When one of the nation’s oldest, most research-intensive private universities, known for its high-caliber academics and long-standing commitment to innovation, needs to keep pace with evolving data center demands, it knows exactly who to call first, thanks to due diligence conducted years earlier.
SECOND OPINION LEADS TO VALUED PARTNERSHIP
Back in 2012, the school was looking to modernize its off-site research data center and went to a larger, more well-known firm for an assessment. Questioning several assumptions in the report, the head of digital infrastructure approached LEDG for an independent perspective. The LEDG team returned with a thorough evaluation that surfaced nuanced insights and a more favorable path forward.
RESEARCH COMPUTING DRIVES DATA CENTER CONSOLIDATION
As most universities have discovered, the demand for computing power has grown exponentially. The school came back to LEDG to explore consolidating the same computing environment into a larger on-campus data center. Once again, the LEDG team delivered a comprehensive, end-to-end assessment encompassing strategy, design, planning, budgeting, and data center continuity services.
Once approved, LEDG proceeded with a forward-looking design, featuring an HPC pod within the larger space that leveraged hot aisle containment (vs. cold aisle) to handle increased heat generation and efficiently scale rack density. While more complex at the time, this design allowed the school to essentially double power and cooling capacity within the same footprint, providing ample rack space for future research computing needs.
ONGOING TRUST PREPARES SCHOOL FOR NEXT OPPORTUNITY
LEDG continues to work with the school on incremental upgrades to the existing data center, specifically the HPC environment. Regardless of how its needs evolve, this Ivy League client has gained great confidence partnering with LEDG, enabling it to:
• Sustain a trusted advisory relationship that continues to guide long-term infrastructure and research computing strategy
• Support evolving AI and HPC workloads without disruptive overhauls
• Maximize data center footprint by doubling power and cooling capacity through smart containment design
• Reduce operational risk by executing upgrades with zero downtime to critical environments
• Create a flexible, future-ready foundation for ongoing academic and research innovation
What began as a second opinion nearly 15 years ago has grown into a trusted, long-term partnership the university relies on to navigate evolving data center demands.
“Our role has never been about a single project. It’s always about helping the university make sound infrastructure decisions today while staying as prepared as possible for what’s next.”
Bill Crane, Director, Design-Build Services
Leading Edge Design Group