Flex unveils new liquid-cooled data center solutions at OCP

AI data center evolution: Flex, a major player in the IT solutions industry, is expanding its role in the AI data center market with innovative power, cooling, and infrastructure solutions designed to meet the demands of cutting-edge AI servers.

• Flex has positioned itself as a full-stack provider of power, cooling, and IT infrastructure for AI-driven data centers, addressing the unique challenges posed by the increasing computational requirements of artificial intelligence.

• The company is launching liquid cooling-ready servers featuring direct-to-chip cooling technology, housed in racks that comply with Open Compute Project (OCP) specifications.

Company background: Flex, formerly known as Flextronics, has undergone a significant transformation since its inception in 1969 as a family-owned contract board manufacturer.

• In 2015, the company rebranded as Flex to reflect its evolution from a PC board manufacturer to a comprehensive IT solution provider.

• Currently, Flex employs approximately 172,000 people and generates annual revenue exceeding $26 billion, showcasing its growth and market presence.

Key announcements at OCP: Flex unveiled several significant partnerships and product offerings at the Open Compute Project event, demonstrating its commitment to addressing the evolving needs of AI data centers.

• The company announced a partnership with JetCool to deliver high-density compute solutions for hyperscalers and enterprises, utilizing JetCool’s microconvective liquid cooling technology that employs precision jets to cool processor hotspots.

• Flex introduced reference platforms in an OCP ORv3-compatible rack with single-phase liquid cooling, also enabled for two-phase liquid cooling, offering customizable designs to support both 21″ and 19″ IT equipment footprints.

• A new intermediate bus converter product was announced, specifically designed to meet the power demands of AI workloads, boasting a peak efficiency of over 98% while adhering to the OCP standard OAM V2.0.

Industry impact: The announcements from Flex highlight the company’s strategic positioning in the rapidly evolving AI data center landscape.

• By addressing the critical issues of power management and cooling in AI-driven data centers, Flex is filling a crucial gap in the market that complements the advancements made by semiconductor companies like Nvidia.

• The company’s expertise in physics and thermal dynamics positions it as a valuable partner for hyperscalers and enterprises looking to deploy and scale AI infrastructure effectively.

Executive perspective: Michael Hartung, president and chief commercial officer of Flex, emphasized the company’s focus on integrated data center solutions tailored for the AI era.

• Hartung highlighted Flex’s expanding portfolio of advanced manufacturing capabilities, innovative products, and lifecycle services, enabling customers to deploy IT and power infrastructure at scale to support AI data center expansion.

Broader implications: The advancements presented by Flex underscore the significant changes occurring in data center design and infrastructure to accommodate the demands of AI workloads.

• The need for specialized cooling and power solutions in AI data centers represents a shift away from traditional data center architectures, opening up new opportunities for companies with expertise in these areas.

• As AI continues to drive innovation across industries, the development of supporting infrastructure, such as those offered by Flex, will play a crucial role in enabling the widespread adoption and scalability of AI technologies.