Open Rack Version 3 power shelf to support open compute project

Traditionally, data centre racks have used 12V power shelves, but higher performance compute and storage platforms demand more power, which results in very high current. Moving from 12-48V power distribution reduces the current draw by a factor of four and reduces conduction losses by a factor of 16. This results in significantly better thermal performance, smaller busbars and increased efficiency.

This new standards-based design has been developed in collaboration with major OCP users and is intended to create a common power platform for multiple customers across deployments, increasing adoption and creating economies of scale to benefit the whole OCP community.

“We are highly engaged in the development of OCP Open Rack standards and specifications, with input from multiple leading hyperscale data centre customers,” said Brian Korn, Senior Director, Data Centre Solutions for Advanced Energy’s Artesyn Embedded Power product group.

“We are enabling the market adoption of this next generation 48V power distribution architecture through collaboration across multiple companies to address shared challenges, offering OCP compatible solutions while retaining our differentiating intellectual property.”

The new OCP ORv3 power shelf will be a key technology enabler in the growing adoption of 48V rack power distribution in hyperscale data centres. Artesyn products deliver rack power solutions in the $1.9 billion data centre computing embedded power market, which is fast-growing thanks to the acceleration of data generation and use, growing cloud adoption across enterprise IT, and an increased workload driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning.

The launch of the new ORV3 power shelf is aligned with the OCP Virtual Summit, from 12th to 15th May, 2020. The company has been heavily involved in the development of previous Open Rack interoperability specifications and OCP compatible solutions.

This is the fourth year the company will be participating in the OCP Global Summit and Senior Technical Marketing Director, Harry Soin, will be presenting on the 1OU Shelf Architecture in the session, 'Deep Dive on Open Rack V3 Power Shelves' at 11:00 a.m. on 14th May.