• Why Outages Aren’t the Real Risk: The Power Failures Destroying Facilities Quietly
    Jan 13 2026
    In this episode of Forerunner: Powering the Edge, the host explores well-hidden yet operationally critical issues often overlooked in facility operation: voltage dips, frequency instability, transfer delays, and power quality problems. These seemingly minor disruptions can lead to significant operational disruptions, increased energy consumption, equipment malfunction, compliance exposure, and managerial scrutiny due to escalated operational costs. Unfortunately, traditional monitoring systems often miss these issues as they are designed mostly to detect complete failures or alarms instead of subtle, transient problems. Operators can intervene ahead of these problems by investing in advanced monitoring solutions that can detect even minor deviations and predict potential issues using data pattern analysis. By proactively managing facility health, operators can reduce costs, prolong equipment life, and ensure their facilities run at peak performance.
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    6 mins
  • How Edge Data Centers Manage Power Reliability and Uptime
    Dec 25 2025
    The podcast episode of "Forerunner: Powering the Edge" delves into the crucial aspect of power reliability in edge data centers. It covers the concept of uptime, its importance, common power challenges these centers face, and the risks associated with traditional grid-first designs such as grid outages and voltage instability. The conversation moves onto analyzing various innovative operational strategies designed to enhance power reliability and sustain optimal performance. These strategies include shifting from traditional backup systems towards microgrids and hybrid power systems, managing load peaks through techniques like load smoothing, predictive management, and AI-driven load balancing. The episode also addresses common misconceptions that can negatively impact power reliability and concludes with a reminder about the significance of modern energy systems in the seamless operation of edge data centers.
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    15 mins
  • How to Reduce Data Center Power Costs Without Increasing Downtime Risk
    Dec 25 2025
    The podcast episode focuses on achieving a balance between reducing power costs and maintaining reliability in data centers. It highlights the challenges associated with minimizing energy costs, such as potential downtime and reliability compromises, especially in edge data centers with tighter budgets. The episode also discusses variables like peak demand charges and grid pricing volatility that can inflate power bills. The strategies for managing these concerns, like load smoothing and predictive load management, are considered, along with the nuances of different power sources. The benefits of microgrids are raised, offering stability and cost predictability. The episode concludes by addressing common cost-reduction mistakes in data centers and emphasizing the necessity of a balanced, holistic approach to energy management.
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    10 mins