The data center industry often faces a critical challenge – delivering solutions that truly align with clients’ unique requirements. Too frequently, operators are offered one-size-fits-all products that fail to address specific priorities such as availability, low PUE, sustainability, or tight delivery timelines. In today’s fast-paced environment, being vendor-agnostic and prioritizing client-driven outcomes is more essential than ever.

In this episode of DCD>Talks, Kat Sullivan sits down with Simon Gardner, global CTO of Oper8, to explore how integration, technological awareness, and adaptability form the backbone of effective data center solutions.

Gardner emphasizes that success hinges not just on staying ahead of technological trends but also on delivering solutions tailored to client needs.

“There are too many large organizations today that push their entire portfolio onto clients – whether it’s the right fit or not,” Gardner explains. “Sales teams often handle 10 to 15 product lines, leaving them with limited expertise in this very fast-moving industry.”

Oper8’s vision

Oper8 specializes in designing and building data centers with flexible, scalable solutions, offering multi-level security based on client demands. Their portfolio ranges from micro data centers (five to 125 kW per rack) and prefabricated plug-and-play solutions (six to 200 racks), to modular designs suitable for applications from small Edge deployments to hyperscale installations.

With a focus on high-performance computing (HPC), Oper8 serves industries such as F1 automotive and aeronautical universities, providing solutions for complex and high-demand environments.

Looking ahead, Gardner highlights Oper8’s focus on cutting-edge technologies like direct-to-chip liquid cooling, pushing the boundaries on rack densities:

“We’re working with companies such as Nvidia, HP, and Dell, to provide the correct environment for advanced compute infrastructure. This is very important in integration because while manufacturers focus on providing the hardware and the software, they don’t really get involved with client integration. This is where we see a key driver for Oper8.”

What does Formula 1 have to do with it?

Drawing from Oper8’s experience with Formula 1 clients, Gardner highlights how Oper8 has built a state-of-the-art data center for a leading team that incorporates industry-first CO2 chillers and fan walls from HiRef.

With each fan wall unit in service corridors connected to a CO2 chiller, Gardner explains that the need for common pipework or pumps is eliminated, significantly enhancing resilience and uptime:

“The key here is delivering airflow across the white space – from floor level to three meters high – at a consistent, low speed. This ensures the required CFM (cubic feet per minute) airflow is achieved efficiently.”

Gardner underscores Oper8’s integration expertise, detailing their collaboration with Chatsworth to deliver industry-first 1500 mm-deep racks equipped with vertical exhaust ducts.

The importance of this, Gardner explains, is that it eliminates hotspots and optimizes cooling efficiency. By supplying low-density air at low fan speeds, the system enables servers to draw in precisely what they need for lower-density applications. Meanwhile, high-density racks leverage direct-to-chip liquid cooling, connected to external dry coolers, to support more intensive workloads.

How F1 and data centers are racing toward carbon neutrality

With a shared ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030, both the data center and F1 industries are increasingly focused on integrating sustainability into their strategies.

To help meet the requirements set by the F1 board, Oper8 is actively exploring alternative energy solutions, like biofuels for external generators and innovative fuel sources such as elephant grass developed in partnership with forward-thinking companies, alongside CO2-based cooling systems. Independently, Oper8 is also evaluating its internal use of green technologies within the data center to further enhance its sustainability.

Fast and furious speed requirements

While many can grasp the idea of communication flow from headquarters to garage to car, the data center functionality enabling this process is less apparent.

Gardner reveals that to optimize this communication, Oper8 developed a hermetically sealed, track-side micro data center designed to operate within the harsh environment of a Formula 1 garage – where graphite, dust, and carbon particles flying off the car could otherwise compromise computer equipment.

This track-side data center exchanges data between the main headquarters data center and the car itself, minimizing latency and enabling real-time changes to the car’s performance – within milliseconds.

Unsurprisingly, what stands out most to Gardner about working with the F1 industry is the speed at which compute turns over:

“If you look at, say, a university, they might keep their compute for five years. In the F1 industry, the turnover of compute is six to 12 months at most. They're always chasing the latest, fastest technology available.

"The whole industry – from design to racing itself – revolves around compute power and latency.”

To explore more about the role of data centers in HPC applications like F1, watch the full DCD>Talks episode here.