The Data Center Frontier Show

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, DCF Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent and Senior Editor David Chernicoff sat down with Tony Grayson, President and General Manager of Northstar Technology Group's Enterprise and Defense unit, to unpack a strategic acquisition that's shaking up the edge and modular data center space. The conversation centered on Northstar's acquisition of Compass Quantum, a company known for its rapidly deployable, composite-based modular infrastructure tailored for both enterprise and defense applications. From Compass to Northstar: A Strategic Realignment “We were developing a modular brand at Compass,” said Grayson. “Where Compass was building the gigawatt-scale campuses, I was building the smaller campuses using building blocks of modules—versus, you know, kind of a stick build.” That smaller-scale focus gained traction with enterprise clients, including several Fortune 50 companies, but new opportunities in the defense sector introduced regulatory friction. “Compass is Canadian-owned, and that goes against some of the rules that the U.S. government has,” Grayson explained. “Chris Crosby was a huge supporter… he wanted to sell us so he wouldn't hinder us from growing the company or servicing U.S. defense needs.” Enter Northstar Technology Group, which brings a strategic partnership with Owens Corning—the manufacturer and IP holder behind Compass Quantum's composite materials. With engineering, manufacturing, and construction capabilities now integrated under one roof, Grayson sees the acquisition as a natural fit. “Everything is now in-house instead of trying to go outside to other consultants,” he said. AI-Ready Modulars in 5MW Increments As hyperscale demands evolve, Grayson noted growing customer appetite for 5 megawatt modular units—mirroring the scale at which Nvidia and others are now building AI infrastructure. “You've seen Wade Vinson talk about it at Data Center World, and you see Jensen [Huang] talking about 5 megawatts being the line where you cross between the L2 and L3 network,” he said. “We can build in 5 megawatt increments and drop that stuff in parking lots—either as an operating lease or as a sale.” That flexibility extends to Northstar's channel partners, who are increasingly seeking a variety of procurement models. “Some want sales, not just leases. It gives us more freedom to do that kind of stuff,” said Grayson. “Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, and I feel like the timing of this couldn't have been better for where the industry's at right now.” Veteran-Led Advisory Team Strengthens Defense Strategy In addition to the materials and platform innovations, Northstar's defense ambitions are underpinned by what Grayson describes as a “dream team” of senior military advisors. “We basically have every outgoing ‘six'—the people in charge of IT and comms for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, and Navy—as advisors,” he said. “Some will be coming on full time.” These high-level advisors, many of whom retired as three-star generals, are instrumental in helping Northstar align its solutions with evolving defense requirements, particularly in distributed compute and real-time data processing. “We're making huge progress on the enterprise side, but the defense side is where we need to catch up,” Grayson added. “Defense globally needs distributed compute… they're ahead of enterprise when it comes to inference platforms.” He also highlighted Northstar's engagement with the Navy, particularly around airborne systems. “That's why we have the old air boss, Admiral Weitzel. He helps us with aircraft systems. These planes generate so much data, and we need advice on how best to internalize and analyze it.” Material Advantage: Why FRP Composites Are a Game-Changer: Durability, Customization—and No Tariffs A key differentiator for Northstar's modular approach is its use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites instead of traditional steel or concrete enclosures. As Grayson explained, “There's no tariffs involved in any of this stuff. It's all locally sourced and rather easy to get from Owens Corning.” This material advantage extends far beyond sourcing. FRP composites allow Northstar to customize modules for specific use cases, including: Fire resistance: Two-hour fire ratings. Extreme weather: Withstanding 250 mph winds—Category 5 hurricanes and F5 tornadoes. Military resilience: Ballistic protection up to 7.62mm and .50 caliber rounds. And despite their strength, these modules are extremely lightweight—“30% lighter than aluminum,” said Grayson. “I don't know if you've ever seen the picture of me holding the 15-foot I-beam. I'm a sub guy, not Army tough. I definitely couldn't hold that up if it were steel.”

Global demand for data center capacity is expected to grow between 19 and 22 percent annually through 2030, according to McKinsey & Company.  As data center capacity expands, so does the challenge of managing the heat generated by high-performance chips. This includes heat at the chip, as well as external heat rejection and room cooling. LG, a global HVAC technology leader, discusses the evolving landscape and the latest technology to ensure efficient, reliable cooling for data centers. This includes the full suite of data center cooling solutions that LG debuted at Data Center World 2025. The cutting-edge cooling technologies, including direct-to-chip, room, and chiller plant cooling capabilities, are intended to meet the challenge of increasing data center capacity head-onm helping provide reliable, energy-efficient solutions.

This episode will explore how Tecto Data Centers is shaping the future of digital infrastructure in Latin America through its operations in Fortaleza, Brazil. André Busnardo, Head of Data Center Sales at Tecto, discuss why the region is considered one of the most important connectivity hubs in LATAM and how the company's investment strategy is helping address the growing demand for reliable, neutral, and scalable infrastructure.

Global power deficit and solutions   The discussion will address the power deficit we are experiencing and how new demands for power are navigated across different regions.

WASHINGTON, D.C.— At this year's Data Center World 2025, held earlier this month at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the halls were buzzing with what could only be described as industry sensory overload. As hyperscalers, hardware vendors, and infrastructure specialists converged on D.C., the sheer density of innovation underscored a central truth: the data center sector is in the midst of rapid, almost disorienting, expansion. That made it the perfect setting for the latest episode in our ongoing podcast miniseries with Nomad Futurist, aptly titled Nomads at the Frontier. This time, I sat down in person with Nabeel Mahmood, co-founder and board director of the Nomad Futurist Foundation—a rare face-to-face meeting after years of remote collaboration. “Lovely seeing you in person,” Mahmood said. “It's brilliant to get to spend some quality time at an event that's really started to hit its stride—especially in terms of content.” Mahmood noted a welcome evolution in conference programming: a shift away from vendor-heavy pitches and toward deeper, mission-driven dialogue about the sector's true challenges and future trajectory. “Events like these were getting overloaded by vendor speak,” he said. “We need to talk about core challenges, advancements, and what we're doing to improve and move forward.” A standout example of this renewed focus was a panel on disruptive sustainability, in which Mahmood joined representatives from Microsoft, AWS, and a former longtime lieutenant of Elon Musk's sustainability operations. “It's not just about e-cycling or carbon,” Mahmood emphasized. “We have to build muscle memory. We've got to do things for the right reasons—and start early.” That starting point, he argued, is education—but not in the traditional sense. Instead, Mahmood called for a multi-layered approach that spans K–12, higher education, and workforce reskilling. “We've come out from behind the Wizard of Oz curtain,” he said. “Now we're in the boardroom. We need to teach people not just how technology works, but why we use it—and how to design platforms with real intention.” Mahmood's remarks highlighted a growing consensus among forward-thinking leaders: data is no longer a support function. It is foundational. “There is no business, no government, no economy that can operate today—or in the future—without data,” he said. “So let's measure what we do. That's the KPI. That's the minimum threshold.” Drawing a memorable parallel, Mahmood compared this kind of education to swimming lessons. “Sure, you might not swim for 20 years,” he said. “But if you learned as a kid, you'll still be able to make it back to shore.” Inside-Out Sustainability and Building the Data Center Workforce of Tomorrow As our conversation continued, we circled back to Mahmood's earlier analogy of swimming as a foundational skill—like technology fluency, it stays with you for life. I joked that I could relate, recalling long-forgotten golf lessons from middle school. “I'm a terrible golfer,” I said. “But I still go out and do it. It's muscle memory.” “Exactly,” Mahmood replied. “There's a social element. You're able to enjoy it. But you still know your handicap—and that's part of it too. You know your limits.” Limits and possibilities are central to today's discourse around sustainability, especially as the industry's most powerful players—the hyperscalers—increasingly self-regulate in the absence of comprehensive mandates. I asked Mahmood whether sustainability had truly become “chapter and verse” for major cloud operators, or if it remained largely aspirational, despite high-profile initiatives. His answer was candid. “Yes and no,” he said. “No one's following a perfect process. There are some who use it for market optics—buying carbon credits and doing carbon accounting to claim carbon neutrality. But there are others genuinely trying to meet their own internal expectations.” The real challenge, Mahmood noted, lies in the absence of uniform metrics and definitions around terms like “circularity” or “carbon neutrality.” In his view, too much of today's sustainability push is “still monetarily driven… keeping shareholders happy and share value rising.” He laid out two possible futures. “One is that the government forces us to comply—and that could create friction, because the mandates may come from people who don't understand what our industry really needs. The other is that we educate from within, define our own standards, and eventually shape compliance bodies from the inside out.” Among the more promising developments Mahmood cited was the work of Rob Lawson-Shanks, whose innovations in automated disassembly and robotic circularity are setting a high bar for operational sustainability. “What Rob is doing is amazing,” Mahmood said. “His interest is to give back. But we need thousands of Robs—people who understand how it works and can repurpose that knowledge back into the tech ecosystem.” That call for deeper education led us to the second major theme of our conversation: preparing the next generation of data center professionals. With its hands-on community initiatives, Nomad Futurist is making significant strides in that direction. Mahmood described his foundation as “connective tissue” between industry stakeholders and emerging talent, partnering with organizations like Open Compute, Infrastructure Masons, and the iMasons Climate Accord. Earlier this year, Nomad Futurist launched an online Academy that now features five training modules, with over 200 hours of content development in the pipeline. Just as importantly, the foundation has built a community collaboration platform—native to the Academy itself—that allows learners to directly engage with content creators. “If a student has a question and the instructor was me or someone like you, they can just ask it directly within the platform,” Mahmood explained. “It creates comfort and accessibility.” In parallel, the foundation has beta launched a job board, in partnership with Infrastructure Masons, and is developing a career pathways platform. The goal: to create clear entry points into the data center industry for people of all backgrounds and education levels—and to help them grow once they're in. “Those old jobs, like the town whisperer, they don't exist anymore,” Mahmood quipped. “Now it's Facebook, Twitter, social media. That's how people get jobs. So we're adapting to that.” By providing tools for upskilling, career matching, and community-building, Mahmood sees Nomad Futurist playing a key role in preparing the sector for the inevitable generational shift ahead. “As we start aging out of this industry over the next 10 to 20 years,” he said, “we need to give people a foundation—and a reason—to take it forward.”

As the data center industry continues to expand, two powerful forces are reshaping the search for next-generation power solutions. First, the rapid expansion of AI, IoT, and digital transformation is significantly increasing global power demand, placing increased pressure on traditional grid systems to meet the energy needs. The International Energy Agency forecasts that electricity consumption by data centers and AI could double by 2026, adding an amount equal to the entire current electricity usage of Japan. The second force is the urgent need for a smaller environmental footprint. As energy consumption rises, the drive for decarbonization becomes more critical, making it harder for data centers to balance environmental sustainability with performance reliability. In response to these challenges, data center leaders are looking beyond conventional solutions and exploring innovative alternatives that can meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry. This podcast will focus on hydrogen fuel cell technology as a potential fuel source. This emerging technology has the potential to transform how data centers power their operations, providing a sustainable solution that not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also ensures reliable and scalable energy for the future. Hydrogen fuel cells present an opportunity for data centers. Unlike traditional fossil fuel-based systems, hydrogen fuel cells generate power through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with water and heat as the only byproducts. This makes them a virtually emission-free, environmentally friendly power solution. Moreover, hydrogen fuel cells can reduce data center emissions by up to 99%, providing one of the most effective means of decarbonizing the industry. The environmental benefits are matched by their impressive efficiency, as fuel cells operate with fewer energy losses compared to traditional combustion-based systems. In this episode, Ben Rapp, Strategic Product Development Manager at Rehlko, will explore the science behind hydrogen fuel cells, offering an overview of the key components that make them a viable power solution for data centers. He will also highlight the practical advantages of hydrogen fuel cells, particularly their ability to deliver reliable, on-demand power with minimal disruption. This episode also addresses the challenges of adopting hydrogen fuel cells, including infrastructure development, cost, and the need for a robust hydrogen distribution network. Additionally, we talked to Ben about Rehlko's hydrogen fuel cell project and the partnerships involved. As part of this initiative, Rehlko has collaborated with companies like Toyota to develop a 100-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell solution aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of data centers. We'll go over the progress of this partnership and the practical steps being taken to make hydrogen fuel cells a viable and scalable power solution. Finally, Ben will talk about his perspective on the future role of hydrogen fuel cells in data centers worldwide. With the industry facing increasing pressure to meet sustainability targets while ensuring performance reliability, hydrogen fuel cells are poised to play a critical role in the evolution of data center power systems. They offer both environmental and operational benefits that are essential for the industry's future. Whether used as a primary power source, backup system, or for grid stabilization, hydrogen fuel cells are poised to become a key player in the future of data center energy management.

In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we explore how Packet Power is transforming data center monitoring. As the demand for energy efficiency and operational transparency grows, organizations need solutions that provide real-time insights without adding complexity. Packet Power's wireless, scalable, and secure technology offers an easy, streamlined approach to power and environmental monitoring. Monitoring Made Easy® Traditional monitoring solutions can be difficult to install, configure, and scale. Packet Power's wireless, out-of-band technology removes these hurdles, offering a plug-and-play system that allows organizations to start with a few monitoring nodes and expand as needed. With built-in fleet management, remote diagnostics, and broad compatibility with existing systems, Packet Power helps data centers gain visibility into their power and environmental conditions with minimal effort. Fast, Flexible Deployment Deploying monitoring solutions can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, particularly in large-scale facilities. Many systems require extensive cabling, specialized personnel, and lengthy configuration processes. Packet Power eliminates these roadblocks by offering a vendor-agnostic, rapidly deployable system that works seamlessly with existing infrastructure. Designed and manufactured in the USA, Packet Power products ship in just 2-3 weeks, avoiding the delays often associated with global supply chain issues and ensuring data centers can implement monitoring solutions without unnecessary downtime. Security Built from the Ground Up Security is a critical concern in mission-critical environments. Unlike traditional monitoring solutions that focus primarily on encryption, Packet Power integrates security at every level—from hardware to networking and software. Their read-only architecture ensures that failed hardware won't disrupt power delivery, while out-of-band monitoring prevents exposure to network vulnerabilities. One-way communication protocols and optional physical data isolation further enhance security, ensuring that critical infrastructure remains protected from cyber threats and misconfigurations. Adapting to Industry Changes The data center landscape is rapidly evolving, with increasing demands for efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Packet Power's solutions are designed to keep pace with these changes, offering a non-intrusive way to enhance monitoring capabilities without modifying existing infrastructure. Their technology is easily embedded into power and cooling systems, enabling organizations to implement real-time monitoring across a wide range of devices while maintaining operational agility. Why Wireless Wins Traditional wired monitoring solutions often require extensive installation efforts and ongoing maintenance, while common consumer wireless options—such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee—are not designed for industrial environments. These protocols pose security risks and struggle in settings with high electromagnetic interference. Packet Power's proprietary wireless system is optimized for reliability in data centers, eliminating IP-based vulnerabilities while supporting secure, large-scale deployments. Cost Savings & Efficiency Monitoring solutions should provide a return on investment, not create additional overhead. Packet Power reduces costs by minimizing IT infrastructure needs, eliminating the expense of network switches, dedicated cabling, and IP address management. Their wireless monitoring approach streamlines deployment, allowing organizations to instantly gain actionable insights into their energy usage and environmental conditions. This improves cost allocation, supports sustainability initiatives, and enhances operational efficiency. Versatile Applications Energy monitoring is crucial across multiple aspects of data center management. Packet Power's solutions support a wide range of applications, including tracking energy use in busways, HVAC systems, generators, switchgear, tenant submeters, and selective circuits. Organizations use their data for billing, cost allocation, efficiency optimization, and failure detection. By providing real-time insights into power consumption and environmental conditions, Packet Power helps data centers maintain reliability, compliance, and cost-effectiveness. The Power of EMX Software & 3D Visualization Collecting data is only part of the equation—turning that data into actionable insights is equally important. Packet Power's EMX Software integrates seamlessly with existing DCIM and BMS platforms, offering real-time alerts, custom reporting, and a brand new 3D Layout Viewer for enhanced visualization. These tools help facility managers and operators make informed decisions, ensuring optimal performance and risk mitigation. Conclusion In an industry where efficiency, security, and flexibility are paramount, Packet Power provides a modern approach to data center monitoring. Their wireless, scalable, and vendor-agnostic solutions simplify installation, reduce costs, and deliver real-time insights into critical infrastructure. As data centers continue to evolve, Packet Power's innovative technology ensures organizations can adapt quickly and operate more effectively without the burden of complex monitoring systems. To learn more, visit PacketPower.com or email sales@packetpower.com for a free consultation.

The AI revolution is charging ahead—but powering it shouldn't cost us the planet. That tension lies at the heart of Vaire Computing's bold proposition: rethinking the very logic that underpins silicon to make chips radically more energy efficient. Speaking on the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Vaire CEO Rodolfo Rossini laid out a compelling case for why the next era of compute won't just be about scaling transistors—but reinventing the way they work. “Moore's Law is coming to an end, at least for classical CMOS,” Rossini said. “There are a number of potential architectures out there—quantum and photonics are the most well known. Our bet is that the future will look a lot like existing CMOS, but the logic will look very, very, very different.” That bet is reversible computing—a largely untapped architecture that promises major gains in energy efficiency by recovering energy lost during computation. Product, Not IP Unlike some chip startups focused on licensing intellectual property, Vaire is playing to win with full-stack product development. “Right now we're not really planning to license. We really want to build product,” Rossini emphasized. “It's very important today, especially from the point of view of the customer. It's not just the hardware—it's the hardware and software.” Rossini points to Nvidia's CUDA ecosystem as the gold standard for integrated hardware/software development. “The reason why Nvidia is so great is because they spent a decade perfecting their CUDA stack,” he said. “You can't really think of a chip company being purely a hardware company anymore. Better hardware is the ticket to the ball—and the software is how you get to dance.” A great metaphor for a company aiming to rewrite the playbook on compute logic. The Long Game: Reimagining Chips Without Breaking the System In an industry where even incremental change can take years to implement, Vaire Computing is taking a pragmatic approach to a deeply ambitious goal: reimagining chip architecture through reversible computing — but without forcing the rest of the computing stack to start over. “We call it the Near-Zero Energy Chip,” said Rossini. “And by that we mean a chip that operates at the lowest possible energy point compared to classical chips—one that dissipates the least amount of energy, and where you can reuse the software and the manufacturing supply chain.” That last point is crucial. Vaire isn't trying to uproot the hyperscale data center ecosystem — it's aiming to integrate into it. The company's XPU architecture is designed to deliver breakthrough efficiency while remaining compatible with existing tooling, manufacturing processes, and software paradigms.

In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Matt Vincent, Editor-in-Chief of Data Center Frontier, talks to Tony DeSpirito, vice president of enterprise sales at Vertiv, about AI densification and how data centers can prepare for ever-growing rack power demands. They also explore cooling and physical infrastructure conundrums, and Vertiv's AI roadshow.

The 25th anniversary of the latest Data Center Dynamics event in New York City last month (DCD Connect NY 2025) brought record-breaking attendance, underscoring the accelerating pace of change in the digital infrastructure sector. At the heart of the discussions were evolving AI workloads, power and cooling challenges, and the crucial role of workforce development. Welcoming Data Center Frontier at their show booth were Phill Lawson-Shanks of Aligned Data Centers and Phillip Koblence of NYI, who are respectively managing director and co-founder of the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Our conversation spanned the pressing issues shaping the industry, from the feasibility of AI factories to the importance of community-driven talent pipelines. The 25th anniversary of the latest Data Center Dynamics event in New York City last month (DCD Connect NY 2025) brought record-breaking attendance, underscoring the accelerating pace of change in the digital infrastructure sector. At the heart of the discussions were evolving AI workloads, power and cooling challenges, and the crucial role of workforce development. Welcoming Data Center Frontier at their show booth were Phill Lawson-Shanks of Aligned Data Centers and Phillip Koblence of NYI, who are respectively managing director and co-founder of the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Our conversation spanned the pressing issues shaping the industry, from the feasibility of AI factories to the importance of community-driven talent pipelines.

For this episode of the DCF Show podcast, host Matt Vincent, Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, is joined by Santiago Suinaga, CEO of Infrastructure Masons (iMasons), to explore the urgent challenges of scaling data center construction while maintaining sustainability commitments, among other pertinent industry topics. The AI Race and Responsible Construction "Balancing scale and sustainability is key because the AI race is real," Suinaga emphasizes. "Forecasted capacities have skyrocketed to meet AI demand. Hyperscale end users and data center developers are deploying high volumes to secure capacity in an increasingly constrained global market." This surge in demand pressures the industry to build faster than ever before. Yet, as Suinaga notes, speed and sustainability must go hand in hand. "The industry must embrace a build fast, build smart mentality. Leveraging digital twin technology, AI-driven design optimization, and circular economy principles is critical." Sustainability, he argues, should be embedded at every stage of new builds, from integrating low-carbon materials to optimizing energy efficiency from the outset. "We can't afford to compromise sustainability for speed. Instead, we must integrate renewable energy sources and partner with local governments, utilities, and energy providers to accelerate responsible construction." A key example of this thinking is peak shaving—using redundant infrastructure and idle capacities to power the grid when data center demand is low. "99.99% of the time, this excess capacity can support local communities, while ensuring the data center retains prioritized energy supply when needed." Addressing Embodied Carbon and Supply Chain Accountability Decarbonization is a cornerstone of iMasons' efforts, particularly through the iMasons Climate Accord. Suinaga highlights the importance of tackling embodied carbon—the emissions embedded in data center construction materials and IT hardware. "We need standardized reporting metrics and supplier accountability to drive meaningful change," he says. "Greater transparency across the supply chain can be achieved through carbon labeling of materials and stricter procurement policies." To mitigate embodied emissions, companies should prioritize suppliers with validated Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and invest in low-carbon alternatives like green concrete and recycled steel. "Collaboration across the industry will be essential to drive policy incentives for greener supply chains," Suinaga asserts. The Role of Modular and Prefabricated Builds As the industry seeks more efficient construction methods, modular and prefabricated builds are emerging as game changers. "They significantly reduce construction waste, improve quality control, and shorten deployment times," Suinaga explains. "By shifting a large portion of the build process to controlled environments, we can improve worker safety and optimize material usage. Companies leveraging prefabrication will gain a competitive edge in both cost savings and sustainability." Modular construction also presents financial advantages. "It allows for deferred CapEx investments, creating attractive internal rates of return (IRRs) for investors while reducing the risk of oversupply by aligning capacity with demand," Suinaga notes. However, he acknowledges that the approach has challenges, including potential supply chain constraints and quick time-to-market pressures during demand spikes. "Maintaining a recurrent production cycle and closely monitoring market conditions are key to ensuring capacity planning aligns with real-time needs." Innovation in Cooling and Water Use With AI workloads driving increasing power densities, the industry is rapidly shifting toward liquid cooling, immersion cooling, and heat reuse strategies. "We're seeing innovations in direct-to-chip cooling and closed-loop water systems that significantly reduce water consumption," Suinaga says. "Some data centers are capturing and repurposing waste heat to provide energy to nearby facilities—an approach that needs to be scaled." Immersion cooling, he adds, offers the potential to shrink data center footprints and dramatically improve Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). "A hybrid approach combining air and liquid cooling is key," Suinaga explains. "There's still uncertainty around the right mix of technologies, as hyperscalers need to support not just AI but also continued cloud growth. Flexibility in cooling design is now essential to accommodate a diverse range of workloads." Regulatory Pressures and the Future of Sustainability Standards Regulatory frameworks such as the SEC's climate disclosure rules and Europe's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are pushing data center operators toward greater transparency. Suinaga believes these measures will enforce more accurate sustainability reporting and drive greener investment decisions. "This will push data center operators to adopt more energy-efficient designs early in the planning phase and, in the long term, standardize carbon reporting and create incentives for sustainable practices," he explains. He also highlights the role of investors and publicly traded companies in enforcing stricter climate reporting requirements across their portfolios. "At iMasons, we are refining existing reporting benchmarks and frameworks to provide the industry with a holistic view of best practices. This is an area where we aim to support data center operators with an analytical approach." The Road to Net Zero: Overcoming Challenges Despite ambitious net zero goals, execution remains a significant challenge. "The biggest roadblock to net zero is the availability of truly carbon-free energy and materials at scale," Suinaga states. Achieving net zero requires substantial investment in renewable infrastructure, grid connectivity improvements, and energy storage innovation. To accelerate progress, he emphasizes the importance of adopting circular economy practices, advocating for renewable energy policy support, and investing in next-generation cooling and power technologies. "The demand from AI is outpacing current power infrastructure and renewable options. While some net zero commitments may be delayed, investing in new technologies and clean energy solutions will ultimately put us back on the path to net zero." Workforce Development and Addressing the Talent Shortage The digital infrastructure industry has long faced a talent shortage, which has only become more urgent as demand increases. To help address this challenge, iMasons has launched a new job-matching platform. "It's designed to bridge the talent gap by connecting skilled professionals with opportunities in digital infrastructure," Suinaga explains. "For job seekers, it's free to use, providing a streamlined way to match with job listings based on skills, experience, and location." For employers, iMasons partners gain access to the platform to find vetted candidates efficiently. "At the pace this industry is growing, the current workforce isn't enough—we need to bring in talent from other industries and create new career pathways. Digital infrastructure is recession-proof and offers tremendous opportunities for growth." Industry Partnerships Driving Innovation iMasons has been expanding its partnerships, adding 15 new partners in recent months. "We've welcomed companies from various backgrounds, including AI-driven construction management firms, energy-related companies, and cooling solution providers," Suinaga shares. "iMasons is a hub for industry collaboration, helping to drive innovation across the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem. Our mission is simple: to ensure the industry thrives." Looking Ahead As AI accelerates the demand for digital infrastructure, the industry must embrace innovative, responsible strategies to balance scale with sustainability. iMasons, alongside major players in the sector, is committed to ensuring the next generation of data centers are not just fast to deploy but also environmentally responsible.

In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Matt Vincent, Editor-in-Chief of Data Center Frontier, talks to Craig Compiano, CEO of Modius, about how data centers are evolving to meet modern demands, specifically in terms of scalability, security and intelligence. They also discuss Modius's commitment to enabling the next generation of data centers with scalable and secure solutions.

The modular data center industry is undergoing a seismic shift in the age of AI, and few are as deeply embedded in this transformation as Andrew Lindsey, Co-Founder and CEO of Flexnode. In a recent episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Lindsey joined DCF Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent and Senior Editor David Chernicoff to discuss the evolution of modular and edge data centers, the growing demand for high-density liquid-cooled solutions, and the industry factors driving this momentum. A Background Rooted in Innovation Lindsey's career has been defined by the intersection of technology and the built environment. Prior to launching Flexnode, he worked at Alpha Corporation, a top 100 engineering and construction management firm founded by his father in 1979. His early career involved spearheading technology adoption within the firm, with a focus on high-security infrastructure for both government and private clients. Recognizing a massive opportunity in the data center space, Lindsey saw a need for an innovative approach to infrastructure deployment. "The construction industry is relatively uninnovative," he explained, citing a McKinsey study that ranked construction as the second least-digitized industry—just above fishing and wildlife, which remains deliberately undigitized. Given the billions of square feet of data center infrastructure required in a relatively short timeframe, Lindsey set out to streamline and modernize the process. Founded four years ago, Flexnode delivers modular data centers with a fully integrated approach, handling everything from site selection to design, engineering, manufacturing, deployment, operations, and even end-of-life decommissioning. Their core mission is to provide an "easy button" for high-density computing solutions, including cloud and dedicated GPU infrastructure, allowing faster and more efficient deployment of modular data centers. The Rising Momentum for Modular Data Centers As Vincent noted, Data Center Frontier has closely tracked the increasing traction of modular infrastructure. Lindsey has been at the forefront of this shift, witnessing the market evolve significantly over the last five years. "Five years ago, we were looking at a graveyard of modular data center companies that leaned heavily on the edge," Lindsey recalled. Many early modular providers focused on latency-sensitive, interconnected solutions—such as base stations at 5G tower sites. However, the market proved premature, hindered by high costs and the scale of deployment within the telecommunications industry. Now, macroeconomic and technological factors have driven a fundamental shift toward modular data centers. One of the most significant drivers is the rapid evolution of chip design. "A traditional data center design cycle can take a year or 18 months," Lindsey explained. "But if we see radical Nvidia chip advancements every 12 months, your design could be obsolete before you even break ground." The need for embedded flexibility within data center design has made modular solutions an ideal fit. Labor Scarcity and the Need for Efficiency Another factor accelerating the adoption of modular infrastructure is the labor shortage in construction. "There just aren't enough people today to build the scale of infrastructure needed for data centers," Lindsey noted. Compounding the issue is an aging workforce, with many skilled professionals nearing retirement. "When they leave, they take decades of institutional knowledge with them." Modular construction mitigates this problem by shifting labor-intensive processes to manufacturing environments where technical expertise is concentrated. By centralizing production, modular providers can reduce reliance on dispersed construction labor while maintaining high precision and efficiency. Liquid Cooling and the Future of High-Density Deployments Flexnode is also a leader in the adoption of high-density liquid-cooled infrastructure. Lindsey attended the CoolerChips event last year and has been vocal about the advantages of liquid cooling for modern workloads. "More recently, modular is everywhere," he said. "We at Flexnode are seeing demand hand over fist for high-density liquid-cooled systems that integrate seamlessly with broader building designs." This demand underscores the shift from the speculative modular edge deployments of five years ago to today's high-performance, flexible data center solutions. "Modular is no longer just a niche," Lindsey concluded. "It's a critical strategy for meeting the growing demand for scalable, high-efficiency data center capacity." The realization that liquid cooling would become a building-wide challenge, rather than just an IT challenge, was a pivotal moment for Flexnode. "Four years ago, we recognized that liquid cooling, which had been around for 10 to 15 years in government and research, was now commercially viable. But very few data centers were truly equipped to deploy it to its full potential," Lindsey explained. Flexnode identified an opportunity to deliver integrated liquid-cooled modules that connect IT systems to building infrastructure through a fully embedded design. Rather than developing proprietary liquid cooling technology, Flexnode focuses on being "liquid neutral." "The liquid cooling market is advancing well on its own," Lindsey said. "We want to enable OEM-driven solutions like JetCool, Motivair, Isotope, and ZutaCore, ensuring they perform optimally in an environment designed to support them." Flexnode operates at the building scale, working on innovative heat management strategies that eliminate the need for external heat rejection. "We integrate heat rejection into the panelized construction of our modular data centers," Lindsey explained. This approach pushes forward a broader, integrated building design suited for liquid cooling. The Shift Toward Hybrid and Two-Phase Liquid Cooling David Chernicoff asked Lindsey whether Flexnode leans toward specific liquid cooling methodologies, such as waterless, multi-phase, or single-phase solutions. Lindsey responded that their focus aligns with OEM and ODM preferences. "Right now, we're primarily working with direct-to-chip water-based single-phase cooling," Lindsey said. "But as part of our work with the Cooler Chips program, we're also developing a hybrid immersion approach with Isotope." This hybrid method integrates both direct-to-chip and immersion cooling. The industry is currently debating whether to move to a single-phase hybrid approach or leapfrog directly to two-phase cooling. "The big challenge with two-phase is the environmental impact of certain chemicals used in the process," Lindsey noted. While companies are actively working to address these concerns, two-phase cooling remains a complex consideration. Even Nvidia is leaning toward a two-phase future. "From what we've heard at CoolerChips, Nvidia sees the next generation as being two-phase oriented," Lindsey said. "But they can speak better to that." With liquid cooling now firmly part of the mainstream conversation, the challenge is not just about advancing the technology but also ensuring that the surrounding infrastructure evolves to support it. Flexnode's approach—integrating liquid cooling at the building level—positions them at the leading edge of this shift. Customer Demands Drive Cooling Technology Choices As the industry evolves, cooling technology decisions are increasingly shaped by customer preferences. "Right now, it's very much customer-driven for us," Lindsey explained. "We're working with sophisticated customers—hyperscalers and GPU-as-a-service providers—who already know what they want to deploy." While some enterprises may still be evaluating their liquid cooling options, hyperscalers are looking beyond traditional single-phase approaches, including both dielectric and water-based cooling. However, Lindsey emphasized that many of these developments remain in the R&D phase. "We don't typically recommend one technology over another unless there's a clear drawback," he said. One challenge with direct-to-chip cooling, for example, is achieving full heat absorption into the liquid. "That's where hybrid approaches come in," Lindsey noted. He described hybrid designs that integrate both two-phase direct-to-chip cooling and immersion cooling, as seen in the CoolerChips program. "In some cases, direct-to-chip is single-phase, in others, it's two-phase. We're working as a category B provider, helping integrate these technologies at the building level." Lindsey also touched on sustainability concerns, particularly around immersion cooling. "Immersion is seen as the most sustainable in terms of energy efficiency, but there are still questions about how immersion fluids impact server longevity over time," he said. Factors like glue degradation and cable insulation breakdown raise questions about immersion cooling's long-term sustainability profile. Two-phase cooling also presents challenges. "There's an ongoing discussion about PFAS and finding non-toxic, non-carcinogenic alternatives," Lindsey explained. "Beyond that, two-phase cooling can create cavitational forces that affect motherboard and chip integrity over time. That's why many in the industry—including Nvidia—are still weighing the trade-offs." With liquid cooling now firmly in the mainstream, the industry's next challenge is integrating these technologies seamlessly into modular data centers. "It's not just about cooling IT gear anymore; it's about designing buildings that fully support liquid cooling at scale," Lindsey concluded. Flexnode's modular approach positions them at the forefront of this transformation. Modular Configurations and Integrated Power Solutions Finally, Flexnode's modular approach offers extreme configurability. "Our modules can be standalone data centers or integrated into powered shell facilities," Lindsey explained. "We configure everything from 2 MW to 20 MW standalone deployments, and we can scale up to 200 MW campuses." Beyond footprint flexibility, power integration is a growing focus. "On-prem generation is gaining traction, particularly with fuel-agnostic generators that can switch between natural gas, hydrogen, methane, and propane," Lindsey noted. Collaborating with partners like Hyliion, Flexnode is exploring adaptable power solutions, including fuel cells. Being behind the meter is another key driver. "Utilities are getting smarter about power allocation," Lindsey said. "In Europe, data centers are facing use-it-or-lose-it policies, and in the U.S., regions like Ohio are imposing tariffs on unused capacity." On-site power generation provides greater flexibility, helping data centers scale more efficiently and participate in curtailment programs that balance grid demand. Looking Ahead As modular data centers become a core part of the industry landscape, Flexnode is pushing the boundaries of what's possible. "We see modular as a natural extension of utilities—a distributed solution that enhances flexibility," Lindsey concluded. "And we're just getting started."

The latest episode of the DCF Show podcast addresses one of the most critical challenges facing the data center industry: the search for sustainable, high-density power solutions. As hyperscale operators like Google and Meta face growing energy demands and resistance from utilities unable or unwilling to support their expansion, the conversation around nuclear energy has gained momentum. Both established nuclear providers and innovative startups are vying for the data center industry's future business, each offering distinct approaches. Our guest, Matt Loszak, co-founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, shares insights into his company's fresh approach to nuclear energy. Aalo Atomics, which raised $29.5 million in Series A funding in 2024, has developed a 10-megawatt sodium-cooled reactor that eliminates the need for water cooling, offering greater siting flexibility. Inspired by the Department of Energy's MARVEL microreactor, Aalo's design benefits from direct expertise, as the company's CTO was the chief architect behind MARVEL. Aalo's vision extends beyond reactor design to full-scale modular plant production. Rather than simply building reactors, the company aims to manufacture complete nuclear plants using prefabricated, modular components that can be shipped in standard containers. These plants are designed to fit within the footprint of a data center and require no onsite water—features that make them especially attractive to hyperscale operators seeking localized, high-density power. Aalo has made significant progress, with the Department of Energy identifying Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as a potential site for its first nuclear facility. The company is on an accelerated timeline, planning to complete a non-nuclear prototype within three months and break ground on its first reactor in about a year—remarkably fast for the nuclear sector. Aalo's modular nuclear power solution for data centers is designed to deliver 50 megawatts, using a sodium-cooled reactor inspired by the MARVEL microreactor at INL. “In just 30 months, Marvel became the first reactor the DOE has ever authorized for construction,” said Loszak. Aalo has brought in key members from the Marvel project, including its chief architect, to speed up development. During our conversation, Loszak discusses the implications of this new wave of nuclear innovation, including the shifting stance of the Trump administration on nuclear energy, the evolving economics of nuclear power (where past projects faced cost overruns and delays), and common misconceptions about nuclear safety, such as fears of reactor meltdowns and waste management.

The exponential growth of data center energy demand, particularly driven by advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges for energy infrastructure globally.  However, existing grid infrastructure is increasingly constrained, particularly in regions with concentrated data center activity. Transmission bottlenecks, aging infrastructure, and long timelines for grid upgrades present significant challenges for meeting this explosive demand. Podcast takeaways: How Microgrids, powered by Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) offer a promising solution by reducing dependency on centralized grids, integrating generation from multiple fuels and storage, and providing load flexibility.  The benefits of a strategy that includes and prepares for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) when they become commercially available. The immediate and long-term benefits of this multi-year approach through real-world data center examples in Santa Clara, California and Ashburn, Virginia, USA  How to optimize your energy investments, reduce OPEX costs by 60-80%, and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions by using Xendee's advanced Microgrid Modeling platform to design the right site-specific multi-year strategy.

As high-performance computing (HPC), cloud computing, blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to expand globally, the demand for more capable data centers has surged. These next-generation data centers must manage workloads far beyond traditional capacities while addressing challenges such as finding skilled professionals and ensuring operational efficiency. By leveraging software-defined technologies, these data centers achieve better control over physical and virtual resources. Join Alan Farrimond and Andrew Jimenez, industry experts with decades of experience, as they discuss the innovations and strategies that are shaping the future of data centers, focusing on sustainability, energy efficiency, and cutting-edge technologies.

In the latest episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, DCF Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent sits down with Phill Lawson-Shanks, Chief Innovation Officer at Aligned Data Centers, for a wide-ranging discussion that touches on some of the most pressing trends and challenges shaping the future of the data center industry. From the role of nuclear energy and natural gas in addressing the sector's growing power demands, to the rapid expansion of Aligned's operations in Latin America (LATAM), in the course of the podcast Lawson-Shanks provides deep insight into where the industry is headed. Scaling Sustainability: Tracking Embodied Carbon and Scope 3 Emissions A key focus of the conversation is sustainability, where Aligned continues to push boundaries in carbon tracking and energy efficiency. Lawson-Shanks highlights the company's commitment to monitoring embodied carbon—an effort that began four years ago and has since positioned Aligned as an industry leader. “We co-authored and helped found the Climate Accord with iMasons—taking sustainability to a whole new level,” he notes, emphasizing how Aligned is now extending its carbon traceability standards to ODATA's facilities in LATAM. By implementing lifecycle assessments (LCAs) and tracking Scope 3 emissions, Aligned aims to provide clients with a detailed breakdown of their environmental impact. “The North American market is still behind in lifecycle assessments and environmental product declarations. Where gaps exist, we look for adjacencies and highlight them—helping move the industry forward,” Lawson-Shanks explains. The Nuclear Moment: A Game-Changer for Data Center Power One of the most compelling segments of the discussion revolves around the growing interest in nuclear energy—particularly small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors—as a viable long-term power solution for data centers. Lawson-Shanks describes the recent industry buzz surrounding OKLO's announcement of a 12-gigawatt deployment with Switch as a significant milestone, calling the move “inevitable.” “There are dozens of nuclear plants operating in the U.S. today, but people just don't pay much attention to them,” he says. “Companies like OKLO are designing advanced modular reactors that are walk-away safe, reuse spent fuel, and eliminate the risks associated with traditional light-water reactors. This is the path forward.” However, he acknowledges that the widespread adoption of nuclear will take time, given the regulatory hurdles of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the challenges of getting sites certified. Still, he remains optimistic: “We need this, and as an industry, we're pre-buying energy because we see the challenges ahead.” Bridging the Energy Gap with Natural Gas and Hydrogen While nuclear is a long-term solution, data centers need reliable power sources today. Lawson-Shanks sees natural gas as a practical interim solution, provided emissions can be mitigated. He also points to hydrogen as an emerging technology with potential, though challenges remain. “Hydrogen is really an energy transportation methodology rather than an energy source,” he explains. “It's highly corrosive, and the infrastructure isn't fully in place yet, but it's something we're closely monitoring.” He predicts that natural gas reciprocating engines will serve as a bridge solution until nuclear modules become widely available. “Once we reach steady-state nuclear power, those gas engines could replace diesel generators, which we all want to phase out,” he says. Explosive Growth in LATAM and the Evolution of Aligned's Global Strategy The conversation also covers Aligned's expansion into Latin America following its acquisition of ODATA. Lawson-Shanks describes the region as a booming market, particularly in Brazil, where Aligned has access to renewable energy through its investment in wind farms. “LATAM is an enormous growth market, and our waterless cooling system is ideal for places like Santiago, where water scarcity makes evaporative cooling unfeasible,” he explains. Aligned is integrating its advanced cooling technologies—such as Delta³ and DeltaFlow—into ODATA's new facilities, ensuring that sustainability remains a core component of their LATAM operations. Innovating Beyond Cooling: The Future of Heat Reuse Another forward-looking topic is Aligned's interest in heat reuse, an area where Lawson-Shanks sees significant potential for innovation. Through its partnership with QScale in Canada, Aligned is exploring methods to capture and repurpose waste heat from data centers for other applications. “Their heat reuse strategy is really interesting, and we're looking at how we can implement similar solutions in North America,” he says, hinting at future developments to come. Looking Ahead: A Future Shaped by Innovation and Sustainability As the conversation wraps up, it's clear that Lawson-Shanks sees the data center industry at an inflection point. The combination of sustainability commitments, new energy technologies, and rapid global expansion is forcing companies to rethink traditional models and embrace innovation at an unprecedented scale. “We've always fought against the idea that data centers have to be built the same way they were in the 1970s,” he says. “We're constantly redesigning, rethinking how we procure energy, and pushing the industry forward.” With Aligned continuing to lead the charge in sustainability, energy innovation, and international expansion, the insights shared in this episode offer a compelling look at the challenges and opportunities ahead for the data center industry.

Recorded last December, for this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show Podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent spoke with Vantage Data Centers' North American President Dana Adams, and Katilin Monaghan, Vantage Data Centers' North American Public Policy Director. As president of Vantage Data Centers' North America business, Dana Adams oversees market development, sales, construction and operations across the United States and Canada. With nearly 18 years of experience in the data center sector, Adams has a track record of successfully leading high-growth companies and diverse teams at scale. Prior to joining Vantage, Adams was the Chief Operating Officer for AirTrunk, the hyperscale data center giant serving the Asia-Pacific region. She was responsible for scaling operations, service delivery and customer success from one to five countries and established other critical business capabilities, including award-winning people, culture and sustainability programs, as the company grew from $3 to $10 billion. Earlier in her career, Adams served as vice president and general manager at Iron Mountain where she helped drive nearly $2 billion in growth through global acquisitions and development projects. In addition, she held several leadership positions at Digital Realty, including vice president of portfolio management, where she oversaw $3 billion in data center assets. Considered to be one of the most influential female executives in the industry, Adams was recognized by Data Economy on its power women list in 2019. She was a finalist in the 2020 and 2022 PTC awards as an outstanding female executive, an Infrastructure Masons (IM) 2022 award recipient and was recently featured by InterGlobix Magazine as an Inspiring Woman in Leadership. Adams earned a bachelor's degree from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration from Simmons University. Kaitlin Monaghan serves as the Director of Public Policy, North America, for Vantage Data Centers. In this role, she is responsible for leading a public policy program to support the company's North American business. Monaghan partners with site selection, sustainability, tax, legal, energy and construction stakeholders to develop and advocate for Vantage's position on a multitude of issues in current and future markets.  Prior to joining Vantage, Monaghan held public policy roles at Rivian Automotive and the American Clean Power Association where she managed legislative, regulatory and economic development matters at all levels of government. She also serves as Energy and Environment Co-Chair for the Data Center Coalition (DCC). A Florida native, she is a graduate of the University of Florida with a B.S. in Environmental Science and has a law degree from Florida State University College of Law with a concentration in Energy Law. Podcast Talk on the podcast kicks off with a framing of Vantage Data Centers' recently announced $2 billion investment in a new data center campus in New Albany, Ohio in the environs of Tier 2 industry hotspot Columbus, focusing on sustainability and efficiency. The discussion touches on how the Ohio market is becoming increasingly relevant for data centers due to strong connectivity and power availability, with most major hyperscalers already investing in the region.  Along the way, we learn how Vantage's new campus in New Albany will utilize a sustainable design aimed at achieving LEED Silver certification, emphasizing low power usage effectiveness (PUE) and waterless cooling systems. The discussion also examines how partnerships with local organizations, such as the New Albany Community Foundation and Columbus State Community College Foundation, will support workforce development and community engagement.  Vantage's Adams and Monaghan also speak on how continued collaboration with utilities and policymakers is essential to address power generation challenges while supporting future data center industry growth in North America. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments: Dana Adams shares insights on how her experience as COO of Air Trunk in Sydney informs her current role, focusing on scaling hyperscale data centers in North America. 1:36 Kaitlin Monaghan discusses her background in energy law and highlights her focus on renewable energy policy. 3:57 Investment trends in Ohio's data center market are discussed. Connectivity and power availability are identified as key factors. 7:11 The forthcoming OH1 data center campus is discussed. It will cover 70 acres and focus on sustainability. 9:57 The 200 megawatt campus will be built in phases. The first phase is set to open in late 2025. 10:37 Sustainable design principles are emphasized in the project. The design aims for low power usage effectiveness and minimal water usage. 11:31 Innovations in Ohio are discussed. The focus is on signal innovations for deployment. 13:00 Sustainable fuels integration is highlighted. Collaboration across the industry is emphasized to increase demand. 13:30 Challenges with new chip designs are addressed. Maximizing efficiency with GPUs in data centers is a key concern. 14:01 Partnerships with local organizations are discussed. Workforce development is emphasized as a key focus. 14:48 The importance of community engagement is highlighted. Vantage's long-term commitment to local hiring is noted. 15:19 Trends in workforce development within the data center industry are analyzed. The significance of workforce as a pillar of sustainability is mentioned. 16:43 Insights into Vantage Data Centers' growth are shared. Anticipation for 2025 includes a focus on infrastructure and workforce needs. 17:49 Challenges in power generation and transmission are addressed. Engagement with utilities and policymakers is emphasized for future growth. 19:54

For this episode of the recurring Data Center Frontier/Nomad Futurist field report podcast series -- aka "Nomads at the Frontier" -- DCF Editor In Chief Matt Vincent checked in for a fun yet informative discussion with Nomad Futurist Foundation Co-Founders Phillip Koblence and Nabeel Mahmood from the grounds of PTC'25, the annual telecom and data center industry conference put on by the Pacific Telecommunications Council in Hawaii, which has become one of the sector's most important live events. Podcast Series Nomad Futurist is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established, per its mission statement, "to demystify the world of digital infrastructure and the related technologies that impact every aspect of our daily lives."  Committed to educating youth in underprivileged communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and opening up opportunities for growth and new career paths, the group says its "primary focus is to empower and inspire younger generations through exposure to the underlying technologies that power our digital world."  Nomad Futurist is known for appointing individuals throughout the data center industry to its ranks of Ambassadors and Advisors, who work to promote the organization's ethos and goals in their professional spheres. The group's members are a pervasive presence in the data center sector, to be found in attendance and presenting at most industry events in the U.S. and abroad. The purpose of the Data Center Frontier/Nomad Futurist joint podcast series is therefore to gather valuable industry insights, expertise and commentary from Nomad Futurist leaders and ambassadors, firsthand and in the field, as they participate in these events.  PTC'25 PTC'25 in Honolulu attracted over 10,000 attendees, highlighting a significant data center presence alongside telecommunications. As revealed in the course of the podcast, key data center topics at this year's PTC included artificial intelligence, power demands, and the integration of natural gas as a bridge for energy needs.  Importantly at this year's PTC, the Nomad Futurist Foundation announced the launch of the Nomad Futurist Academy and an associated job board in furtherance of its mission to enhance career pathways in the data center industry.  During the course of the talk, emphasis was also placed on on the value of "organic networking," with the Futurists advising on the strategic need to balance scheduled meetings with informal interactions at such industry events.  Here's a timeline of the podcast's key moments: PTC'25 Event Overview - The event is noted as one of the largest in years; attendance in Honolulu is reported at over 10,000 individuals. 2:11 - A significant data center presence is highlighted at the event. The program's integration of telecommunications and data center sectors is emphasized. 2:33 - Questions about the logistics of the event are addressed. 3:39 Meeting Intensity at PTC'25 - Nomad Futurist held more than 40 meetings at this year's PTC. The meetings occurred over three days. 4:08 - High levels of physical activity were noted. Walking 10,000 to 30,000 steps a day was common, notes Mahmood. 4:36 - The five-year anniversary of the Nomad Futurist initiative was celebrated at this year's PTC. 6:01 Nomad Futurist Academy Launch  - The Nomad Futurist job board highlighting data center career pathways is mentioned as upcoming news for the Foundation. 6:16 - Discussion turns to power demands in data centers, as discussed at the event. The shift in baseline power requirements from 10-20 megawatts to over 100 megawatts is highlighted. 7:01 - AI and its implications for power needs are explored. Conversation touches on large language models and their impact on efficiency ratios. 9:11 Global Networking at PTC'25  - A significant percentage of PTC attendees are from the United States. Approximately 45-46% of attendees are American, with the rest coming from around the world. 11:25 - The event in Hawaii is praised for its renowned industry networking opportunities. 13:28 - In-person interactions at conferences are emphasized as invaluable. The importance of networking and organic conversations is highlighted as crucial for setting the pace for the year. 13:47

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show Podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent and Senior Editor David Chernicoff sat down for a far-reaching discussion with data center industry luminary Ron Vokoun, a 35-year veteran of the construction industry with a primary focus on digital infrastructure.  "I got into telecom back in '92, which led to data centers," he said. "Probably worked on my first one around '96 or '97, and I've been involved ever since." Currently the Director of National Market Development for Everus Construction Group, Vokoun has been involved in AFCOM, both regionally and nationally, for nearly two decades and is an emeritus content advisory board member for Data Center World. He has also written extensively for Data Center Dynamics. Vokoun added, "I've just always been curious—very much a learner. Being a construction guy, I often write about things I probably have no business writing about, which is always the challenge, but I'm just curious—a lifelong learner. Interestingly, [DCF founder] Rich Miller ... gave me my first blogging opportunity." Here's a timeline of the podcast's highlights: Introductions  - Ron Vokoun shares his extensive background. He has been in the construction industry for 35 years. 1:46 - On his role at Everus Construction Group and the company's diverse services across the nation. 2:07 - Vokoun reflects on his long-standing relationship with Rich Miller. He acknowledges Rich's influence on his blogging career. 3:05 Nuclear Energy  - A discussion about nuclear energy trends occurs. The importance of nuclear energy in data center construction is probed. 3:35 - Natural gas is highlighted as a key trend. Its role as a gateway to hydrogen is emphasized. 3:51 - The impact of recent nuclear developments is analyzed. The reopening of Three Mile Island is noted as significant. 4:55 Future Power Sources for Data Centers  - Discussion turns to the timeline for small modular reactors (SMR). Vokoun expresses some confidence that significant developments will occur within five years. 5:42 - Natural gas is identified as a potential primary power source. Its role as a cleaner alternative to diesel generators is acknowledged. 7:49 Natural Gas Interest   - Vokoun talks about how natural gas generators are being considered by major companies, and how much more implementation is anticipated in the near future. 9:18 - The advantages of multiple power sources are emphasized. Vokoun remarks on how natural gas plants can adjust more quickly than nuclear or coal plants. 10:53 Power Project Lawsuits and Concerns  - Concerns about the impact on residential customers are raised. The relocation of power from one vendor to another is discussed. 12:12 - The potential for increased power generation is highlighted. A net decarbonization effect is suggested due to more carbon-free power sources. 12:59 Impact of Liquid Cooling   - Discussion centers on advancements in power distribution. Insights are shared on liquid cooling infrastructure trends. 13:34 - Direct liquid cooling is noted as prevalent. Immersion cooling is mentioned as having lost traction. 16:06 Immersion Cooling Technologies  - A discussion about immersion cooling technologies occurs. The efficiency of direct to chip cooling is emphasized. 17:12 - Concerns regarding the weight of new racks are raised. The need for plumbing in liquid cooling systems is highlighted. 17:48 - The potential narrowing of the immersion cooling market is predicted. A quick market response is anticipated based on immersion cooling's market share. 19:00 Energy Storage Technologies Overview   - The advantages of various energy storage technologies are discussed. Lead acid, lithium ion, and sodium solutions are mentioned as key options. 20:00 - The shift in market share from lead acid batteries is highlighted. Sodium-based products are noted as an exciting emerging technology. 20:41 - Data centers in new locations are referenced. 21:50 Evolving Site Selection Criteria   - The evolution of site selection for data centers is discussed. The importance of having reliable power sources is emphasized. 22:57 - The rise of data center locations in Indiana is highlighted, as an example of how previously overlooked areas are now experiencing significant development. 24:01

In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Matt Vincent, Editor-in-Chief of Data Center Frontier, talks to Alan Farrimond, Vice President Wesco Data Center Solutions, about how AI, globalization and power challenges are impacting the data center industry. They also discuss some wider challenges across the industry and how Wesco is uniquely positioned to solve those challenges.

On this episode of the DCF Show Podcast, iMasons Climate Accord (ICA) Executive Director, Miranda Gardiner,  shares insights on sustainability and emissions reduction strategies for data centers with DCF editors Matt Vincent and David Chernicoff.  During the course of the talk, Gardiner explains how the iMasons Climate Accord (ICA), as part of Infrastructure Masons, focuses on data center industry emissions reductions as its primary goal, including approximately 300 member companies in the digital infrastructure space. The recent ICA flagship initiative emphasizing the value of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for materials and equipment, as signed by major hyperscale players like AWS, Google, and Microsoft, is also unpacked.  We also learn how the Climate Accord aims to enhance global outreach and collaboration, particularly in regions such as APAC and Latin America, to address local sustainability challenges. Gardiner also discusses how the group's future efforts will prioritize transparency and verification in sustainability claims to ensure accountability within the data center industry. 

EdgeConneX's "Customers, People, and Planet" mission is the foundation for its sustainability efforts, shaping how the company designs, builds, and operates data centers worldwide. This podcast explores how this mission is implemented, embedding energy efficiency, renewable energy solutions, and local market engagement into every step of their operations. By prioritizing a balance between environmental responsibility and operational excellence, EdgeConneX demonstrates how sustainability can successfully align with business goals.

This podcast explores EdgeConneX's innovative approach to safety excellence, emphasizing its significant impact on operations and customer loyalty. Central to our discussion is the critical role of collaboration, as showcased by the "One Team, One Mission" theme from the EdgeConneX Safety Summits. EdgeConneX's commitment to safety extends beyond ensuring the well-being of its employees; it is a vital component of building trust with customers. The podcast highlights how EdgeConneX and its partners fortify collaborations to ensure data centers are designed and operated with paramount safety. This collaborative approach involves nurturing a learning culture that empowers employees to proactively identify and address potential risks, fostering an environment of continuous improvement and vigilance.

In today's episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, DCF's editors speak with hyperscale data center industry veteran Yuval Bachar, founder and CEO of hydrogen data center operator EdgeCloudLink (ECL).  Bachar has held data center leadership positions with Microsoft Azure, LinkedIn, Facebook, Cisco, and Juniper Networks. He was a founder of the Open19 project, which creates open hardware designs for enterprise users, and holds eight U.S. patents in data center, networking and system design. During the interview, we asked Bachar about ECL's flagship hydrogen data center projects near Houston, TX and Mountain View, CA. He went on to outline ECL's future plans for expansion and sustainability in response to growing AI demands. Within the context of Bachar's forecast outlook for hydrogen data centers, DCF's editors also inquired about natural gas as a transitional power source and the challenges of natural gas infrastructure.  With the AI boom is driving heavy interest in the upsides of hydrogen data centers, Bachar also took time to emphasize his company's ongoing commitments to sustainable data centers, as reflected by the industry at large. Our hydrogen production strategy discussion also touched on hyperscalers' intense needs for new energy solutions, before circling back around to sustainability in data center operations. Phased Development During our interview, Bachar said that ECL is expanding its hydrogen data center business with a focus on Texas, aiming for 100 megawatts in the first phase of campus development there and additional phases every six months. The company plans to complete four sites in the next four to five years, contingent on hydrogen availability and supply chain capabilities.  He emphasized that the urgency for data centers to meet AI demand is critical, citing estimates of the industry needing 50 to 100 gigawatts of power in the next five years, while highlighting the importance of rapid deployment and sustainable practices. He further noted that ECL is positioned as a significant off-taker for hydrogen, influencing suppliers to invest in cleaner hydrogen production facilities.  Bachar underlined his company's sustainability bona fides by stating, "We can deliver data centers which are fully sustainable right now." He noted that ECL aims to use a blend of gray and blue hydrogen initially in its data centers, transitioning to green hydrogen as production increases. 

A datacenter innovator with nearly three decades of experience, Chris Orlando co-founded ScaleMatrix in 2011, a leader in high-density colocation solutions. His passion for pushing boundaries led him to co-found DDC Solutions in 2018. DDC is recognized for delivering the highest air-cooled density data center solutions with the lowest total cost of ownership. Chris's expertise has been instrumental in collaborating with industry giants like Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD to address complex data center challenges. Following a recent investment in DDC, Chris continues to shape DDC's strategic vision as Co-Founder, Chief Strategy Officer, and Board Member.

This episode will explore the evolving role of electrical and digital infrastructure in supporting AI-driven data centers, with a particular focus on the significance of cable management systems like Legrand's Cablofil. As AI technology grows and places increasing demands on data centers, it's crucial to understand how efficient infrastructure can help these centers scale, optimize energy use, and maintain reliable, high-performance environments.

For this episode of the DCF Show podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent spoke with Callum Morrison, Account Director of Cologix; and Wayne Lloyd, CEO of Consensus Core. A new collaboration announced in August 20024 between Consensus Core and Cologix launches the first NVIDIA-powered GPU as a Service (GPUaaS) in the Montreal market, making Cologix's MTL10 data center the inaugural hub for high-performance AI workloads in Montreal.  During the interview, we discuss: • What GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) is and why it's so valuable to businesses looking to leverage AI. • Why connectivity and interconnection are critical to support AI applications.  • How Canada's AI initiative is driving growth and adoption of AI. • The two companies' vision for the future of AI-ready data centers in Canada Cologix is the largest data center provider in Montréal with 12 facilities and has a Canadian interconnection ecosystem of 350 networks, 200+ cloud providers, 15 public cloud onramps and three internet exchanges. Cologix, who bills itself as one of the "leading network-neutral interconnection and hyperscale edge data center" companies in North America, announced the collaboration with Consensus Core, an AI cloud service provider, to support the needs of AI technologies at its MTL10 ScalelogixSM data center in Montréal, Canada.  The collaboration enables Consensus Core to launch a new, NVIDIA-powered GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) in the Canadian market and transforms MTL10 into a hub for its high-performance AI workloads. “As a registered member of the NVIDIA Partner Network, Consensus Core will supercharge AI in Canada,” said Consensus Core CEO Lloyd, who is also a company co-founder.  “Implementing AI in data centers with the powerful NVIDIA accelerated computing platform requires a specialized approach. We have selected Cologix to address this need. As a Canadian company, we sought a partner offering colocation services for GPUs for both Canadian and international clients. Cologix's hyperscale and highly interconnected data centers enable us to densify and scale our services to meet customer demands efficiently.” Unlike general cloud services that use general-purpose platforms for a wide range of applications, GPUaaS provides specialized, high-performance computing for specific AI tasks.  This benefits companies that want to start doing AI workloads because instead of buying and maintaining their own physical servers and hardware, they can get access to NVIDIA accelerated computing on a per-hour basis from companies like Consensus Core. This means less downtime waiting for delivery and easy-to-use tools to deliver business results faster. Background In October 2024, Cologix announced capital raises of $1.5 billion USD to fuel its next stage of strategic growth by accelerating expansion of AI-ready data centers across key North American markets. Cologix plans to use the capital to support the ongoing build out of large-scale campuses in its core markets, including Ashburn, Columbus and Montréal, as well as to begin new builds on recently acquired land in Columbus, Des Moines and Vancouver. Upon full build out, all of the operator's planned data center construction can support over 650 critical megawatts (MW) of sellable capacity.   The infusion of capital received strong investor demand, underscoring investor confidence in Cologix's proven business model, growth potential and ability to execute on its strategic initiatives.  The capital raises include a $1.0 billion USD revolving multi-asset development debt facility and an additional $500 million USD in equity from both new and existing investors.  The debt facility is structured to provide Cologix with the flexibility to add new sites over time, offering quick access to capital to fund development projects as needed.  Both the debt and equity raises received strong investor demand and were oversubscribed, underscoring their confidence in Cologix's proven business model, growth potential and ability to execute on its strategic initiatives. "This is a significant milestone for Cologix and demonstrates the continued trust of our investors, both new and existing," said Scott Schneider, CFO of Cologix. "The combination of debt and equity financing provides us with the flexibility and capital to keep pace with the growing demand for digital infrastructure, particularly as AI, hybrid cloud and interconnection requirements expand. This financing ensures we can continue to scale and deliver on our customers' needs in a dynamic market." The $1.5 billion USD in financing announced in October followed the company's successful $1.13 billion USD and $1.07 billion CAD asset-backed securitizations since 2021, as well as a $3.0 billion USD equity recapitalization in 2022, all of which added to positioning Cologix for sustained growth. Deployment NVIDIA's H100 Tensor Core GPU-accelerated clusters will power Consensus Core's GPUaaS operated in Cologix's Montréal data center. NVIDIA H100 extends the NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPU's global-to-shared asynchronous transfer capabilities across all address spaces and adds support for tensor memory access patterns. It enables applications to build end-to-end asynchronous pipelines that move data into and off the chip, completely overlapping and hiding data movement with computation. MTL10 is among Cologix's largest network-neutral data centers, offering connectivity via high-count, diverse and scalable fiber with direct access to the Meet-Me-Room (MMR) in Montréal at Cologix's MTL3 facility. The data center also offers strong interconnection capabilities to build and scale businesses with more than 100 unique network providers and low-latency connections to hyperscale cloud providers. MTL10 is a 180,000-square-foot, purpose-built facility that is ISO 27001 certified by Schellman and HIPAA, SOC1, SOC2 and PCI compliant. “We're thrilled to partner with Consensus Core to bring its GPUaaS offering to Canada,” said Sean Maskell, President and General Manager of Cologix Canada, in a press relesae. “Consensus Core's innovative solution fills a critical gap in the market, empowering businesses of all sizes to leverage the immense power of AI and machine learning. At Cologix, we are deeply committed to supporting the growth of the Canadian technology sector, and this collaboration demonstrates our dedication to providing the essential infrastructure and services that businesses need to thrive in today's world.” The companies contend that their new collaboration between Cologix and Consensus Core positions MTL10 as the premier hub for high-performance AI in Canada, providing businesses with the infrastructure and tools required to take advantage of the full potential of AI technologies. Podcast During the podcast, Morrison and Lloyd discuss their companies' collaboration on the new AI service and the transition of Consensus Core from specializing in crypto infrastructure to AI, with a focus on GPU as a Service. Wayne explains how this service allows companies to access AI capabilities by overcoming challenges related to chips, power, and data center capacity. Callum highlights Cologix's partnership with Nvidia to enhance efficiency and scalability.  The conversation emphasizes the growing demand for power in AI deployment stakes and the importance of scaling deployments to achieve successful business outcomes. Specific questions for Callum and Wayne regarding the announced collaboration to empower businesses in Canada to leverage the power of AI and machine learning with NVIDIA-Powered GPU-as-a-Service included: What is GPUaaS and how does it fit into the infrastructure ecosystem? How does the collaboration between Cologix and Consensus Core deliver GPUaaS? What are the benefits for businesses? Do Cologix and Consensus Core have plans to expand their collaboration in Canada and/or other markets?

As Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) CEO Santiago Suinaga noted, the sold-out DCD Connect Virginia event in Leesburg on Nov. 6-7 was a standing-room only affair, reflecting the region's huge interest in the data center industry, in a conference which year-over-year "does not disappoint," in the words of International Data Center Authority Chief Certification Officer Mark Gusakov. Both men are key advisors to the Nomad Futurist Foundation.  Nomad Futurist is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established, per its mission statement, "to demystify the world of digital infrastructure and the related technologies that impact every aspect of our daily lives."  Committed to educating youth in underprivileged communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and opening up opportunities for growth and new career paths, the group says its "primary focus is to empower and inspire younger generations through exposure to the underlying technologies that power our digital world."  Nomad Futurist is known for appointing individuals throughout the data center industry to its ranks of Ambassadors and Advisors, who work to promote the organization's ethos and goals in their professional spheres. The group's members are a pervasive presence in the data center sector, to be found in attendance and presenting at most industry events in the U.S. and abroad. The purpose of the Data Center Frontier/Nomad Futurist: Field Report series -- aka "Nomads at the Frontier" -- is therefore to gather recurring industry insight, expertise and commentary from Nomad Futurist leaders and ambassadors, firsthand and in the field, as they participate in these events.  During this impromptu podcast discussion, as recorded on-site at Leesburg's Landsdowne Resort Convention Center, Santiago discusses key topics from the event's iMasons Member Summit, including education programs and community concerns. He highlights challenges as cited from the iMasons State of the Industry report, such as power, talent access, and sustainability planning.  For his part, drawing on perspective gained from his ongoing travels around the industry, Mark emphasizes the need for standardization and correcting misconceptions about the data center industry, while urging professionals to act as ambassadors to improve public understanding as the industry grows its vital workforce and sustainability stakes.  Santiago concurs with the pivotal need to increase data center awareness and bring more people into the industry. Mark concludes  with some vibe check remarks, taking the temperature of Datacenter Dynamics' annual confab in the world's largest data center market.

Demand for data centers has never been higher. In our latest episode, we dive deep into the exploding world of data centers together with JLL's head of Data Center Research and Strategy for the Americas, Andrew Batson. According to JLL's U.S. Data Center Report, the first half of 2024 shattered all records, but, what does this mean for you? We explore how these facilities have become the foundation of modern society and why securing land, power, and talent is more crucial than ever. How is the industry coping with limited supply in the face of insatiable demand? We'll reveal shocking statistics about the U.S. colocation market's growth and the unbelievably low vacancy rates. Plus, we'll uncover the massive impact of AI on the data center landscape, with investments skyrocketing into the hundreds of billions. We'll discuss the ongoing struggle to find and keep skilled workers in this rapidly expanding field. And while the U.S. power grid seems stable for now, what issues could threaten the industry's future? Join us as we unpack the complexities of the data center boom and explore what it means for the future of our digital economy.

Today our guest is Bill Tierney, Chief Sales Officer for BluePrint Supply Chain.  Join us as we highlight some new research published by Data Center Frontier and BluePrint Supply Chain that addresses data center construction supply chains.  This first-of-its-kind study addresses everything from purchasing and logistics to storage and site setting.  Listeners will get a sneak peak at some of the compelling data the research has gathered and what it means for the current state of the industries construction supply chains.

For this episode of the DCF Show podcast, Data Center Frontier Editor in Chief Matt Vincent and Senior Editor David Chernicoff speak with Tom Dakich, CEO of Quantum Corridor, about compute possibilities for his company's super-fast, super-secure fiber-optic network operating in the area of Chicagoland and Northern Indiana. Almost exactly a year ago, Quantum Corridor launched what the company bills as "one of the fastest, most secure fiber-optic networks in the Western Hemisphere" with its first transmissions from the Chicago ORD 10 Data Center at 350 E. Cermak Rd. to a data center in Hammond, Indiana.  Formed in 2021 as a public-private partnership with the state of Indiana, Quantum Corridor was established to enable advanced Illinois and Indiana tech innovators to exchange data nearly instantaneously, the better to achieve frontline technology breakthroughs.  Funded through a $4.0 million grant from the state of Indiana's READI grant program and with the cooperation of the Indiana Department of Transportation and Northwest Indiana Forum, Quantum Corridor's network is utilizing 263 miles of new and existing fiber-optic cable beneath the Indiana Toll Road to link data centers, quantum research facilities, life sciences and genome scientists and hyperscalers with industry-shattering speeds and throughput. Transmitting at data speeds reportedly 1,000x faster than traditional networks, on its launch in 2023, Quantum Corridor said the new network aims to enable regional businesses and institutions to achieve breakthroughs in the segments for defense, financial modeling, biotech, cybersecurity, machine learning, research and more. This optimism came on the heels of the Biden-Harris administration's designation last October of of the Chicago MSA as a U.S. Regional Technology and Innovation Hub. With its first transmissions, Quantum Corridor achieved a latency of 0.266 milliseconds of information exchange over its current 12-mile network—a transmission speed 500 times faster than the blink of an eye and far exceeding the average network's existing 12-times-longer latency.  The combination of near-instantaneous transmissions paired with massive throughput is expected to enable exponential breakthroughs in modeling and problem solving across myriad industries. Quantum Corridor continues to expand its mileage and connect research facilities. According to the company, the network already has the capacity to transmit nearly the entire current content load of the internet in a single transmission.

The purpose of the Data Center Frontier/Nomad Futurist: Field Report podcast series -- aka "Nomads at the Frontier" -- is to gather recurring industry insight, expertise and commentary from Nomad Futurist Foundation leaders and ambassadors, firsthand and in the field, as they participate in various industry events. Nomad Futurist is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established, per its mission statement, "to demystify the world of digital infrastructure and the related technologies that impact every aspect of our daily lives."  Committed to educating youth in underprivileged communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and opening up opportunities for growth and new career paths, the group says its "primary focus is to empower and inspire younger generations through exposure to the underlying technologies that power our digital world." Nomad Futurist is known for appointing individuals throughout the data center industry to its ranks of Ambassadors and Advisors, who work to promote the organization's ethos and goals in their professional spheres. Nomad Futurist's members are a pervasive presence in the data center sector, to be found in attendance and presenting at most industry events in the U.S. and abroad.  For episode two of the Nomads at the Frontier series, DCF Editor In Chief Matt Vincent moderated a tight yet pithy discussion with Nabeel Mahmood, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Nomad Futurist, and Rob Coyle, Director of Technical Program for the Open Compute Project Foundation, about the newly announced strategic alliance between the two organizations as reflected at the 2024 OCP Global Summit (Oct. 15-17), each taking a shared role in addressing workforce and education challenges in the data center industry. In the podcast, Mahmood and Coyle highlight how the significance of the new alliance between their organizations was reflected at OCP 2024, which was attended by an amazing 7,000 people, and discuss future initiatives to foster collaboration. The discussion covers how this year's event answered the need for standardization in liquid cooling solutions, and how presentation reflected the growing importance of automation and robotics in response to issues ranging from increasing rack density to labor shortages, especially in hyperscale and AI-oriented data centers. The talk also addresses the alliance's joint roadmap to formalize strategic directions for the partnership, with OCP-Nomad Futurists announcements planned over the next three to six months to possibly include events such as hackathons, designathons, and other disruptive initiatives and happenings to engage both industry insiders and newcomers.

In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show, Matt Vincent, Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, is joined by Waleed Zafar, Mission Critical Director at XYZ Reality to discuss using augmented reality to improve Data Center project delivery. XYZ Reality is a leading developer of augmented reality (AR) solutions for construction that give contractors and owners an accurate and objective way to manage and deliver quality projects.

With server densities on the rise, the expansion of cloud services, the rapid adoption of high-performance computing and the explosive growth of AI, data centers need more effective cooling solutions that can handle higher heat loads. Liquid cooling systems are uniquely positioned to fill that need – while also providing a significant reduction in cooling-related energy consumption. In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, Matt Vincent, Editor-in-Chief of Data Center Frontier, talks to Pat McGinn, Chief Operations Officer of CoolIT Systems, about how the liquid cooling market has changed in the past 12 years. They also discuss the benefits of single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling and McGinn predictions for the market in 2025 and beyond.  Listen to this 18-minute podcast to learn more about: The benefits of liquid cooling for data centers. The liquid cooling options available for data centers. How liquid cooling can help improve data center performance and efficiency. The role of cooling distribution units (CDUs) in liquid cooling. How liquid cooling can help with energy consumption, especially with the rise of AI. If the talk about liquid cooling capacity constraints are accurate. Why you should trust your data center to the liquid cooling experts at CoolIT.

In this episode, we delve into the complex interplay between performance and sustainability in data centers. As technology continues to advance, so too does the demand for powerful, efficient data centers. However, this growing demand also raises concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact.

For this installment of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we bring you the first episode in a new series with our friends from the Nomad Futurist Foundation. Nomad Futurist is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established, per the group's mission statement, "to demystify the world of digital infrastructure and the related technologies that impact every aspect of our daily lives."  Committed to educating youth in underprivileged communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and opening up opportunities for growth and new career paths, the group says its "primary focus is to empower and inspire younger generations through exposure to the underlying technologies that power our digital world."  Nomad Futurist is known for appointing individuals throughout the data center industry to its ranks of Ambassadors and Advisors, who work to promote the organization's ethos and goals in their professional spheres. The organization's members are a pervasive presence in the data center sector, to be found in attendance and presenting at most industry events in the U.S. and abroad.  The purpose of the Data Center Frontier/Nomad Futurist: Field Report series -- aka "Nomads at the Frontier" -- is therefore to gather recurring industry insight, expertise and commentary from Nomad Futurist leaders and ambassadors, firsthand and in the field, as they participate in these events.  Yotta 2024 Impressions For the first installment of Nomads at the Frontier, Data Center Frontier's Editor in Chief Matt Vincent called into Las Vegas during the debut of Yotta, an event conceived and brought forth by Data Center Dynamics aimed at unifying leaders and stakeholders in digital infrastructure industry at large. For this interview, DCF spoke with Nomad Futurist Advisors Jodie Lin, Customer Advocate and CSR with data center infrastructure company Mirapath, Inc., and Illissa Miller, CEO of iMiller Public Relations, a firm focused on the digital infrastructure industry, for their reflections and impressions from the environs of Yotta 2024. To begin, we asked Lin and Miller for their top takeaways from the show regarding the confluence between the larger world of digital infrastructure and data centers. Next, given how attuned data centers are to the AI technology shift, we asked Nomads Lin and Miller for their perceptions of the level of preparation within rest of the digital infrastructure space, as heard from at Yotta, for facing up to AI's demands and opportunities. DCF also wondered whether, based on impressions received from Yotta, the data center industry's obsessions with power, cooling, sustainability, and managing exponential growth in wake of AI seem to be shared equally by the larger world of digital infrastructure. Finally, owing to certain breakthroughs in the areas of regulation, funding, and planned deployment, this year has felt like a tipping point in terms of optimism for advanced nuclear energy, especially in the US data center industry. As such, we asked our Nomads to gauge whether this anticipation for "new nuclear" energy was as palpable in the larger world of digital infrastructure as encountered at Yotta?

Rehlko, formerly Kohler Energy, is setting a new standard in the data center industry by offering the first generator in the data center industry with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The company recently released a brand new EPD in the form of a PEP ecopassport® that provides transparent, third-party verified insights into the KD Series™ generator's environmental impact across its lifecycle. Here's a link to the report that details how Rehlko is committed to transparently communicating its product's lifecycle footprint and how the process is accelerating data centers' efforts to measure Scope 3 emissions and work toward net-zero ambitions.

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we sat down with liquid cooling data center partners Park Place Technologies and ZutaCore. During the podcast, DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent spoke with Chris Carreiro, Chief Technology Officer for Park Place Technologies, and Manfreid Chua, Vice President-Business Development, AI & Sustainability for ZutaCore, about how the companies' partnership is enhancing liquid cooling technology prospects for sustainable AI computing. In September, Park Place announced the expansion of its portfolio of IT infrastructure services to include the two major liquid cooling formats for data centers, i.e immersion liquid cooling and direct-to-chip cooling. ZutaCore is a key developer and supplier of direct-to-chip, waterless liquid cooling technology which formally supports NVIDIA's GPUs. Direct-to-chip advanced liquid cooling technologies apply coolant directly to the server components that generate the most heat, including CPUs and GPUs. And Park Place notes that immersion cooling empowers data center operators to do more with less: less space and less energy. Using liquid cooling methods, the company contends that businesses can increase their PUE by up to 18 times, and rack density by up to 10 times. Ultimately, this level of efficiency can lead to power savings of up to 50%, which in turn leads to lower operational costs. Park Place also notes how, from an environmental perspective, liquid cooling is significantly more efficient than traditional air cooling. The company reckons that, at present, air cooling technology only captures 30% of the heat generated by the servers, compared to the 100% captured by immersion cooling, resulting in lower carbon emissions for businesses that opt for immersion cooling methods. Park Place prides itself on providing a single-vendor outlet for the whole liquid cooling technology adoption process, from procuring the hardware, conversion of the servers for liquid cooling, to installation, maintenance, monitoring and management of the hardware and the cooling technology. “Our turn-key liquid cooling offerings have the potential to have a significant impact on our customers' costs and carbon emissions, two of the key issues they face today,” said Carreiro.  “Park Place Technologies is ideally positioned to help organizations cut their data center operations costs, giving them the opportunity to re-invest in driving innovation across their businesses." In the course of our talk, Carreiro highlighted the challenges of data centers' AI sustainability conundrum, and the corresponding benefits of Park Place's warranties. For his part, ZutaCore's Manfreid Chua delved into the industry's shift from air to liquid cooling due to the demands of generative AI, and the advantages of his company partnering with Park Place for optimizing the energy efficiency footprint of data centers.  Additionally, Chua shared insights regarding the economic value of NVIDIA's AI accelerators, and the finer points of the race to sustainability and net zero for large-scale AI data centers. Chua talked about talk about how resources like land, energy, and water all become possible limiting factors for AI factories at scale, and how liquid cooling can help alleviate such limitations.

Join us for this podcast as we explore the dynamic landscape of data centers and how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reshaped them. We'll delve into the shift from a 'north-south' traffic system to the sophisticated 'east-west' system that revolutionized data processing. Our guest, Dave Hessong from Corning, illustrates the crucial role of high-speed connections like 800G in meeting AI's demands. The discussion reveals how upgrading to this speed is not just beneficial, but essential in optimizing your data center. Latency, a key factor in network performance, is also a core topic of our conversation. Understanding its significance and how reducing it can enhance performance provides an edge in today's competitive market. The discussion further delves into the importance of state-of-the-art fiber optic cables, connectors, and cabling architecture in boosting a data center's performance. The complexities of AI deployment, its impact on fiber density, and the innovative solutions it necessitates are also explored. As we unveil the future of data centers, the estimated rise in AI capacity and the associated challenges are discussed. These include the increased power requirements and the need for a more organized cable and fiber infrastructure. While 800G might seem like just the beginning, the discussion elaborates on how this transition can future-proof your data centers for the next three to seven years. The extraordinary and transformative impact of AI, still in its infancy, on business and society is also a key highlight. Looking to the future, the anticipated growth in bandwidth as AI continues to evolve, and the exciting prospect of technology reaching 1.6Tbps next year, are discussed. We encourage you to tune in and engage with us as we navigate this rapidly evolving field. Regardless of your level of expertise, this conversation promises valuable insights into the future of data centers. Join us on this enlightening journey into the world of AI and data centers.

Prometheus Hyperscale is the new corporate entity formed this month which expands upon the footprint and the promise of the Wyoming Hyperscale White Box project, first reported on by DCF in 2022.  For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we spoke with Trenton Thornock, founder of Wyoming Hyperscale, who has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Prometheus Hyperscale; Trevor Neilson, a seasoned climate-tech CEO and energy transition investor, who joins as the company's President; and John Gross, President of J.M. Gross Engineering, who is handling the project's liquid cooling infrastructure.  The Wyoming Hyperscale White Box data center has been under construction since 2022 on 58 acres of land near Aspen Mountain Evanston, Wyoming, and represents a blueprint for creating super-efficient data centers with low impact on the environment and benefits for the local community. In the companies' transition, Wyoming Hyperscale has merged with Prometheus Hyperscale and been expanded from a 120 MW project to plans for a data center campus with 1 GW of IT capacity. The data center is being built on land owned by Thornock's family, which has been involved in ranching for 6 generations. The location benefits from ready access to renewable energy from nearby wind and solar farms. Wyoming Hyperscale has a contract with Rocky Mountain Power for 120 megawatts of power and a 138 kV substation, which is fed by the same switchgear as the renewable energy generation sites. The site sits on a major east-west fiber highway that tracks the 41st parallel, along which data center hubs have emerged in places like Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah. The Union-Pacific Railroad line, which provides key right-of-ways for fiber deployment, runs through nearby Aspen Mountain. The Evanston project underscores Prometheus Hyperscale's commitment to sustainability and innovation. By integrating 100% renewable energy and advanced liquid cooling technology combined with heat reuse, the Evanston facility promises to be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly data centers in the world.  Importantly, less than 10% of the project's power development plan is grid dependent (120 MW of 1,220MW or 9.84%). The first facilities yielded by Phase 1 of the Evanston project are expected to come online within the next 18 months. Prometheus Hyperscale has also revealed plans to construct four other data centers across Arizona and Colorado. And as previously reported by DCF, this May saw the announcement of a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) by fission-based nuclear small modular reactor (SMR) specialist Oklo to deliver 100 MW of power to Prometheus, using Oklo's Aurora Powerhouse reactors for power generation. "Our partnership with Oklo not only provides us with a reliable, clean energy source but also positions us as a leader in sustainable data center operations," said Thornock. "Sam Altman's and Jacob Dewitte's vision for a sustainable future through advanced energy solutions aligns perfectly with our mission at Prometheus Hyperscale." During the podcast, Thornock discussed the evolution of the Wyoming hyperscale project with Prometheus, highlighting its growth to a 1 GW prospect since the groundbreaking of the Evanston County project in 2022. For his part, Trevor Nielsen emphasized increasing demand for Prometheus driven by advancements in computing power and the importance of sustainability in the energy transition.  Our conversation also covered the company's partnership with Oklo, focusing on the streamlined permitting process for small modular reactors in Wyoming and the strategic use of resources for data center energy generation.

Sustainability is a critical factor in data center design.  The topic encompasses a series of design trade offs including: reliability, site selection, water usage, operating parameters, construction materials and cooling efficiencies. Due to a couple of key paradigm shifts in the industry, today's data center owners and operators are looking to meet their cooling demands with air cooled solutions. All this needs to be done in conjunction with optimizing energy efficiency leading to a significant change in HVAC system products and design.    In this conversation, Jeffrey Jerwers can discuss the trends driving the need for water conservation and associated equipment impact. He will detail the types of economizers available for mechanical cooling systems, application by climate zone and their associated design tradeoffs.

Data centers are complex, high-stakes environments where downtime is not an option. The sheer volume of interconnected systems and components creates a daunting challenge for operators. This is where digital twins shine. Because of this complexity, data centers require a new level of understanding. Digital twins—virtual models fed by real-time DCIM data—can offer a transformative solution. The key is that the Digital Twin is only as good as accurate real-time data. This continuous flow of real-time information allows operators to see the bigger picture, from power usage to equipment health. Imagine a live, digital replica predicting bottlenecks, optimizing cooling, and enabling proactive maintenance. A digital twin can allow your data center to analyze your infrastructure, highlight potential issues, and provide highly accurate details on the impact of proposed changes − viewable as your monitored values change. Watch an ATS or PDU view with the power load that reflects your changing values and plan. Watch a power load peak during a fail-over with your plan changes applied to the real-time data. Power management with digital twin capabilities can simulate the failure of a device or load change and accurately model the effects of that failure, including triggering failure over to redundant partners and cascade failures. With a DCIM solution with digital twin capabilities, you gain insightful reporting that identifies potential risk areas in your infrastructure. For instance, it can flag power distribution gear that represents a single point of failure, which could lead to equipment de-energization and impact customers and SLAs. This proactive approach to risk management is a vital advantage of a DCIM solution with digital twin capabilities. Imagine a planning module based on a digital twin model and its capabilities. It doesn't just show simple details like additional loads but also simulates complex scenarios. For instance, it can predict when a device will fail, reroute load in the virtual model to redundant partners, and show the effect on those devices as well. This comprehensive approach to planning is where a true digital twin adds much more value than a simple load addition or removal. By using real-time DCIM data, digital twins become intelligent partners, ensuring peak performance and a more resilient data center. While the idea of a digital twin for your data center has existed for a long time, operators now can have that digital twin fed by millions of data points per minute inside a full-fledged powerful DCIM. The view of Modius is that anything less makes it just a "Digital Cousin". The company believes its Modius ® OpenData® is the gateway to these next-gen capabilities and is using this podcast to kick off this effort.

As everyone on the Data Center Frontier and Endeavor Business Media (EBM) teams regroups from last week's sold-out DCF Trends Summit (Sept. 4-6) conference in Reston, Virginia, for today's episode of the DCF Show Podcast we bring you something a bit different. Recorded earlier this year, EBM's Data Center, Communications, and Power Infrastructure Confluence Forum is a shared discussion among the lead editors of key brands and publications in EBM's Digital Infrastructure and Energy Groups. The discussion frames and addresses the topic of rapidly expanding stakes and implications for the data center, information and communications technology (ICT), fiber broadband, and on-site power generation infrastructure sectors in the age of advanced computing and connectivity for AI/ML, IoT, 5G LTE, all flavors of Ethernet, and other pertinent technology applications. EBM editors in order of their participation in this discussion include: 00:00 - 14:00 - Matt Vincent, Editor in Chief, Data Center Frontier 14:02 - 26:13 - Patrick McLaughlin, Editorial Director, Cabling Installation & Maintenance 26:13 - 33:51 - Joe Gilliard, Executive Editor, ISE | ICT Solutions & Education 33:52 - 42:11 - Sean Buckley, Editor in Chief, Lightwave and Broadband Pulse (podcast) 42:12 - 1:06 - Rod Walton, Chief Editor, Microgrid Knowledge The discussion winds up with a bit of cross-questioning among the editors. We at Data Center Frontier hope you'll enjoy this podcast, and will resume with our regular, data center industry-specific coverage later this month.

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we welcome Mark Seymour, Distinguished Engineer with Cadence Design Systems, for a discussion of the big question on everyone's mind right now in this industry: data center power demand and where it's going in the context of rapid digitalization and exponential growth of HPC and AI computing needs, and how that compares and contrasts, or even conflicts, with increasing environmental concerns and regulations.  The conversation also highlights the importance of digital twins for managing data center efficiency and the advantages of liquid cooling technology, and particularly immersion cooling, as a sustainable alternative to traditional methods. In the course of our interview, Seymour also emphasizes the data center industry's responsiveness to societal demands for sustainability, citing initiatives such as ubiquitous tree planting by project developers, and the need to adapt to new technological challenges. Here's a timeline of the podcast's key moments: 2:59 - Seymour explains that AI is essentially high-performance computing, which is now required in many data centers that previously did not need it. 12:05 - Addressing the challenges and potential of immersion cooling technology: Emphasizing its growing acceptance, but also the need for confidence in its operation. 17:52 - Talk turns to the importance of digital twins in ultimately managing data center efficiency, with Seymour highlighting the necessity for understanding the interrelated behaviors of IT infrastructure and cooling systems. 24:18 - Discussion circles back to immersion cooling as a sustainable option for data centers, with Seymour expounding on its advantages over traditional cooling methods. 27:44 - Seymour elaborates on the improvements in compute efficiency per watt in modern systems, arguing that the data center industry is responding and adapting to societal demands, rather than being inherently unsustainable. 30:42 - Seymour acknowledges the industry's focus on sustainability and environmental impact, citing examples such Cadence's tree planting initiatives and the ongoing challenge of meeting new technological demands. Visit Data Center Frontier

Data Center Frontier opens our podcast interview catching up with CyrusOne CEO Eric Schwartz by discussing the company's recent $12 billion in announced financing, highlighted by a new $8 billion warehouse facility in the U.S. to support growth driven by demand from hyperscalers and AI technologies. In the course of the discussion, Schwartz notes CyrusOne's strong growth trajectory, new leadership, and expansion plans in Europe and Japan, while emphasizing the organization's principles of earning customers' trust and a commitment to operational excellence.  We also receive an update on the progress of the company's Intelliscale offering for build-to-suit AI data centers. Additionally, the talk covers CyrusOne's 2024 sustainability report, focusing on the company's carbon neutrality efforts, renewable energy investments, and the overall industry's commitment to reducing carbon footprints.

This May, Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) announced a collaboration with Oracle to accelerate the growth and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) computing among enterprises. For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we asked Digital Realty Chief Revenue Officer Colin McLean to expand on key points of his company's AI data center design and implementation efforts in light of the new partnership with Oracle. In their announcement, Oracle and Digital Realty said their new strategic collaboration aims to develop hybrid integrated solutions that "address data gravity challenges, expedite time to market for enterprises deploying next-generation AI services, and unlock data and AI-based business outcomes." We also asked McLean about how he's seen the trend lines for data center pricing, leasing and capacity changes over the past 5-6 years of the cloud industry, compared to roughly the past year of AI growth since he's been CRO for Digital Realty. Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments:  0:32 - Data Center Frontier asks McLean to elaborate on the salient points of AI data center design in light of Digital Realty's partnership with Oracle. McLean explains the significance of the partnership, emphasizing how it addresses the challenges of managing high-density workloads in AI and data-intensive applications. 6:19 - DCF continues asking about trends in AI data center design, particularly regarding pricing, leasing, and capacity changes over the past few years. Citing how enterprises and service providers are planning for increased capacity requirements due to AI growth, McLean highlights the need for forward-thinking capacity planning due to evolving requirements, increasing workload density, and the introduction of new programs to support higher density requirements. 8:14 - Trends in AI data center design since the industry's ChatGPT inflection point of 2023 are addressed. McLean emphasizes the importance of designing data centers to accommodate mixed densities globally, sustainability considerations, and the need to closely collaborate with clients and partners to meet evolving requirements. 12:20 - McLean discusses the global scale of Digital Realty, emphasizing capacity requirements, major metros, emerging markets like Frankfurt, and the growth of the platform across various regions. 15:06 - DCF Editor in Chief Matt Vincent directs the conversation toward the topic of power, highlighting its significance in the data center industry and asking McLean about aspects related to renewables, the grid, and onsite powering options. 15:45 - McLean elaborates on the importance of sustainability for Digital Realty, emphasizing the company's efforts to work with municipalities, support a greener world, and address power concerns globally, including plans for future expansion into markets such as India and Africa. 17:42 - DCF acknowledges the critical link between sustainability, AI, and power issues, prompting McLean to reiterate the company's commitment to supporting a sustainable world and navigating the balance between local needs and economic growth.

Welcome to the forefront of data center innovation! Today, we'll explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a revolution in data center design. We'll delve into three key areas: high-performance networking, cutting-edge cooling solutions and advancements in fiber optic technology. These advancements are all essential for supporting the ever-growing demands of powerful AI systems.

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show podcast, we interviewed Chris Downie, Chief Executive Officer for Flexential, who as a frequent industry commentator has emphasized the transformative impact of AI on IT infrastructure and the need for thoughtful deployment in terms of responsible use and ethical standards.  In a recent LinkedIn post, Flexential's CEO wrote, "Drawing on nearly two decades in the data center industry, I've seen transformative changes, but the rise of AI marks a true paradigm shift, redefining our approach to IT infrastructure...The true test of our leadership will be how we manage the dual challenges AI presents—its potential to revolutionize and its power to disrupt. As industry leaders, we must ensure our advancements in AI are matched with advancements in ethical practices. Our legacy will hinge not just on the technologies we deploy, but on the conscientiousness with which we wield them." Additionally on social media, Flexential's Downie recently recounted various interconnection discussions he took part in at this Spring's ITW 2024 (May 14-17) conference in Maryland. We asked Downie about an ITW discussion he took part in regarding the connectivity challenges and solutions essential for supporting new-scale compute campuses, and how these demands are driving the evolution of connectivity infrastructure to meet future needs. "As AI's footprint expands, so does its energy consumption, which can rival that of entire nations," noted Downie. He added, "As cloud services, IoT, AI, and digital transformation demands escalate, the importance of robust, interconnected data centers has never been more critical. Over the last 18 months, AI GPU demand has significantly increased, highlighting the importance of robust networking both inside and between facilities. At Flexential, we're proactively addressing these challenges to ensure our network solutions keep pace with growing demands and industry needs." Our far-ranging podcast discussion also touched on the evolution of high-density data centers among enterprise, cloud and AI use cases, and Downie's assessment of current trends in power and cooling, innovations in liquid and air cooling, as well as sustainable practices, power generation considerations, and workforce challenges in the data center industry. Notably, Flexential CEO Chris Downie is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for DCF's inaugural Data Center Frontier Trends Summit, a live conference event to be held from Sept. 4-6 in Reston, Virginia. Here's a timeline of the podcast discussion's key moments: 2:53 - Flexential CEO Chris Downie highlights the transformative impact of AI on IT infrastructure, stressing the need for thoughtful deployment due to the significant pace of change and the implications for privacy, equity, and biases. 13:22 - Downie mentions the opening of new Flexential facilities in Denver and Atlanta, emphasizing the evolving significance of Denver as a destination for large-scale workloads, and the growth potential in Atlanta as a Tier One market. 17:24 - Downie elaborates on the evolution of Flexential's high-density data centers from its gen four to gen five designs, the blend of CPU and GPU infrastructure, the current state of GPU environments, and the ongoing exploration of liquid cooling solutions. 22:34 - The discussion touches on data center considerations for on-site generation, battery backup, sustainability, and alternative energy, prompting Downie to discuss the industry's exploration of new ways to manage power demands, including nuclear and natural gas options. 26:05 - Backup power sources such as hydrogen and batteries are addressed. Talk then then shifts to discussing workforce challenges and community relations in the data center industry. Flexential's Downie reflects on the increasing public understanding of data centers' importance and the evolving generational shift towards appreciating digital infrastructure.  

The increased demands of cloud services and artificial intelligence are changing the data center landscape. The days of a 20 MW to 50 MW hyperscale data center being sufficient to meet the requirements of high performance computing are quickly fading away. Today, Exascale data centers capable of providing more than 500 MW of power are increasingly taking center stage, ushering in the gigawatt era.

For this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show Podcast, ark data centers CEO Brett Lindsey explains the reasons behind the company's recent rebranding (from Involta) and its strategic direction toward data center colocation edge and AI disciplines.  Also during the interview, Lindsey discusses the new company's planned expansions and recent entry into new markets such as Green Bay, Wisconsin; its investment strategies; and theories of customer segmentation based on colocation and cloud needs. Additionally coming in for review during the interview are the significance of ark data centers' CMMC [Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certifciation] 2.0 compliance capabilities, its partnerships with government entities, and the company's unique positioning to cater to specific regulatory needs and edge demands.