CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Shrirang Deshpande, Country Manager – Data Center Sales, Vertiv
- Could you give us an overview of Vertiv?
Vertiv is a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, offering a comprehensive suite of power, cooling, and IT solutions that ensure seamless operation and optimal performance for vital applications across data centers, communication networks, and industrial facilities. With headquarters in Westerville, Ohio, and a presence in over 130 countries, Vertiv supports the fast-evolving mobile and cloud computing markets, serving a wide range of industries including healthcare, telecommunications, and financial services. The company’s portfolio includes industry-leading brands such as Alber™, Avocent®, Cybex™, and Liebert®, all backed by a team of over 27,000 experts. Vertiv’s integration of hardware, software, analytics, and ongoing services enables businesses to scale effortlessly while addressing their most critical infrastructure challenges.
- Could you give us an overview of the current data center landscape? What’s the current state of AI adoption in the sector?
The data center landscape is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing demand for high-performance computing (HPC) and AI applications. In India, the market is expected to nearly double from USD 6.90 billion in 2023 to USD 13.96 billion by 2029, fuelled by the rise of cloud computing, digital services, and AI. This growth is accompanied by a substantial increase in IT load capacity, projected to grow from 2.01K MW in 2024 to reach 4.77K MW by 2029. AI is becoming more integral to various industries, placing significant pressure on data centers to support high-density workloads. While many organizations are in the early stages of AI adoption, focusing on proof of concepts and initial use cases, the urgency to scale these efforts is growing. However, they face the challenge of implementing advanced critical digital infrastructure that is complex, time-consuming, and costly to design and deploy. Investments in data center critical digital infrastructure technologies, such as liquid cooling methods like direct-to-chip and immersion cooling and high-capacity power systems, are essential to maintain optimal performance under heavy AI workloads. As AI adoption accelerates, the demand for AI-driven data centers will continue to rise, driving further advancements in critical digital infrastructure and operational efficiency.
- Tell us about the various data center solutions Vertiv offers to its customers.
Our data center infrastructure portfolio includes prefabricated modular and integrated solutions, thermal and power management systems, uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS), and IT management systems to support network closets, micro data centers, edge data centers, core data centers, colocation etc. Some of the data centre solutions offered by us include.
- Edge data center: At Vertiv, we unlock new possibilities at the edge by designing and delivering scalable, customizable edge data centers that speed up deployment, minimize risks, and control costs. From dozens to hundreds of modular edge data centers, our solutions are built to maximize flexibility, improve scale, and enhance efficiency. Additionally, our micro data center solutions align power, cooling, monitoring, and racks to meet specific business needs, offering a versatile way to deploy data center capacity in any space. Our expert team partners with customers from initial planning through execution, allowing them to stay focused on their core business.
- Core data center: Vertiv’s solutions allow for capacity expansion of core data centers and critical facilities. We offer flexible, scalable, and efficient solutions that are pre-engineered, prefabricated, and pre-tested, before being rapidly deployed on-site. This helps our customers, contractors, and consulting partners more effectively design and build data centers.
- Power solutions: Vertiv’s power solutions are essential for enabling the reliability and efficiency of data center operations. These include Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems, which provide backup power during outages, allowing connected equipment to operate through shorter outages, or provide time to switch over to a generator or Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for longer outages. Our power distribution offerings, such as busbars and switchgear, enable efficient electrical load management throughout the data center.
- Liquid cooling: Vertiv’s liquid cooling solutions for data centers are designed to address the increasing thermal management challenges posed by high-density computing environments. As traditional air cooling methods struggle to manage the heat generated by racks of high-performance computing (HPC) or AI servers, liquid cooling has emerged as an efficient alternative.
- Racks and enclosures: Vertiv’s racks for data centers are designed to support high-density IT environments with flexibility and efficiency. They feature a modular design that allows for easy customization and scalability, accommodating various equipment types, including servers, switches, and storage devices. Vertiv racks integrate seamlessly with cooling and power solutions, ensuring optimal thermal management.
- What are some of the challenges in implementing AI solutions in data centers, and how does Vertiv help customers overcome them?
Implementing AI solutions in data centers presents several challenges, such as the complexity of integrating new technologies, the need to enable efficient operation, the ability to effectively scale to support the data center of the future, and the need to adapt to evolving AI demands. Vertiv addresses these challenges by adopting a forward-looking approach and actively collaborating with server OEMs, chipmakers, and customers to understand their unique AI needs. To facilitate the planning and selection process, Vertiv has introduced the 360AI approach, which provides reference and validated designs specifically crafted to guide customers through AI implementation. This approach offers scalable solutions that evolve with increasing AI demands, helping customers navigate the complexities of AI integration to enable a robust, efficient, future-ready data center infrastructure.
- Where do you see the future of AI in data centers heading?
The future of AI in data centers is set for remarkable growth, including in India, where there is a strong enthusiasm for AI as a tool for solving complex problems and driving business transformation. Organizations are increasingly exploring AI applications across various disciplines and industry verticals, signaling the start of a broader trend. As AI continues to advance, it will unlock new possibilities and fundamentally alter the way data centers operate, supporting business objectives with greater innovation and efficiency.
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