Latest news with #PankajSharma
Techday NZ
22-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
In the AI gold rush, data centre infrastructure vendors are selling shovels
As Computex in Taiwan wraps, the prominent presence of infrastructure vendors on the floors is noted, with a preponderance of liquid cooling technology on display. It is, of course, one thing demonstrating a PC or even a rack chilled by neon-lit plumbing, and quite another reticulating water supply and piping throughout a data centre. Seeing the hardware necessary for the latter is both fascinating and raises questions for the challenges involved in, among other things, retrofitting existing facilities with cooling systems capable of handling the growing heat generation associated with the high-performance computing sitting behind AI. Schneider Electric Secure Power Division VP Pankaj Sharma sat down with Techday and explained that yes, the mechanical components of a Cooling Distribution Unit (that's the pumps, heat exchangers, and other physical, mechanically engineered bits) are relatively straightforward to build. At scale is where the magic happens. "Precision in managing temperature variability through firmware and software is what sets high-quality systems apart," he said. "And in AI data centres, where racks loaded with for example NVIDIA GPUs can cost millions, even slight temperature deviations can damage hardware or reduce efficiency, leading to significant financial losses." He explained that dynamically controlling coolant temperature and flow to maintain optimal conditions for high-density compute is paramount. "This requires firmware to monitor and adjust parameters in real-time, ensuring stability and efficiency. For example, maintaining water temperatures within a tight range (as little as ±1°C) is critical for liquid-cooled systems supporting AI workloads." Now, data centres were always expressly designed to keep water out, because water doesn't mix well with computers. That's a simple first principle now turned on its head as increased heat generation leaves no choice but to pipe it in, along with additives like ethylene glycol, good old antifreeze. Again, Sharma summons the challenge of scale and says delivering at scale is what sets Schnieder Electric apart from the multitude of cooling systems prominently in neon at Computex. "Many companies can produce mechanical cooling systems, but few have the expertise to integrate advanced software/firmware for precise thermal management," he said. "This is where companies like Motivair, with a decade of experience in supercomputer data centres, stand out." While it had progressed some work on its own-developed liquid cooling solutions, Sharma said Schneider Electric's recent acquisition of Motivair is an effective leapfrog over competitors, as the company comes with decades of experience in delivering air and liquid cooling in demanding data centre environments. Cray Supercomputer was mentioned – now there's a blast from the past. Sharma explained that Motivair's chops extend to material science for pipelines and connectors capable of resisting corrosion, avoiding leaks, and degradation over time which could knock out data centre infrastructure. "Scaling liquid cooling across diverse global environments (different climates, power grids, and facility designs) demands expertise and most competitors lack this depth of experience," he said. In fact, as AI data centres flourish like mushrooms on a global scale, Sharma agreed that the probability of a high-profile mechanical – or hydraulic – failure owing to insufficient heat management is quite likely. That's because the challenges are expressly mechanical, even to the extent of floor loading: redesigned brownfield data centres supporting higher-density computing must also support literally denser racks. Water is heavy, necessitating more robust racks, and even stronger floors. What is certain is that in the AI goldrush, and the emergence of the data centre as the 'AI factory', there will be winners and losers. That's a consistent feature of every stampede in the direction of certain riches. On the Witwatersrand of AI, companies like Scheider Electric might not be digging out the lumps of yellow stuff directly, but without their expertise and tooling, nobody else can either. Donovan Jackson is attending Computex as the guest of Schneider Electric. AI must live somewhere, and among other things, Schneider Electric makes data centre infrastructure.
Techday NZ
20-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Hot chips, cool solutions: powering the AI revolution
Strap yourselves in, fellow travellers, for today we are talking data centre infrastructure. Over at Computex in Taipei, Schneider Electric which makes the physical stuff where AI lives (power, cabinets, UPS, cooling systems) delivered the lowdown on the role and challenges facing what is probably the most fundamental component of the revolution sweeping through, well, everything today. Those challenges largely revolve around increasing compute density and the necessity for appropriate cooling and housing. And in turn, that means out with the bulky finned heatsinks consuming excessive rackspace, and in with liquid cooling. Now, it is hard to get very excited about data centre infrastructure in much the same way as being enthralled with the foundations of Taipei 101 is an unlikely prospect. But that doesn't make those foundations any less crucial, for without them the tower wouldn't stand. At a swanky press conference, Schnieder Electric secure power VP Pankaj Sharma contextualised the challenge by noting the astonishingly rapid adoption of AI: 100 million lemmings consigned free thought to be past in just two months, according to his figures. In what may be a case of a false analogy, Sharma noted this sort of adoption took seven years for that other transformative technology we like to call 'the internet' (those of a certain age will remember being puzzled about the utility of email and downloading fuzzy images over the course of half-hours, right up until we tried it). Since forever, compute has generated heat, and generating heat eats electricity. Sharma noted that demand for AI (and the other now-boring stuff data centres do, like storage or application hosting) has spiked electricity demand, straining power grids and challenging net zero goals. It is, of course, only going to get worse as that demand keeps ramping up. In much the same way that one's spouse insists that more shopping for stuff on sale delivers greater savings, Sharma said AI itself will cleverly help ameliorate demand. NVIDIA, with which Schneider Electric has forged a partnership, fielded head of data centre product marketing at NVIDIA conceded that this is some potentially Inception-level circular logic, so it really sort of boils down to 'trust me bro'. Pankaj's colleague and Schneider Electric international secure power VP Nirupa Chander emphasised the unique needs of AI data centres, noting ultra-high power densities and the necessity of future-proof designs. She explained Schneider Electric's collaboration with NVIDIA aims to streamline power integration from grids to data centres, addressing challenges like unstable power supply and high energy costs. There was some insider banter too: from chip to chiller, and if you haven't already, then you heard it here first. Harris riffed on NVIDIA supremo Jenson Huang's celebrated keynote and noted AI's growth driven by diverse models and use cases, transforming data centres into AI factories capable, one imagines, of Incepting us all. And then, in a highlight of the afternoon, Trent McCarley from Schieder Electric's recently acquired cooling pioneer Motivair went into some detail on the emergence of liquid as a crucial component in creating the infrastructure capable of handling AI-driven heat loads. For those who are into motorcycles, an easy analogy emerged. Back in the day, most engines were air cooled, with effective 'heat sinks' on the engine evidenced by fins. As compression ratios increased in the search for more power, the heat dissipation of those fins proved inadequate, and so radiators, water pumps, ethylene gycol, and a bit of plumbing became part and parcel of the package. Not that dissimilar from the trajectory on which AI data centres find themselves, but of course, at considerably expanded scale. Donovan Jackson is attending Computex as the guest of Schneider Electric. AI must live somewhere, and among other things, Schneider Electric makes data centre infrastructure.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New simulation ward opens at Chertsey hospital
A new simulation ward has opened at a hospital in three-bed ward at St Peter's Hospital, in Chertsey, is aimed at "improving patient outcomes" by giving clinical staff and medical students the opportunity to practise simulated medical procedures, including the treatment of cardiac arrest, and major facility is located in the hospital's education centre and funded by the money the trust receives from medical schools for the teaching of students.A spokesperson for Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it offered "a vast selection of simulation experiences, from clinical skills to the most common scenarios that occur in clinical practice". In addition, there is a complementary simulation suite that can mimic major trauma on the roadside or an attack on the London Pankaj Sharma, former director of education at the trust, developed the new said: "The education landscape is rapidly evolving to train using simulation methods where clinicians and students in all patient professions can practise and receive feedback in a safe environment before going into clinical practice."The ward was officially opened by Mark Roland, the chief medical said: "This is a fantastic achievement and a great resource for our clinicians and students."
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
Midnight eviction triggers vendor protest in Morhabadi
1 2 Ranchi: A late-night eviction drive carried out jointly by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) and the city police at Morhabadi sparked controversy and protest among the local footpath vendors on Thursday. The vendors alleged that their goods were destroyed and scattered, and some even claimed that cash stored in their carts was lost during the operation. However, it was not clear if the drive was carried out either by the police or the RMC. Supported by the Lalpur town outpost police team, the drive began around midnight on Wednesday. The outpost's sub-inspector, Pankaj Sharma, said, "We received directives from the municipal authorities to assist with law and order enforcement during the anti-encroachment operation. Our role was to ensure compliance and safety." Municipal commissioner Sandeep Singh said the area is a no-vending zone. He, however, said, "RMC does not carry out anti-encroachment drives during the night. Our standard practice is to make prior announcements before any such action. In this case, the outpost team sought support from RMC, and the drive began. As soon as senior officials were informed, the operation was paused. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] - 2025 Top Trending Search - Local network access Esseps Learn More Undo Only five to seven carts were removed by then. Any vendor registered for the upcoming vending zone in Morhabadi will be duly allotted space there." Vendors described the action as sudden and forceful. "It was around midnight when we were jolted awake. Vehicles came in, and forces began pulling down our bamboo stalls and carts. Fruits, vegetables, and even coconuts were thrown onto the road. My money was inside the cart. It was nearly Rs 2,000 in change from the day's sales. Everything was taken or destroyed," said Mamta Devi, a vendor who sells seasonal produce. Another vendor, Arif Ansari, who sells fruits and tender coconuts, claimed that he lost stock worth over Rs 25,000. "I stocked up for the weekend. They didn't even give us five minutes to remove our goods. It was chaos. Our carts were overturned and things were just scattered everywhere," he added. A few civil society members, including women and youth, joined the affected vendors in a sit-in protest later on Thursday morning, demanding accountability and fair compensation for the damage. The protesters also called for more inclusive urban planning. "There needs to be a balance. Footpaths should be clear for pedestrians, but livelihoods must not be crushed overnight. We suggest separate lanes for traffic, pedestrians and vendors," said Amritesh Pathak, a civilian supporting the protest.
The National
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Panic in Indian border villages as hundreds flee Pakistani shelling in Kashmir
Residents in the frontier town of Poonch, Indian-administered Kashmir, have told of panic and houses burning as shelling from Pakistan struck in the early hours of Wednesday, forcing hundreds to flee or take shelter in underground bunkers. At least eight people died, including two children, and 38 were wounded in the offensive carried out in retaliation for missiles launched by India. The fighting began after 26 people were killed by armed militants in the Pahalgam resort area of Kashmir on April 22, an attack that New Delhi has blamed on Islamabad. The Resistance Front, an extremist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. India accuses Pakistan of backing militant groups in Kashmir, a charge denied by Islamabad. Loud explosions were heard throughout the night in Poonch, with artillery fire intensifying early morning in central parts of the town. Clouds of smoke rose from several buildings as munitions fell. The town is part of a fortified frontier region on the Indian side of the Line of Control — the de facto border between India and Pakistan. Hundreds of people — men, women, children and the elderly — were seen fleeing the area on foot or motorbike, many carrying only a backpack, after public transport was suspended. Huge queues formed at fuel stations while ATM kiosks were down and electricity was cut. 'This is the first time I have seen Poonch town being targeted and we have left our home for safety,' resident Mir told The National. Pankaj Sharma, another resident, said he and his family were also leaving to escape the artillery shelling. An official in Poonch told The National that at least eight people including women and two children were killed in mortar shelling. Police were using public address systems to ask people to stay indoors, with announcements broadcast from mosques and Sikh temples. Several other villages in the Indian border districts of Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri were also hit by mortar fire. Intense explosions were heard in Wuyen in Kashmir's Pulwama district, where a suspected Pakistani fighter jet was reported to have crashed. Firefighters were sent to extinguish the blaze. Indian authorities have yet to confirm whether it was a Pakistani jet. Bashir Ahmad, a resident in Wuyan, said he heard a loud bang at about 2am. "We have never heard something like this in our entire lives. A fireball kind of thing came and hit the school, which is just a few metres away from our house. Thank God this didn't fall on our home," Mr Ahmad told The National. "We thank God that it happened in the night, otherwise there would have been so many casualties as the wreckage fell on the school where hundreds of children study." Residents in the nearby town of Tangdhar said they were moving to underground bunkers. "This is the heaviest shelling here in recent years,' another resident told local media. At least four houses in his neighbourhood had caught fire after being struck by shells, he said. India's Defence Ministry said the missiles fired as part of its Operation Sindoor were aimed at "terrorist camps" and that the operation was 'focused and non-escalatory'. No Pakistani military sites were attacked, the ministry added. The Indian strikes came as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was in Pakistan's capital Islamabad as part of mediation efforts. 'It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam attack be brought to justice,' Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a press conference on Wednesday. Mr Misri said there were "impending attacks" planned against India and New Delhi had been compelled to 'deter and prevent' them. Pakistan called the Indian attack an "unprovoked and blatant act of war", and said at least 26 people including a child had been killed. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said five Indian jets, a quadcopter and a drone were shot down by Pakistan during the Indian operation. New Delhi has not yet confirmed this. The Kashmir region is divided between India and Pakistan but has been claimed by both in its entirety since British colonisers left the subcontinent in 1947. The two nuclear-armed nations have fought three wars over the region, while a three-decade armed insurgency has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
