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Inside DCD Connect NYC: What Data Center Leaders Are Prioritizing Right Now

04/15/26

We spent time on the ground at DCD Connect NYC talking with data center operators, infrastructure leaders, and partners across the ecosystem. 

The biggest takeaway? 
This market isn’t just evolving—it’s accelerating. And in many cases, organizations are trying to catch up in real time. 

That lines up with what we’re seeing more broadly.  Global data center capacity is expected to nearly double by 2030, driven largely by AI demand.  

Instead of a traditional recap, we asked two team members, Josh Humm and Chris Mammano, who spend their time in the field working with data center operators on real-world infrastructure and lifecycle challenges to share what they heard directly from conversations throughout the event. 

Here’s what kept coming up.

 

What’s driving the surge in data center projects right now? 

Josh: 
A lot of it comes back to AI and compute demand. We’re seeing a real push toward high-density environments, and that’s changing everything from how facilities are designed to how quickly upgrades need to happen. 

When you start talking about racks pushing 1MW+, real changes have to happen beyond simple upgrades. That kind of power requirement forces infrastructure changes, whether organizations are ready or not.  

Chris: 
I’d add that a lot of organizations feel behind. That came up in a lot of conversations. People are trying to figure out how to adapt quickly without completely disrupting operations. 

That’s why you’re seeing more project-based work and shorter-term initiatives. It’s less about perfect long-term planning and more about taking the next step forward. 

(Callout box: AI workloads are expected to account for ~70% of data center demand by 2030, which is forcing rapid infrastructure shifts. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/ai-power-expanding-data-center-capacity-to-meet-growing-demand)  

 

Are organizations building new—or rethinking what they already have? 

Josh: 
What stood out to me is how much focus there is on working with existing environments. In an environment where speed to delivery is king, brownfield construction seems to be a great path to get there. There’s a high volume of retrofit and relocation activity happening right now because of that.  

Organizations aren’t just building new, they’re optimizing what they already have to support new workloads, especially around AI. 

Chris: 
Exactly. There’s still new build activity, but it’s not the only path forward.  And for a lot of teams, it’s not the fastest one either. 

If you can upgrade or repurpose existing infrastructure to support higher density or new workloads, that’s often the more practical move. Especially when timelines are tight and demand isn’t slowing down. 

 

What are data center leaders looking for in a partner? 

Chris: 
This one was consistent: people want simplicity. 

There’s a strong preference for partners who can manage projects end-to-end. Not a collection of vendors, someone who can just take ownership and get it done. 

We kept hearing variations of the same idea: “We don’t care how it happens—we just need it handled.”  

Josh: 
And it makes sense given the complexity. Between infrastructure upgrades, asset management, logistics, and sustainability requirements, there are a lot of moving parts. 

Trying to coordinate multiple vendors across all of that slows things down. The teams we talked to are looking for ways to simplify, not add more layers. 

 

How are organizations thinking about retired equipment and value recovery? 

Josh: 
There’s frustration with how asset recovery is handled today with some of the enterprise clients we have spoken with.  

A lot of organizations aren’t seeing strong returns from their current vendors as they utilize more building infrastructure centric partners, and that’s becoming more of a problem as they try to fund new infrastructure investments.  

At the same time, we’re heading into a period where hardware is going to be tight for the next couple of years. That creates more opportunities in secondary markets where having a data center technology centric partner working with your equipment can be a big strategic advantage.  

Chris: 
And that shift changes how people think about retired equipment. 

It’s not just about getting it out of the way anymore. It’s about how that value can be recovered and reinvested. That conversation is becoming more strategic.

Total data center spending is expected to exceed $650 billion in 2026, increaseing pressure to maximize existing asset value.

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-cost-of-compute-a-7-trillion-dollar-race-to-scale-data-centers)

What surprised you most about the conversations? 

Chris: 
One thing that stood out was how much of the market is still in a learning phase. 

There’s a strong appetite for information, and people are actively trying to understand how to adapt to changing infrastructure demands, especially with everything happening around AI and compute. 

We saw a lot of engagement in sessions and discussions, which tells you teams are looking for clarity and direction as things evolve.  

Josh: 
I’d add that many of the conversations felt less transactional and more exploratory. 

Organizations are asking bigger questions right now—how to plan, how to scale, how to keep up with the pace of change. There are projects moving and services carried out, but often not meeting the long term goals around sustainability and value recovery that they ultimately want to achieve.  

Exploration into option for near and far term project outcome goals are underway all over the industry.  

 

Final Thoughts 

If there’s one thing that came through clearly at DCD Connect, it’s this: 

The data center landscape isn’t standing still and neither are the expectations placed on the teams managing it. 

From AI-driven infrastructure demands to the need for faster, simpler execution, organizations are being pushed to adapt quickly. And the partners they choose will play a critical role in how successfully they do that. 

The biggest advantage moving forward won’t just be capacity or capability, it’ll be how well organizations can respond to what’s changing next. 

 

If you’re evaluating how to adapt your data center strategy—whether that’s retrofit planning, asset recovery, or managing infrastructure transitions—our team is actively working with organizations navigating these same challenges.

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