2023 was another huge year for data centers. Demand for data center services and digital transformation is on the exponential rise due to the expansion of AI and traditional cloud technologies, prompting growth in both new and existing markets. Operators continue to explore ways to increase power, speed, efficiency, and sustainability.
To help our readers achieve these goals, Data Center Frontier has presented dozens of white papers and reports from some of the leading companies and thinkers in the industry. Over the past year, the DCF library of data center white papers imparted the latest key industry insights and trends, covering topics including data center sustainability, resiliency, cooling, site selection, and infrastructure.
Here are the 10 most popular data center white papers of 2023 from Data Center Frontier, ranked by number of reader downloads.
1. Data Center Decision Makers (Cadence Design Systems)
The pandemic shifted the use of digital technology into overdrive, forcing organizations to reassess their digital transformation timelines. The pace at which digital demands are emerging, oftentimes, is faster than technical teams can enact change. This tension creates pain points across the industry. In this white paper, Cadence provides an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities that will define and drive the data center industry in the coming years. Based on a survey of more than 750 technical and digital transformation specialists, the paper explores what industry leaders’ are prioritizing for the next twelve plus months – and what’s keeping them up at night. The paper includes discussion surrounding the technologies that will influence the data center industry, budget transformations, the need for sustainability, and how success will be measured.
2. Modernizing Efficiency and Time-to-Market: A New Approach to Data Center Design (Nautilus Data Technologies)
Since 2020, there’s been a boom in digital infrastructure. But every boom has its growing pains, and operators are now faced with new challenges as demand outpaces supply, legacy construction and deployment inhibit modernization, and supply chains continue to lag. Addressing these and other challenges requires an understanding of how we’re deploying today’s data centers and using modernization to our advantage. This special report, provided by Nautilus Data Technologies, explores the current state of the data center industry and how modernization has impacted speed-to-market. Authored by Bill Kleyman, the report reviews new data centers and modular designs, as well as how sustainability plays a significant role in modernization efforts.
3. Important Steps on the Road to Net-Zero (Enchanted Rock)
Around the world, over 3,500 companies, cities and educational institutions have adopted net-zero pledges as part of the fight against climate change, according to the United Nations Climate Action program. Technology companies have taken a leadership position in a variety of ways to move away from fossil fuel sources, while providing the same reliability and performance. This white paper report examines how the drive to decarbonize is accelerating across industries worldwide, and examines how renewable natural gas (RNG) is a source that serves as either primary or backup power to electricity-intensive data centers.
4. Liquid Cooling Is In Your Future (nVent)
The data center environment is changing as densities increase and operating temperature rise. These fundamental shifts in the way data centers operate is driving the need for more efficient, environmentally friendly cooling options. This special report, featuring nVent, explains why liquid cooling is the future of the data center. First, the report explains why liquid cooling is so important and how it will increase your flexibility and capabilities. Then, the author outlines the three primary types of liquid cooling –liquid-to-air, liquid-to-liquid, and direct immersion.
5. The Data Center Innovation That Will Change the Way You Think About Liquid Cooling (Chatsworth Products)
This special report, written by Paul Gillin and featuring Chatsworth Products and Zutacore, explores the latest in liquid cooling technology advancements, including direct-on-chip, waterless, and dielectric fluid solutions. The discussion outlines the advantages of liquid cooling, exploring both the benefits and risks associated with water cooling. The report then dives into one of the most promising liquid cooling techniques being adopted by the industry: dielectric fluid. A dielectric fluid is a non-conductive liquid with very high resistance to electrical breakdown that’s most efficiently used in direct-on-chip, waterless, two-phase liquid cooling. The paper includes a real-life example of how this technology was used by a large colocation provider.
6. Top 5 Interconnectivity Considerations to Keep a Competitive Edge in a Digital Market (Belden)
There has been a fundamental shift in the way that modern interconnectivity impacts physical data center infrastructure in the digital era. This special report, courtesy of Belden, outlines 5 interconnectivity considerations that will help data center and cloud organizations maintain their competitive edge in a connectivity-driven economy. The paper explores the past and future state of connectivity, including how new connectivity requirements create new design and partner considerations. The report also dives into several new interconnectivity innovations, including edge orchestration, automation, integrating cloud resources, and sustainability. Finally, the report presents use cases and outlines the benefits of getting connectivity right.
7. Direct Liquid Cooling - The Ultimate Guide for Data Centers (Involta)
As power demands on data centers continue to rise, so do issues with heat and cooling. Research shows that direct liquid cooling, when paired with air-cooling strategies, improves PUE and energy consumption in high-density data centers. However, as technology continues to advance, the demand to process large, complex workloads is increasing faster than ever, requiring high-performance computing (HPC) and extremely efficient data center processing. This white paper examines how direct liquid cooling infrastructure can help data centers manage equipment temperatures more efficiently, reduce power consumption and support the growing demand for HPC.
8. How Four Efficiency and Density Points are Reshaping Data Center Network Architecture (AFL)
Over the past few years, we’ve seen just how critical connectivity is for the global community. Data center operators know that their uptime, resiliency, and sustainability are key to supporting that connectivity. While every data center facility is built differently, most IT leaders are looking for sustainable and efficient ways to reduce complexity, increase density, and provide a better time-to-market pace. This special report explores four efficiency and density solutions that are helping data centers reshape the way they design critical digital infrastructure.
9. 10 Reasons To Change Your Data Center Provider (Iron Mountain)
Data centers are a critical part of business infrastructure. They provide a secure, reliable environment for storing and processing the data a business generates each day. As a company grows and digital demand increases, that role becomes even more important. Is your data center provider meeting your needs? Maybe it's time to consider a new provider. Here are the 10 reasons to change colocation providers.
10. The New Imperatives: Sustainable Data Center Capacity Planning (Switch)
Data center and enterprise leaders are increasingly focused on resiliency, uptime, and the environmental impact of their data centers. As the data center landscape continues to shift, operators are wondering how their organization can plan for density, capacity and sustainability while gaining a market advantage? This special report, provided by Switch, outlines three new imperatives operators should consider when it comes to sustainable data center capacity planning.
