Large-scale deployment of Quantum Technology in data centers is several years away!

PRATAP MANE
COUNTRY HEAD- INDIA, COLT DCS

India’s data center ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by rapid digital adoption, 5G rollout, and the exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain applications. While the sector has expanded considerably in the past five years, legacy data centers—especially those originally built by enterprises for internal use—face critical limitations when handling AI workloads.

One of the primary challenges is power capacity. AI clusters, depending on size, can demand anywhere from 1MW to 10MW of IT power, often exceeding the limits of traditional facilities. Retrofitting these sites is difficult, as additional utility power requires more backup generators, which are constrained by strict emissions regulations and space availability. Cooling is another challenge. With AI racks consuming far higher power densities, conventional air cooling is proving insufficient. Operators are turning toward liquid and hybrid cooling solutions, but such retrofits are expensive and space-intensive, particularly in urban environments.

Next-generation data centers, however, are being designed specifically for AI, GenAI, blockchain, and 5G workloads. Hyperscale cloud providers and operators like Colt DCS are building mega facilities of 30MW or more, often grouped into regional availability zones to ensure resilience. These sites feature reinforced structures to handle racks weighing up to 1,800 kg, dense fiber networking for ultra-low latency, and modular designs to accommodate high-density AI workloads. Edge data centers are also emerging in city hubs to support real- time 5G applications, smart cities, and IoT ecosystems.

When it comes to blockchain workloads such as cryptocurrency mining, the requirements differ. Here, cost efficiency outweighs reliability, leading to simplified designs without the redundancy demanded by AI or financial services.

Looking forward, quantum computing is poised to play a transformative role, though its mainstream integration into data centers is still several years away. For now, quantum systems remain concentrated in national labs and R&D. In the future, quantum will likely complement, rather than replace, existing GPU and CPU-based infrastructures. India, with its growing investments and research base, is well-positioned to harness this frontier, ensuring that its data centers evolve into AI-ready and quantum-capable ecosystems.