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The Data Center Rundown

Aug 27, 2026

 

Nvidia's revenue has doubled year-over-year, with the company forecasting continued record growth and increased profitability per gigawatt of data center capacity.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

 
Custom AI Silicon Development

OpenAI has unveiled its first custom AI chip, Jalapeño, featuring a 700W TDP, at the Hot Chips conference, marking its entry into hardware development.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

 

Is OpenAI's entry into AI chip development a threat to established hardware manufacturers?

Arm is developing its own silicon for artificial intelligence data centers, signaling a strategic move into advanced computing hardware.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

Meta's new MTIA 400 chip is designed for both artificial intelligence training and ad serving, reflecting a dual-purpose hardware strategy.

Read at The Register→

 

Should AI chips be optimized for both training and ad serving, or specialized?

 

Key trends are shaping data center development, translating AI ambitions into tangible infrastructure execution and efficient deployment strategies.

Read at Data Center POST→

 

Anthropic has reportedly secured $45 billion in compute capacity from Nscale, involving 460MW at Nscale's West Virginia data center campus.

Read at Data Center Dynamics→

 

Nutanix has invested $20 million in an AI cluster to decrease reliance on tools like Copilot and Claude, anticipating a one-year return on investment.

Read at The Register→

 

Chief information officers are advised that vSphere 8 will reach its end of support in October 2027, necessitating upgrade planning.

Read at The Register→

 
Chatter
The view from Reddit
“Server Prices are insane now - 128k for a decwnt VM host.”

A long-time university IT buyer is astonished by a sixfold price increase for a VM host, rendering on-premise servers financially unviable and forcing a shift to subscription-based cloud services.

Read at r/sysadmin→

 

Are server prices so high that on-premise infrastructure is no longer a viable option for most organizations?

“Feeling defeated today after a Google data center technician rejection despite grinding through my degrees”

A cybersecurity graduate expresses deep disappointment after receiving a rejection from Google for a data center technician role, despite significant educational and extracurricular achievements.

Read at r/datacenter→

“Universal ZTNA sounded simple until it had to cover contractors, unmanaged laptops and everything that is not a normal employee.”

Implementing universal Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) proved more complex than anticipated when extending it beyond standard employees to include contractors, unmanaged devices, and legacy systems, creating a fragmented access management landscape.

Read at r/sysadmin→

 

Cloud operators may be compelled to allocate a substantial 68% of capital expenditure towards DRAM and NAND memory due to market shortages.

Read at The Register→

 

OpenAI is establishing an energy-technology role to manage flexible load, generation, and storage strategies for its expanding artificial intelligence data center portfolio.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 
Grid Capacity and Constraints

Power scarcity is forcing data centers to prioritize fiber availability over land and grid capacity, leading to delays due to strand density and right-of-way issues.

Read at Global Data Center Hub→

PJM's initial capacity procurement yielded no consensus, prompting an accelerated process to address a significant 6.8 GW shortfall driven by data center growth.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 

Leading data center companies like Digital Realty, AWS, DPR Construction, and Schneider Electric are implementing artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiency and cooling systems, according to industry analysts.

Read at Data Center Knowledge→

 

Ilkari's vision focuses on building a more resilient and open future for digital infrastructure, emphasizing innovation and strategic partnerships.

Read at Data Center POST→

 

Data centers are experiencing increased attention regarding their contribution to the urban heat island effect, prompting industry-wide considerations for mitigation strategies.

Read at Uptime Institute Blog→

 

Should data centers be held more accountable for their contribution to the urban heat island effect?

 

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