Today, companies of all sizes are investing in AI technologies. But whether their purpose is in-house or customer facing, all AI applications have two things in common:  

1. They are either developed and hosted on High-Performance Computing (HPC) servers (which are capable of high-speed processing of massive amounts of data) more traditional general purpose servers or a mix of server types. All of this is dependent upon the size and projected scale of the application.  
2. The servers must be hosted in a mission-critical environment – preferably in a purpose-built data center that can provide the higher power density and special cooling systems, especially if the deployment will be utilizing HPC infrastructure.  

Small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) are developing their own AI applications but will start with smaller scale AI initiatives compared to large enterprises or hyperscalers, where leases are often measured in data halls and megawatts.   

But SMBs still face the problem of finding available space and power in a data center that is equipped to handle the infrastructure required for an AI application. If your SMB is planning a deployment for AI, retail colocation, where leases are measured in racks or cabinets, might be the best option for you. 

Wholesale vs. Retail Colocation for SMBs 

 In general, data center providers offer two types of leasing – wholesale and retail colocation. 

 Wholesale data center colocation is usually done by enterprises and hyperscalers. These companies have large IT and, often, HPC deployments that require massive amounts of space and multiple megawatts of power. A corporation may pre-lease a whole data center floor, or even an entire facility, to house its IT/HPC infrastructure. 

 Retail colocation leasing is usually done by SMBs with deployments that require less space and power. Multiple companies may share a retail colocation facility, each with its own IT footprint that is separated from other companies’ IT environments by cages or cabinets. 

 IT Infrastructure – The “Table Stakes” of Retail Colocation 

With a multitude of considerations and options that come along with even the smallest deployments, you still need to find a provider that offers the "table stakes" - that is, the essential, mission-critical elements of data center operations. They include: 

• Guaranteed Continuous Uptime – A provider should offer facilities with available space, power and cooling. They should also offer SLAs that guarantee uptime for your company’s IT footprint. 
• Connectivity – The provider should offer connectivity to numerous carrier backbones, allowing open accessibility to your digital infrastructure or applications across a variety of networks. 
• Scalability – The provider should offer “space and power to grow.” When you’re ready to scale up, the provider should have power and equipment on hand to meet the growth needs of your IT/HPC deployment. 
• Power Redundancy – Each facility should have multiple power sources (redundant UPSs, generators, etc.) to guarantee continuous uptime of your IT footprint.
• Predictable Cost Structure – The provider should offer a cost structure that makes sense and doesn’t escalate unreasonably. It would include a lower initial investment and fixed fees per unit.  

These basic elements are essential not only for AI deployments, but for the continuous operation of your traditional IT footprint. You need to ensure the safety and uptime of the IT servers that host the everyday applications (mail, eCommerce, etc.) that run your business. 

Supporting HPC Deployments for AI in Retail Data Centers 

 The facilities offered by your data center provider should have the following features to ensure the longevity of your HPC servers, if your AI deployment demands the use of HPC: 

• Density – Your provider should offer higher densities to support HPC servers, which require more power per rack (While a standard IT deployment would require 5-7kW/rack, a HPC deployment may require 20kW+/ rack). 
• Liquid cooling – HPC servers generate large amounts of heat and require liquid cooling systems to carry that heat away from microprocessors. Your provider should offer flexible options for liquid cooling.  
• Supply chain management – Your provider should have a well-established supply chain in place that allows them to provide increased power and special equipment for some AI deployments.  
• Sustainable power options – If your organization has an environmental/ecological commitment to meet (like a net-zero carbon pledge) or even if you just want to conduct business sustainably, you should find a provider who can offer sustainably sourced power or ways to offset your carbon footprint.  

Choosing a Data Center Provider 

 Most SMBs take one of two approaches when choosing a provider for their AI deployment:  

• Establishing their IT/HPC footprint with a new provider, in one or more data center facilities 
• Checking with the provider that currently hosts their traditional IT infrastructure to see if they also have the resources to host retail-sized deployments  

Traditional retail data centers might not have the power capacity to handle HPC. Working with a proven data center operator that mostly handles enterprise and hyperscale customers can ensure a level of excellence and consistency that your infrastructure needs.  

Be Ready for Your AI Play 

Today’s data center market is being overwhelmed by AI. The demand for new data centers outweighs supply, and providers can’t build new facilities fast enough. Many hyperscalers are pre-leasing data centers wholesale from providers, reserving space and power in facilities that haven’t been built yet. This can make it harder for smaller companies with AI ambitions to find data center housing for HPC deployments. 

But many providers, including Sabey, also have space and power in their facilities for retail colocation. If your SMB wants to set up HPC infrastructure for AI development and hosting, you shouldn’t hesitate to investigate your data center options. Sabey offers retail data center options at our SDC Quincy, SDC Seattle and SDC Manhattan campuses.  

Call Sabey today to ask about retail space and power availability for IT infrastructure and HPC deployments from SMBs, and to discuss special options such as liquid cooling.