Schneider Electric, NVIDIA Unveil Reference Designs to Accelerate AI Data Center Deployment

Schneider Electric has announced new reference designs co-engineered with NVIDIA to help data center operators accelerate the deployment of AI infrastructure and prepare for next-generation computing demands.

The company said the designs mark an industry first by integrating power management and liquid cooling controls with seamless interoperability between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems. The move, it added, will support enterprises deploying advanced GPU-accelerated clusters while maintaining efficiency, reliability, and cost control.

One of the new frameworks delivers an integrated controls reference design, enabling operators to manage power and liquid cooling across complex AI infrastructure. It also connects directly with NVIDIA Mission Control, the company’s orchestration software for AI factories, which provides cluster and workload management features. Schneider said this architecture bridges OT and IT environments, allowing operators to harness data from every layer of the facility.

The second design focuses on supporting the deployment of NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 systems, purpose-built for next-generation Blackwell GPUs. It outlines technical frameworks across four areas—facility power, cooling, IT space, and lifecycle software—optimised for high-density AI clusters with rack densities of up to 142kW. Configurations are available for both American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards.

Jim Simonelli, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Schneider Electric, said the new designs would simplify the process of deploying AI-ready infrastructure. “Our latest reference designs, featuring integrated power management and liquid cooling controls, are future-ready, scalable, and co-engineered with NVIDIA for real-world applications — enabling data center operators to keep pace with surging demand for AI,” he said.

Scott Wallace, Director of Data Center Engineering at NVIDIA, said the collaboration with Schneider Electric would help redefine AI data center architectures. “With its latest controls reference design, Schneider Electric connects critical infrastructure data with NVIDIA Mission Control, delivering a rigorously validated blueprint that enables AI factory digital twins and empowers operators to optimize advanced accelerated computing infrastructure,” he said.

The company explained that its plug-and-play architecture, based on the MQTT protocol, enables real-time management of energy and cooling systems, introducing new standards for measuring AI rack power profiles. The reference design incorporates redundancy across power and cooling infrastructure, including coolant distribution units and remote power panels, to ensure uptime and performance.

The GB300 NVL72 blueprint also integrates Schneider Electric’s digital twin technologies, including ETAP and EcoStruxure IT Design CFD models, allowing operators to simulate power and cooling scenarios to optimise designs before deployment.

Schneider Electric said the new designs extend its portfolio of nine AI reference designs created for different use cases, including prefabricated modules, retrofit data centers, and purpose-built infrastructure for NVIDIA GB200 and GB300 clusters.

The company described the launch as part of its ongoing commitment to help operators meet the demands of AI factories, which require unprecedented levels of density, resiliency, and efficiency in data center operations.