Data centers are in hot demand right now and this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. With the rise of AI, the constant need for increasing computing power for every business and colocation, data center capacity and footprints are already booked for years in advance.
On the one hand that’s great news for data center operators who will have good business opportunities for a long time. But it’s also a big challenge as the demand is outpacing the supply and is creating bottlenecks for growth and scalability. It hinders innovation and economics, and thus further slows down the opportunities for construction of new data centers. Investors are also becoming more careful. They are more than willing to invest big money into data centers, but they also want to be both sure of the ROI and of the innovation potential.
What all of this means is that while the construction of traditional data centers will continue, but the industry is also looking for what the next generation will be like. And the future seems to be very interesting. There are several brave concepts about data centers that are currently making the rounds in the industry and among investors, Data Center Knowledge reports.
Modular data centers
Data centers are usually viewed as big buildings that are one-and-done. They could be expanded, but that would require a lot of additional construction, and it would be almost like building a new one. As you can imagine, that’s also quite expensive. A new concept is modular data centers. They come in ready-made segments that are much cheaper, easier, and faster to build and assemble. It’s also much easier to expand them as and when needed.
Modular data centers also open the door for new concepts like using different materials, for example wood. The main construction is wooden, which helps for shortening build times so it’s a good solution for faster deployment of edge data centers and it also lowers the construction carbon footprint. Of course, there are other concerns like the wood being a bigger fire risk, but a company called Veritiv, which makes such wooden data centers, says there are already plenty of solutions for that. Another company, EcoDataCenter, adds that wood has thousands of years of construction experience and there are options like special timber which is cross-laminated and has self-extinguishing properties. It’s rated to withstand a fully developed fire for up to 90 minutes which is plenty of time for any good fire suppression system and firefighters to localize and stop the vast majority of fires.
Underwater data centers
One place where fires might be a bit difficult to happen is underwater, and yes, underwater data centers are the next possible trend. Microsoft was among the frontrunners in this segment, but eventually cancelled its pilot project. Despite that, underwater data centers are still debated as a possible solution. On paper they have several big benefits. The most obvious one is cooling. It will be much, much easier to keep the equipment cooler. Also, there’s plenty of space underwater, so “land” wouldn’t be scarce.
With that said, there are plenty of challenges and drawbacks. One, construction is much more difficult and expensive. This can be solved with the use of modular data centers – smaller batches will be easier to build and submerge and add to them as needed. But maintenance will be also difficult and expensive. And while getting the heat out of the data center will be easier, raising the water temperature in the area around the data center won’t be good for the environment. Especially in an age where global water temperature is already on the rise. Energy supply is another challenge that will have to be solved, and it will be expensive, as well. As such, underwater data centers are not looking likely to become a big trend. At best, they seem to be a suitable solution for some very specific projects and needs.
Flying data centers
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Superman? No, that’s your local data center. At least that’s what one brave concept envisions. Considering there’s not much room on land, going underwater is expensive, so why not look to the sky? That’s the idea of researchers by KAUST. They have a concept detailed in the paper “Data Center-Enable High-Altitude Platforms: A Green Computing Alternative”.
The idea is simple. Make blimps and load them with servers. Put them high up in the sky, even up to the stratosphere. The researchers’ data shows that using a HAP (High-Altitude Platform) and float it up high, it will reduce energy consumption by up to 14%, and because it’s cooler higher up – it will be easier to regulate the temperature. The HAP would be like an extension of a traditional data center and could handle some of the more energy-intensive calculations. The HAP will provide itself with electricity via solar panels. At least some propulsion will also be needed, so the HAP can maintain its location against the winds.
Does this mean eventually we will have a stratosphere filled with data centers? Probably not. Again, it’s a niche solution which would solve some specific problems, but for the most part HAPs can’t replace traditional data centers.
Underground data centers
So, what’s left? Let’s go underground. Servers don’t really care where they are placed. In fact, the cooler and quieter – the better. Well then, why not place them underground? For example, use old mine shafts, unused bunkers, tunnels, etc. The benefits are also clear: ready-made infrastructure that in most cases is very robust. It’s also much cooler there and safe from most natural disasters and provides consistent conditions. Unless, obviously, we are talking about a flood or serious earthquake. So, the operator would have to choose the location wisely.
Of course, there are negatives, too. For one, space is limited, so any needed expansion will either be extremely expensive or simply not possible. Remodeling and restructuring will be limited or impossible. Space utilization will have to be incredibly efficient. There are other considerations for underground workers, too. In most countries there are additional regulations for people who work underground, including limited hours. In most cases that won’t be a problem for data centers which can be maintained remotely and would require limited time for people to spend underground. When everything is working, at least. Despite that, underground data centers could be a good solution for some cases.
Data centers in space
One frontier is left. Space. And yes, there is talk about sending data centers into space. With the quality of wireless communications constantly improving, having a data center far out in space is actually not as futuristic an idea as it may seem. There’s already a pilot project – HPE’s Spaceborne Computer-2. It’s at the International Space Station and features regular servers without any additional hardening. This drives costs down and makes the idea possible.
Space still does require additional safety measures and not all equipment will function without modifications. At least cooling would be much easier since space is a very chilled place, right? Still, the main cost would be the deployment into space, especially since the ambitious plans for affordable space rockets still aren’t happening. The tests with the HPE data center show there’s potential in the idea, and other companies like OrbitsEdge are also working on similar projects.
HPE says it’s a good idea to develop such projects and they are expecting that more players will join the segment. So, this is one potential niche for the long-term future. It won’t happen soon, but there certainly seems to be enough interest. Especially if launch costs go down and the space economy blossoms.
New energy sources for data centers
Data centers of all kinds will need electricity. Sustainable energy sources will be key and data center operators already are working to make their facilities as “green” as possible. Considering that the demand for computing power is growing, along with the “hunger” for resources by more and more workloads, energy for data centers is an incredibly valuable asset. In some countries, they are already feeling the pressure on their energy grids due to the increase demand from data centers.
So, work is going on hard and fast to develop and secure as many energy sources as possible. One niche is nuclear power. Small reactors are shaping up as a good idea. They can be installed on-site and are more affordable. Also, they are easier to maintain and can provide a lot of power. So much so that the data center can even recuperate some of its costs by selling energy to the grid during off-peak hours.
Another solution is hydrogen power. It’s a risky proposition according to some as it can be unstable, and if something goes wrong, well, it can be quite the big boom and everyone would definitely know about it! On the other hand, when everything is right and the correct protocols are followed, hydrogen power can be fully sustainable, practically unlimited, and cheap in the long run. For now, it’s still more of an exotic idea, but one that is well on its way to becoming part of the many other sustainable solutions out there.