UNCOVERING THE LAYERS
high-throughput cooling air to circulate through the racks .
As data generation increases and requirements gravitate towards the users , do we want larger and larger edge-of-town data centres connected to street-side Edge containers , both using air-cooled technology ? Our industry should be forward-looking , however even today , we continue to be locked into a fan-based server / rack environment that generates and pushes warm exhaust air out into the atmosphere .
July ’ s record temperatures in the UK – where it reached 40.3 o C in Coningsby , Lincolnshire – affected even data centres with the most energy efficient ambientcooling systems . This demonstrates that extreme weather can often be challenging for data centres . To maintain the server temperature within SLA or equipment warranty limits , requires more energy at these times , which adds costs and will negatively affect the data centre ’ s PUE . A knock-on effect to increased requirement for cooling is water use rises and this could become a serious problem in areas where water use restrictions come into force .
These traditional methods are being pushed to their limits , driving the trend towards solutions like precision immersion liquid cooling . These solutions offer greater efficiency , lower operating costs , higher levels of resilience , increased reliability and near silent operation , despite the high-power density of the GPUs being cooled .
Whether in large data centres or roadside containers , the need to provide the maximum processing density for the floor space reduces the scope to use air as the main equipment cooling solution . Liquid cooling systems allow heat removal from the processor and across the motherboard and components . It also offers almost total elimination of server fan use , increasing process density and available power per server .
Data gravity illustrates that local Edge data centres – whether standalone or in offices , retail , etc . – will continue to expand in number as data latency increases as a performance issue , especially with technologies such as intelligent vehicles becoming part of our lives . However , this does not appear to be reducing the requirement for larger data centres either . Moving forward , there needs to be more joined up planning and resource management to ensure our industry provides a platform for delivering higher performance with greater sustainability .
It ’ s human nature to embrace change slowly . However , consumers are going to demand change faster . If company A is using AI and understanding their target audience better and delivering products that are more personalised and innovative than Company B , the answer becomes simple . Consumers will vote with their feet and go to Company A . Data centres need to be prepared to support that change .
At a time when there are many competing priorities with real world consequences , a holistic approach to addressing these issues is needed . Leadership that is willing to be bold and embrace new technologies and approaches to solving problems will be rewarded . There are financial , space and emissions benefits to be had that will prepare data centres for the challenges ahead . �
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