Vertiv aims to transform data center architectures into AI factories

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, is gearing up efforts to transform traditional data center architectures into AI factories capable of powering AI applications and accelerating digitalization across major industries in China.

Edward Cui Yibin, president of Vertiv Greater China, said that with the rise of generative AI, Vertiv's portfolio of high-performance power and cooling solutions, combined with scale, will enable customers to deploy AI data centers faster, more efficiently and with greater flexibility.

"Due to the adoption of a large number of high-performance GPUs, the power consumption of single rack in AI-enabled data centers has leaped from the typical 5-20 kilowatts to an astonishing 40-130 kilowatts, posing unprecedented challenges for power and cooling," he said.

To tackle such challenges, Vertiv collaborated with leading global technology companies to co-develop hybrid cooling solutions tailored for high-density computing environments.

"With such efforts, AI-enabled data center reference designs have been developed and can support up to 130kW per rack, clearing the way for dense deployment of AI accelerator cards," he said.

The United States and China are the two core powers leading in research and development of AI technology, but Cui noted that their paths differ.

"The construction of AI-enabled data centers in the United States is mainly led by technology companies. In China, in addition to the efforts of technology companies, government agencies at all levels also play an important role in the construction of AI-enabled data centers. This global trend shows that Vertiv's solutions are flexible enough to meet the demands of markets worldwide." he said.

To illustrate the effectiveness of supply chain practices, Cui noted that Vertiv China excels at integrating various functional departments such as procurement, quality, and marketing, and a 'synergy' between these teams.

"As the process isn't static; it's always dynamic. Therefore, such a synergy enables that the company's business in China is able to respond swiftly to dynamic market conditions and maintain high delivery accuracy," he said.

In the Chinese market, Cui pointed out that the company has also invested big into the research and development for greater technological prowess through its two large R&D centers.

"We are highly focused on technology improvement and iteration. We recognize the value of committing to R&D practices for both short term and long-term benefits," Cui said.

"Looking forward, Vertiv will persist in increasing investment to fully support the construction of the next generation of data centers in the Chinese market," he said.