Data Center Industry Confronts 1000kW Rack Challenge as GPU Densities Soar

Colovore, a high-density colocation data center provider, announced that Michael Fulkerson, Vice President of Facilities & Operations, will participate in a featured panel at the DICE Data Center Management, Operations & Cooling-West conference in Santa Clara on October 2, 2025. The panel titled "The Future of Data Center Cooling: How Will High Density Chips Impact Cooling and Power Infrastructure?" will address the escalating technical challenges facing operators as GPUs approach 1000kW per rack densities.

This exponential increase in power density is forcing the data center industry to fundamentally reconsider facility design across multiple layers, including heat rejection, cooling efficiency, power delivery systems, and long-term scalability requirements. The discussion will explore how leading organizations are preparing for these near-term operational realities and what technological innovations are necessary to sustain the next wave of digital infrastructure growth.

Fulkerson will be joined by representatives from major industry players including Google, BP, Wesco, Equinix, and CoolIT Systems, representing a comprehensive cross-section of data center expertise. The panel will take place from 9:55 AM to 10:50 AM PST at the Santa Clara Marriott, bringing together technical leaders to address one of the most pressing issues in digital infrastructure.

The urgency of this discussion stems from the rapid advancement of AI, high-performance computing, and enterprise workloads that demand increasingly powerful computing hardware. As chip manufacturers continue to push performance boundaries, data center operators must develop corresponding infrastructure solutions that can handle the immense thermal and electrical loads. For more information about Colovore's approach to these challenges, visit https://www.colovore.com.

The implications of successfully addressing these cooling and power challenges extend beyond individual data centers to the broader technology ecosystem. The ability to support next-generation computing hardware will directly impact the pace of AI development, scientific research capabilities, and enterprise digital transformation initiatives. Failure to develop adequate infrastructure solutions could potentially constrain technological progress across multiple industries.

This industry-wide collaboration through conferences like DICE demonstrates the collective recognition that solving these infrastructure challenges requires coordinated effort across technology providers, facility operators, and engineering experts. The outcomes of these discussions will shape data center design standards and operational practices for years to come, ultimately determining how effectively the digital economy can continue to scale and innovate.