Choosing the best location for a data centre has never been as important as it is in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), Put simply, the wrong site can undermine even the most well designed facility and since each data centre has unique operational and infrastructure needs, location decisions should be tailored to those specific requirements.

Not so long ago climate conditions would have been top of the selection checklist and while this is still an important consideration, factors including connectivity, energy supply and long-term scalability are now equally so. Proximity to renewable energy sources, low latency network infrastructure and regions with stable power grids can also significantly improve efficiency and uptime. Equally, regulatory, security and ethical factors play a larger role.

A carefully selected location supports both commercial success and technical performance but this process clearly isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. To provide some clarity, in this issue’s Question Time we’ve asked a specially selected panel of industry experts to offer their views on the subject and outline what key site selection criteria should be considered to ensure a data centre can meet both current operational needs and future growth demands.

Staying on the topic of AI-driven data centres, this issue also contains a feature on this subject with three excellent articles. First up, Mark Pestridge of Telehouse Europe explains how a better understanding of data centres will unlock the promise of AI. He’s followed by Mark Yeeles of Schneider Electric, who explores the vital role of prefabricated data centres in an AI focused future. Last but certainly not least, Paul Mellon of Stellium Datacenters explains how the AI age presents significant power and cooling challenges.

Also in this issue we have a special feature dedicated to enclosures, racks and cabinets. Nick Taylor of Networks Centre explains the advantages and disadvantages of cabinets and open racks, while Jon Barker of Chatsworth Products (CPI) warns that as IT infrastructure races forward, most traditional cabinets simply aren’t ready for the challenges ahead.

Rob Shepherd 
Editor