Steven Carlini, Vice President of Innovation and Data Center, Energy Management Business Unit at Schneider Electric, recently attended Data Centre World in London in March 2024. During the two-day event, Carlini was immersed in discussions, presentations, interviews, and debates related to data centers and the IT industry. Even on his flight home, Carlini struggled to disconnect from the data center topics, finding himself reflecting on Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run album and how its lyrics relate to the industry.
Listening to Springsteen’s music, Carlini drew parallels between the themes of the songs and the current trends in the data center industry. He related the growth of AI data centers, the need for increased capacity, and the evolution of data center design and construction due to AI advancements to the lyrics of the songs. Carlini also emphasized the importance of sustainability in data centers, highlighting the concept of regenerative data centers that generate renewable power on-site, recycle materials, and reduce environmental impact.
As Carlini continued to analyze Springsteen’s songs in the context of data centers, he found connections to cooling methods such as free air cooling and liquid cooling, as well as the shift towards edge data centers to support AI applications and reduce latency. Throughout the flight and upon his return to work, Carlini remained fixated on data center innovation and the need for new approaches to support AI solutions while meeting sustainability goals and performance requirements.
Reflecting on his experience, Carlini acknowledged that perhaps he wasn’t meant to escape his thoughts about data centers during the flight, as Springsteen’s album inadvertently led him to a deeper understanding of the industry’s evolution and challenges. Looking ahead, Carlini emphasized the importance of reimagining IT configurations, power, cooling, and operations for denser deployments, upgrading facility capacity, and leveraging software to ensure performance while meeting environmental commitments.
As a member of the Forbes Technology Council, Carlini’s insights into the intersection of music, art, and technology offer a unique perspective on the changing landscape of data centers and the IT industry. By drawing parallels between classic rock lyrics and modern industry trends, Carlini sheds light on the interconnected nature of innovation, sustainability, and performance in the data center sector.
