Equinix sees rising compute demand driving data center liquid cooling adoption
EQIX•Equinix says rising compute demand, higher rack densities and distributed computing are driving liquid cooling adoption, while air cooling will remain in use for workloads that do not suit liquid cooling.
1. Cooling approaches differ
Direct-to-chip cooling is the most widely adopted approach, requiring minimal changes to server exteriors and fitting standard cabinets. Immersion cooling adoption remains low because it requires extensive server and facility changes, adding cost and complexity.
2. Air cooling will remain
Equinix says air cooling will coexist with liquid cooling for the foreseeable future because liquid cooling does not suit every workload. Retrofitting existing data centers is possible but requires significant upgrades and specialized expertise.
