• About Us
  • Partnership Opportunities
  • Privacy Policy

Data Center Frontier

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing.

  • Cloud
    • Hyperscale
  • Colo
    • Site Selection
    • Interconnection
  • Energy
    • Sustainability
  • Cooling
  • Technology
    • Internet of Things
    • AI & Machine Learning
    • Edge Computing
    • Virtual Reality
    • Autonomous Cars
    • 5G Wireless
    • Satellites
  • Design
    • Servers
    • Storage
    • Network
  • Voices
  • Podcast
  • White Papers
  • Resources
    • COVID-19
    • Events
    • Newsletter
    • Companies
    • Data Center 101
  • Jobs
You are here: Home / Cooling / Rack Density Keeps Rising at Enterprise Data Centers

Rack Density Keeps Rising at Enterprise Data Centers

By Rich Miller - April 27, 2020 Leave a Comment

Rack Density Keeps Rising at Enterprise Data Centers

Servers in a high-density rack at a Switch data center. (Image: Switch)

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

The amount of power used by each data center rack continues to rise for enterprise users, according to new research from AFCOM, the industry association for data center professionals.

The 2020 State of the Data Center report found that the average rack density increased by nearly an entire kilowatt (kW) from the previous year, jumping to 8.2 kW per rack, up from 7.3 kW in the 2019 report and 7.2 kW in 2018. About 68 percent of respondents reported that rack density has increased over the past three years, with 26 percent saying the increase was “significant.”

“Building big doesn’t always necessarily mean building smart,” said Bill Kleyman, author of the AFCOM report and Executive VP of Digital Solutions at Switch. “Density can make a difference because you’re able to facilitate more users in a much more dense and intelligent fashion.”

The new report reinforces a trend towards higher power rack density, which has been showing up in both analyst research and user surveys like the AFCOM State of the Data Center research, which Kleyman presented online rather than in a keynote at the postponed Data Center World event.

“Don’t be surprised as rack density continues to grow,” said Kleyman. “We’ve seen it grow substantially over the last couple of years, and the average grew an entire kilowatt from last year.  That’s not a little bit of growth – it’s an entire kilowatt inside of a rack. That’s a telltale sign that people are putting more gear in each rack. You’re using space for wisely, and you’re making your racks work for you. I think that’s a good thing.”

Power Densities Rise Along with AI Adoption

A major factor in rising densities is the rise of data-crunching for artificial intelligence (AI). Powerful new hardware for AI workloads is packing more computing power into each piece of equipment, boosting the power density – the amount of electricity used by servers and storage in a rack or cabinet – and the accompanying heat.

“AI requires large amounts of data and processors, often coupled tightly when the model requires a single shared memory pool,” 451 Research notes in a recent report. “Such equipment typically needs more power than generic servers. In fact, 1kW per rack unit (and there can be 30+ units in a rack) is the current trend for HPC/AI servers, leading to power use of 20-40kW per rack or more, and thus requiring different cooling at scale.”

The AFCOM data suggests that high-density racks are no longer focused solely on hyperscale providers and high-performance computing (HPC) centers, but being felt in the enterprise and on-premises data centers. Survey participants average about 6,000 SF of data center footprint, considerably less than the typical high-density user profile.

The largest group of users was in the 4 to 6 kW per rack range, but 27 percent of respondents cite an average of at least 11 kW per rack. Kleyman believes this is significant.

Free Resource from Data Center Frontier White Paper Library

data center cooling
Is Your Data Center Partner Optimizing Its Cooling Strategy for Efficiency and Uptime?
When you are selecting a data center partner, ask about the cooling approaches they use. The answers can provide insights into the data center’s ability to meet your expectations and your company’s sustainability goals. This new white paper from Trane explores the ins and outs of data center cooling, and how to ensure the most efficient solution. 
We always respect your privacy and we never sell or rent our list to third parties. By downloading this White Paper you are agreeing to our terms of service. You can opt out at any time.

Get this PDF emailed to you.

“It definitely feels like the square footage of the traditional data center now focuses on density and efficiency, rather than space and size,” the report notes. “Over-building and over-subscribing have caused some leaders in the industry to rethink the way they deploy critical infrastructure.”

The report aligns with findings from user groups and researchers. Last fall a 451 Research user survey found 54 percent of respondents reported having HPC infrastructure placing significant computational power in a small footprint, while 50 percent of respondents said their firms use hyperconverged infrastructure. Similarly, a 2019 Uptime Institute survey found almost 70 percent of enterprise data center users report that their average rack density is rising.

A High-Density Challenge for Legacy Data Centers

We’ve been tracking progress in rack density and liquid cooling adoption for years at Data Center Frontier as part of our focus on new technologies and how they may transform the data center. The reports of increased density from 451 are not a surprise. In our DCF 2019 forecast we suggested that “liquid cooling was finally ready for its closeup.”

Most servers are designed to use air cooling. A number of service providers have focused on air-cooled solutions optimized for high-density workloads. Others are housing gear in cabinets equipped with water-cooled chilling doors. A small group of HPC specialists offer either water-cooled servers or various approaches to immersion cooling.

Members of the Data Center Institute board, which guides the AFCOM research, predict that the upward trend in rack density is likely to continue.

“Right now, there are 10s of gigawatts of lower density equipment out there, deployed over the last 10 years,” said Mark Monroe, Infrastructure Engineer at Microsoft. “It’ll take another 10 years to replace that existing stock with incrementally higher density equipment, each year raising the average density slightly, but not dramatically.”

451 Research says even traditional CPUs are becoming more power-hungry.

“Chip manufacturers are boosting the power of chips across the board in response to customers’ appetite for more processing capacity, so even traditional servers and networking equipment are starting to use more power in the same footprint,” 451 writes. “This rise in power density will become increasingly difficult for legacy data centers to handle efficiently and at scale.”

LinkedinTwitterFacebookSubscribe
Mail

Tagged With: high density data centers, Rack Power Distribution

Newsletters

Stay informed: Get our weekly updates!

Are you a new reader? Follow Data Center Frontier on Twitter or Facebook.

About Rich Miller

I write about the places where the Internet lives, telling the story of data centers and the people who build them. I founded Data Center Knowledge, the data center industry's leading news site. Now I'm exploring the future of cloud computing at Data Center Frontier.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Voices of the Industry

How to Simplify Distributed IT Management? Focus on the Tools to Improve Flexibility and Efficiency

How to Simplify Distributed IT Management? Focus on the Tools to Improve Flexibility and Efficiency Russell Senesac, Director of Data Center Strategy at Schneider Electric, explores how to address distributed IT management and the tools available today.

DCF Spotlight

The COVID-19 Crisis and the Data Center Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic presents strategic challenges for the data center and cloud computing sectors. Data Center Frontier provides a one-stop resource for the latest news and analysis for decision-makers navigating this complex new landscape.

An aerial view of major facilities in Data Center Alley in Ashburn, Virginia. (Image: Loudoun County)

Northern Virginia Data Center Market: The Focal Point for Cloud Growth

The Northern Virginia data center market is seeing a surge in supply and an even bigger surge in demand. Data Center Frontier explores trends, stats and future expectations for the No. 1 data center market in the country.

See More Spotlight Features

White Papers

data exchange

QTS Peering and Data Exchange

A new report from QTS asserts there is a critically important role for the intermediary who enables internet networks and content networks to exchange traffic — the user and the content to connect — enabling data exchange. Download the new white paper today that explores how companies like QTS can help the industry proliferate the number of buildings where internet and content networks can exchange traffic and do so in a neutral and open way.

Get this PDF emailed to you.

We always respect your privacy and we never sell or rent our list to third parties. By downloading this White Paper you are agreeing to our terms of service. You can opt out at any time.

Newsletters

Get the Latest News from Data Center Frontier

Job Listings

RSS Job Openings | Peter Kazella and Associates, Inc

  • Data Center Facility Manager - San Jose, CA
  • Senior Electrical Commissioning Engineer - Nashville, TN
  • UPS Field Service Technician - Boston, MA
  • Data Center Facility Engineer - TS/SCI - Columbia, MD
  • Construction Project Manager - Data Center - Papillion, NE

See More Jobs

Data Center 101

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center 101: Mastering the Basics of the Data Center Industry

Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Open Spectrum, brings our readers a series that provides an introductory guidebook to the ins and outs of the data center and colocation industry. Think power systems, cooling, solutions, data center contracts and more. The Data Center 101 Special Report series is directed to those new to the industry, or those of our readers who need to brush up on the basics.

  • Data Center Power
  • Data Center Cooling
  • Strategies for Data Center Location
  • Data Center Pricing Negotiating
  • Cloud Computing

See More Data center 101 Topics

About Us

Charting the future of data centers and cloud computing. We write about what’s next for the Internet, and the innovations that will take us there. We tell the story of the digital economy through the data center facilities that power cloud computing and the people who build them. Read more ...
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Our Founder

Data Center Frontier is edited by Rich Miller, the data center industry’s most experienced journalist. For more than 15 years, Rich has profiled the key role played by data centers in the Internet revolution. Meet the DCF team.

TOPICS

  • 5G Wireless
  • Cloud
  • Colo
  • Connected Cars
  • Cooling
  • Cornerstone
  • Coronavirus
  • Design
  • Edge Computing
  • Energy
  • Executive Roundtable
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Hyperscale
  • Interconnection
  • Internet of Things
  • Machine Learning
  • Network
  • Podcast
  • Servers
  • Site Selection
  • Social Business
  • Special Reports
  • Storage
  • Sustainability
  • Videos
  • Virtual Reality
  • Voices of the Industry
  • White Paper

Copyright Data Center Frontier LLC © 2021