Many data centers built ten or fifteen years ago were designed for racks of a few kilowatts. Customers now ask for GPU racks of tens of kilowatts, liquid cooled. Densifying can be faster than building, if you know what the site can really take.
DOES YOUR SITUATION LOOK LIKE ONE OF THESE?
We need to move from 10 kW racks to 60 kW GPU racks in an existing data hall.Should we fund the move to liquid cooling at a site built in 2014?The business plan assumes 30% AI densification with no electrical works. Is that realistic?
Anis MokdedDesign, commissioning & operations
THE QUESTIONS TO SETTLE
Before works start
Power: headroom on the current connection, or a new request
Power distribution: switchgear, UPS, generators to reinforce or replace
Cooling: direct-to-chip liquid, loops, CDUs, chillers
Structure: floor loading, height, routes for services
Live-site works: phasing, shutdowns, risks for existing customers
Economics: cost, duration, expected revenue, versus a new build
Power distribution: switchgear, UPS, generators to reinforce or replace
Cooling: direct-to-chip liquid, loops, CDUs, chillers
Structure: floor loading, height, routes for services
Live-site works: phasing, shutdowns, risks for existing customers
Economics: cost, duration, expected revenue, versus a new build
See AI factory in France and operations audit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can an existing data center move to liquid cooling?
Often, but not everywhere. Power, distribution, structure and the ability to work without disrupting existing customers must be checked.