Ep. #84 Babak Falsafi, President at Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA)

Episode #84 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Babak Falsafi, President at the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA).

Understand the challenges of energy consumption and efficiency in the rapidly growing data center industry.
Explore the implications of the end of Moore's law on chip functionality and data center design
Learn about the evolution of data centers from enterprise equipment to cloud infrastructure and the post-Moore era of computing.
Discover the role of the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA) in setting global standards for efficiency and emissions.
Gain insights into the unique SDEA platform and its tools for measuring data center energy flows, IT efficiency, and emissions.
Identify career opportunities in the data center and cloud industries, including roles in AI product management and go-to-market strategies.
Recognize the importance of bridging the gap between IT professionals and data center operators to achieve higher efficiency levels.
Hear advice for young professionals and career changers on entering the data center industry and preparing for future opportunities.
Learn about the global adoption of efficiency metrics and the role of heat recycling and renewable energy in sustainable data center operations.
Discover how multinational companies and local initiatives drive sustainability efforts in the data center industry.
Explore the SDEA's future directions, including the introduction of a platinum-level certification and the expanded use of the SDEA Navigator tool.

Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Special Guest:
Babak Falsafi, President
Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA)

Babak Falsafi, President of the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association, discusses the challenges of advancing digital platforms, the end of Moore's Law, and the need for efficient data center design. He highlights the association's efforts to create standards for measuring data center efficiency and emissions, particularly for colocation markets. Babak emphasizes educating IT professionals and data center operators on efficiency metrics. He notes the significant growth in the data center market, with a projected 16% annual increase in electricity consumption. The association's platform, SDEA Navigator, includes calculators for data center energy flows, IT efficiency, and emissions, aiming to promote sustainable practices globally.

Action Items

Explore introducing a platinum-level certification for data centers that achieve an efficiency index of 1.1 or better.
Promote the use of the SDEA Navigator tool, which provides calculators for data center energy flows, IT efficiency, and emissions, as a way for operators to design and measure the efficiency of their facilities.
Continue expanding the SDEA certification program globally, including efforts to gain traction in the US market, where the organization has faced more challenges compared to Europe.
Explore opportunities to connect with data center operators and IT customers in the Nordic countries, as they emerge as promoters of sustainable data center hosting.

Outline

Challenges in Digital Platforms and Energy Consumption

Babak Falsaf discusses the difficulties of finding energy sources and the end of Moore's law, which affects chip functionality and design.
The conversation highlights the need for investment in digital platforms and the life cycle of products, including cooling and physical challenges.
Joshua Feinberg introduces Babak Falsafi, the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association president, and asks about his background and role.
Babak explains his role at EPFL and the launch of a research center focused on making data centers more sustainable and efficient.

The Evolution of Data Centers and the Post-Moore Era

Babak Falsafi discusses the evolution of servers from enterprise equipment to cloud data centers and the concept of the post-Moore era of computing.
Joshua Feinberg asks about the potential global impact of the standards and platforms developed by the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association.
Babak explains the need for standards to quantify efficiency and emissions in data centers, especially for colocation markets.
The conversation touches on the unique platform developed to measure the efficiency of IT stacks, which is not available elsewhere in the world.

Applications and Challenges of the SDEA Platform

Babak elaborates on the SDEA platform, which includes calculators for measuring data center energy flows and IT efficiency.
Joshua Feinberg asks about the potential interest of enterprises with their own data centers in using the SDEA platform.
Babak explains the collaboration with colocation operators and the certification process for IT efficiency.
The conversation highlights the importance of educating data center operators and IT professionals about efficiency and the role of the SDEA platform in achieving higher efficiency levels.

Opportunities in the Data Center Market

Joshua Feinberg asks Babak for advice for young people interested in careers in data center sales, marketing, and related roles.
Babak emphasizes the growing opportunities in the data center market, with significant investment in data centers and cloud revenue.
The conversation covers the importance of understanding both technical and non-technical aspects of the data center industry.
Babak discusses the gap in the market for AI product management and the potential for career growth in the data center and cloud spaces.

Bridging the Gap Between IT and Data Center Professionals

Joshua Feinberg and Babak discuss the silos between IT and data center professionals and the need to bridge these gaps.
Babak highlights the importance of educating IT professionals about efficiency and the role of data center operators in achieving higher efficiency levels.
The conversation touches on the need to integrate efficiency education into academic curricula.
Babak shares his experience promoting efficiency at industrial conferences and the importance of cross-functional collaboration.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Data Center Industry

Babak discusses the biggest challenges in the data center industry, including electricity consumption and the end of Moore's law.
The conversation covers the need for investment in digital design and the physical challenges of advances in technology.
Babak highlights the importance of cooling and the physical challenges of upgrading infrastructure to meet the demands of new chips.
The conversation touches on the role of the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association in addressing these challenges and promoting efficiency.

Promoters and Struggles in the Data Center Industry

Babak identifies key promoters and supporters of the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association, including technology companies and government agencies.
The conversation highlights the challenges in gaining traction in the US market, where hyperscalers are less interested in being measured.
Babak discusses ESG roles and other roles in promoting sustainability initiatives in the data center industry.
The conversation touches on the importance of government regulations and the role of auditors in promoting efficiency.

Future Directions and Innovations

Babak shares his vision for the future of the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association, including the introduction of a platinum level for efficiency certification.
The conversation covers the potential for the SDEA Navigator to become a widely used tool for measuring and improving data center efficiency.
Babak discusses the importance of heat recycling and the role of renewable energy in data center operations.

Global Adoption and Normalization of Efficiency Metrics

Babak discusses the potential for the SDEA platform to be adopted globally, including the importance of calibrating efficiency metrics for different regions.
The conversation touches on multinational companies' role in locally promoting sustainability initiatives.
Babak highlights the importance of having a global headquarters mandate for sustainability initiatives.
The conversation covers the potential for the SDEA platform to be productized and exported to different markets.

Connecting with Babak Falsafi and the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association

Joshua Feinberg asks Babak how people can best learn more about his work and connect with him.
Babak provides information about the Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association website and his LinkedIn profile.

Guest Resources

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Ep. #84 Babak Falsafi, President at Swiss Datacenter Efficiency Association (SDEA) | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast