Tomorrow’s Data Centers: Consuming Less Power, Space & Resources

The robust and growing internet could, by its success, cause its own downfall. Or at least it would if its vital infrastructure wasn’t keeping pace. While the infrastructure isn’t perfect and faces plenty of challenges, there are innovations shaping the future of the internet.

The infrastructure we’re talking about is the data center. Hundreds of thousands of data centers, in locations all over the world, play host to the internet. They also host or connect with an untold number of private networks, and store inconceivable amounts of data.

And they’re expensive, in many different ways. They draw a lot of power — a whopping one percent of all the electricity in the world goes to data centers — and they cover a lot of ground.

The average data center covers some 160,000 square feet of usable space.

Current data center demands go against the direction the rest of the world is going in regards to power consumption.

In addition, it’s simply impossible for continued physical expansion in the number and size of facilities like that.

Besides challenges brought on by long-term growth, there are short-term threats to the internet’s infrastructure, as well. The still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has sent traffic rates through the roof at several bellwether websites. Sudden spikes — especially spikes that become sustained trends — put a strain on available capacity per square foot.

How Can Things Change?

TMGcore is a technology development company. As experts in the design, construction, and operation of data centers, they know the challenges on the horizon. That’s why they’ve taken it upon themselves to create a solution.

OTTO is the future of data centers. The project, based on TMGcore’s experience with two-phase liquid immersion, is designed to be the ultimate in density. Extremely compact, yet packed with computing power, OTTO Ready hardware from TMGcore shatters old conceptions about data centers.

“If you look at typical data center densities, you put about a megawatt of compute in 8,000 to 10,000 square feet,” says Ashley Panfil, Senior VP of Channel and Sales at TMGcore. “With the OTTO technology, we put 1.2 megawatts of compute in 320 square feet.”

“It drives down the operating expense anywhere between 70% and 90%.”

Ashley Panfil, Senior VP of Channel & Sales, TMGcore

By shrinking the amount of physical space required for such an enormous amount of computing power, TMGcore and OTTO are paving the way for what data centers will have to become in the years ahead.

“As the data center world becomes more distributed, there is going to be a dramatic increase in the number of facilities, the amount of space and resources those facilities consume.” 

Jake Mertel, Chief Technology Officer, TMGcore

“OTTO enables the deployment of high-density solutions using less of all that: less space, less power, fewer human resources, and fewer natural resources.”

Clearly, OTTO technology is the wave of the future. But how has TMGcore pulled off this technological marvel? 

TMGcore & FSG 

If you’re going to completely remake data centers, you’re going to have to completely rethink your electrical infrastructure.

To do that TMGcore needed an expert electrical contracting partner. 

“Our role is to provide the engineering, design, and eventual installation of [electrical] infrastructure for the OTTO,” according to Kevin Altimier, Business Development & Special Projects Director at FSG.

As relative newcomers to the scene, TMGcore and OTTO face plenty of obstacles.

“We’re rolling out this beautiful, bleeding-edge technology that we know is tried and true, but the market sees it as new. So it’s super important and vital to TMGcore to have a partner ecosystem.”

Ashley Panfil, Senior VP of Channel & Sales, TMGcore

“And that’s why we chose FSG.”

When FSG stepped into the scene with TMGcore, our first goal was to establish a relationship. Of course,  we desire to have a long-lasting, successful relationship with every client.

But we also recognized the opportunity TMGcore had to leverage our support in order to transform the world of data centers.

“When we do a design-build project, it’s important for our clients to have the reassurance that whatever we’re going to build is engineered properly,” says Mr. Altimier. “At FSG Dallas, we have that engineering team with the expertise needed for design, permits, and drawings. In addition, we have a whole department built around 3D modeling.”

With those tools manned by decades and centuries of combined experience and know-how, FSG has provided the electrical backbone for the OTTO system.

“It was paramount that we partner with FSG,” says Mrs. Panfil. “We need guys and gals in the field that we know at the drop of a hat we can call and say ‘Hey, we need your help with this system,’ as we were developing the technology.”

“So it was very important to have someone like FSG involved.”

The Future of the Future

William Hadala, Chief Strategy Officer for TMGcore, summed up the importance of the partnership with FSG:

“For us, FSG is a turn key partner, and FSG is one of those partners we count on to deploy this technology, no matter whether it be one unit or many.” 

William Hadala, Chief Strategy Officer, TMGcore

TMGcore relied on FSG as an expert electrical partner and guide, a team that brought the innovation and talent necessary to stand alongside TMGcore.

Now, as OTTO continues to defy yesterday’s expectations, TMGcore and FSG are ready to continue pushing the envelope together.

Call us at (512) 615-6615 to learn more about how an FSG partnership can help you solve your technology & electrical infrastructure challenges.

Watch the video about the TMGcore and FSG partnership: