DCD Zero Downtime: The Bi-Weekly Data Center Show

While silicon is still the semiconductor king, alternative chip materials are increasingly being sought in order to find their successor and address some of the biggest challenges facing the chips of today. In today’s episode of Zero Downtime, CEO and founder of Diamond Quanta, Adam Khan, discusses the benefits of diamond semiconductor technology, its applications, and the work Diamond Quanta is undertaking.

Earlier this year, Synopsys' R&D team developed a new model that allows design teams to create and test circuits at cryogenic temperatures. In this episode, Jamil Kawa and William Ruby from Synopsys talk about the cryogenic CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors) research project and how it could support the development of low-power chips to help solve the worsening AI energy crisis.

Mark Kidd, a veteran at Iron Mountain, discusses the company’s fascinating journey from mushroom farming in the 1950s to becoming a leader in the data center industry. He highlights the importance of adapting to digital transformation and AI advancements. Mark dives into sustainable practices, focusing on e-waste management and responsible disposal. He also covers innovative energy solutions for data centers facing power challenges and the significance of asset lifecycle management in promoting greener technology practices. Tune in for insights on navigating change in this evolving industry!

India’s data center industry is rapidly growing, and companies are taking notice.  Singapore-based CapitaLand Investment is currently developing major data centers throughout the country in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. While these developments are running smoothly, building large data center campuses in any location is never simple.  We talk with managing director Surajit Chatterjee about the challenges and opportunities presented by India, its choices of location, development process, goals for sustainability and the investment company's future plans.

When Gil Santaliz first founded NJFX, he saw an opportunity to create an environment where data centers and cable landing stations could co-exist on the same campus. But even he could not predict how the emergence of AI and Edge technology has changed and developed conventional cable landing stations for the better. We talk to NJFX about the history of NJFX, the importance of colocation cable landing stations, and the future of AI and subsea infrastructure. 

Iceotope's David Craig returns to DCD Zero Downtime as he prepares to hand in his badge and gun. We talk what's next for Craig, and how he has seen the industry change and mature during his lengthy run.

We are all acutely aware that the data center industry has an aging, and thus thinning, workforce. But what can we do about it? In this episode, we talk to Nabeel Mahmood, managing director of Nomad Futurist - a non-profit dedicated to increasing awareness about the world of digital infrastructure - about how we can bring more people into the industry, especially those positioned at a disadvantage, be it because of a lack of resource, their location, or even society expectations.

Data center operators are getting serious about waste heat and, more specifically, what to do with it.While the solution for many is to pump it back into nearby district heating systems, other companies are getting more creative and using warmth from servers to heat aquafarms and greenhouses. European operator Data4 has joined a project which aims to demonstrate that waste heat from its data center can help to grow algae, which could in turn be used as biofuel. Linda Lescuyer, Data4’s innovation manager, joins us to explain how the project is taking shape. 

Data center markets vary wildly by location, and in this episode we head "down under" to the wonderful land of Australia. With the AI boom in full across the globe, Australia is no different and experiencing increased demand.   We talk to David Hirst, who heads up Australia's Macquarie Data Centers, about the trends he is seeing in the country, how Macquarie is approaching AI, and the company's recent news, including its forthcoming IC3 Super West data center.

During a natural disaster, networks often go down. This can massively impact rescue missions in some cases. The importance of network operators and the role they play in responding to unpredictable moments is something that should be highlighted. We spoke to Verizon to see how it prepares its response to hurricanes and tornados, and find out the level of training required to support its efforts.