
Upgrading for AI Without Disruption: our Professional Advantage
As AI continues to accelerate from experimentation to business-critical deployment, data centres are under increasing pressure to provide higher processing capabilities, be more energy efficient and meet edge computing demands. Nowhere is this more urgent than in retrofitting existing facilities to support next-generation GPUs, particularly those powering today’s leading AI platforms, like NVIDIA.
AI workloads demand far more from infrastructure than traditional enterprise compute. High-performance GPUs such as NVIDIA H100s require significant upgrades in power, cooling, and, critically, networking. From energy-hungry racks to ultra-low-latency fabrics, every layer of the stack is being re-evaluated.
At Onnec, we’re already enabling this transformation. Our expert teams have deep experience in deploying NVIDIA-powered infrastructure, including high-bandwidth, low-latency Infiniband networks that are essential for training and inference at scale.
These deployments are not simply hardware swaps, they involve strategic re-architecture, careful integration, and deep collaboration across facilities, networking, and cloud. Many of our recent retrofit and new build projects reflect this shift. AI isn’t just reshaping workloads, it’s reshaping the physical and digital fabric of data centres themselves.
Our distinct advantage:
- Over 35 years of experience delivering IT infrastructure in complex environments, including AI hyperscalers, AI data centres, and co-location facilities.
- Deep expert understanding of the impact of upgrades on cabling and connectivity—crucial for operational continuity.
- Fully trained technicians in fibre technologies, including NVIDIA InfiniBand, ready to mobilise at speed for seamless deployment.
- Installers are fully trained to work in live environments, using hot-swap protocols and pre-approved maintenance windows to minimise downtime.
- Power and cooling systems are carefully assessed, configured, and tested to meet the demands of next-gen GPUs.
- Firmware and software updates are handled as part of the installation process, including NVIDIA AI Enterprise, CUDA, and related platforms.
- Post-installation validation includes burn-in testing, benchmarking, thermal stability checks, and network throughput analysis.
- Comprehensive documentation is provided to support asset tracking, warranty, and compliance with data centre standards.
Our experience: Onnec Powers European Expansion of Leading American AI Hyperscaler
Onnec has played a pivotal role in the rapid European rollout of a major American AI hyperscaler. The partnership began in the UK, where Onnec delivered a 9MW deployment across three data halls, and quickly expanded into Sweden and Barcelona. Across all three regions, Onnec’s ability to mobilise expert teams, adapt to evolving project demands, and deliver with precision has proven essential. This collaboration has been instrumental in supporting the client’s aggressive growth strategy, helping position them as a front-runner in AI and high-performance computing across Europe.
As the AI race intensifies, data centres that fail to adapt will be left behind. Whether it’s upgrading legacy infrastructure or designing new GPU-optimised environments, Onnec is ready to help clients move at AI speed.
