DC BLOX, the premier provider of secure and reliable data centers and fiber network solutions in the Southeast, proudly announced the completion of its Birmingham, Alabama data center expansion. This development introduces a cutting-edge mixed-hall design customized to address the growing demand for High-Performance Compute (HPC) applications, marking a pivotal milestone in DC BLOX’s commitment to fostering technological innovation in Birmingham and the wider region.
The revolutionary mixed-hall design not only optimizes the allocation of floor space and power between high-density and standard cabinets but also lays the groundwork for flexible configurations tailored to specific regional needs across DC BLOX’s extensive data center portfolio. This innovative design signifies a major leap forward in DC BLOX’s mission to deliver state-of-the-art solutions that empower local businesses, government entities, and academic institutions.
By seamlessly integrating high-density cabinets and standard cabinets within the same space, the new design facilitates the deployment of GPU clusters in proximity to traditional retail racks. This not only enhances convenience but also reduces cabling distances for efficient data transfer. The state-of-the-art infrastructure supports up to 2.4MW of 3N/2 distributed redundant power, aligning with the concurrently maintainable Tier III design of the standard data halls. The data hall can house up to 240 standard retail cabinets and 36 HPC-capable cabinets, each supporting up to 35kW of power.
The expansion responds to the escalating demand for HPC applications driven by factors such as the availability of cost-effective HPC systems based on commodity hardware, specialized processor accelerators like GPUs, and the growing utilization of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) applications. HPC technology plays a vital role in various industries, including government, universities, manufacturing, and bio-sciences, yet often remains inaccessible due to the lack of data center infrastructure supporting its power and connectivity requirements.
Birmingham’s recent recognition as a federal tech hub by the U.S. Economic Development Administration is a testament to its transformation into a center for technological excellence. This designation not only acknowledges Birmingham’s dedication to innovation but also its commitment to emerging technology areas, particularly artificial intelligence and biotechnology. DC BLOX’s HPC-capable facility and interconnected network enable customers, such as the University of Alabama System, to process, store, and transmit timely data to research facilities across the country.
“This expansion underscores DC BLOX’s steadfast dedication to empowering the technology-based economy of Birmingham and beyond,” said Jeff Uphues, CEO of DC BLOX. “Our innovative mixed-hall design and HPC capability are testaments to our commitment to respond to the specific needs of our customers in Birmingham. And our new HPC-enabled data hall can be added to the data centers in any of our markets, as demand requires.”
“DC BLOX Birmingham is a key partner for our strategy at UAB IT—Research Computing,” said Ralph Zottola, AVP for UAB Research Computing. “The facility, operations, and staff enable us to design and deploy cutting edge cyberinfrastructure in support of the world-class research conducted at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. From tailoring custom colocation solutions to meet emergent needs during a crisis [COVID-19] to constructing a new data hall engineered and equipped with the infrastructure to deliver the denser power and cooling necessary for high-performance computing, the DC BLOX team has proven to be a true partner to UAB Research Computing.”
DC BLOX’s Birmingham data center originally opened its doors in July 2019, unveiling 13,000 square feet of office space and 18,000 square feet of data center space. With 50+MW of additional future power available and plans for multiple hyperscale and/or build-to-suit data centers, this campus is poised to become the heart of connectivity and compute infrastructure in Alabama.
To learn more about DC BLOX’s Birmingham data center, visit https://www.dcblox.com/data-centers/birmingham
