Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has introduced the industry’s first comprehensive AI-driven digital twin solution to facilitate sustainable data center design and modernization, marking a significant leap forward in optimizing data center energy efficiency and operational capacity.

The revolutionary Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform virtualizes the entire data center and uses AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and physics-based simulation to significantly improve data center energy efficiency by up to 30 percent.

The innovative platform will benefit data center designers and operators navigating the complexities of modern data center systems, particularly in addressing issues that arise from stranded capacity due to inefficient use of data center compute and cooling resources.

Data centers in the United States used more than four percent of the country’s total electricity last year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), and are expected to grow exponentially in the coming decades. Therefore, in an age of increased electricity scarcity the platform can also assist in the handling of AI-driven workloads and their environmental impact.

“As data centers face increasing pressure to prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency in the face of exponential AI growth, the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform will optimize every aspect of data center design and operations, improve energy efficiency and pave the way for a more efficient, resilient and environmentally friendly future,” said Tom Beckley, senior vice president and general manager, Custom IC & PCB Group, Cadence.

The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform uses AI for model generation and simulation to accurately predict the external physical forces that impact data center operation, such as airflow, wind speeds, building obstructions on air intake and complications from internal and external temperature changes.

Key benefits of the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform include:

• Advanced modeling capabilities: Simulates a vast range of design scenarios and operational strategies to identify the most energy-efficient solutions unique to each data center.
• Environmental consideration: Integrates external environmental factors into the design process, enabling the development of resilient and sustainable data center operations.
• Customized reporting: Delivers automated, detailed reports tailored to the specific requirements of each project, facilitating a deep understanding of potential energy savings and efficiency improvements.
• Innovative cooling strategies: Evaluates multiple cooling systems and their impact on energy consumption, offering insights into the most effective cooling solutions.
• Latest Cadence solvers: Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform is integrated with Cadence’s leading multiphysics solvers – enabling the same accurate, high-capacity, multi-domain engines to scale from chiplets to climate.

Cadence’s transformative design platform will accelerate the development of next-generation data centers and AI factories across every industry. Integrated with the NVIDIA Omniverse development platform, it enables up to 30x faster design and simulation workflows.

Industry leaders are praising the groundbreaking Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform, highlighting its role in driving energy efficiency, optimizing operations and preparing for the future demands of AI workloads.

“The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform has been instrumental in helping us make better, more informed decisions for our business and clients,” said Paul Finch, CTO at Kao Data.

“We extensively modeled our Harlow Data Center Campus within their design software to evaluate an innovative cooling design that prioritized energy efficiency, developing the UK’s first wholesale colocation data center without mechanical cooling. Additionally, Cadence’s Reality Digital Twin Platform has enabled us to accommodate clients’ requests for high-density/AI-driven workloads.”

Vertiv CEO, Giordano Albertazzi added, “Cadence will provide visibility into how our data center critical infrastructure can best support these leading-edge deployments. The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform enables us to design even more energy-efficient solutions with the confidence that they will deliver the designed-for capacity in a variety of scenarios.”

Heralded for its ability to create comprehensive digital twins of physical data centers, the platform enables the precise planning, analysis and management of the infrastructure required to meet the evolving needs of businesses and the environment.

This announcement is part of a new chapter of Cadence’s Intelligent System Design strategy to help its customers develop differentiated products across a wide range of industries and market verticals.

To find out more, please visit cadence.com.