“We are going through one of the best times in the data center industry”

Interview with Saúl Varela, CEO of CliAtec, and Pierre-Luc Barbe, CEO of Rentaload

The data center industry is booming. The rapid implementation of 5G, the development of fiber optics in more and more places and also the growing number of large projects by tech giants in Spain are contributing to the expansion and evolution of the sector. .

In this context, Rentaload (specialized in the rental of load banks and associated services) and CliAtec 360º Data Center (specialist in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of data centers), have recently announced the signature a collaboration agreement for the Spanish and Portuguese markets. In this interview, we spoke with Saúl Varela, CEO of CliAtec, and Pierre-Luc Barbe, CEO of Rentaload, to find out the current state of the data center market, how this alliance will change the landscape industry and technologies that will be the main players in the months to come.

Saul Varela, Managing Director, CliAtec

What is the current situation in the data center industry?

We are going through one of the best times in the data center industry. Since the pandemic, the need for robust digital infrastructures capable of supporting the digital economy has become more evident.

Companies around the world have accelerated their digitization processes and increased their demand for services, transforming data centers into vital infrastructure to support business activity.

At the national level, Spain stands out as an investment center for large technological projects. We are witnessing the emergence of new “Cloud” regions which, initially, did not appear on the world map and which are now positioned on this map. This is the case of Madrid and other regions of our country, with great projects from the main global cloud players.

What are the goals you want to achieve through Rentaload’s partnership with CliAtec?

In the scenario we have described, the Spanish/Portuguese market emerges as a meeting point for Internet traffic in Southern Europe. Rentaload, very present on the FLAP market – Dublin – Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris – is considering with this agreement its introduction on the Spanish market with quality local partners.

CliAtec provides highly qualified personnel with extensive experience in the commissioning phase, starting up data centers. Together, cliAtec and Rentaload, we will tackle the great technological projects of our country by offering high quality services.

How will this partnership change the current scenario of Spain and Portugal?

Thanks to this agreement, we will be able to operate in Spain and Portugal in the sector of intelligent load banks in data centers and provide quality services. Rentaload has over 60MW of power with rack mounted load banks that act as real server emulators, 21kW aerothermal load banks with integrated ATS and 100/200/300/650kW Low Delta T load banks , all available in a connected version (with metrics feedback for data centers).

“With this agreement, we will be able to operate in Spain and Portugal in the sector of intelligent load banks in data centers and provide quality services.”

Pierre-Luc Barbe, Managing Director of Rentaload

How important are load banks in data center operations and why are they so relevant in the commissioning phase in particular?

In modern data centers, there are a multitude of electrical components. The availability of these digital infrastructures largely depends on their proper functioning. Load banks are systems that verify, monitor, and test power supplies in a data center. The goal is to ensure efficient operation and reduce downtime.

They simulate varying electrical load conditions in a data center and test its resilience in different scenarios. And they are particularly recommended in the commissioning phase, since it is during this phase that all systems and components of a data center are tested, validated and verified that they have been installed. in accordance with the requirements designed by the end user.

The problem is that the actual load is normally not available in the initial stages of a data center. The reason is that they plan to expand gradually over time and adapt the power consumption to the expansion of the data center. In these cases, load banks are the most reliable method to simulate the real load in a practical way and to guarantee the safety of all components.

How do these load banks work and what are their uses? What are the most common applications of these load banks today?

Load banks are not only suitable for simulating real power supply conditions, but also for the whole verification process. Many critical elements must be validated, without anything being acquired, at this stage. UPS systems, HVAC systems, emergency diesel generators, server racks, etc.

In a data center, these systems are mainly used for this type of use:

• Commissioning
• Interview
• Replacement of components
• Periodic tests of standby and/or standby generators
• Inverter tests
• Start-up and commissioning of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
• Rack in Servers

Where is the data center industry headed and what technologies will be most important next year?

We live in exciting times. The implementation of 5G, the development of fiber optics in more and more places and the development of important projects by “technological giants” in Spain, augur a great development of the sector.

In industrial processes, technologies such as digital twins, robotics or the Internet of Things will speed up production processes and contribute to efficiency. Regarding data centers, we are witnessing a major challenge, that of the large volume of data, their location and the way to manage and store them. Technologies will have to meet this challenge as well as that of the sustainability of infrastructures and the reduction of the carbon footprint.