Speed, Scale, Agility and Assurance: How Partnerships Enrich Data Center Development

The data center status quo is changing. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud computing are not only fueling growth in the data center industry but are shaping the industry’s future. A recent report from Goldman Sachs projects that AI will comprise 28% of the data center market by 2027, with cloud computing dropping to 50% and traditional workloads to 21%.

However, that demand can no longer be met with templatized builds. Data centers must have an infrastructure that scales with demand, unlocking the greater densities and faster network speeds AI necessitates. Today, the right cabling architecture and partner choice can largely determine time-to-value, upgrade agility, and total cost.

Let’s break down how a partner like Leviton Network Solutions can help data center operators overcome common challenges and enrich project deployment.

Speed of deployment

As data center needs continue to evolve, installations and upgrades must happen quickly and smoothly. Designing for speed of deployment is therefore critical – not only for meeting project deadlines for new constructions, but for an agile approach to development that will keep data centers on the cutting-edge. Future-proofing an AI data center isn’t about meeting today’s speed requirements. It’s about designing with enough flexibility to incorporate new technologies when they become available.

Achieving this in an efficient, cost-effective manner requires a foundation of infrastructure with a modular design. Leviton offers a variety of products designed for rapid installation, including pre-terminated fiber cabling, snap-in patching solutions, and smaller-diameter in-rack cords. Additionally, high-density and highly customizable fiber platforms like Leviton Network Solutions’ STRATA™ family of solutions can help facilitate rapid deployments. The STRATA ecosystem includes IDX Fiber Entry Enclosures with capacity for 6,912 fibers, high-density fiber patch panels offering 3,456 fibers in one rack unit using 16-fiber very small form factor MMC connectivity, and connector systems for rapid deployment of AI and machine learning fiber networks.

A modular design allows data centers to avoid costly rip-and-replace projects and immediately begin leveraging new technologies with minimal downtime. This approach allows hyperscale and data center organizations to essentially fast-track progress, securing and maintaining a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Agility and design support

Choosing the right partner for an AI data center build is about far more than purchasing cables. AI and hyperscale network operators need manufacturing partners with expertise in the latest networking architectures, physical layer infrastructure, and data center facility design. They also need to be able to react quickly as requirements evolve or suddenly change. 

The most effective partners can understand your concerns from the start and take a collaborative approach to problem solving and develop innovative solutions that fit your unique needs. They help data center operators map out migration paths, optimize rack layouts, plan for refresh cycles, and have the agility required to adapt quickly when requirements change. They don’t just hand over a catalog; they provide rack elevations, bills of materials, and even certify installers to make sure the system goes in right the first time. Manufacturers should have in-house experts to advise on network design, program management and solutions that integrate redundancy, modularity and customization.

Leviton has a team of data center design engineers to support optimal network plans, conceptual drawings, diagrams, and more. This team includes experts who are NVIDIA-Certified Associates in AI Infrastructure and Operations. The team works hand-in-hand with Leviton’s comprehensive customer support staff, which includes customer service, tech support, specifications services, applications engineering and more — headed by a central point of contact.

Manufacturing scale

Finally, data centers need an external partner with the design expertise and global capacity to deliver at scale. When evaluating potential partners, leaders will want to ask questions like:

• Can this potential partner deliver high-fiber-count solutions in all build regions, on time – backed by redundant factories and inventory?
• Will they commit to realistic ship dates – and hit them?
• Does this vendor have a proven track record deploying with hyperscalers, experience aligning to evolving GPU architectures, and established working rhythms between spec engineers and enterprise teams?

The ability to manufacture at scale separates one-off vendors from long-term partners. As a global, single-source manufacturer of end-to-end structured cabling systems, Leviton has demonstrated the ability to deliver at the scale AI demands for some of the industry’s biggest players. We know that high-fiber-count trunks need to be manufactured and delivered on time, no matter where the build is happening. That’s why the built-in operational redundancy offered by our ten global facilities is a key differentiator: it cuts lead times, reduces logistics risk for hyperscale projects, and ensures data center networks can scale quickly. We also have a proven track record deploying with hyperscalers, experience aligning to NVIDIA’s evolving architectures, and established working rhythms between spec engineers and enterprise teams.

Assurance when designing what’s next

When you have your eye on the future, you need a partner that is in lockstep with evolving technologies and trends – who has the capacity to fulfill orders at volume, who has experience with a variety of architectures, and who has a proven track record in your industry. Leviton Network Solutions meets and exceeds those expectations, as we aren’t just a company on the pulse of what comes next – we build what’s next with our customers. No matter the build, the region, or the complexity, we have experts on hand prepared to collaborate with you and make it happen, forging long-term trusted partnerships to our mutual benefit.