Salute Launches Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling Service

Salute has introduced a service for Direct-to-Chip (DTC) liquid operations in data centres at Nvidia GTC Washington DC, targeting facilities that run AI and high-performance computing workloads. The company has secured partnerships with Applied Digital, Compass Datacenters and SDC, which have adopted the operational model for their AI infrastructure deployments.

The service responds to operational requirements in AI and HPC data centres, where power densities exceed those in enterprise and cloud computing facilities. These environments rely on Direct-to-Chip liquid cooling to manage heat rejection at the chip level. Temperature spikes from cooling interruptions can damage equipment, whilst leaks in liquid cooling systems present risks to hardware and personnel when liquid mixes with electrical systems. Downtime in these facilities results in revenue loss and service level agreement penalties.

“Salute has achieved a long list of industry firsts that have made us an indispensable partner for 80% of companies in the data centre industry. This first-of-its-kind DTC liquid cooling service is a major new milestone for our industry that solves complex operational challenges for every company making major investments in AI/HPC,” says Erich Sanchack, Chief Executive Officer at Salute.

Salute enables companies to mitigate the risks of DTC liquid cooling and successfully achieve operational excellence in their AI/HPC facilities. Through this service, Salute provides: 

• A detailed design and operational assessment that creates an operational model customised for the design and demarc of each of your facilities.
• Commissioning support to ensure that all as-built systems are optimised to successfully support AI/HPC operations.
• A library of industry-leading direct-to-chip liquid best practices that are continuously updated with new best practices from Salute’s work with Nvidia, CDU manufacturers, chemistry manufacturers, chemistry distributors, leak management vendors, OEMs, hyperscalers, over 20+ companies deploying AI Workloads and AI/HPC thought leaders. 
• An operational model that provides data centre teams with proven EOPs, MOPS and SOPS for every aspect of DTC operations, including chemistry management, leak management, safety protocols, CDU management, risk mitigation and other operational processes written by operational experts who have managed some of the world’s largest supercomputers.
• A world class training program that utilises on-site classroom training, e-learning and lab-based certification programs for operations staff specialising in DTC liquid cooling systems.
• Available operational solutions that enable data centre operators to expand their operations team and rapidly scale their AI/HPC environments.
  

Applied Digital and SDC implement Salute operational model

Data centre service providers who adopted the service early have deployed it across their facilities. These companies will use the service to support an estimated 260 MW of data centre capacity in the coming months, with plans to expand to an estimated 3,300 MW of capacity by the end of 2027.

"This service has already proven to be a game changer for the many data centre service providers who partnered with us as early adopters," says John Shultz, Chief Product Officer AI and Learning Officer for Salute. "By successfully mitigating the risks of DTC liquid cooling, Salute is enabling these companies to rapidly expand their AI/HPC operations to meet customer demand. These companies will rely on this service from Salute to support an estimated 260 MW of data centre capacity in the coming months and will expand that to an estimated 3300 MW of additional data centre capacity by the end of 2027. This is an enormous validation of the impact of our service on their ability to scale. Now other companies can benefit from this service to protect their investments in AI."

Applied Digital has integrated the service into its operations. The company builds digital infrastructure for AI deployments and requires operational approaches suited to high-density environments with liquid cooling.

“Applied Digital is at the forefront of building innovative digital infrastructure that meets the explosive growth in AI demand. High-density environments that utilize liquid cooling require an entirely new operational model, which is why we partnered with Salute to implement operational methodologies customised for our facilities and our customers’ needs,” said Laura Laltrello, COO of Operations at Applied Digital. “We are delivering truly world-class operations for AI/HPC computing that our customers can trust to mitigate risk, lower TCO, ensure performance and protect their investments.”

SDC partnership enables zero-downtime AI deployments

SDC has deployed the operational model across multiple sites globally. The company’s customers are expanding AI and HPC operations and require operational support at scale within tight timelines.

“Salute is making it possible for SDC’s customers to accelerate AI deployments with zero downtime, thanks to the proven operational model, real-world training and other best practices,” said Walter Wang, Founder at SDC. “Salute’s ability to perform this at scale under rapid timelines is critical to our customers, who are expanding their AI/HPC operations across multiple sites globally. Salute has long been a trusted partner in the industry, and this new service clearly makes them the go-to partner for companies building the foundation for AI around the world.”

About Salute

Founded in 2013, Salute is a leading provider of integrated lifecycle services for data centers, operating in over 102 markets with 12 global offices and a workforce of more than 2,200 employees. The company delivers comprehensive solutions for hyperscale, cloud, colocation and edge facilities, with a strong focus on sustainability and talent development.

Visit the website here.