DCF Show: Hyperscale LED Lighting Approach A Pathfinder for All Data Centers
For this episode of the DCF Show podcast, Data Center Frontier Editor in Chief Matt Vincent spoke with Sam Rabinowitz, CEO of Lantana LED, a supplier and provider of LED luminaires for the data center industry -- especially for hyperscalers, but also for energy-efficiency retrofits in mature facilities.
Key discussion points on the podcast include the following:
- 0:15 - Sam explains in-depth how Lantana broke into the data center industry by working with a hyperscaler customer to design and implement rapid deployment prototypes for their initial data center builds on the interior structure, including lighting.
- 3:14 - The discussion examines how Lantana's LED fixtures run cool and are energy-efficient, achieving up to 90% efficiency over nearly a decade of use. Sam describes how Lantana's LED lighting fixtures are UL certified for elevated ambient operating temperatures, providing operational flexibility for data centers in hot environments.
- 5:45 - Sam explains how Lantana's focus on energy-efficiency and materials efficiency can lead to cost savings for data centers while fostering a positive impact on the environment.
- 13:26 - Sam emphasizes the importance of employing a "micro to macro" approach in greening data, starting with individual components, and scaling up to entire campuses and programs.
- 15:46 - Data Center Frontier asks for takes regarding the impact of AI on the data center industry. In response, Sam discusses the need for new products and approaches to designing and engineering data centers to accommodate for chip-level heat.
- 19:32 - DCF asks about Lantana's plans for 2024. In response, Sam describes Lantana's new products as being tailored for digital infrastructure and expansion of the hyperscalers, as well as furnishing renovations for increased energy efficiency in data centers of all sizes.
- 26:46 - Sam emphasizes the importance of lighting in data centers for safety and functionality; the discussion compares it to cabling as a core, fundamental element of every data center.
Here are links to some related DCF articles:
- Equinix Gets Illuminated: Lighting Plan Seeks to Brighten Data Center Alley
- Sustainable Lighting: Key Considerations For Green Data Centers
- Signs of the Times: Data Center Buildings Embrace Branding and Corporate Visibility
- Are We Headed Toward Lights-Out Data Centers?
- Will Robots Usher in the Lights-Out Data Center?
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About the Author
Matt Vincent
Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, where he leads editorial strategy and coverage focused on the infrastructure powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. A veteran B2B technology journalist with more than two decades of experience, Vincent specializes in the intersection of data centers, power, cooling, and emerging AI-era infrastructure. Since assuming the EIC role in 2023, he has helped guide Data Center Frontier’s coverage of the industry’s transition into the gigawatt-scale AI era, with a focus on hyperscale development, behind-the-meter power strategies, liquid cooling architectures, and the evolving energy demands of high-density compute, while working closely with the Digital Infrastructure Group at Endeavor Business Media to expand the brand’s analytical and multimedia footprint. Vincent also hosts The Data Center Frontier Show podcast, where he interviews industry leaders across hyperscale, colocation, utilities, and the data center supply chain to examine the technologies and business models reshaping digital infrastructure. Since its inception he serves as Head of Content for the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit. Before becoming Editor in Chief, he served in multiple senior editorial roles across Endeavor Business Media’s digital infrastructure portfolio, with coverage spanning data centers and hyperscale infrastructure, structured cabling and networking, telecom and datacom, IP physical security, and wireless and Pro AV markets. He began his career in 2005 within PennWell’s Advanced Technology Division and later held senior editorial positions supporting brands such as Cabling Installation & Maintenance, Lightwave Online, Broadband Technology Report, and Smart Buildings Technology. Vincent is a frequent moderator, interviewer, and keynote speaker at industry events including the HPC Forum, where he delivers forward-looking analysis on how AI and high-performance computing are reshaping digital infrastructure. He graduated with honors from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and lives in southern New Hampshire with his family, remaining an active musician in his spare time.
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