A Game Changer to Cool Down AI Data Centers: HPE Networking's Liquid-Cooled Switches

The biggest topic in the IT industry these days is definitely AI.

But did you know that the data centers that power these flashy AI services are currently at war with tremendous "heat"?

Today, we'll delve into HPE Networking's new Liquid Cooling switch (QFX5250), an innovative solution that will cool down the heat and maximize the performance of AI infrastructure, and the AI ecosystem that HPE envisions.

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1. Why is ‘Liquid Cooling’ essential now?

The data centers we commonly see have huge fans that spin to cool the heat. air-cooledHowever, with the advent of the AI era, the situation has changed rapidly.

• Explosive power density: Power consumption per rack in 2024 was 30kW, but in 2026 it will be 240kWIt is expected to soar to .
• Limitations of air cooling: The enormous heat generated by the chipset can no longer be cooled by the fan alone.
  If the heat is not properly dissipated, the equipment will be forced to 'throttle' its performance, which will soon lead to a decrease in AI computation speed.
• Energy efficiency: Water cooling is much more efficient than air cooling because it uses water to transfer heat directly.
  It saves cooling energy, allowing more power to be invested in AI computation.

2. Hardware Innovation: HPE Networking QFX5250

Unveiled at this year's HPE Discover Barcelona QFX5250 The switch is an industry first 1.6T class water-cooled switchno see.
Beyond simple network equipment, it can be called a 'state-of-the-art cooling engine' for AI clusters.

• Overwhelming bandwidth: recent Broadcom Tomahawk 6 (TH6) Equipped with a chip, the whole 102.4 TbpsSpeed up.
  We are fully prepared for the upcoming 1.6T network era.
• 100% Direct Liquid Cooling: Not only the chipset, but also the optical module cage that generates a lot of heat CPUCool by directly attaching the cold plate.
• Blind Mate: We have broken the stereotype that water cooling is difficult to install.
  ORv3 Supporting the standard, simply slide the switch into the rack and the water cooling connector will automatically connect.
  Maintenance is as easy as air-cooled equipment.

ORv3 (Open Rack Version 3) rack

It is difficult to handle high power/high heat generation such as GPU servers in a 19-inch rack, so a wider rack is proposed by the Open Compute Project (OCP).

characteristic

• Wider than existing racks, making maintenance easier even when installing water cooling manifolds and PDUs.
• A vertical DC busbar is introduced in the center of the rear for high voltage supply.

3. Software Synergy: Completing the Intelligent Network

Powerful hardware is useless without a 'brain' to control it.
HPE Networking eases administrators' burdens with powerful software integration.

• Apstra + Morpheus (automation): HPE MorpheusWhen you create a virtual machine (VM), ApstraIt recognizes this and automatically changes the settings (VLANs, etc.) of the physical switch. The virtual environment and the physical network behave as if they were one organism.
• OpsRamp (Unified Control): There is no need to look at servers, storage, and networks separately.HPE OpsRampBy integrating all this data, AIOpsThrough this, we can detect signs of problems before they occur and find the root cause of the problem at once.
• Marvis AI & SONiC: Open networking standard SONiCWhile supporting , here Marvis AICombined.
  It realizes an 'autonomous network' where the network avoids congestion and distributes the load on its own.
  Additionally, HPE's unique intelligent management capabilities provide cloud operators with both flexibility and stability.

4. HPE's unique synergy: "HPC's DNA"“

In fact, HPE has long been a leader in water cooling technology in the supercomputing (HPC) field.
World-class supercomputer CrayThe water cooling technology know-how accumulated while making has now been transferred to networking equipment.

• Complete Full-Stack Water Cooling Infrastructure: Combining HPE's liquid-cooled servers (HPC) with this new liquid-cooled switch allows you to transform your entire data center into a single, efficient liquid-cooling ecosystem.
• Sustainability of Infrastructure: It is also an excellent choice from an ESG management perspective, as it allows for more computing equipment to be packed into a smaller space and even reduces carbon emissions from cooling.

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The Coolest Solution for the AI Era

Preparing for the AI era isn't simply about buying fast gear.

“How to control the exploding heat?” And we need to find an answer to the question, “How easy is it to operate complex infrastructure?”.

HPE Networking is the pinnacle of liquid cooling technology. QFX5250 Hardware and Apstra, OpsRamp We provide the perfect solution through the same intelligent software. Now, your AI journey will be more refreshing and smooth.