​​Data centers are central to the deployment and use of AI technologies. Often overlooked is the high-density, scalable infrastructure with robust network connectivity needed to support the unique requirements of AI workloads, such as training large language models and running real-time inference. To meet these needs, data center providers are partnering with hardware manufacturers to innovate and future-proof their facilities, ensuring businesses have the specialized facilities they need to harness the power of AI.

Digital Realty, a leading provider of AI-ready data center infrastructure, exemplifies that its Woking campus offers specialized high-density power and cooling, a strategic location, robust interconnectivity, and strong security features. In an interview with DCD, Seamus Dunne, managing director of UK & Ireland for Digital Realty, highlights how the Woking campus helps enterprises deploy and scale their AI workloads effectively.

The AI infrastructure challenge

Dunne emphasizes that the core challenges for businesses in the AI and HPC era are the software needed for AI and the infrastructure required to train and run it:

“Data center infrastructure – servers, GPUs, and CPUs – is central to AI deployment. While software and training are important, infrastructure is the bedrock for managing and creating AI inference.”

To overcome the challenges, Dunne says data center providers must offer three key elements: facilities that accommodate densities over 100kW per rack; locations near AI model inference centers, and robust network connectivity and low latency. This is where Digital Realty's Woking campus stands out.

Woking Campus: Designed for AI

Woking is Digital Realty's largest London campus, designed to meet the critical needs of AI infrastructure. Dunne notes:

“With the density and cooling capabilities already built-in, the Woking campus is equipped for ready-to-go deployments and the ability to scale quickly. It also features a Metro Campus of dark fiber links with multiple connectivity providers, ensuring seamless network access across London, from the city to the Docklands and Slough.”

Digital Realty’s primary offering is the provision of robust data center infrastructure and facilities, but Dunne expresses that their Woking site offers much more than this:

“At our Woking Campus, we're taking this a step further by investing in infrastructure that supports AI-level densities. We’ve implemented various cooling solutions to handle a wide range of densities, from standard enterprise needs of around five kilowatts to over 100 kilowatts per rack. This capability is crucial for businesses looking to scale their AI operations effectively.”

“We’ve also cultivated a thriving community of enterprise customers. Our meet-me room facilitates seamless interconnections within this community, allowing businesses to connect directly with existing customers. Furthermore, our Metro Campus link extends this connectivity throughout London, ensuring that our network can support whatever your business requires.”

Unlike some AI data centers designed for large-scale, single-purpose deployments, Digital Realty offers AI facilities for smaller-scale deployments (three to five MW) that can serve multiple customers.

“This is where real innovation happens, particularly in handling AI inference for language models, not just training. We're working closely with major server providers to develop the best liquid cooling solutions for these AI deployments. Very few companies are innovating in this space, and we're among them.”

The value of Woking in London's data center landscape

While FLAP-D locations (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin) are congested, Woking offers valuable expansion capacity. Despite some constraints in West London and other parts of the city, Woking provides a strong investment opportunity with its available space and favorable government support:

“Woking may not have unlimited capacity, but it has enough room for expansion and existing capacity to make it a strong investment opportunity. Plus, the UK is a leader in adopting advanced technology, and the government actively supports this development. Woking’s strategic location and infrastructure make it a key player in this ecosystem.”

Future-proofing the Woking campus

When asked how the Woking campus future-proofs itself, Dunne organizes his thoughts into two key areas:

1. Innovating with new technology: Working closely with tech companies to develop new infrastructure solutions, including cooling systems and cabling for AI.
2. Smart expansion planning: Strategically choosing where to grow, focusing on supporting AI applications like inference tasks, rather than large-scale AI training, ensuring they remain relevant in the future.

Empowering enterprise AI

The Woking campus plays a crucial role in empowering enterprises to deploy and scale their own AI models and applications. Beyond just providing the necessary infrastructure, Digital Realty has designed the campus to seamlessly integrate with enterprises' AI strategies and requirements.

The campus acts as a hub, offering enterprises easy access to a rich ecosystem of network providers and data trading partners. This allows customers to quickly establish the low-latency connectivity needed to move data and leverage AI models:

“We create interconnectivity hubs throughout our campus, working with partners to maintain a high density of network providers. We facilitate data sharing hubs within the campus, ensuring lower latency.”

The campus also provides flexible colocation options, enabling enterprises to deploy their own AI hardware and software stacks within the facility. This gives them greater control over their AI infrastructure, while still benefiting from the campus's scalability, security, and sustainability features. Dunne affirms:

“Underpinning all of this is Digital Realty's commitment to partnering with enterprises to future-proof their AI infrastructure. The company works closely with customers to understand their evolving needs, and then leverages its technical expertise and industry relationships to deploy the right solutions at the Woking campus.”

The future of AI with Digital Realty

Digital Realty's vision to be the premier infrastructure provider for enterprises' evolving AI needs is evidenced in its investment in the Woking campus. Offering specialized high-density infrastructure, a strategic location, robust connectivity, and a collaborative approach, the Woking campus exemplifies a true AI-ready facility.

As enterprises increasingly look to build, deploy, and scale their own AI models and applications, the Woking campus positions Digital Realty as a trusted partner in enabling their AI transformation.

Whether you’re ready to deploy, need assistance, or have questions, the Digital Realty team is here to help. Visit www.digitalrealty.co.uk/contact to find out more.