Is Your Data Center Ready for the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72?

Are you prepared for the next leap in AI hardware?

According to NVIDIA, the new GB200 NVL72 is poised to “supercharge next-generation AI and accelerating computing.” Highlights of the GB200 NVL72 include it being 25 times more energy efficient than the H100 and 18 times faster data processing compared to CPU.

Data centers worldwide are striving to keep up with the AI surge and must assess whether their current facilities can handle the high-power demands of the infrastructure.

The key considerations for deploying the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system include:

• Power. The GB200 NVL72 is likely to require 120 kW per rack, or 1.2 kW per GPU.
• Space. The GB200 NVL72 rack is 600mm wide by 1,068mm deep by 2,236mm high, which is roughly 2 feet by 3.5 feet by 7.3 feet.
• Weight. The GB200 NVL72 weights 1.36 metrics tons, or 3,000 pounds.
• Cooling. The GB200 NVL72 features with an advanced liquid cooling system that enables it to maintain peak performance even under heavy loads.

Can Your Data Center Support the NVIDIA GB200 HLV72 and AI Workloads?

Assessing whether you can deploy systems like the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 without risk can be challenging without the right tools. This process often involves gathering information from various tools, performing manual calculations, and relying on estimations that may not be accurate.

That is where Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software comes in.

Modern DCIM software offers real-time power and environmental monitoring, accurate asset and circuit management, and advanced capacity planning capabilities. These features help you understand available resources for higher rack densities while minimizing the risk of downtime.

DCIM software helps you know if you can support the GB200 NVL72 and manage your high-density infrastructure with:

• Power management. DCIM software provides comprehensive monitoring of power consumption. This is essential for understanding if your data center has the available power capacity to handle the high energy demands of the NVL72. By tracking real-time energy use and historical trends, you can determine if your existing power supply and backup systems are sufficient or need upgrading. DCIM software often includes thresholds and alerting capabilities that notify operators of potential overloads or inefficiencies in power usage, which is essential when deploying high-power equipment. This helps mitigate risks of tripping breakers and experiencing downtime.
• Environmental monitoring. High-performance equipment such as the NVL72 produce substantial heat. DCIM software monitors environmental conditions like temperature and humidity, helping you know if your racks are within the recommended guidelines. Capabilities such as charting all your racks on an ASHRAE psychrometric cooling chart, visualizing a 3D digital twin of your data center with a thermal map overlay, and setting thresholds and alerts on environmental conditions let you know if you are overcooling and wasting energy or undercooling and risking damage to equipment.
• Capacity planning. Deploying advanced hardware like the NVIDIA NVL72 requires careful consideration of space, power, cooling, and even weight demands. DCIM software helps data centers track and manage capacity, providing the intelligence to know if they can support high-density systems efficiently. By using capacity planning capabilities like what-if analysis, DCIM tools allow data center managers to visualize the impact of planned deployments and plan accordingly. This supports strategic planning and scalability, guiding decisions on infrastructure upgrades and expansions as data centers grow to handle AI-driven workloads.
• Asset tracking. DCIM software provides insights into the details and lifecycle of assets. When introducing powerful systems like the NVL72, DCIM software can help track when hardware maintenance or upgrades will be needed.
• Dashboards and reporting. Implementing high-powered AI servers can come with regulatory and compliance considerations, particularly around energy efficiency and environmental standards. DCIM software can support data center operators by generating detailed charts and reports on energy usage, PUE, and environmental factors.
• Digital twin visualization. Modern DCIM software offers multiple ways to visualize your data center infrastructure to simplify and enhance how you manage it. A 3D digital twin of your data center with power and environmental overlays, network diagram with structured and patch cabling, dynamic single-line power diagram, and world map visualization makes it easier to remotely manage your data center.

These aspects make DCIM software not only a tool for day-to-day management but also an essential part of strategic planning for integrating high-performance, resource-intensive equipment like the NVIDIA NVL72.

Bringing it All Together

With the rapid growth of the AI market expected to continue in the coming years, data centers must be equipped to handle advanced systems like the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72. Evaluating whether current facilities can support such resource-intensive equipment can be challenging without proper tools and data.

DCIM software proves to be a valuable solution, providing real-time monitoring and capacity planning to simplify the management of high-density AI infrastructure. It enables you to assess readiness for AI workloads, maintain optimal operating conditions, and track key performance indicators, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and reliability of your data center.

Try DCIM For AI Infrastructure Management

Want to see for yourself how Sunbird’s second-generation DCIM software can help you plan and manage your high-density AI infrastructure? Test drive Sunbird’s DCIM today.