In a significant collaboration, Supermicro, Inc. has joined forces with Datasection, KDDI, and Sharp to develop a cutting-edge AI data center in Japan. This ambitious project aims to deploy rack-scale plug-and-play liquid-cooled AI solutions utilizing advanced NVIDIA GPUs, further solidifying the company's commitment to green computing and the global expansion of AI. The new facility, built on the former Sharp Sakai plant, will support advanced systems optimized for the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform, delivering powerful performance for leading-edge LLM, ML, and generative AI applications.
The Collaboration
The project brings together four prominent companies: Supermicro, Datasection, KDDI, and Sharp. Supermicro, a global leader in Application-Optimized Total IT Solutions, will work closely with Datasection, a system integrator, to develop the Total IT Rack-scale liquid-cooled solutions. The collaboration ensures that the new data center will be equipped with the latest technology and expertise to support the most demanding AI workloads.
The New Data Center
The new AI data center, built on the former Sharp Sakai plant, will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to support the most advanced AI systems. The facility will be optimized for the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform, which is designed to deliver powerful performance for leading-edge LLM, ML, and generative AI applications. The data center will be equipped with Supermicro's industry-leading Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) solutions, which are specifically designed for hyper-dense AI rack deployments. These solutions can significantly reduce energy costs and have a smaller environmental impact compared to traditional air-cooled systems.
The Benefits of Liquid Cooling
Liquid cooling is a highly effective method for managing the heat generated by high-performance computing systems. In the context of AI data centers, liquid cooling can provide several benefits, including:
- Increased Density: Liquid cooling allows for higher density deployments, which means more computing power can be packed into a smaller space. This is particularly important for AI data centers, which require large amounts of computing power to support complex workloads.
- Reduced Energy Costs: Liquid cooling systems are generally more energy-efficient than air-cooled systems. This is because liquid cooling systems can more effectively manage heat, reducing the need for cooling fans and other energy-intensive components.
- Environmental Impact: Liquid cooling systems have a smaller environmental impact compared to air-cooled systems. This is because they require less energy to operate and generate less heat, which reduces the need for cooling systems and other environmental mitigation measures.
- Improved Reliability: Liquid cooling systems are generally more reliable than air-cooled systems. This is because they are less prone to overheating, which can cause system failures and downtime.
The Future of AI Data Centers
The collaboration between Supermicro, Datasection, KDDI, and Sharp represents a significant step forward in the development of AI data centers. The new facility will be a model for future AI data centers, showcasing the potential for green computing and the global expansion of AI.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Supermicro, Datasection, KDDI, and Sharp is a testament to the growing importance of AI data centers and the need for innovative solutions to support these complex workloads. The new facility, built on the former Sharp Sakai plant, will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to support the most advanced AI systems. The use of liquid cooling and advanced NVIDIA GPUs will ensure that the data center is highly efficient and environmentally friendly, making it an ideal model for future AI data centers.
About Supermicro
Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI) is a global leader in Application-Optimized Total IT Solutions. Founded and operating in San Jose, California, Supermicro is committed to delivering first-to-market innovation for Enterprise, Cloud, AI, and 5G Telco/Edge IT Infrastructure. The company is a Total IT Solutions manufacturer with server, AI, storage, IoT, switch systems, software, and support services. Supermicro's motherboard, power, and chassis design expertise further enable their development and production, enabling next-generation innovation from cloud to edge for their global customers. Their products are designed and manufactured in-house (in the US, Asia, and the Netherlands), leveraging global operations for scale and efficiency and optimized to improve TCO and reduce environmental impact (Green Computing). The award-winning portfolio of Server Building Block Solutions allows customers to optimize for their exact workload and application by selecting from a broad family of systems built from their flexible and reusable building blocks that support a comprehensive set of form factors, processors, memory, GPUs, storage, networking, power, and cooling solutions (air-conditioned, free air cooling or liquid cooling).
