewable energy sources, which are ever more important in the power ecosystem.

To do so, it is essential to understand the impact of integrating renewables and alternate power sources on whole system performance and power quality. Done properly, this helps to provide resilient and reliable power, and reduces the likelihood of outages.

One such impact we need to understand is the impact of less rotating mass and less inertia within renewables, which in turn affects the quality of power flow along the power train due to less frequency control and more volatility. A systems-engineered approach means you can observe the mix of renewable on-site and off-site generation, monitoring the power being consumed and its source.

4. Rethinking measurement

Whether integrating renewables or improving existing power trains, data centre operators will no doubt question how they can demonstrate the holistic impact of such changes.

Traditionally, efficiency has been determined using metrics such as Power Usage Effectiveness and Data Centre Infrastructure Efficiency. But such measures are only concerned with one aspect of a data centre’s operation, to the exclusion of all others.

In the face of greater environmental scrutiny, we must look beyond these ‘standard’ measures. From measuring OT and IT efficiencies to equipment lifecycle and water usage, there are several other metrics that must be included to calculate a holistic metric of sustainability.

With a systems-engineered approach, each individual aspect within a data centre is already measured and consolidated by a digital layer that considers the interdependencies of each aspect to determine the most efficient and sustainable data centre. From this, it’s possible to devise a new maturity metric tool that, by combining all these metrics, can report on an entire system’s environmental integrity.

Looking forward

Ultimately, a systems-engineered approach rewires data centres to become more sustainable and competitive in the digital age. Equipped with a holistic view of the data centre system, where each component is intelligently integrated and coordinated by a digital layer of data, operators can expect greater efficiency, resilience, scalability, and adaptability, while also minimising their carbon footprint, energy consumption, and waste generation.

When designed with sustainability in mind data centres can not only reduce their environmental impact, but also optimise their performance and reliability in an era of increased demand.

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Getting to grips with CERTIFICATION

IChris Wellfair, Projects Director at Secure

I.T. Environments, takes a whirlwind tour through data centre certification.

n today’s digital ecosystem, data centres serve as the critical infrastructure supporting the seamless operation and growth of businesses across the globe. These technological hubs are essential for storing, managing, and disseminating vast amounts of data, making their reliability, security, and efficiency non-negotiable.

At the heart of achieving these goals lay a set of rigorous data centre certification standards. They can be complex, but play a vital role in helping design data centres, demonstrate a commitment by the operators to high standards, and provide specifications for security, environmental standards and resilience – to name but a few areas.

Getting to the heart of it

Certification standards act as key benchmarks for the planning, construction, and management of data centres, ensuring they meet specific criteria for safety, efficiency, and security. These standards are not just about compliance; they offer a roadmap to building a resilient and reliable infrastructure capable of supporting business operations even in the face of challenges. The benefits of adhering to these standards include improved reliability, enhanced security measures, and operational

efficiency, all of which contribute to the bottom line of a business.

Historically, the evolution of data centre certification standards has mirrored the rapid advancements in technology and the growing demands of digital businesses. From basic facility requirements to advanced energy efficiency and sustainability criteria, these standards have continually adapted to support the increasingly complex needs of modern enterprises.

Tier Classification System

The Tier Classification System was developed by the Uptime Institute, and is a broad classification used to define the level of redundancy and resilience that an IT infrastructure meets. Depending on the mission critical nature of an infrastructure, it can be used as either a design guide, or a way to clearly explain to customers that it can meet their high availability needs, even when undergoing planned maintenance, or experiencing some sort of failure.

There are four tiers to the standard and each tier is designed such that each should be able to operate at the next level down when undergoing maintenance. Tier I is defined as no redundancy, where Tier IV has 2N+1 redundancy of all systems, including power and cooling. Tier III is the most seen classification and has an N+1 redundancy arrangement of all systems – though for smaller businesses, a Tier II N+1 arrangement, which does not require power and cooling to both have redundancy, may be perfectly adequate depending on the workloads running in that data centre.

In search of standards

Outside the data centre tiering system there are a number of ISO certification standards that define frameworks and approaches to different

CERTIFICATION

Once a certification is gained, it is critical that operational standards are maintained to keep it

aspects of data centre management. These can not only make a data centre more secure, operationally resilient or energy efficient, but depending on the business a company operates in, may well be a requirement for handling certain types of data, or even gaining a licence to operate.

Selecting the appropriate certification requires a thorough understanding of your business needs, budget constraints, and industryspecific requirements. It’s crucial to align your certification choice with your overall business strategy, ensuring that the certification supports your objectives and enhances your value proposition to customers.

Obtaining a data centre certification involves a series of steps, including a detailed audit and assessment of the facility’s design, construction, and operational practices. This process ensures compliance with the chosen standards and identifies areas for improvement. This can be a time-consuming process and, of course, may require additional investment in the data centre. That’s why it’s critical to have a strategy for approaching your certifications, so that you are investing in those that will make a difference to your business.

It is also important to realise that maintaining standards is critical too. Once a certification is gained, it is crucial that operational standards are maintained to keep it. It is much easier to do this in the long run, than to approach recertification with a poorly run ship and incomplete record keeping.

Here is a quick summary of some of the more common certifications that apply to data centres – but not all will be relevant to all data centres. If you are designing or upgrading a data centre, having a clear plan on the certifications you need – and want – will be critical to that process.

ISO 9001: This is a quality management system standard. Its emphasis is on ensuring high standards of service delivery, continuous improvement and that the data centre meets all its customer and regulatory requirements. It is a mark of confidence in the way a data centre is run and highly regarded in all industries.

ISO 14001: For those that care passionately about demonstrating they take their sustainability and environmental responsibilities seriously, this is an essential certification. If your business regards itself as ‘green’ and runs data centres, this demonstrates a commitment to minimising the environmental impact of a data centre. The standard shows that a company is running efficient environmental management systems (EMS), which can also benefit the organisation by cutting running costs and energy consumption, reducing carbon emissions and lowering waste.

ISO/IEC 27001: This standard focuses on information security management, offering a framework for managing sensitive company information. These standards are critical for businesses in industries where data security is paramount.

There are many more certifications that can apply to most data centres. These include ISO 50001, which provides a framework for organisations to improve their energy performance by helping them implement, maintain and improve energy management systems.

Another general standard is Cyber Essentials, which any organisation can apply for, and is a scheme that helps organisations show their customers, suppliers, investors and any other interested parties that they have taken the steps needed to protect themselves from a possible cyberattack.

Other standards can apply to specific sectors – for example PCI DSS, which is critical for any data centre that handles payment card information. You can also find organisations such as the Uptime Institute with its own certificates, like the Management and Operations Stamp of Approval. The key is to understand the requirements of your industry, and the expectations of your users and customers.

Looking forward

Emerging trends in data centre certification focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and the integration of AI in data centre management. Staying ahead of these trends will ensure businesses remain competitive and prepared for the future.

Data centre certification standards are more than just compliance requirements; they are a strategic tool that businesses can leverage for improved reliability, efficiency, and competitive advantage. As the digital landscape evolves, understanding and adhering to these standards will be key to sustaining growth and resilience.

For businesses looking to enhance their data centre operations, now is the time to explore and invest in certification standards. Start by assessing your current infrastructure, identifying gaps, and exploring the certifications that align with your business goals.

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Why hybrid cooling is the way forward

When it comes to cooling, it’s time to go hybrid to survive, says Venessa Moffat, Channel Partner Manager, EMEA EkkoSense, and DCA Advisory Board Member.

There’s no doubt that the growing demands of processing GPU-intensive AI workloads are placing enormous pressure on current data centre infrastructure and operations. However, things are set to become even more intense, with Elon Musk recently describing the pace of AI compute growth as being like “Moore’s Law on steroids.”

With high-density workloads now typically running at over 30 kW per rack – and some even reaching 70 to 100 kW per rack – it’s clear that the standard 5 to 10 kW per rack data centre, supported by traditional air cooling, is starting to look like infrastructure on borrowed time.

While operations teams need to think hard about anticipated AI workloads, their current data centre infrastructure, and how it will need to change in terms of cooling, I suspect it’s unlikely that there will be a wholesale shift towards immersion cooling in order to cope with the inevitable extra heat generated. Indeed I would suggest that air cooling and other forms of liquid-based cooling will remain an important factor in the data centre cooling mix – most likely as part of an evolving hybrid cooling approach.

Let’s consider the likely technical scenarios that data centre operations teams face when considering evolving cooling requirements. First, it’s

Getting heat out of the servers is one step, but getting the heat out of the building is frequently overlooked in a good deal of the marketing material

worthwhile noting that this whole cooling debate is nothing new. Liquid cooling has been around since Cray X-MP supercomputers were launched in the early 1980s – hence its ‘bubbles’ nickname – while a second wave of liquid cooling followed to support the introduction of blade servers by vendors, such as HP, some 15 years ago. So what are the options now?

• Traditional air cooling: Most standard data centres have been running at 5-10 kW per rack and are supported by traditional air cooling. With only incremental workload increases, it might make sense to stick with air cooling, but that’s simply not going to be realistic with anticipated AI compute requirements.

• Enhanced air cooling: As workloads start to head towards 15 kW – 30 kW per rack, existing data centre infrastructure inevitably gets stretched unless they are very well managed. There will be an increasing requirement for an enhanced air cooling approach with inrow, rear-door cooling, or high volume fan walls.

• Hybrid cooling: With the wider deployment of ultra-high-density AI racks, air cooling alone isn’t enough. This hybrid environment is where existing air cooling systems become supplemented by Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC). The largest AI compute racks can potentially require up to 100 kW per rack.

For data centre operations teams currently considering the right cooling approach, there are clearly a range of factors to consider. There’s been a general assumption that Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) is simply going to take over from air cooling, but there’s a number of very practical reasons why that’s not likely to happen.

From a technical and engineering perspective, immersion cooling can deliver great performance but there are still potential concerns around oil spilling, the lack of ability to make fibre connections, and issues with the liquid interfering with the light interface. Some components and PCBs degrade in the liquid cooling medium, and there are practical concerns

around equipment replacement difficulties, the need for oil replacement, and the need to change out fans, heat sinks and the thermal paste on chips – all of which may invalidate warranties.

Data centre operations are also finding it challenging to manage supply issues associated with the massive demand for control processors and associated liquid cooling. With increasing numbers of genAI application deployments looming, sourcing and deploying these technologies on time will become difficult, and many data centres need upgrading.

If a company goes for a fully liquid-cooled approach, there will still be a requirement for some level of room cooling using circulating air since the direct liquid cooling technologies are not 100% efficient, and there will still be heat generating elements in the room, such as lighting, fibre switches, legacy disc storage, network switches etc.

Lastly, the external heat rejection equipment required to remove the heat generated by the IT equipment is often forgotten when it comes to immersion cooling in particular. This also needs to be planned and costed into any DLC cooling upgrade projects.

Adjusting to AI’s new engineering realities

So if DLC alone is difficult, is air cooling still the answer? While we’ve seen air cooling able to deploy up to around 30 kW per rack, you can sense it’s starting to hit the limits of what’s achievable. CIOs and their operations teams know that AI’s remodelling of the data centre is well under way and shows no signs of slowing down. There’s a real need now to adjust to AI’s new engineering realities.

Maximising air cooling performance is obviously important, but it’s getting harder to overlook the actual impact of full-intensity air cooling. Given that many existing data centres can be more than 20 years old, the reality is that the noise of fans, airflow velocity and its associated pressure can easily top 100 dB and make for a difficult working environment. Within these environments, more focus on health and safety will be required moving forward.

What’s the answer?

Data centre teams know that the infrastructure decisions they take now have the potential to constrain their AI plans if they get locked into a

particular approach. They really need to be prepared for what’s likely to happen from an infrastructure and engineering perspective when they launch their AI services – and that requires absolute real-time white space visibility. So how will data centre cooling evolve over the next 18 months?

Firstly, air cooling isn’t going away. Data centres are still going to need their current air cooling infrastructure to support their extensive existing low density workload commitments. However they will also need to take the time to optimise their current thermal and cooling performance if they’re to unlock capacity for additional IT loads.

Next, it’s important to note that liquid-cooling environments do have limitations. It isn’t practical or possible to run a completely liquidcooled data centre, and there’s probably not enough time, experience or underlying necessity across our industry for everyone to jump into immersion cooling just now. Also, prior to a move to DLC, the impact on the external heat rejection plant needs to be considered as this may well need to be modified. Getting heat out of the servers is one step, but getting the heat out of the building is frequently overlooked in a good deal of the marketing material promoting DLC.

The answer is to combine both air and DLC cooling in a hybrid approach. Key questions to consider here include the exact blend of air and liquid cooling technologies you’ll need, and a clear insight into your plans to accommodate higher density AI racks with their greater power and infrastructure requirements alongside more traditional power density workloads.

Data centre management teams need to first ensure that their air cooling performance is fully optimised to support current loads – and then get the liquid cooling in as necessary. This may take a few months, but that’s achievable. Once liquid cooling is deployed, you need to ramp it up and run it at an optimum temperature to maximise energy efficiency, and then backfill with air cooling after to create the best, most efficient hybrid model that is currently possible.

Taking this cooling model forward, you’ll also need to make sure your hybrid cooling environment remains fully optimised, particularly as workloads continue to scale upwards. Applying best practice optimisation at a granular level, and applying AI optimisation technologies used to support your AI workloads will become increasingly critical.

SAVETHEDATE

RDS, Dublin: 20-21 Nov 2024

Infrastructure • Services • Solutions

DataCentres Ireland combines a dedicated exhibition and multi-streamed conference to address every aspect of planning, designing and operating your Datacentre, Server/ Comms room and Digital storage solution – Whether internally, outsourced or in the Cloud.

DataCentres Ireland is the largest and most complete event in the country. It is where you will meet the key decision makers as well as those directly involved in the day to day operations.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Multi Stream Conference

25 Hours of Conference Content

International & Local Experts

60+ Speakers & Panellists

100+ Exhibitors

Networking Reception

Headline Sponsor

Entry to ALL aspects of DataCentres Ireland is FREE

• Market Overview

• Power Sessions

• Connectivity

• Regional Developments

• Open Compute Project

• Heat Networks and the Data Centre

• Renewable Energy

• Standby Generation

• Updating Legacy Data Centres

Lanyard Sponsor Ticket & Registration Sponsor

SMART, SCALABLE, SUSTAINABLE POWER FOR YOUR DATA CENTRE

• True ultra-high online eﬃciency of up to 98.1%

• Smart Modular Architecture enables risk-free scalability

• Optimise upfront investment & lower overall TCO

• Reduce maintenance costs with long-life components