Cadence introduces AI-driven digital twin solution for data centres

Author: Isha Jain

Cadence Design Systems has introduced the industry’s first comprehensive AI-driven digital twin solution to facilitate sustainable data centre design and modernisation, marking a significant leap forward in optimising data centre energy efficiency and operational capacity.

The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform virtualises the entire data centre and uses AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and physics-based simulation to significantly improve data centre energy efficiency by up to 30%.

The platform will benefit data centre designers and operators navigating the complexities of modern data centre systems, particularly in addressing issues that arise from stranded capacity due to inefficient use of data centre compute and cooling resources and in handling AI-driven workloads and their environmental impact in an age of increasing electricity scarcity. Data centres in the United States used more than 4% of the country’s total electricity last year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), and are expected to grow exponentially in the coming decades.

“As data centres face increasing pressure to prioritise sustainability and energy efficiency in the face of exponential AI growth, the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform will optimise every aspect of data centre design and operations, improve energy efficiency and pave the way for a more efficient, resilient and environmentally friendly future,” says Tom Beckley, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Custom IC & PCB Group, Cadence.

The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform claims to use AI for model generation and simulation to accurately predict the external physical forces that impact data centre operation, such as airflow, wind speeds, building obstructions on air intake and complications from internal and external temperature changes.

According to Cadence, the key benefits of the platform include:

• Advanced modelling capabilities: Simulates a vast range of design scenarios and operational strategies to identify the most energy-efficient solutions unique to each data centre.
• Environmental consideration: Integrates external environmental factors into the design process, enabling the development of resilient and sustainable data centre operations.
• Customised reporting: Delivers automated, detailed reports tailored to the specific requirements of each project, facilitating a deep understanding of potential energy savings and efficiency improvements.
• Innovative cooling strategies: Evaluates multiple cooling systems and their impact on energy consumption, offering insights into the most effective cooling solutions.
• Latest cadence solvers: Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform is integrated with Cadence’s leading multiphysics solvers — enabling the same accurate, high-capacity, multi-domain engines to scale from chiplets to climate.

Cadence’s transformative design platform will accelerate the development of next-generation data centres and AI factories across every industry. Integrated with the NVIDIA Omniverse development platform, it enables up to 30x faster design and simulation workflows.