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The Data Center Rundown

Aug 18, 2026

 
AI hardware supplier partnerships

Nvidia has confirmed its commitment to powering 4.25 gigawatts of OpenAI's capacity at the Ports-Pike mega data center, with the SB Energy facility exclusively utilizing Nvidia's compute and networking hardware.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

Reports suggest Google is partnering with AMD on the next-generation Tensor Processing Unit v10, while shipments of current TPU generations have been revised downwards.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

Fermi has signed an agreement with TensorWave to secure up to 650MW of data center capacity at its Project Matador site, intended to support future AMD GPU deployments.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

 

Is Fermi's massive data center capacity agreement with TensorWave a smart bet on future AMD GPU demand?

 
Regulatory and capacity constraints

Data center projects in Phoenix are facing significant delays due to mounting public opposition and stricter regulatory measures, mirroring national challenges.

Read at Bisnow→

Johor's data center capacity is nearing deployment limits due to high demand, grid, and water constraints, impacting IT buyers' ability to secure new infrastructure despite significant announced capacity.

Read at TechRepublic→

New South Wales will mandate that new data centers operate using at least 40% wind energy under a new regulatory framework, with non-compliant projects facing rejection.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

 

Should New South Wales mandate 40% wind energy for new data centers, potentially hindering development?

 

Researchers at MIT have found that artificial intelligence models tend to forget their training data as they are developed, raising questions about data privacy and model integrity.

Read at The Register→

 

Should AI models be regulated if they 'forget' their training data, potentially impacting privacy?

 

The Asia-Pacific data center pipeline has reached a record 26.5 GW in H1 2026, driven by significant investment in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure, leading to pre-leasing shortages.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 
Retrofitting and operational optimization

Retrofitting data center generators requires careful consideration of factors like power demands, efficiency, and integration with existing systems for optimal performance and reliability.

Read at Data Center POST→

Data center developers can gain valuable insights into robust design, operational efficiency, and risk management by examining practices and lessons learned from the nuclear navy's rigorous standards.

Read at Data Center POST→

 

Siemens and Reinhausen are enhancing power systems to meet the increasing demands of artificial intelligence hardware in data centers.

Read at The Register→

 
Chatter
The view from Reddit
“IT Administering Core Enterprise System”

An IT department is seeking administrative access to a core enterprise application historically controlled by a business unit, which is refusing access due to concerns about impacting financial processes, prompting a discussion on arguments for and against such access in mature IT environments.

Read at r/sysadmin→

“Well, I bombed my interview”

A candidate recounts a frustrating interview for an infrastructure engineer role where the developers focused entirely on a theoretical web stack, asking no infrastructure-specific questions and failing to linearize their inquiries, leading to a perceived failure despite possessing relevant skills.

Read at r/sysadmin→

“Darktrace in OT environment.”

An IT professional details their negative experience with Darktrace in an OT environment, citing persistent false positives, an inefficient investigation workflow, and concerns about the proposed automated response feature.

Read at r/sysadmin→

 
Private energy generation strategies

Amazon is developing an 8,000-acre AI campus that includes a private energy generation complex, attracting national attention for its potential environmental impact and emissions.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 

The prominent cybersecurity conferences, Black Hat and DEF CON, are increasingly focusing on artificial intelligence topics, reflecting AI's growing significance in the security landscape.

Read at The Register→

 

A chief executive of an artificial intelligence security firm states that implementing defensive AI strategies for cybersecurity is achievable even during everyday activities.

Read at The Register→

 
Grid interconnection and policy

PJM's new data center policy permits new loads to connect before equivalent capacity exists, but requires power provision or risks emergency curtailment for unsupported demand.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 

Should PJM's new data center policy, risking cuts for insufficient power, be adopted nationwide?

PJM is considering data center ride-through rules following a significant load drop when nearly 3,800 MW transferred to onsite generation during a grid event.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 

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