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DC BLOX 2024 Predictions: From Data Centers to Wisdom Centers - Architecting an AI-Infused Future

vmblog-predictions-2024 

Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024.  Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.

From Data Centers to Wisdom Centers - Architecting an AI-Infused Future

By Melissa Reali-Elliott, Content Marketing Manager of DC BLOX

It's no secret that AI has spurred new demand for data centers and associated infrastructure. Synergy Research Group recently predicted that hyperscale data center capacity, driven by AI workloads, will nearly triple in the next six years. Many existing data centers, including multi-tenant data centers, will have to be upgraded to handle the processing requirements of AI. Companies that can implement flexible data center infrastructure strategies, such as adding modular builds, will be best positioned to harness the AI revolution, resulting in the anticipated and necessary growth.

Traditionally, AI systems have been trained on large amounts of data to identify patterns. Generative AI goes a step further, using complex systems and models to generate new outputs in the form of images, text, or audio using natural language prompts. This new model promises massive social and economic value due to its ability to handle multiple repetitive tasks quickly and accurately, combined with this ability to break down communication barriers between humans and machines.

Data centers are already undergoing a profound metamorphosis, transitioning from conventional repositories to advanced hubs. AI capabilities promise increased processing capabilities as well as the infusion of intelligence into every facet of operations.

Rethinking designs:

The crux of this transformation lies in a departure from dealing with individual data points to cultivating a comprehensive, integrated, and interconnected ecosystem. The envisioned data center of the future stands as a nexus where artificial and automated intelligence converge, marking a significant enhancement in AI capabilities. Anticipation of AI and HPC requirements has prompted both hyperscale operators and colocation providers to scale up power for new builds, including high-density power supplies to servers of 30-50 kW/rack or higher, as opposed to the traditional 5 kw/rack.

In response to this surging demand, data center operators worldwide are rethinking their architecture and deployment plans. The impact is profound; hyperscale operators, in particular, are not merely upgrading equipment, but dramatically altering their designs to accommodate the unique demands posed by AI workloads. This evolution extends beyond equipment enhancements, necessitating the creation of flexible, adaptive infrastructures capable of seamlessly handling the intricate nuances of AI training and inferencing compute needs. It is evident this will mean more advanced cooling for heat-intensive processes as well as faster server innovation.

In addition to power considerations, connectivity will be a critical factor in designing data centers for AI. High-bandwidth network ports are essential for seamless data upload, exchange, and inference, especially given that curated datasets are sourced the world around, requiring even more infrastructure builds for data transfer, such as cross-continental subsea cables. For Generative AI applications, low-latency connectivity to inference points is imperative, particularly for real-time applications and immersive AI experiences such as AR/VR.

This multifaceted approach to design changes underscores the intricate balance required to build data centers that not only meet the immediate demands of AI but are also poised for the ever-evolving landscape of advanced computing, in a world that was already power-constrained. In fact, McKinsey projects that data center demand will reach 35 gigawatts by 2030, up from 17 gigawatts in 2022. Effective power management will remain fundamental to data center operations, even as we add new processing needs for AI.

Automation as a Catalyst:

The rapid evolution of technology brings with it an increased demand for automation. In the face of supply chain issues, inflationary pressures, and labor shortages, automation becomes not just a convenience, but a necessity. Automation, in various forms such as scheduling, monitoring, and maintenance, serves as the catalyst for increased efficiency and productivity.

Data center automation already exists in many forms, including scheduling, monitoring, maintenance, application delivery and troubleshooting inefficiencies in networks and infrastructure. Such automation gives workers more time to focus on critical, higher-value tasks, further accelerating data center modernization. This automation trend will continue in 2024, in the pursuit of increased data center agility and operational efficiency.

AI solves the problem of extracting data from legacy industrial assets as well as the challenges with interfacing with hundreds of protocols, vast numbers of connected sensors, disparate data sources and incompatible data formats that exist in the wild. This is the point at which industrial equipment and factory systems meet the digital world, resolving complexities much faster than the human brain can process.

This causes a transformative juncture wherein data centers will both aid the industrial world by building robust AI infrastructure, but also be aided by the results it generated.

Incorporating AI for Efficiency:

Data center owners and operators are beginning to realize the potential benefits of integrating AI into data center management. AI is proving beneficial and increasingly being used in operational areas such as predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, physical security, and filtering and prioritizing alerts. We have also seen it used for optimization through IT space temperature control, workload placement, and power optimization.

While many enterprises are still exploring the possibilities of AI adoption, initial implementations often revolve around simple tasks, such as administration, customer service, or other avenues to augment productivity. But we will increasingly see executives push for more strategic means to leverage AI capabilities to automate and manage mission critical tasks. To do this effectively and reliably, operators will need to invest in well-designed and purpose-trained AI models.

Applications of sophisticated machine learning are evident in providing insights into critical infrastructure components, including power distribution equipment. AI enables operators to collect vast datasets and convert them into actionable intelligence, monitoring the efficiency of components and interconnectivity, ultimately enhancing overall operational efficiency. Increased data, when processed quickly, can make us more efficient.

Efficiency gains extend beyond facilities and into network management, where AI tools will play a crucial role in achieving optimal performance. Addressing concerns such as cyber attacks, AI will aid in identifying irregularities, determining actionable insights, and mitigating potential disruptions to security processes.

Generative AI holds potential in the data center industry as a powerful outlining tool for creating initial documents, models, designs, and calculations, especially in site planning phases, but this promise will take longer to prove fruitful than the upcoming year. Despite its strengths, the inherent limitations of generative AI require an ongoing necessity for human expertise and oversight, as accuracy cannot be assumed or guaranteed. Even if employing AI-based tools to draft documents, they must nevertheless undergo thorough validation by experienced data center professionals before operational use, meaning that some areas of AI capability still raise questions about the balance between efficiency gains and risks that necessitate human validation.

In short, the rise of AI will not only impact the ways that we meet new processing demands, but also how we reimagine operational processes to streamline tasks, optimize resource allocation, and drive unparalleled speed and efficiency. The focus is on developing agile, scalable, and cost-effective solutions that align seamlessly with the ambitions of both a sustainable and exponentially growing digitized future.

The AI Wisdom Center:

The AI journey our industry is embarking upon will encapsulate a visionary shift in information processing. Generative AI represents a paradigm shift that demands a holistic transformation in the way we approach not only data processing and site design, but the very data itself. By building for and then utilizing AI, data centers are not only preparing for the challenges of a digitalized future but actively contributing increased efficiencies that we will need in order to build the associated infrastructure.

The more information we have, the more we can be informed by it to make better decisions more quickly to build for sustainable and innovative growth. This shift signifies the evolution of data centers into wisdom centers-hubs where data, once actionable intelligence, now evolves into wisdom that will guide how we reshape the landscape and operational practices of digital infrastructure.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa-Reali-Elliott 

Melissa Reali-Elliott has spent over 15 years marketing digital technologies and is a self-professed data center nerd. She holds degrees in Marketing, Economics, and Psychology from the University of Central Florida. Over her career, she has supported organizations specializing in software applications, IoT, RFID, industrial automation, and power distribution to utility markets, including smart grid, smart city, and microgrid applications, as well as critical infrastructure industries such as data centers. She currently serves as the Content Marketing Manager for DC BLOX, a provider of Tier III data centers throughout the Southeast US, along with connectivity and fiber solutions that further build digital infrastructure. She is a regular contributor to many industry publications and authors the Data-Centered column for Mission Critical Magazine. She is also an Ambassador for the Nomad Futurist Foundation, which empowers and educates the younger generations through exposure to digital infrastructure technologies. As a result of her work, she has been awarded a 2022 IM100 by iMasons and a 2023 Top 25 Women in Technology by Mission Critical Magazine.

Published Monday, January 15, 2024 7:35 AM by David Marshall
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