Technology with strong potential | Data Center / Servers

Digital transformation is without a doubt one of the biggest upheavals of our time. In the context of the rapid spread of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT), the dimensions of data production, storage and processing are greater than ever; On the other hand, latency times should be as small as possible. For data centers, this means that they have to constantly adapt to the latest developments in order to be able to deliver the necessary performance. It is not just commercial companies that determine the speed: on the contrary, especially when it comes to “high performance computing (HPC)”, science, for example, also has a huge impact with a wide range of applications.

Scientific institutes are increasingly working with high-performance computers: for example, climate models or simulations can be created using artificial intelligence. This simulation renders complex tests (eg in space) unnecessary – this saves time, money and resources. These powerful technologies are increasingly important to businesses. In the future, data center operators must be prepared to provide systems and infrastructure that can handle these massive data flows.

But what is completely different from high performance computing? For this technology, several computers are connected to each other in a structure as a block: this increases your performance and the data processing steps can be carried out in parallel using special software. This means that these “supercomputers” run very fast, are extremely powerful and can transfer data quickly with low latency.

Quantum computing: fast but sensitive

Quantum computing is also included in high performance computing. It is not the bits, but the qubits, i.e. quantum bits, that make up the basic arithmetic unit. Unlike a bit, a qubit can not only assume state zero or one, but can also be in state zero and one at the same time or in a theoretically infinite number of states in between. The result is also significantly higher computing power. However, quantum computing also poses new challenges for data centers; They have to adapt their structure in a way that protects the volumes from any kind of external influences, such as temperature fluctuations. Demand for quantum computing is already growing tremendously: financial services provider Morgan Stanley expects annual sales of €9 billion by 2025.

However, for HPC to develop to its full potential, the infrastructure must be right. Processors, storage, and networking technologies quickly become obsolete and must be updated regularly—a costly affair. It requires highly specialized knowledge to design and operate such systems. Conversely, does that mean that HPC is only an option for large companies?

Colocation Providers as Partners in HPC

This question can certainly be answered with no. Modern data centers and shared hosting providers can help medium-sized businesses that want to work in the high-performance computing space. There they can rent suitable areas for the implementation of such projects. Many data center providers are already starting to adapt to this demand and are upgrading their space accordingly. In addition, global players are enabling high-performance computing services in the cloud. So companies are advised to monitor this trend and to clarify if and how they can benefit from it in the future.