Roundtable Recap: Industry Ambitions vs. Reality; Data Center Site Selection Tips; Actionable Sustainability; AI Infrastructure Planning
Our Data Center Executive Roundtable for the Fourth Quarter of 2024 asked for our panelists' views on a series pertinent industry topics including:
- A present assessment of how various regulatory and public pressures might be shaping the data center industry's ambitions vs. its realities.
- Whether data center site selection is to be considered the North Star for construction and development stakeholders, especially in terms of guiding decisions on power and cooling infrastructure.
- Thoughts on the most pivotal sustainability considerations and actions for colocation and hyperscale data centers headed into 2025.
- How the massive build-out of AI infrastructure and its associated power demand is impacting prospects for future data center investment and planning.
Here is the full question and answer session, organized by topic:
- Probing Data Center Industry Ambitions vs. Realities
- Data Center Site Selection Implications
- Actionable Data Center Sustainability Strategies
- AI Infrastructure Roadmap
Here are links to the individual Q&A summaries for each of our distinguished panel members:
- Data Center Insights: Pat McGinn, Chief Operating Officer, CoolIT Systems
- Data Center Insights: Steve Zielke, Marketing Manager - Global Channel Distribution & Data Centers, Rehlko
- Data Center Insights: Phillip Marangella, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, EdgeConneX
- Data Center Insights: Steven Carlini, Vice President of Innovation and Data Center, Schneider Electric
- Data Center Insights: Danielle Rossi, Global Director – Mission Critical Cooling, Trane
The conversation is moderated by Data Center Frontier Editor in Chief Matt Vincent.
Thanks to all of our executive participants for sharing their time and insights!
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About the Author
Matt Vincent
Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, where he leads editorial strategy and coverage focused on the infrastructure powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. A veteran B2B technology journalist with more than two decades of experience, Vincent specializes in the intersection of data centers, power, cooling, and emerging AI-era infrastructure. Since assuming the EIC role in 2023, he has helped guide Data Center Frontier’s coverage of the industry’s transition into the gigawatt-scale AI era, with a focus on hyperscale development, behind-the-meter power strategies, liquid cooling architectures, and the evolving energy demands of high-density compute, while working closely with the Digital Infrastructure Group at Endeavor Business Media to expand the brand’s analytical and multimedia footprint. Vincent also hosts The Data Center Frontier Show podcast, where he interviews industry leaders across hyperscale, colocation, utilities, and the data center supply chain to examine the technologies and business models reshaping digital infrastructure. Since its inception he serves as Head of Content for the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit. Before becoming Editor in Chief, he served in multiple senior editorial roles across Endeavor Business Media’s digital infrastructure portfolio, with coverage spanning data centers and hyperscale infrastructure, structured cabling and networking, telecom and datacom, IP physical security, and wireless and Pro AV markets. He began his career in 2005 within PennWell’s Advanced Technology Division and later held senior editorial positions supporting brands such as Cabling Installation & Maintenance, Lightwave Online, Broadband Technology Report, and Smart Buildings Technology. Vincent is a frequent moderator, interviewer, and keynote speaker at industry events including the HPC Forum, where he delivers forward-looking analysis on how AI and high-performance computing are reshaping digital infrastructure. He graduated with honors from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and lives in southern New Hampshire with his family, remaining an active musician in his spare time.
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