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Apr 25, 2025 • 0sec
Podcast #137: AI Is Forcing Data Centers to Go Liquid
Explore how 2MW liquid cooling is transforming AI data centers with new levels of efficiency, scalability, and thermal management.
If you attended Data Center World 2025 in Washington, DC, it would have been challenging to walk far before finding another liquid cooling solution. Each is unique with a special sauce. We have been following the innovations to get more from the compute side, and most solutions point to liquid cooling. One of the companies we have worked with is CoolIT. They just released the CHx2000 at DCW, and we were there to talk to Luca Cutrone, Director of Business Development at CoolIT.
Luca’s LinkedIn profile describes him as a “fun-loving technophile” with over a decade of leadership experience. Following a seven-month break, Luca joined CoolIT in January 2024, and it appears to be a great fit. Luca’s focus throughout his career has been on customer success, and he carries that mission forward in his work at CoolIT.
Brian caught up with Luka Cabrone in the CoolIT booth at Data Center World to discuss the latest innovations in liquid cooling. The conversation focused on CoolIT’s new product launches, the evolving data center cooling landscape, and the practical challenges of implementing advanced cooling solutions in today’s high-density environments. It was recorded live on the show floor.
More information about CoolIT can be found in Brian’s review of their direct liquid-cooled architecture.
If you are interested in liquid cooling technology, this podcast is for you. A lot of ground is covered in this short podcast. However, if you don’t have time to watch it in one sitting, we’ve broken down the conversation highlights into five-minute segments so that you can skip around.
00:00–05:00: Introduction
CoolIT’s new 2000 liquid CDU is capable of rejecting up to 2 megawatts of heat.
The growing need for liquid cooling in high-density chips and AI is discussed.
Educating the market on transitioning to liquid cooling.
05:00–10:00: Innovations
The real-world benefits of liquid cooling include power savings and reduced fan usage.
A University of Chicago case study shows a 37% power savings in a lab environment.
Quieter, cooler labs are a benefit of liquid-cooled environments.
Optimizing power delivery is essential as rack densities increase.
10:00–15:00: Immersion cooling
The chemistry behind CoolIT’s cooling systems— using a propylene glycol-water mix.
Emphasis on filtration and system cleanliness for cold plate microchannels.
Single-phase vs. two-phase cooling, with CoolIT focused on single-phase.
Immersion cooling and the engineering behind CoolIT’s 4000-watt cold plate.
15:00–20:00: How to acquire CoolIT solutions
The buying process for CoolIT’s solutions and integration into operations is explained.
CoolIT works with OEMs for factory integration, and facilities teams manage the infrastructure.
OCP is pushing for standardization, but challenges remain around warranty and compatibility.
20:00–End: Challenges
The future challenges of managing increasing heat loads are discussed.
The demand for innovative, smart operational tools, such as leak detection and AI-driven monitoring.
Industry collaboration on standards is essential.
CoolIT is committed to innovation and supporting the data center ecosystem.
As we were walking through the exhibit floor, it was clear that liquid cooling is no longer a niche technology, but a critical enabler for the next generation of data centers.
CoolIT
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Jan 17, 2025 • 0sec
Podcast #135: HPE Alletra Storage MP Sanjay Jagad
Brian talks with HPE’s VP of Product Management for Cloud Data Infrastructure while on-site at the HPE facility in Spring, TX. Listen as they discuss the Alletra Storage MP system.
Brian recently visited HPE’s headquarters in beautiful downtown Spring, TX. He invited Sanjay Jagad, a good friend of Storagereview.com, to join him for a detailed discussion about storage and HPE Alletra Storage MP. They discussed the factors driving the storage industry today and how MP has impacted storage system construction.
We have a full write-up and long-form video on YouTube to get up to speed on the platform.
This 40-minute podcast covers a wide range of topics, and it is well worth your time if you can spare it. Otherwise, we have time-stamped the recording so you can skip around as needed.
0:00-5:00 Introduction
HPE Campus Visit & Introduction to Alletra MP Storage
Brian visits HPE’s headquarters in Texas and introduces the Alletra Storage MP.
Discuss HPE’s universal storage platform, which separates hardware from operating environments. Provides flexibility and high availability.
Overview of business benefits and future of storage from HPE’s perspective.
Evolution of Storage
Sanjay explains the traditional two-controller storage system and how the market is evolving to meet modern demands, such as increased data and distributed applications.
5:00 -11:00 Introduction to Alletra Storage MP
HPE’s Reimagined Storage Approach
Introduction to Alletra MP, HPE’s reimagined storage solution.
Focus on simplifying hardware designs with modular building blocks and embracing software-defined storage (SDS) for improved scalability.
Decoupling Hardware and Software
HPE’s strategy of decoupling hardware from software to stay adaptable to new technologies (e.g., NVMe fabrics, CPUs).
This allows for independent scaling of compute and storage, giving customers more flexibility.
11:00 -15:00 Scale and Efficiency
Granular Scalability and Cost Efficiency
Granular scalability allows customers to add storage or controllers incrementally, preventing overprovisioning and optimizing costs.
This OPEX-based approach enables customers to pay only for the resources they need at a given time, improving TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Supply Chain Efficiency and Modular Hardware
HPE’s standardized hardware platform, using non-proprietary components (e.g., AMD CPUs, OCP NICs), ensures quicker adoption of new technologies like Gen 5 SSDs.
The modular, Lego-like design allows customers to integrate new tech without replacing entire systems.
15:00 -22:00 Availability and Performance
High Availability and Performance Improvements
HPE’s stateless controllers ensure seamless failover, offering high availability and performance improvements via the NVMe fabric.
Customers benefit from dynamic scaling and minimal downtime, crucial for mission-critical workloads.
Investment Protection through Continuous Upgrades
Timeless program: HPE ensures that as newer CPUs, memory, and I/O modules are released, they can be integrated seamlessly without requiring a complete system replacement.
This offers customers future-proofing and investment protection for their infrastructure.
22:00 -26:00 Ability to adapt new technologies
Adapting to New Technologies and AI-Driven Management
HPE’s architecture enables rapid adoption of new technologies (e.g., Gen 5 SSDs, DDR5, CXL).
AI Ops simplifies operations by automating routine tasks such as provisioning, monitoring, and optimizing workloads. This reduces manual effort and speeds up processes.
Dynamic Workload Management
The system leverages AI to dynamically adjust infrastructure resources and Kubernetes policies based on workload needs, ensuring SLA compliance and consistent performance.
26:00 -30:00 Unified Hybrid Cloud Control
Seamless Hybrid Cloud Management
HPE’s architecture supports seamless hybrid cloud management, allowing customers to control both on-premises and cloud-based resources from a single platform.
This provides true hybrid cloud flexibility, enabling consistent governance and security across environments.
Operational Simplicity and Time Savings
The architecture reduces the time required to provision and manage storage from weeks to minutes.
With fewer classically trained storage admins, HPE’s platform is easy to use for IT teams, making management more efficient.
30:00 -34:00 Integrating GreenLake
GreenLake Integration and Service Expansion
HPE’s GreenLake Cloud Console enables customers to expand their storage services easily, starting with block storage and adding more services like data protection or AI services as needed.
GreenLake offers a scalable and flexible management platform for customers to adapt their hybrid cloud strategies.
Reimagining Enterprise Storage
HPE’s shift from traditional SAN to a universal platform offers greater flexibility and efficiency.
This approach caters to traditional IT workloads and modern cloud-native applications, meeting a wide range of enterprise needs.
34:00 -40:00 Wrap Up
Customer Success and Scalability
Strong customer adoption of Alletra MP, especially among large enterprises looking to standardize on HPE’s platform.
HPE’s system’s modularity allows for seamless scaling, whether for compute or storage, as customer needs evolve.
Future Innovation and Flexibility
HPE continues to innovate with a robust roadmap, promising more functionality and scalability in the near future.
The focus remains on future-proofing customer infrastructure and addressing dynamic, cloud-native workloads.
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Dec 9, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #136: HPE XP8 Goes Ten Years With No Downtime
Brian visits HPE in northern California and has a chance to sit down with Rupin Mohan, Sr. Director (GM) Primary OEM Business at HPE.
This week, Brian welcomes a true veteran of the storage industry. Rupin Mohan is the Sr. Director (GM) Primary Storage OEM Business at HPE and recently met with Brian at one of HPE’s northern California locations to discuss the HPE XP8 Storage system. Naturally, the main topic centers around the fact that the XP8 has achieved an uptime of ten years without a single outage.
Rupin’s background within the storage industry is extensive. He has spent over 26 years with Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and is focused on “results-driven” business outcomes. He possesses a deep technical knowledge of flash memory, Fibre Channel, enterprise storage, and many other facets of storage technologies.
Rupin is also a member of the Board of Directors and Marketing Chairman of the Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) and a member of the Board of Directors for the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA).
This is an engaging discussion about how Rupin and his team hit a ten-year milestone of zero downtime on the XP8. Rupin describes his team’s effort to ensure customers’ 100% availability.
This shorter-than-usual podcast lasts only 32 minutes, so try to take it all in if you have the time. If you are strapped for time, as most of us are, we have broken the podcast down into 5-minute intervals. So hop around if you need to.
Other StorageReview resources:
HPE XP8 On-site video
XP8 Technical paper
00:00 Welcome and introduction
Introducing the HP XP8
Ten Years of Uptime
Mission-Critical Environments
Scalability, Performance, Reliability
04:40 -10:00
Design For Availability
First Disaggregated System
Minimum Configuration
Customization
Hybrid options
Uptime and Optimal Performance.
10:00 – 15:00
XP8 in Mainframe and Open Systems
HP NonStop Systems Support
XP8’s Position in HP’s Portfolio
Legacy System Support
Lounging Under the GreenLake Umbrella
15:00 – 20:00
Hybrid Strategy
Keeping It On-premises
Legacy Systems Support
MP Personas
Built For Diverse Workloads
20:00 – 25:00
Data Migration
XP8 External Storage Feature
Simplifying IT Admin Tasks
Intuitive Management
100% Service Attach Rate
Ensuring Proper Installation
25:00 – 30:00
Financial Impact of Downtime
XP8 Market Stability
High-End Market Is Not Going Away
Keeping Businesses Alive
30:00 – End
Collaboration Across Division
Alletra MP Discussion
Wrap-up
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Nov 25, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #135: Modern DaaS with Amazon Thin Clients
Amazon WorkSpaces delivers a compelling alternative to traditional desktops.
This week, Brian follows up on a recent review for Amazon WorkSpaces posted in mid-October with an interesting conversation with Amazon’s Director of Product, End-User Computing, Melissa Stein.
Melissa has spent the past four+ years with AWS and specializes in setting product vision and strategy, management, storage, software, and databases, to name a few. Melissa will be speaking at the upcoming AWS re:Invent, covering contact center efficiency with Amazon WorkSpaces (EUC206: Boost contact center efficiency with Amazon WorkSpaces and Thin Client), complimenting this podcast.
For our subscribers interested in thin client technology, AWS, and cloud computing, give this podcast some attention. If you need to hop around, we have broken down the discussion in five-minute increments to help you navigate where you need to be.
00:00 – 05:00 – Introduction
The podcast covers topics from Amazon’s thin clients, desktop as a service, and changes in the industry.
New Solutions for End User Computing
Amazon WorkSpaces
AppStream
Developing thin clients
Design goals
Keep the costs down
Repurpose devices to reduce turnover and improve security
Security
Imposed restrictions for thin clients
Keep data off the thin client
Encrypt everything
No access for sideloading applications or connecting removable media
05:00 – 10:00
Continue discussion around security
The boot process prevents unauthorized access
Streamlined fulfillment
Pandemic-inspired device availability
Simplicity
10:00 – 15:00
Thin clients are shipped with a video and brochure
No need for help desk support
Simple for hybrid and remote workers
Desktop as a service
Reminiscent of “dumb terminals”
Lag and poor performance are mitigated
Amazon WorkSpaces
Scalable
Easy to manage, easy to use
15:00 – 20:00
Further discussion about scalability
Addressing high turnover
Shifting computing power to the data center
Addressing inefficiencies
Leverage cloud-based solutions
Reducing costs
Catering to seasonal workloads (tax season, open enrollment)
Thin clients for smaller call centers
Amazon WorkSpaces for persistent desktop needs
20:00 – 26:00
WorkSpaces Pools
Cost-effective
Great for users who don’t require persistent desktops
Close integration between hardware and software
Complying with hardware regulations
Energy-efficient
Efficiencies extend to data centers
Reports of a 75% reduction in endpoint expenses
26:00 – 30:00
Customers appreciate:
Cost-savings
Reduced maintenance
Eliminate VPN requirements
Thin client strategy is not limited to a single device
Future developments with a focus on broader use cases
30:00 – 36:00
What’s happening at AWS re:Invent
showcase thin clients
Amazon WorkSpaces
Amazon Connect
AI-driven analytics
Testing to ensure performance and reliability
Secure browsers
Optimize user experience
Wrap-up
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Sep 25, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #134: Leak-Proof Liquid Cooling
Chilldyne Podcast – liquid cooling solutions for data centers focusing on leak-proof design and efficiency for high-performance servers.
Brian rarely gets to sit down to a podcast with a doctor. However, today, he is joined by Dr. Steve Harrington, CEO of Chilldyne. We have been keenly interested in liquid cooling technologies, and there are more popping up all the time. But we have a soft spot for Chilldyne.
Some background on Dr. Steve Harrington. He is the CTO of Chilldyne and the founder of Flometrics. He is an expert and inventor in Fluid Dynamics and thermodynamics, designing pumps, valves, nozzles, flowmeters, aircraft cooling systems, rocket fuel pumps, rocket test stands, turbine flow measurement systems, medical ventilators, air/oxygen mixers, respiratory humidifiers, CPAP machines, spirometers, heat exchangers, vacuum cleaners, oxygen concentrators, motorcycle fairings, infusion pumps, electronics cooling systems, wave machines, data acquisition systems etc. But wait, there’s more. His expertise extends to electronics, programming, optics, nuclear physics, biology, and physiology.
Steve has more than 29 years of experience in fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. He has consulted for aerospace, semiconductor, medical device, racing, electronic cooling, and other industries. He has over 25 patents and has completed projects for NASA, DARPA, SOCOM, and USACE.
When he is not busy, he is a part-time faculty member at the University of California, San Diego, where he teaches an aerospace engineering senior design class where students instrument, build, and fly liquid rockets. He is also a surfer, a pilot, a scuba diver, a boat and car mechanic, an electrician, and a plumber.
There is much to learn about liquid cooling and we think this podcast will help answer some of the questions on the minds of IT and data center professionals everywhere.
That should be enough to make you interested in listening to this entire podcast. However, if you are strapped for time, we have broken the pod down into five-minute segments so you can hop around as needed.
Get the podcast on video!
00:00 – 05:30 Introduction
“Hot” New Technology: Liquid Cooling
Brian opens with a pun about liquid cooling being a “hot” technology in data centers. Liquid cooling has come full circle—once abandoned with the advent of CMOS, it’s now making a resurgence due to the intense heat generated by modern processors.
From Supercomputers to Jet Engines
Steve provides some personal history on his journey to liquid cooling, starting with cooling supercomputers in the 1980s. Fun fact: His expertise in cooling rocket engines and laser systems translated well to modern data center liquid cooling.
Why Did Liquid Cooling Leave?
Liquid cooling took a break because CMOS technology was thought to have solved the power problem. Surprise! Power demands are back with a vengeance.
From Aerospace to Data Centers
In aerospace, liquid cooling isn’t just about cooling; it’s about reliability over time—think planes, rockets, and lasers. Data centers, on the other hand, need uptime and longevity, adding unique challenges to Steve’s transition from aerospace.
ARPA-E Grant and the 2 Kilowatt Chip
Steve’s foresight included partnering with ARPA-E to develop a cold plate for a two-kilowatt chip. This foresight is paying off, as more data centers are bidding for projects with these high-power chips.
05:30 – 10:24 Reassuring the CFO
Liquid Cooling: A CFO’s Nightmare?
Testing liquid cooling systems can cost millions. Convincing CFOs to sign off on such “experiments” is no easy task, especially since they don’t fit neatly into the financial spreadsheet. It’s like buying a $2 million test drive—it sounds fun but is risky.
Sharing Secrets: The Meta Paradox
Meta and other commercial giants tend to lock up their liquid cooling secrets tighter than the company’s algorithm. Sharing is caring, but not when there’s competition involved.
Chilldyne’s Leak-Proof, Negative Pressure System
Chilldyne’s secret sauce: a negative pressure system that’s essentially leak-free. If a leak happens, air enters instead of coolant spilling, keeping the chips safe from a soggy fate.
Handling Leaks: When Not to Panic
Even with leaks, Chilldyne’s system keeps running.
Liquid Cooling Data: The Missing Chapter
Industry-wide data on the impact of liquid cooling on wear and tear is sparse. Liquid cooling can feel like more of a mysterious “beer conference” topic than an open discussion.
10:24 – 14:55 Keep the bacteria out of the water
The Biodiversity of Data Center Coolant
Did you know that the local bacteria in your water supply can mess with your liquid cooling system? Different regions have different microbes, which can wreak havoc on data center coolant systems, leading to clogged plates and overheating GPUs.
Coolant Chemistry 101
Chilldyne has a built-in chemistry lab to monitor coolant quality. Forget your sterile water dreams; this is a battle between biology and technology.
Coolant Additives: A Budget Dilemma
Don’t cheap out on your coolant chemistry unless you enjoy emergency maintenance.
PG 25: Gamers’ Friend, Data Centers’ Enemy
PG 25 is great for gamers—it doesn’t freeze and prevents bacteria growth. However, it attacks seals, leading to leaks over time, making it less ideal for long-term data center use.
Chemistry’s Role in Data Center Maintenance
Data centers often forget that liquid cooling isn’t a “set it and forget it” solution. It requires regular monitoring and maintenance.
14:55 – 20:16 The need for low-toxicity additives
The Additives That Keep the Cool
Chilldyne uses low-toxicity additives: a splash of antibacterial and anti-corrosion chemicals.
Say No to PG 25 (Sometimes)
PG 25 is a “don’t freeze” lifesaver for gamers shipping their liquid-cooled rigs but less so for data centers.
Facility Water is Just the Start
When installing a CDU (cooling distribution unit), Chilldyne starts with distilled or reverse osmosis-filtered water.
The Cold Plate Clean-Up Crew
One customer refused to use recommended additives, leading to a clogged, hot mess in their GPUs. Chilldyne stepped in with a chemical cleanse, but if a cold plate gets too gummed up, sometimes it’s game over—time for replacement.
Liquid Cooling ≠ Set It and Forget It
Electronics may run smoothly for years, but liquid cooling? That’s a different beast.
20:16 – 26:03 Water is still the best for cooling
Water: The MVP of Cooling Fluids
Why stick with good ol’ water? It’s cheap, non-toxic, and performs well—especially in single-phase systems.
Immersion Cooling: The Slow Burner
Immersion cooling with engineered oils has some potential, especially in edge zones or moderate power servers, but it’s just not efficient enough for today’s two-kilowatt monsters.
When Pipes Get Silly Big
Watch for logistical nightmares as cooling systems scale up.
Electrical Limits: The Real Bottleneck
While liquid cooling systems can scale, there’s a limit to how much electrical current a chip can handle.
Don’t Forget the Chiller
While cooling towers are ideal in many places, some regions require chillers due to water scarcity. Go with a cooling tower.
26:03 – 29:44 Is that a leak?
The Leaks Won’t Tell You
Unlike server components, liquid cooling systems aren’t yet smart enough to give you advanced warnings about leaks.
The Problem with Positive Pressure
Positive pressure systems that detect leaks with special tape are reactive—they shut down servers when something goes wrong. Negative pressure systems like Chilldyne’s, however, keep the servers running even with minor leaks, avoiding costly downtime.
Compatibility Chaos
The issue with buying parts from multiple vendors is compatibility problems.
Plumbing Isn’t an IT Skill
Data center operators are skilled in networking, cybersecurity, and power management—but they’re not plumbers or chemists. That’s where specialized vendors come in.
Switch-Over Valves: The Fail-Safe
Chilldyne uses switch-over valves to provide redundancy in cooling systems. These valves work like airplane safety mechanisms—if one system fails, the other kicks in without the servers even noticing.
29:44 – 35:22 Make sure liquid cooling is what you need
Scale Matters: The 100kW Threshold
Steve suggests that liquid cooling isn’t worth the hassle unless you’re dealing with over 100kW of compute power.
Fortune 500 and Beyond
Big companies are already there, but even mid-tier enterprises are starting to feel the heat. The power consumption of GPU-packed servers means that liquid cooling will soon be a necessity for many organizations.
The Rack Scale CDU That Wasn’t
Chilldyne has a design for a 50-100kW rack scale CDU, but no takers yet.
The Four-Inch Pipe Problem
Liquid cooling systems max out at around 1-2MW before the plumbing gets unwieldy. Keeping the system manageable is key.
Electrical vs. Cooling Limits
We’re approaching the point where electrical limits are more problematic than cooling capacity.
35:22 – 40:16 Is it hot in here?
The Heat Disposal Conundrum
It’s not enough to cool the gear—you’ve got to deal with all that heat.
The Chip Temperature Tango
There’s a balance between cooling efficiency and chip performance. Design systems that can go colder if needed because the next-gen chips might perform 20% faster with lower temperatures.
Data Center Math is Getting Hard
Factor in cooling tower efficiency, GPU performance, fan speeds, and a whole lot more. The math behind today’s cooling solutions is critical for optimization.
HVAC and IT: Strange Bedfellows
HVAC engineers and IT teams used to operate separately, but liquid cooling is bringing them together.
Keeping the IT Guys in the Loop
Encourage collaboration between hardware providers and cooling experts to ensure the solution won’t melt under pressure.
40:16 – 43:35 Wrap-up
Get Started with Liquid Cooling Now
Steve recommends starting small, but start now. Get a system, run it, and learn from it before you’re in too deep.
The Danger of Overconfidence
Some companies are planning massive liquid-cooled data centers without ever testing smaller systems.
Lead Time: It’s Real
Lead times for liquid cooling systems can range from 16 to 52 weeks. So, better get those orders in early!
Spec Confusion with New Racks
NVIDIA’s new MVL racks are on the horizon, but specific water temperature and chemistry guidelines are still unclear.
Home Lab Mentality: Get Your Reps In
Steve encourages enterprises to take the “home lab” approach: start small, mess around with it, and learn.
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Sep 12, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #133: Effortless Liquid Cooling with JetCool
Closed-loop liquid cooling from JetCool delivers power efficiencies and increased CPU/GPU performance.
Liquid cooling continues to gain traction in the enterprise, especially with the intense compute requirements associated with AI. CPUs and GPUs are running hotter, and traditional air cooling struggles to keep those temperatures down. We have covered several liquid cooling systems over the past few years, with JetCool being a standout player.
After running into JetCool during SuperComputing 2023, we brought their technology into our Ohio lab, nestled inside an R760. To say we were impressed would be an understatement. To gain more insight into this technology, Brian invited JetCool founder and CEO Bernie Malouin for this podcast.
Bernie describes himself as a technical professional with demonstrated experience from concept studies through deployment. By the way, Bernie also holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. That’s impressive, but before he founded JetCool, Bernie spent eight years at MIT Lincoln Labs. He was the technical and programmatic lead for a multi-sponsor research project to implement advanced cooling technology in high-power RF devices for advanced electronics applications.
Although this podcast is less than 40 minutes long, Brian and Bernie cover a lot of ground. It’s worth viewing or listening in its entirety, but if you are short on time or need specifics on a particular topic, we have broken down the conversation into five-minute chunks so you can skip around.
00:00 Introduction
The landscape
It’s AI’s fault – or is it hype
GPUs and CPUs need to cool it
It’s about efficiency
What’s the power budget?
Wait! Liquid-Assisted?
06:00 Clarify Liquid Assist, please
Getting technical
Cold plates, closed-loop, and radiators, oh my
Efficiencies in cooling with JETCOOL
Arrays of tiny fluid jets
Surgically removing heat
Now, where are those heat nodes?
Profiling the CPU
10:00 Relationships with the chip makers
Staying ahead of the curve
Chip makers – partners in design
Details on where to cool
Tiny pumps
micro DC brushless pumps
circulating fluid throughout the server
15:00 Let’s talk about pumps, cold plates and radiators
Radiator technology
Modified technology in Formula One racing
Proven reliability
Cold plates
Originally developed for aerospace applications
What about the liquid?
JETCOOL uses PG 25 (Propylene glycol)
Benefits
non-corrosive
natural antifreeze
non-toxic
ready to use
Top off the fluid
can you go to a jiffy lube?
22:00 What happens when the hose breaks
Leak tests
Overpressure tests
Only 8-10 Oz of fluid in the system
Small puncture
faulty seal
might experience a few drops, but they evaporate
the telltale sign that there is a problem
CPU temperature rises
Leak detection mechanisms
25:00 Looking for the signals
OCP is dedicating two days for liquid cooling for their next conference
Partners can do a better job of educating customers about liquid cooling
Upgrade through the channel
driving the pull-through
30:00 Yeah, but how much does it cost?
An upgrade is about ten percent of the system price
ROI
within about six months
Suitable for co-location services
gaining efficiencies in co-lo facilities
On-premises deployments
limited space
limited budget
power constraints
Heavy lifting performed by the Intern and Kevin
37:00 Silence is liquid gold
One of the best benefits
Simple to try
Wrap-up: Stop by JETCOOL at OCP in October!
Full Video on YouTube
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Sep 3, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #132: IGEL Future-Proof Solutions For End-User Computing Deployments
This week, Brian is joined by Matthias Haas, IGEL’s Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director, Storagereview Contributor, and preeminent EUC expert Tom Fenton. IGEL Technology is a virtual desktop and end-user computing leader focused on thin client development. Check out Tom’s recent coverage of IGEL Disrupt.
This week, Brian is joined by Matthias Haas, IGEL’s Chief Technology Officer and Managing Director, Storagereview Contributor, and preeminent EUC expert Tom Fenton. IGEL Technology is a virtual desktop and end-user computing leader focused on thin client development. Check out Tom’s recent coverage of IGEL Disrupt.
Matthias describes himself as an “EUC visionary helping customers to future-proof their endpoint deployments at scale for a multi-cloud-enabled world.” He has been in IT for over 15 years, starting as a System Engineer focused on Linux security. During his tenure in software development, Matthias developed a deep technical understanding he used to create customer-oriented solutions. These products and solutions had a clear technical strategy but also answered customers’ day-to-day challenges.
Although a successful business model, IGEL has moved away from the hardware business typically associated with thin client technology and developed a secure, purpose-built thin operating system. Creating a thin operating system addresses the current transformation in multicloud deployments. The disruption to virtualization generated by Broadcom’s recent VMware acquisition adds angst to users dependent upon cloud technologies. Of course, many of the major hardware. Many enterprise software and hardware vendors have jumped on the VMware migration bandwagon. Still, IGEL has addressed this effect on end-user computing, creating a secure, easy-to-use, thin operating system.
For those unfamiliar with Tom’s work, he has over twenty years of experience working with virtualization and cloud technologies and over twenty-five years of Enterprise IT experience. He has a track record of keeping up with new technologies and presenting solutions to complex problems. Tom has been a key contributor to Storagereview.com.
This is an essential topic since EUC touches most of us daily. Although shorter than most of our podcasts, it is packed with information. If you have the time, give this a complete view, but if you are strapped for time, we have provided a time-stamped breakdown of the transcript.
00:00 Introduction
Tom gets a compliment from Brian
Matthias provides some IGEL history
Disruption due to Covid
05:00 What do you mean it doesn’t support Windows 11?
IGEL Disrupt announcements
Fully integrated
Partnerships
IoT
IGEL Disrupt 2024 dates
App Create Portal
10:00 Build that app
Build and sign on the App Create Portal
Content streaming
Pushing the Edge
Building the Insight Module
Secure the app
15:00 It’s agnostic
Reducing the attack surface
Talking about browsers
Managing the footprint
Make it permanent or temporary
Managing the identity
20:00 What’s needed to run a system?
Run it on top of Windows or macOS?
Providing the best user experience
Developing local apps
Zoom
Teams
WebEx
Supporting AI
25:00 Neural Processing Units
Functionality
Inferencing
AI is a moving target for end users
GPUs in the cloud
Leveraging the capabilities
30:00 Running workloads on an endpoint
Or should workloads run in the data center or on a GPU?
Browsers will continue to be important
Secure browsers
Enterprise browsers
35:00 Digital signage infrastructure
Learn more from the IGEL website (link below)
IGEL slack community
Run IGEL OS 12
Runs anywhere
39:00 Wrap up
Podcast on YouTube
IGEL Technology
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The post Podcast #132: IGEL Future-Proof Solutions For End-User Computing Deployments appeared first on StorageReview.com.

Jul 15, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #131: SSD Industry Vet Jonmichael Hands – The Latest on Enterprise SSDs
This is another live podcast in which Brian checks in with long-time friend and industry veteran Jonmichael Hands for this fast-paced, technically focused podcast. Jonmichael is currently the Senior Director of Product Planning at FADU but has an extensive storage, networking, and blockchain background.
This is another live podcast in which Brian checks in with long-time friend and industry veteran Jonmichael Hands for this fast-paced, technically focused podcast. Jonmichael is currently the Senior Director of Product Planning at FADU but has an extensive storage, networking, and blockchain background. He also has a patent for Accelerated data recovery in a storage system, a recipient of The Most Innovative Flash Memory Technology Award, and, while at Intel, was a member of the NVM Express marketing group.
Brian and Jonmichael are passionate about flash technology and seem on the same page. Jonmichael brings some deep and varied industry knowledge to the conversation, making this a candid learning session.
If you are interested in flash technology and want to hear more about the future of SSD in this AI universe, you will enjoy this one. But if you are only interested in a few topics, we have highlighted them in five-minute increments.
0-5 minutes
Introduction and Background
Introducing Jonmichael, noting their long history and expertise in the industry.
Reminisces about their last meeting involving Topo Chico and discussing chia, blockchain, and crypto.
Ongoing crypto craze and Jonmichael’s return to the SSD world.
The challenging market conditions for IPOs and crypto over the last two years.
Transition back to tech and improvement in the SSD market, potentially leading to the best year for SSD revenue.
5-10 minutes
NAND Prices and AI Impact
NAND costs during COVID, recent increases in SSD prices.
The cyclical nature of Nand prices and renewed challenges.
AI’s impact on data center storage demand and the importance of flash.
Emphasis on increased CapEx for data centers and the unsung hero status of storage in AI.
Upgrading legacy SAN infrastructure for high-end AI GPU work.
10-15 minutes
Meta Engineering and AI Storage
Comments from listeners and viewers.
Meta’s engineering efforts in AI storage solutions,
Building exabyte-scale storage.
There is a need for more extensive flash capacity for training large multi-modal models.
Emphasis on the cost and importance of fast SSDs in training servers.
The complexity of modern AI data centers and advanced storage solutions.
Significance of high-end SSDs and storage technology in AI training servers.
15-20 minutes
Storage Technologies and Market Trends
Power requirements and storage challenges in data centers.
Advantages of high-performance SSDs
The need for efficient networking.
Broadcom’s high-speed NICs and the importance of network bandwidth for GPU clusters.
The role of switching in supporting AI workloads and infrastructure.
Benefits of running GPUs locally and the competitive advantage of private data sets.
20-25 minutes
AI Strategy and Industry Insights
AI strategies and the importance of GPUs.
Setting up AI tools like Nvidia’s AI studio for private data use.
Running AI models on affordable NAS systems for private data protection.
Importance of AI tools for improving productivity and creativity.
SSD form factors and the evolution of E1 and E3 standards.
25-30 minutes
Form Factors and Industry Adoption
E1 and E3 form factors in hyperscale and enterprise markets.
Transitioning to new form factors and customer preferences.
Benefits of E3 form factors.
Form factors for industry adoption.
30-35 minutes
Hyperscale and Enterprise SSD Adoption
E1.S form factor in hyperscale and enterprise training servers.
Limited availability of Gen 5 E3 drives.
Transition challenges to Gen 5 E3 drives.
Potential improvements for Gen 6.
Demise of Gen 4 for U.2 drives.
E1.S and E3 form factors.
Thermal management and capacity options.
35-40 minutes
Client-Side Storage and Form Factors
Slow uptake on client-side for Gen 5 drives.
Inefficiency of M.2 for high-performance Gen 5 drive.
Differences in performance requirements between laptops and desktops.
Potential of E3 form factor in consumer desktops.
Benefits of PCIe cabling standards.
40-45 minutes
Flexible Data Placement (FDP) Technology
Flexible Data Placement (FDP) technology.
Benefits in reducing write amplification factor (WaF).
FDP allows data to be tagged and placed more efficiently on the SSD.
FDP can be implemented without requiring software to be FDP-aware.
Comparison of FDP with zone namespaces.
Complexities involved in the zone namespaces.
Flexibility and benefits of FDP for different workloads.
50-55 minutes
Host Management vs. Drive Management
Rely more on host systems for storage management.
Complexities of host-level management.
Understanding SSD internals.
E1.S, benefits for dense storage arrays.
Upcoming 128TB and 256TB drives.
Expected market impact.
55-60 minutes
Controller Technology and Performance
Importance of controller technology in SSD performance.
Advantages of 16-channel controllers for power efficiency and performance.
Performance per watt as a critical metric in SSD evaluation.
Ongoing developments and the future potential of FTP technology in the market.
Wrap-up of the discussion and promotion of blogs and future sessions on related topics.
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The post Podcast #131: SSD Industry Vet Jonmichael Hands – The Latest on Enterprise SSDs appeared first on StorageReview.com.

Jul 5, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #130: The Latest from Pure Storage – ’24 //Accelerate Highlights
Brian invited Peter Skovrup, VP of Product Management for Pure Storage, to continue their conversation from the Pure //Accelerate Las Vegas event in June. Brian and Jordan spent a few days with Pure, learning the latest for what’s new with Pure Storage technology – like their 150TB flash module!
Brian invited Peter Skovrup, VP of Product Management for Pure Storage, to continue their conversation from the Pure //Accelerate Las Vegas event in June. Brian and Jordan spent a few days with Pure, learning the latest for what’s new with Pure Storage technology – like their 150TB flash module!
This is another live event where the audience gets to ask Brian’s guests questions as they arise throughout the conversation. In case you missed it, our first two live events had a few hiccups, but we seem to have ironed those out now. This jam-packed session covers hardware and software, the all-important NPS scores, flash technology, and how it all fits together with Pure Storage solutions.
This is an exciting conversation that also tends to be a learning experience. If you have the time, it is worth listening to this entire podcast. However, if you are short of time or need to find details on a particular topic, we have created an easy way to jump around the podcast to get to the issues that are most interesting to you.
The podcast timestamps have been broken down into five-minute increments to make finding what you are looking for easier.
00:00 Introduction
Brian introduces Peter and talks a bit about Pure //Accelerate
Advancements in Pure Storage, flash modules, AI integrations, and Evergreen enhancements
The importance of NPS
06:00 Core Products
Where Peter is focused
FlashArray for Scale-up
FlashBlade for Scale-out
Operate as a unified storage system
System Architecture
DirectFlash Module (DFM)
10:00 Why DFM is important to Pure
Personal anecdotes about football
What is it
What does it do
Global management for flash storage
Online Community
15:00 Energy Efficiency
DFM benefits
Reducing flash power consumption at DFM level two
Simplifying design by limiting DRAM
Centralizing processing
DRAM becomes part of the controllers
Increasing density and efficiency in storage systems
21:00 Questions from the Live Audience
What are the speed trade-offs?
Challenges managing increased data storage
Performance impacts
Pure’s approach to non-disruptive updates
Business aspects for non-disruptive operations
26:00 Pure Storage Evergreen//One
Clarification on how Evergreen programs work for customers
Discussion on the financial and operational benefits of continuous upgrades
Explanation of subscription models and their flexibility
Benefits of Evergreen One and subscription-based storage solutions
Focus on delivering performance SLAs and scalability
30:00 Back to the importance of NPS
Traditional hardware investment model vs. Evergreen program
Emphasis on the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of Pure Storage’s upgrade process
Financial planning benefits of Evergreen programs
Importance of the clarity and visibility of costs
Non-disruptive upgrades and flexibility for customers
36:00 Introduction of Pure One
Introduction of Pure One
Data visibility features
Simplifying storage management
Management-as-a-service capabilities
Copilot
Workload planner, anomaly detection, and security assessment
Benefits of Pure One for operating and optimizing storage environments at scale
42:00 Finally, mentioning AI
AI workloads and the importance of data support
Nvidia’s presence at the event
Collaboration with Nvidia and the certification of Superpod
45:00 SuperPod at scale
Importance of 400 gig Ethernet for AI workloads
Flashblade’s scalability and performance for AI and HPC environments
Hardware requirements for AI workloads and the advantages of Flashblade
Flashblade’s architecture and its benefits for AI and unstructured data
Flashblade versus other parallel file systems
Importance of metadata operations in high-performance file storage
51:00 Data Management
Challenges of managing data for AI
Importance of a comprehensive storage solution
SLA-based solutions for AI workloads
Long-term investments in AI
Guiding customers
Pure Storage’s technology for large AI deployments
58:00 Managing data for AI
Pure Storage scalability
Small deployments
Pure Fusion
Edge and Distributed deployments
Non-disruptive operations
Optimization and Utilization
Evergreen programs
62:00 Wrapping up
Brian and Peter begin wrapping up the discussion
Let’s talk real football—The EUROs
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The post Podcast #130: The Latest from Pure Storage – ’24 //Accelerate Highlights appeared first on StorageReview.com.

Jun 22, 2024 • 0sec
Podcast #129: Keeping Your Cool With Noctua
Brian goes for another live podcast this week featuring Jakob Dellinger, the “air cooling guru” at Noctua. We have featured Noctua fans in a number of our reviews, most notably our recent “Noctua Unveils NH-D15 G2, Thermosiphon, and Next-Gen Fans” and the HomeLab45 update “The HL15 Homelab Server Goes Shhhhh with New Noctua Kit.”
Brian goes for another live podcast this week featuring Jakob Dellinger, the “air cooling guru” at Noctua. We have featured Noctua fans in a number of our reviews, most notably our recent “Noctua Unveils NH-D15 G2, Thermosiphon, and Next-Gen Fans” and the HomeLab45 update “The HL15 Homelab Server Goes Shhhhh with New Noctua Kit.”
Noctua has taken fan assembly to a higher level with products for everything from laptops to data centers. They pride themselves on innovation and reducing fan noise levels across the spectrum. Based in Austria, Noctua (the Little Owl) was founded in 2005 and quickly became one of the most acclaimed suppliers of premium-quality quiet cooling products that are apparently inspired by, but do not smell like, coffee.
This is another live podcast where our YouTube audience joined the conversation and submitted questions to Jakub and Brian. We are pushing the boundaries on these live podcasts, inviting our audience and guests to have a genuinely interactive conversation on topics that interest them.
After dealing with several hiccups at the show’s beginning, Brian got down to business. His first question was, “Why do people love your products so much?”
00:00 Introduction
Attention (obsession) to detail
Quality and Performance
Started as an OEM
Focused on quiet, highly efficient, quality components
Engaged with Taiwanese partner to develop cooling components
05:00 Finding the inspiration
The CEO hated loud PCs
Fix it before the machine is powered on
Recap Vince’s video series for his Home Lab (Unleash the Hush: Noctua Fans and Eaton Sound Proof Rack Combine for a Peaceful Studio)
Why are Noctua Fans beige and brow?
10:00 Scratch ‘n Sniff
Brian shares a tidbit from his youth and asks Yakub to create a fan that emits an espresso aroma
That is on the punch list
Comments from the audience
Computex
Delivering new products
Square frame
Fan radiator
Socket support
NVIDIA prototype
Yakub goes deep
16:00 Squeezing Enterprise boards into workstations
Training LLMs
Edge servers where quiet matters
Liquid cooling
There’s a place for air-cooled systems, too
20:00 PC and Workstation case design
Thermal design
Not just for workstations
Getting creative
Let the users do crazy stuff with the fans
Heat sinks and heat distribution
Applying thermal paste
Potential to lose performance with poorly adhered heat sync
26:00 How to check for performance loss
Yakub gets into a deep discussion about cooling options
More than one option for every situation
31:00 Questions from the audience
Aftermarket contact frame
Better results from the 1mm washer mod
More from Computex
Noctua power supply
35:00 Showing off new products
Even in the early development cycle
Family-owned and run business
No Shareholders to report to
Delivering to the customer
40:00 Cooling GPUs
DIY water cooling
Voiding the warranty
Mixed results
Preconfigured workstations seem so loud
Consumer-level cards are more advanced today
46:00 More on the HomeLab 15
Fan design
Thicker fan materials provide alternative options
Thicker may not be better
Fan size does matter
50:00 Wrap up
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The post Podcast #129: Keeping Your Cool With Noctua appeared first on StorageReview.com.
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