Stage 02 of 04 · Design
A design every supplier can build to
Workflows and models, the platform and compute beneath them, and the power, cooling and space to run it all, designed as one system and documented so it can be procured, built and tested
When to engage
- You have an approved plan and need an architecture
- You want models from several providers to work as one workflow
- You are preparing a tender for compute, storage or network
- Your facility must be adapted for high-density compute
- You want an independent review of a supplier’s proposed design
Overview
Design: system and solution architecture
A GPU purchase without the right fabric, storage or cooling leaves capacity stranded, and the gap is usually found after installation.
We design all layers against one workload profile and record the basis of design, which suppliers, contractors and your own teams then work to.
What is included
What the stage covers
Workflows and models
Where AI does the work, and which models do it.
- Workflow design: which step uses which model, and where people review
- Models chosen task by task, across providers
- Orchestration, evaluation and monitoring across models
Compute, network, storage and platform
The IT architecture, sized to the workloads it has to serve.
- Cluster architecture for training, inference or HPC
- High-speed interconnect and network fabric design
- Storage tiers and parallel file systems
- Platform: scheduling, orchestration, monitoring and security
Power, cooling and space requirements
What the facility has to deliver for the IT to perform.
- Rack densities and load profiles
- Air, direct-to-chip liquid and hybrid cooling options
- Power distribution and resilience
- Floor layout, weight loading and cable routes
Specifications and tender documents
Documents that let suppliers compete fairly and let you hold them to account.
- Specifications written to performance and interfaces, without naming products
- Bills of quantities and compliance matrices
- Evaluation criteria and scoring method
- Acceptance tests defined before procurement
What you receive
Deliverables
Documents you own. They are written to be read by your board and your engineers, and to be handed to any supplier.
Solution architecture
Each layer of the system and how the layers connect, with the design decisions and their reasons.
Facility requirements
The power, cooling, space and connectivity the design needs, as a brief for your engineers or data-centre operator.
Specification and tender pack
Technical requirements, compliance matrix and evaluation criteria.
Acceptance test plan
The tests the finished system must pass, agreed before anything is bought.
How it runs
Four steps
- 1
Baseline
Requirements confirmed from the advisory stage or from your own brief.
- 2
Concept
Architecture options are developed and compared, and one is agreed.
- 3
Detail
Each layer is designed in full, with the facility requirements and interfaces defined.
- 4
Specify
Specifications, tender documents and acceptance tests are issued.
Timelines depend on scope and are confirmed after the first conversation.
FAQ
Common questions
Do you recommend a particular AI model?
No. We compare models on your tasks and your data, and often recommend several, each where it performs best.
Will your design favour a particular vendor?
No. We specify performance, interfaces and acceptance criteria, and name products only where you require it. Tenders are scored against your requirements.
Can you review a design another party has proposed?
Yes. A design review checks a proposal against your workloads, facility and budget, and lists the gaps and risks with recommended changes.
Do you design the building services as well?
We define the IT load, densities and cooling approach the facility must support, and work with your mechanical and electrical engineers or the data-centre operator on the facility design.
Which standards do you design to?
Those the project requires, including the regulations that apply where it is built. They are recorded in a basis-of-design document that all parties work to.
Contact
Planning an architecture or a tender?
Tell us what you are planning and where you are today. The first conversation covers workloads, facilities and timing.