In the two-part series for the publication EdgeIR, Linn Gowen, vice president of business development at 1623 Farnam, begins by explaining how edge data centers could benefit from adopting liquid cooling as an efficient, sustainable alternative to traditional air cooling.
The problem, as Linn points out, is that some risk-averse edge data centers have been slow to adopt liquid cooling. The prevailing paradigm, he notes, has been that “liquid cooling was only for hyperscale facilities that needed to fit more density into a smaller space.”
But Linn points out that there is one pressing reason why edge centers should consider liquid cooling. Liquid cooling is much more efficient than air cooling. The IT fans required in an air-cooled system use about 20 percent of a facility’s entire power load. As Linn explains, replacing those fans with liquid cooling “means installing a system that uses five times less energy.”
In addition, although it seems almost counter-intuitive, adopting liquid cooling actually reduces water consumption. Liquid cooling can also improve the performance of switch gears, UPS and PDUs and other vital system components.
So why is liquid cooling still so uncommon in edge data centers?
To better understand the decision-making process, Linn examines the work of researcher Everett Rogers. Rogers created the Technology Adoption Life Cycle model to explain why not everyone in an industry will adopt an innovation, even if it has significant, demonstrable benefits. Linn offers additional insights on how the adoption curve impacts market conditions, specifically the availability and cost factors, as well as how market momentum can lead to increased adoption.
To learn more about the benefits of liquid cooling, and why it could be the Next Big Thing in the data center industry, read the EdgeIR article here. And to learn more about 1623 Farnam, a regional leader in network-neutral edge interconnection and data center services, check out the website here.
To learn more about the benefits of liquid cooling and why it could be the Next Big Thing in the data center industry, read the full articles, Part 1 & 2 by Linn Gowen, VP of Business Development at 1623 Farnam, featured in EdgeIR:
