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Data Center

Building the Next Generation of Hyperscale Data Centers

A more connected world is driving exponential growth in data generation and consumption. Acting as the heart of this connectivity is an evolving network of hyperscale data centers. These expansive sites prioritize density, scalability and modularity to serve bandwidth-intensive applications stemming from the internet of things (IoT), streaming, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, 1.6T networking and other high-speed applications.

Molex is an innovator in hyperscale data center solutions, leading developments in next generation PCIe technology and introducing a first-to-market comprehensive portfolio of 224 Gbps-PAM4 products and custom architecture designs.

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The Future of Hyperscale Data Centers

By 2025, the world will have an estimated 1,000 hyperscale data centers, doubling in just five years. With more than 300 hyperscale data centers currently in development, system architects are under immense pressure to scale up existing resources and construct new infrastructure to meet the escalating demands of bandwidth-intensive, low-latency applications like artificial intelligence (AI), real-time data processing and edge computing. 

This expansion comes with significant challenges, including the need to address interoperability, space utilization and thermal management. Modular data centers enable interoperability by facilitating quick and efficient deployment, allowing for seamless compatibility and expansion. High-density servers and storage solutions maximize compute power per square foot, addressing the growing need for efficient space utilization. Innovative technologies, including liquid cooling and immersion cooling, are also increasingly employed to manage heat more effectively and reduce energy consumption.

Molex plays a pivotal role in this evolving landscape by offering modular and scalable infrastructure solutions that rapidly adapt to changing demands for faster time-to-market and deployment. Through close co-development with customers, Molex works hand-in-hand with system architects to advance their specific development needs and drive the next era of hyperscale. 

Core Hyperscale Design Challenges

High-Density Computing

As hyperscale data centers handle growing volumes of data, optimizing computational power within a limited space becomes a main objective. By leveraging connector solutions optimized for space and flexibility, hyperscale system architects can achieve higher server densities and improved performance. 

For example, Mirror Mezz hermaphroditic connectors are engineered to provide superior signal integrity across variable stack heights while the NearStack PCIe Connector System eliminates the paddle card to reduce space requirements. The Kickstart Connector System integrates both power and signal circuits into a single, low-profile cable assembly. Similarly, the NextStream Connector System supports PCIe Gen 6 speeds in a compact, low-mating height package.

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Scalability

Hyperscale facilities must maintain high performance on existing operations while rapidly scaling infrastructure to meet the growing demand for data. By leveraging preconfigured modules that allow for swift adaptation based on specific workload requirements, data centers can upgrade assets without slowing down.

As an active participant in the Open Compute Project (OCP) and a member of multi-source agreement (MSA) committees, Molex demonstrates its commitment to standardized approaches that promote fast deployment and efficient time-to-market. With modular solutions, data centers can seamlessly adapt to escalating workloads, ensuring robust performance and reliable operations. 

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Thermal Management

To maintain optimal operational performance as processing power increases, hyperscale data centers need to incorporate components that include effective thermal management.

Molex addresses this need with innovative thermal management solutions for I/O modules. Covering passive solutions such as the Drop Down Heat Sink, Inception cableized backplane solutions and smaller diameter Twinax Cables, our recent report examines the drawbacks of established thermal management systems and explores new innovations on the horizon.

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Energy Consumption

One of the foremost challenges for hyperscale data centers is the extensive energy consumption necessary to sustain operations. Coupled with ambitious sustainability goals, increasing consumption levels become an ongoing concern and motivate hyperscale facilities to seek out more efficient and adaptable power distribution frameworks. This need extends to reliable interconnect solutions that are compatible with the latest cooling technologies.

OCP-compliant PowerPlane Busbar Connectors from Molex address efficiency challenges with flexible power-distribution architectures. These connectors deliver reliability for the full range of hardware applications, even those in advanced liquid-cooling environments. 

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Copper Interconnects in the Age of 224G

To support the exponential growth of data and processing power in hyperscale infrastructure, high-speed copper interconnects still play a sizable role. Learn how they are offering unparalleled speed, cost-efficiency and reliability.

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Featured Products

Resources for Hyperscale Data Centers

Top Data Center Trends for 2025

In 2025, hyperscale data center operators need to focus on deploying higher-density fiber and innovative cooling methods to manage the rapid increase in data and power demand driven by AI and other advanced technologies. 

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Top Data Center Trends for 2025 

Building Blocks of High-Performance Computing

Data centers are continually striving to upgrade computing performance while making the most of their current infrastructure. Modular hardware solutions for high-performance computing (HPC) from Molex provide a strategy for rapid scalability, effective thermal management and space optimization.

Read More about HPC
Server Compute PCIe

224 Gbps-PAM4 High-Speed Data Center Technology

New data rates are poised to reinvent industries from automotive to quantum computing and genomics. Integrating 224 Gbps interconnects while managing signal integrity and thermal loads is key to successful implementation. Molex industry-leading interconnect solutions address these challenges head-on, helping to power the hyperscale data centers of today — and tomorrow. 

Learn More about 224 Gbps

The Continuing Evolution of PCIe

Emerging high-performance applications from AI to AR are placing unprecedented demands on data center technologies. To keep up, system architects need high-speed, low-latency and highly scalable solutions. Explore how PCIe has evolved over the generations and how Molex has been at the forefront of PCIe Gen 5, 6 and even 7. 

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