The all-consuming headache knowledge middle operators have been coping with concerning AI {hardware} has been energy and cooling, with too little of every. However there may be one other drawback creeping up on knowledge middle operators, and that’s the weight of the gear.
AI server racks are considerably denser than commonplace compute racks. Meaning much more energy, but it surely additionally means much more metallic and plastic crammed right into a single house. The end result is a rise within the weight of the gear, which is impacting knowledge middle design and development.
The common 42U server rack with the usual mixture of compute, networking, and storage can weigh from 1,500 to 2,500 lbs. Many have a capability as much as a maximum of 3,000 lbs. However AI gear, which incorporates a number of GPUs, good networking playing cards, and liquid cooling gear, can simply exceed over 4,000 lbs.
Now multiply that by the handfuls, if not tons of, of racks stuffed with AI gear that represent a hyperscale knowledge middle, and you may see how that may impression the ground design.
Strong Foundations
Alex Cordovil, analysis director for knowledge middle bodily infrastructure and liquid cooling at Dell’Oro Group, stated the primary situation he’s seeing is fewer raised flooring in knowledge middle halls.
“Strengthening your raised ground begins changing into pretty costly, so it doesn’t make that a lot sense,” Cordovil informed DCN. “So, we see an increasing number of knowledge facilities which are constructed simply on the slab.”
He added: “I used to be speaking to an engineering agency that had seen problems with a multi-story knowledge middle that structurally was not constructed to accommodate racks that have been three or 4 thousand kilos. They have been constructed for one thing else. You simply can’t put [ultra-dense equipment] in there anymore.”
Peter Skae, managing director, technical companies for knowledge middle development specialists JLL, stated raised flooring are usually not out, however their use has modified. “There are some that also use [raised floors], as a result of most of those cupboards now have chilled water going on to them, and folks don’t need that water overhead,” he stated.
In line with Skae, knowledge middle operators desire a raised ground for water piping and wiring, they usually could solely go one foot excessive as a substitute of two toes excessive, as the normal design would dictate.
AI server racks weighing as much as 4,000 kilos are forcing knowledge middle designers to rethink conventional multi-story buildings. Picture: CyrusOne.
The Single-Story Benefit
Not solely are AI knowledge facilities reducing the ground, however they’re additionally reducing the ceiling. Skae says that an growing variety of knowledge facilities are shunning multi-story designs and choosing a single-story.
“I believe what most are taking a look at are single-story buildings, simply due to the complexities of those designs,” he stated.
The rationale for single-story knowledge facilities is that multi-story amenities have gotten cost-prohibitive, as you’ve gotten to spend so much extra to boost the ground loading capacities.
“We take a look at these choices for shoppers every day,” stated Skae. “Can we go two tales? And more often than not, we discover that they’re not doing it as a result of the fee to construct that second story goes to be substantial.”
Retrofitting Knowledge Facilities for Subsequent-Gen Capability
The impression of high-density AI knowledge middle gear will not be solely affecting new builds but in addition retrofits of current areas. Constructing companies should conduct extra structural evaluation to make sure that the ground loading of an current constructing can accommodate the burden that’s getting into.
“It’s not solely the burden, it’s additionally the peak and another concerns which are making loads of buildings that individuals wish to retrofit into knowledge facilities probably not possible,” stated Skae.
The end result, stated Cordovil, is a renewed curiosity in brownfield websites. Whereas the greenfield is supposed to indicate undeveloped floor, brownfields have been developed on deserted websites, similar to factories, hospitals, or malls.
One benefit of retrofitting outdated industrial websites is that they typically have a substation linked to them with energy already accessible. In the event that they have been factories, they have been constructed with stable, heavy flooring.
“Having the transmission from the generator, and having the substation linked to your web site is an enormous lead time in most markets,” Cordovil stated.
‘All the pieces is up for reassessment’
AI knowledge facilities could require larger flooring reinforcement, however this doesn’t impression the event timeline, based on Skae.
“It’s a distinct power concrete, it’s totally different sized metal, but it surely’s nothing that’s going to materially impression development timelines,” he stated, including that he has by no means had a buyer decline a bid attributable to the price of supplies to construct the positioning.
Nonetheless the impression of AI {hardware} on knowledge middle design is important, based on Cordovil. With knowledge facilities sometimes designed for 10 to twenty years of use, builders are acutely conscious that amenities cannot turn out to be out of date inside two years.
“There’s undoubtedly an enormous shift or a reassessment,” the analyst stated. “No one is stopping development, however they’re actually reassessing how they’re constructing to ensure that their websites are future-ready.
“It’s actually altering loads of the preconceptions. All the pieces is up for grabs. All the pieces is up for reassessment.”
