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Next is the inside data center podcast.
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It's your host, Andy Davis.
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Welcome to the Inside Data Center podcast.
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Today I'm joined by Paul Hammer.
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Morning, Paul.
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Morning, Andy.
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Thanks for having me back here again.
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Um absolute pleasure.
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I I think we almost crossed a scandal with our picture in central London with a dog.
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The dog is, I think, more famous now than both of us come back.
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So yeah.
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Exactly.
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I think it proves the uh the influence of status is definitely better for dogs.
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So we need to get a dog, which is uh clear.
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We need a we need a team dog for Data X, a team dog for the podcast.
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Um but that but thanks for coming on.
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Obviously, you said you've been on before.
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Yeah, I'll I'll share some of the links to our previous conversations.
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Yeah, we we've had a lot of conversations around events, communities, how we can shape things up a little bit.
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What we're going to try and do now is explain to the listeners and the wider audience what we're up to.
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So hopefully this will be an insight into our world, what we've been doing behind the scenes while we've been uh meeting in London for very nice lunches.
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Yeah, very nice lunches.
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And uh I think the data center club has now its first K9 member, which is also quite uh shows that we're thinking outside the box here, isn't it?
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Um and I did say when I started the community that it's open for all, and I and I genuinely meant that.
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So dogs, dogs are welcome.
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Before we go into it though, do you want to just give some people might not know who you are?
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Yeah, some people might not know me.
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Yeah, so um I used to I used to run uh Data Center World in uh Germany and um which is a tech show Frankfurt and various other events um across Europe and was always in the tech space.
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Um left that organizer back in uh 22, December 22, joined a company called EasyFares, um, which is a very community-focused event organizer across Europe.
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Um, and yeah, worked on a couple of concepts over the last one year, and now sort of things are taking shape, and uh we sort of know which directions we're going.
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So uh we came up with a new brand, it's called Tech Stars.
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Um, it's basically um complete reverse of how you would organize an event instead of thinking about what does the exhibitor want, we think about what does the attendee want.
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Um, and this is really where it drives it because it's the community behind it that really wants to see a change, and that's how we feel.
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It's uh it's time for change, and it's time to bring events to the 21st century and um and really speak with people, go into the communities and help to help the community shape what you're trying to create for them, which is a platform basically, which you have done already amazing with Data Center Club.
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Um, on Monday, we have done a data and AI night in Munich.
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Um, and it was just yeah, two weeks before we put it on LinkedIn and said, Hey, you work in that space, come around.
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Uh, surprise, surprise, I think 60% of the attendees were from the data center industry.
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Um, there were a couple of oldies even there, they called themselves the oldies.
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Um, they said, Well, you know, uh, we need to understand what AI is and what are the real impacts on us.
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And uh, and then of course you get into the typical conversation, say, Well, you go to various events and they're like, Yeah, we speak about it from a hardware perspective and say we need to upscale, upscale, upscale, but we don't really understand what we're upscaling for and what are the actual impacts of it.
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So that's where it gets quite interesting.
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So, um, but that's a bit of a repeat of the conversation I think that we had also two weeks ago in London because it's um I think it's time for change, but also time to give the community the power to really get the knowledge that they want when they attend any kind of event, and um, that's why thanks for having me here.
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And I think we have a couple of things we're gonna reveal today on the pot.
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Um, because I think the data center club is going into his next chapter.
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Well, that's it.
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We are, we're not and we're gonna shout out to the listeners.
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Well, say it now, but you know, we want some feedback from you around events.
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We're gonna shout out at the end and have a bit, we're gonna end the podcast with that debate of what we want.
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But if you're listening now, please reach out to me or Paul after this when you've listened to this conversation and and tell us what you want in an event because we are very much community focused.
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We do want to shake things up, we are going to do it.
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We want you to be the drivers, so please come back to us with some feedback.
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I think on that point, you said obviously we had lunch uh a couple of weeks ago, um, and we've met quite a few times over the last probably 12 to 18 months.
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But yeah, how how did someone like you and someone like me end up collaborating?
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It's probably quite a good question because you know, I'm in the recruitment world, you know, I do have obviously the community focus.
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You're in the events, we're very separate lives, didn't know each other before these conversations.
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Yeah, how did we get together?
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Well, I would I would say the thing is we both have sort of the same interest.
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Um, I think early conversations we used to have at different events across south of France, London, wherever it was.
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It was always the same thing.
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It was like, yeah, well, the next generation sort of needs to come into the industry.
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Um, there's a gender gap, there's an age gap, there's a knowledge gap.
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The community, the data center community is very um, I would say they keep themselves to themselves.
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The AI community does the same thing.
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And it's just like, okay, let's just think out of the box.
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Why don't we just try to bring everybody together?
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And let's maybe think about what the younger people would like to do, or what interests other genders or ethnicities, and what really creates an open platform, and then what really works well in the US is networking events.
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What means networking events?
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Networking events means that you meet up in the evening and you just have a drink with somebody, and you know what?
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Um, maybe you don't have a job title on your batch, or you you just you're Andy and I'm Paul.
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And uh, what is AI to me, or what what do you think is the impact of data centers?
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And if you create this this really um safe environment where everybody is just a human being within a community because everybody wants to grow, wants to network, and wants to chat, it it really um opens space for collaborations between different individuals that would never speak if they meet each other on the road, and that's what we saw on Monday.
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We had um with some uh with the ex CEO of Amazon Europe, he showed up there and he was talking to a 22-year-old uh technical university of Munich student about uh AI.
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And this is this you would never create at a traditional trade fair, and this is sort of the the the idea behind it, and that's why for the data center community it's also time to really freshen up a bit.
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And I think that's where we came up with the nice idea to call it not data center club, but we're gonna call it data center club nights.
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So, and this is I think it's the the cat is out of the bag with that one.
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Um, but I think the idea behind it is really to bring um to bring everybody together and just just have a laugh and just have a talk.
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Um, and I think that's something we're gonna try to do over the next coming months with different locations across Europe and really try to bridge that gap and bring the community together and see what happens with it because we want the input from them, right?
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Yes, further down the road, we we have something called the road to 25 of what we're trying to create with the communities, and then try to create a big community event where people can come and talk and there's keynote and there's stages and these things.
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But what we really want is want people to to reach out and be like, hey, I would love it if you guys talk about this, or could I see this in this speaker and give us this input because that's what we're here for.
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We're here to really yeah, cater to you guys and really try to make sure that you guys get what you want because everybody's hungry for knowledge and knowledge is power, we know that.
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Um, if we could predict what happens over the next five years with AI and all of these things, um yeah, I mean, I I think the chances high to win the lottery than to predict what's gonna happen.
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But if you look at how everybody's scaling up and the investments that are happening, um yeah, this there's something coming.
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This it's it's an it's an avalanche now.
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So uh we've got to stay on top of it.
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Yeah, and I think obviously covered quite a lot there, but the community aspect is what I think really brought us together in that we don't have a motive a lot of the times.
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It is it is really to get the community, get the people together and provide what they want.
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I think we'll we've always been looking at things slightly differently.
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You know, we don't very much don't want events to be the same people talking about the same topics at every event.
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We don't want the conversations to be a token conversation of 20 minutes to cover next generation of talent, for example, just because they feel like they have to do it.
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We don't want a talk on diversity just because they feel like they have to do it.
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It should very much be what the people want to listen.
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And also from a speaker perspective, you know, you've touched on it, and we've talked about this a lot.
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Who do you want to hear from?
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Because personally, I don't want to hear from the same people every single time.
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I want to hear fresh ideas, and fresh ideas don't always come from within the industry either, they come from outside the industry.
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So there's loads of ways you can take the the event space.
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Yeah, no, no, it's it's it.
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I mean, if if we look at if we look at 10 events across Europe, you probably see the same people on panels and keynotes.
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And I think this is also why a lot of the listeners here who are probably senior decision makers or in management positions within their organizations probably don't attend these events anymore because they say, Well, either I know that person already, or I've seen him already four times, or I've seen her four times.
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Um, and of course, there's a there's a there's a very it's a very thin line.
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A lot of organizers slip into that space of ticking boxes.
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All right, people want diversity, tick.
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But this comes back to what I said people do what the exhibitor wants to have, right?
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So it's a big company who comes and says, Well, we're pushing now ESG, we're pushing now sustainability, and then the organizer goes, Okay, sustainability is not a big topic, we need to do it.
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Um, yes, it is important, but there's a certain approach on how to do it and bring, like you said, people from outside the industry because they they look at it with a completely fresh set of eyes, and when they look at it, they will see things that we maybe don't see who do who work in that space.
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Um, it could be from rail operators, aviation, uh could be anything, right?
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Could be even some environmental scientists, um, space ex people from space who work on NASA and these things.
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So there's really some um, yeah, there's some got some interesting plans um we're planning to do with it.
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But some of these people will also we're planning to bring them for these meetups, which we're gonna do, because I think that would be quite interesting because it just puts a really nice twist into it.
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And um I I said uh with the team we said there's a big rule which is called leave your ego at the door.
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So this is like if you come to this event, even if you come to data center club nights, AI nights, and we will definitely do an AI nights meets data center club nights very soon.
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Um, it's it's really important that people really put down the barriers and really talk with each other openly.
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And I think that's what's that's what's really needed in the industry.
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Uh definitely, and obviously that brings us on to data center club nights.
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And we've been teasing the idea on on LinkedIn and alike recently.
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And this is an idea that came from both of us, you know, we kind of got together and said, Hey, there's something here.
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Um, the no name badge, the open door, you know, all those aspects were a real key part of it.
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Networking to actually meet new contacts rather than meet the same people that you meet at every other networking event.
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And say, like the community aspect is very much that open for all, you know, we don't want to be charging X amount of Euros to just to get into these events.
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That's not why we're doing it, is to try and bring people together.
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Um, and obviously we met, had a few, you know, a couple of times, a few drinks, a bit of dinner, and and the idea came to life.
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And now obviously we're looking to take it on the road in in 2024.
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Yeah, I mean, that's really what it is because um, I mean, lots of you in the community will know these events, but they're normally sponsored by um by companies, and this is something which creates again.
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Well, it's not a very open environment for collaboration because everybody has their uh drive behind it, they want to sell their products or their services, and we're just really trying to create something for the community, which is it's apart from that because it's it's for us, it's really about you, about you guys, and it's about bringing it together and let's see what's gonna come out of it.
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Because uh, we're even partnering up with uh foundations who sort of have the same goals because they also want to help build communities in countries who don't have the needs, and this is really it's a I mean, one community that's doing it beautiful, I must say it, is the open source community.
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They do this really beautifully.
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I they have their meetups, everybody comes together.
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It doesn't matter from which company you work for, if you work for the hyperscalers, what your job title is, you're on that stage, you collaborate with your fellows who around you and who work in the same space.
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That's that's something we need to try to create here.
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Um, and what I see a lot is that you have a lot of data center events who speak about AI and what it could bring, and you have a lot of AI events speaking about oh my god, we need we don't have enough capacities, and this is happening.
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And so then I was like, Well, there's no rocket science.
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How about I just put both of them in one room?
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And this is basically what we're trying to create in 25.
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Um, and then people wouldn't need to fly to the US to go to summits and these things, you're gonna be able to find it in Europe.
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Um, but more about that is to follow because it's still a little bit too early to reveal uh everything about it.
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Let's just put it like this.
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And again, though, AI has become such a big topic, and obviously we won't talk about the event, but it has become a key focus of a lot of these, um, a lot of the events that are taking place in the data center industry.
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But if you actually look at the agenda, there's very little from the AI community, it's very much data center people talking about the challenges that AI brings, which is obviously capacity, demand, growth, etc.
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But there's not many experts from within AI saying this is what's coming, or this is what you can expect, or this is how you can manage it.
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It's all data center people saying, got a bit of a problem here, but no one from the AI community adding their input.
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Yeah, and and you know what gets even it gets even it gets even better because I have the you have that um the investment communities for the data center industry.
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These guys and girls are sitting there and they're like, Um, how can we invest in AI businesses?
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Well, do you just see that even these big investment firms don't really have access to that community?
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And it's like surreal because I I think one big I think one big issue here is that you have two different generations.
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That AI community, the data AI community is a very I wouldn't say young, but yeah, it's it's probably this yeah, there's probably a 20 20 years age gap in between, I would say, probably in the decision makers space, uh, between the two industries.
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And yeah, how do you bring them together?
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Well, just have a drink in the evening, and I mean Munich within a pub, if you is very casual, and people love it because uh it's uh the I had had one gentleman he showed up, he was um old old Bavarian gentleman.
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Um, shout out to Otto here on the podcast.
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Otto, Otto is in this Otto is in the 70s, and Otto was like, you know, we uh in in Bavaria, you know, when you have these traditional beer uh tables where the you sit once a week and you talk, and he's like, he's like the only thing we talk about is AI.
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And he's like, but we can't get the youngsters to come with us during the week uh in the evening on a table and talk about.
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And and he's like, that's why I came to this event, because I want to understand what is AI, how does it work?
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And it's the same way around.
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People here data center, data center, data center.
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You will probably have a lot of people show up to these data center events and be like, What is actually a data center?
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How does it work?
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And what are the impacts?
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And sometimes you'd be surprised because these individuals will work for um for the city, they will work for the government, they will be business owners.
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In um, they will have this small, well, small SMEs with maybe 500, 600 employees.
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But this is again potential clients for somebody that's a data center architect because this guy is maybe upscaling or the next generation is coming in, and he needs to grow his business.
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So it's really about bringing everybody together that is one interest in the tech space, wants to learn, wants to know, but then also have the insiders there to really share the knowledge between each other.
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Um, and I think that's sort of the philosophy we're trying to uh go by with.
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Yeah, and there's been some great new events.
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I'm gonna shout out to Gen Plus One in the UK who are doing the next generation under 35, I think.
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So I just uh just scrape in it, not um, but they're they're doing some great events for for young people in the sector.
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Um there's a lot of good things happening now, and hopefully we can we want to work together with these types of organizations to bring them together with the AI community as well.
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So, but equally the point you're making, I guess, is those people that are not in our industry, give them the opportunity to come to these events and have a conversation because if we want to attract more people, which we all talk about all of the time, and we've been at events where they've talked about it.
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I've been in discussions with events about hosting something around it, and it's never happened because it's not driven by sponsors, it's driven by community.
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Um, but that opportunity for them to come into a bar or wherever we are and just have a chat with somebody is really important.
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If you want a career in the industry, pop in, have a chat to some people that work in it and learn a bit more about it.
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Yeah, this is and that's the thing that always surprised me in this particular industry.
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It's in in other industries, you walk into conferences, events, whatever it is, and you have a big like something called a job wall, right?
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And then the companies will put, hey, we're looking for this person, this person, this person, and then when the younger people come in and after, you can just scan the QR codes, apply for it.
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You would have the the head of talents for the businesses also walking around trying to engage with these young people.
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So, why don't we do this for for this industry?
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I I don't understand it because it's it's not like it's it's not like it hasn't been around only for two years, it has been around for for ages.
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So, and this is also one of like the the things that we're then trying to do with you, obviously with the work that you're doing, is to really create this this the space then like yes, let's let's nurture young talent, but also older talent.
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Like if they come from a different industry and they want to change and all of these, like it come on, like it's open, it's an open community.
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So, actually, you should call it open data centers.
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But it's not very secure, I know Andy.
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Sorry, I'm probably gonna get some bad comments on this one, but um, I I think I think it's just yeah, let's collaborate.
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Like, why not?
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What's stopping it?
00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:59.680
I mean, it's there's so much stuff happening, and the only way we can really make a change if we stick together and we do it as a community, rather than trying to individually change things, which is yeah, it might work, but together I think we have more pull when it comes to it.
00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.720
Yeah, 100%.
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.240
And I think the right people will come together, and that's that's the key to this.
00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:09.359
And and on the talent piece, I think a lot of it comes from a fear of losing talent.
00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:13.599
I think that's why the the sector's very much we need to keep hold of our talent.
00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:20.319
Um, yeah, I can I can quite happily tell you that at these events there's a lot of uh talent conversations happening behind closed doors.
00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:28.559
So having a job ball on the wall is not gonna change anything, it will hopefully help more people find the right role, but they'll still find the roles if they really want them.
00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:30.480
And it could bring more people to you.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.039
If you focus on retention, you won't lose the talent anyway.
00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.400
I think that's the key.
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:37.759
So dates in the club nights coming soon.
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.119
Where are we gonna be?
00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.079
What's the well?
00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:44.079
I I I well, I think there's gonna be some pizza and some pasta with the first one.
00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.640
There's a clue.
00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:49.119
There's a clue, some pizza and some pasta.
00:20:49.359 --> 00:21:00.000
Um, yeah, it's it's also we're trying to really take it to communities who are not as um, I would say, as well established when it comes to the event space as of course in London.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.039
I mean, you have a meetup every week about some topic.
00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:05.599
So really trying to take it to these areas.
00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:09.519
Um, and uh let's see, I would say watch the space.
00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:14.319
Um, if you want to get involved, with let us know, reach out to us.
00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.079
We're really open for it.
00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:18.559
Um, and then maybe another giveaway.
00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:25.279
Everybody, maybe if you would be around in Munich in some time during the Oktoberfest, end of September.
00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:35.200
Um, yeah, maybe look for a hotel already because there might be uh something worthy the data center club nights, but you need to probably bring your leatherhose and then your dendle for it.
00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:37.200
Let's just put it like this.
00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.920
And on one point you made that you know, we can make this a global community.
00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.920
You know, data center club already is global.
00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.039
There's people in it from all over the world, and there's people regularly reaching out to me and saying, you know, what can I do to drive it?
00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:59.759
And we really do have plans to drive it and make it big, make it a so if you are listening and you think you can help us somewhere in the world.
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.359
please reach out.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.960
We are open to to spread in the net as as quickly as we can from a community perspective.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:11.519
So you know if you're if you're somewhere where you think this might work, drop us a message.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.720
We're happy to jump on a call and have a conversation about it.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:19.279
And help you out wherever you need help with it because it's really about building the community.
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:24.160
I mean it's it should not stop with the place you're at.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:30.319
It's you one person is enough to start a community I always say and then from there it just grows.
00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:36.079
And I think that's something uh beautiful that's a pretty that that's a beautiful thing about being a human.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:40.480
We can't be alone right and that's that is exactly data center club though.
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:48.000
And I've said it before when we did our podcast about data center club I've said it it was an idea to try and bring people together.
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.079
I had no idea what would happen with it.
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:55.279
And let's be totally honest we've not done a lot of marketing promotion or anything around it.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:22.400
It's just a community on LinkedIn with a goal to bring people together to remove the barriers that that's all it is but we now sit at 3,000 and something members we're not far off the members of another data center community that we won't mention but we're not far off the members of that group and we will grow well above that we'll know what group you're talking about because we have I think we have our own shirts now Andy isn't it yes merch is coming soon.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:24:04.640
Merch is com merch is coming so you might see a picture of Andy with a data center club shirt on on the road and that but that brings us on to the final point I wanted to talk about you mentioned it at the start I want to know what the listeners want and that goes for merch as well you know what merch do you want but the the key point is what do you want from an event or a networking event it could be you could consider this as a you know a one-day event what do you want to see at an event like that or you could consider it from an evening networking event what do you want you know from we've touched on the sort of no name badge the open door policy trying to bring different communities together but what else do you want?
00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:10.559
We really really do want to know you know to please come back to myself or Paul to to discuss.
00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:40.000
Yeah that would be lovely and even like speaker wise who would you love to see I mean clear Sam Altman Bill Gates Steve Jobs if you could bring him back and see how he would reveal the next iPhone which probably looks the same as the one currently does but it's like yeah it's like who who would you like to see on a stage and even what industry are they from and do you think that would be for you something we want to really create something which creates impact for generations to come.
00:24:40.319 --> 00:25:14.480
And I think that's at a nice nice cliffhanger right yeah definitely and it could be that we offshoot this into loads of different avenues as well it doesn't have to be one you know we might have leadership next generation AI we don't know where this is going but it can go anywhere you want it to go and I think that's the key message we're trying to paint here is what do you want we'll create it with your support and we want people to get involved as well you know I I can't do data center club on my own Paul wants feedback for his events so that we can make them the best events that are out there.
00:25:14.559 --> 00:26:05.920
So come into the community help us out and you know you can be a part of this which hopefully is a motivation to to get in touch with us and also if you know a nice location in your city where you you think we should do a data center club night let us know we'll be in touch how about this one if you've got a data center where we can have a data center club nights even better we'll bring we'll bring immediately we'll obviously sign an Nda before we enter we'll bring our ID to get through the door but if that would be amazing I don't think it'll ever happen but if anyone listening's got a data center or if it's a data center that's no longer in use that will be that would be another that would be a proper data center club night so yeah to all the I I would think to all the operators out there if you can give us a data center for a night we make it worth your time.
00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:43.279
Free promotion free promotion from us free data center from you it's a win-win we better leave it there because otherwise we'll go into too much detail about what we're trying to do or we'll just uh talk on all day um we'll be this will probably come out after kickstart but we might see some of you at kickstart or have seen some of you I'll be at um data centre world in London the the week after Paul is always around at the event so if you see either of us you know please come and speak to us about this idea and and help us out and as I say you know drop us a message if you want to have a chat about anything we've talked about it we'd love to hear from you.
00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:47.519
Perfect thank you for having me Andy and see you in Amsterdam.
00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:48.559
See you there.
00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.119
Gone for the flight bye
00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:03.839
Next is the inside data center podcast.
00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:25.839
It's your host, Andy Davis.
00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.760
Welcome to the Inside Data Center podcast.
00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.920
Today I'm joined by Paul Hammer.
00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:35.119
Morning, Paul.
00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:36.240
Morning, Andy.
00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.560
Thanks for having me back here again.
00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:40.159
Um absolute pleasure.
00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:45.280
I I think we almost crossed a scandal with our picture in central London with a dog.
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:48.640
The dog is, I think, more famous now than both of us come back.
00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:50.640
So yeah.
00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:51.359
Exactly.
00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:56.479
I think it proves the uh the influence of status is definitely better for dogs.
00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:59.200
So we need to get a dog, which is uh clear.
00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:02.560
We need a we need a team dog for Data X, a team dog for the podcast.
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:04.159
Um but that but thanks for coming on.
00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:06.159
Obviously, you said you've been on before.
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.200
Yeah, I'll I'll share some of the links to our previous conversations.
00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:14.879
Yeah, we we've had a lot of conversations around events, communities, how we can shape things up a little bit.
00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:20.159
What we're going to try and do now is explain to the listeners and the wider audience what we're up to.
00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:27.760
So hopefully this will be an insight into our world, what we've been doing behind the scenes while we've been uh meeting in London for very nice lunches.
00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:29.439
Yeah, very nice lunches.
00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:37.040
And uh I think the data center club has now its first K9 member, which is also quite uh shows that we're thinking outside the box here, isn't it?
00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:43.120
Um and I did say when I started the community that it's open for all, and I and I genuinely meant that.
00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:44.560
So dogs, dogs are welcome.
00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.079
Before we go into it though, do you want to just give some people might not know who you are?
00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:49.359
Yeah, some people might not know me.
00:01:50.400 --> 00:02:03.200
Yeah, so um I used to I used to run uh Data Center World in uh Germany and um which is a tech show Frankfurt and various other events um across Europe and was always in the tech space.
00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:16.719
Um left that organizer back in uh 22, December 22, joined a company called EasyFares, um, which is a very community-focused event organizer across Europe.
00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:26.159
Um, and yeah, worked on a couple of concepts over the last one year, and now sort of things are taking shape, and uh we sort of know which directions we're going.
00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:29.439
So uh we came up with a new brand, it's called Tech Stars.
00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:41.439
Um, it's basically um complete reverse of how you would organize an event instead of thinking about what does the exhibitor want, we think about what does the attendee want.
00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:48.560
Um, and this is really where it drives it because it's the community behind it that really wants to see a change, and that's how we feel.
00:02:48.639 --> 00:03:04.560
It's uh it's time for change, and it's time to bring events to the 21st century and um and really speak with people, go into the communities and help to help the community shape what you're trying to create for them, which is a platform basically, which you have done already amazing with Data Center Club.
00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.439
Um, on Monday, we have done a data and AI night in Munich.
00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:16.879
Um, and it was just yeah, two weeks before we put it on LinkedIn and said, Hey, you work in that space, come around.
00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:21.759
Uh, surprise, surprise, I think 60% of the attendees were from the data center industry.
00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:25.360
Um, there were a couple of oldies even there, they called themselves the oldies.
00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:31.039
Um, they said, Well, you know, uh, we need to understand what AI is and what are the real impacts on us.
00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:48.800
And uh, and then of course you get into the typical conversation, say, Well, you go to various events and they're like, Yeah, we speak about it from a hardware perspective and say we need to upscale, upscale, upscale, but we don't really understand what we're upscaling for and what are the actual impacts of it.
00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:50.960
So that's where it gets quite interesting.
00:03:51.120 --> 00:04:09.199
So, um, but that's a bit of a repeat of the conversation I think that we had also two weeks ago in London because it's um I think it's time for change, but also time to give the community the power to really get the knowledge that they want when they attend any kind of event, and um, that's why thanks for having me here.
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:12.879
And I think we have a couple of things we're gonna reveal today on the pot.
00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:17.360
Um, because I think the data center club is going into his next chapter.
00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:18.879
Well, that's it.
00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:22.319
We are, we're not and we're gonna shout out to the listeners.
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Well, say it now, but you know, we want some feedback from you around events.
00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:30.000
We're gonna shout out at the end and have a bit, we're gonna end the podcast with that debate of what we want.
00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:41.040
But if you're listening now, please reach out to me or Paul after this when you've listened to this conversation and and tell us what you want in an event because we are very much community focused.
00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:43.839
We do want to shake things up, we are going to do it.
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We want you to be the drivers, so please come back to us with some feedback.
00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:56.240
I think on that point, you said obviously we had lunch uh a couple of weeks ago, um, and we've met quite a few times over the last probably 12 to 18 months.
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But yeah, how how did someone like you and someone like me end up collaborating?
00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:08.160
It's probably quite a good question because you know, I'm in the recruitment world, you know, I do have obviously the community focus.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:13.040
You're in the events, we're very separate lives, didn't know each other before these conversations.
00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.439
Yeah, how did we get together?
00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.680
Well, I would I would say the thing is we both have sort of the same interest.
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Um, I think early conversations we used to have at different events across south of France, London, wherever it was.
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It was always the same thing.
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It was like, yeah, well, the next generation sort of needs to come into the industry.
00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:37.600
Um, there's a gender gap, there's an age gap, there's a knowledge gap.
00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:43.680
The community, the data center community is very um, I would say they keep themselves to themselves.
00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.240
The AI community does the same thing.
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And it's just like, okay, let's just think out of the box.
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Why don't we just try to bring everybody together?
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And let's maybe think about what the younger people would like to do, or what interests other genders or ethnicities, and what really creates an open platform, and then what really works well in the US is networking events.
00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:07.519
What means networking events?
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Networking events means that you meet up in the evening and you just have a drink with somebody, and you know what?
00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:19.839
Um, maybe you don't have a job title on your batch, or you you just you're Andy and I'm Paul.
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And uh, what is AI to me, or what what do you think is the impact of data centers?
00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:45.600
And if you create this this really um safe environment where everybody is just a human being within a community because everybody wants to grow, wants to network, and wants to chat, it it really um opens space for collaborations between different individuals that would never speak if they meet each other on the road, and that's what we saw on Monday.
00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:58.879
We had um with some uh with the ex CEO of Amazon Europe, he showed up there and he was talking to a 22-year-old uh technical university of Munich student about uh AI.
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And this is this you would never create at a traditional trade fair, and this is sort of the the the idea behind it, and that's why for the data center community it's also time to really freshen up a bit.
00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:18.639
And I think that's where we came up with the nice idea to call it not data center club, but we're gonna call it data center club nights.
00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:23.040
So, and this is I think it's the the cat is out of the bag with that one.
00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:29.600
Um, but I think the idea behind it is really to bring um to bring everybody together and just just have a laugh and just have a talk.
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:43.360
Um, and I think that's something we're gonna try to do over the next coming months with different locations across Europe and really try to bridge that gap and bring the community together and see what happens with it because we want the input from them, right?
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:56.000
Yes, further down the road, we we have something called the road to 25 of what we're trying to create with the communities, and then try to create a big community event where people can come and talk and there's keynote and there's stages and these things.
00:07:56.240 --> 00:08:06.800
But what we really want is want people to to reach out and be like, hey, I would love it if you guys talk about this, or could I see this in this speaker and give us this input because that's what we're here for.
00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:16.240
We're here to really yeah, cater to you guys and really try to make sure that you guys get what you want because everybody's hungry for knowledge and knowledge is power, we know that.
00:08:16.480 --> 00:08:27.519
Um, if we could predict what happens over the next five years with AI and all of these things, um yeah, I mean, I I think the chances high to win the lottery than to predict what's gonna happen.
00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:34.080
But if you look at how everybody's scaling up and the investments that are happening, um yeah, this there's something coming.
00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:36.480
This it's it's an it's an avalanche now.
00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:39.200
So uh we've got to stay on top of it.
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Yeah, and I think obviously covered quite a lot there, but the community aspect is what I think really brought us together in that we don't have a motive a lot of the times.
00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:53.279
It is it is really to get the community, get the people together and provide what they want.
00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:56.480
I think we'll we've always been looking at things slightly differently.
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You know, we don't very much don't want events to be the same people talking about the same topics at every event.
00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:12.720
We don't want the conversations to be a token conversation of 20 minutes to cover next generation of talent, for example, just because they feel like they have to do it.
00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:17.840
We don't want a talk on diversity just because they feel like they have to do it.
00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.120
It should very much be what the people want to listen.
00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:25.600
And also from a speaker perspective, you know, you've touched on it, and we've talked about this a lot.
00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:27.120
Who do you want to hear from?
00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:32.399
Because personally, I don't want to hear from the same people every single time.
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:38.399
I want to hear fresh ideas, and fresh ideas don't always come from within the industry either, they come from outside the industry.
00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.679
So there's loads of ways you can take the the event space.
00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:43.600
Yeah, no, no, it's it's it.
00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:51.039
I mean, if if we look at if we look at 10 events across Europe, you probably see the same people on panels and keynotes.
00:09:51.279 --> 00:10:07.360
And I think this is also why a lot of the listeners here who are probably senior decision makers or in management positions within their organizations probably don't attend these events anymore because they say, Well, either I know that person already, or I've seen him already four times, or I've seen her four times.
00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:12.000
Um, and of course, there's a there's a there's a very it's a very thin line.
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:15.200
A lot of organizers slip into that space of ticking boxes.
00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:17.279
All right, people want diversity, tick.
00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:22.639
But this comes back to what I said people do what the exhibitor wants to have, right?
00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:32.559
So it's a big company who comes and says, Well, we're pushing now ESG, we're pushing now sustainability, and then the organizer goes, Okay, sustainability is not a big topic, we need to do it.
00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:48.320
Um, yes, it is important, but there's a certain approach on how to do it and bring, like you said, people from outside the industry because they they look at it with a completely fresh set of eyes, and when they look at it, they will see things that we maybe don't see who do who work in that space.
00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:54.639
Um, it could be from rail operators, aviation, uh could be anything, right?
00:10:54.799 --> 00:11:02.240
Could be even some environmental scientists, um, space ex people from space who work on NASA and these things.
00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:08.639
So there's really some um, yeah, there's some got some interesting plans um we're planning to do with it.
00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:17.120
But some of these people will also we're planning to bring them for these meetups, which we're gonna do, because I think that would be quite interesting because it just puts a really nice twist into it.
00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:23.279
And um I I said uh with the team we said there's a big rule which is called leave your ego at the door.
00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:34.000
So this is like if you come to this event, even if you come to data center club nights, AI nights, and we will definitely do an AI nights meets data center club nights very soon.
00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:41.279
Um, it's it's really important that people really put down the barriers and really talk with each other openly.
00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.240
And I think that's what's that's what's really needed in the industry.
00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:48.159
Uh definitely, and obviously that brings us on to data center club nights.
00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:52.320
And we've been teasing the idea on on LinkedIn and alike recently.
00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:58.159
And this is an idea that came from both of us, you know, we kind of got together and said, Hey, there's something here.
00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:04.320
Um, the no name badge, the open door, you know, all those aspects were a real key part of it.
00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:11.279
Networking to actually meet new contacts rather than meet the same people that you meet at every other networking event.
00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:20.399
And say, like the community aspect is very much that open for all, you know, we don't want to be charging X amount of Euros to just to get into these events.
00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.159
That's not why we're doing it, is to try and bring people together.
00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:30.960
Um, and obviously we met, had a few, you know, a couple of times, a few drinks, a bit of dinner, and and the idea came to life.
00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:35.519
And now obviously we're looking to take it on the road in in 2024.
00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:47.200
Yeah, I mean, that's really what it is because um, I mean, lots of you in the community will know these events, but they're normally sponsored by um by companies, and this is something which creates again.
00:12:47.519 --> 00:13:10.639
Well, it's not a very open environment for collaboration because everybody has their uh drive behind it, they want to sell their products or their services, and we're just really trying to create something for the community, which is it's apart from that because it's it's for us, it's really about you, about you guys, and it's about bringing it together and let's see what's gonna come out of it.
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:28.240
Because uh, we're even partnering up with uh foundations who sort of have the same goals because they also want to help build communities in countries who don't have the needs, and this is really it's a I mean, one community that's doing it beautiful, I must say it, is the open source community.
00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.960
They do this really beautifully.
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:33.759
I they have their meetups, everybody comes together.
00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:44.799
It doesn't matter from which company you work for, if you work for the hyperscalers, what your job title is, you're on that stage, you collaborate with your fellows who around you and who work in the same space.
00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.759
That's that's something we need to try to create here.
00:13:47.919 --> 00:14:02.080
Um, and what I see a lot is that you have a lot of data center events who speak about AI and what it could bring, and you have a lot of AI events speaking about oh my god, we need we don't have enough capacities, and this is happening.
00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:04.399
And so then I was like, Well, there's no rocket science.
00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.399
How about I just put both of them in one room?
00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.600
And this is basically what we're trying to create in 25.
00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:16.480
Um, and then people wouldn't need to fly to the US to go to summits and these things, you're gonna be able to find it in Europe.
00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:23.600
Um, but more about that is to follow because it's still a little bit too early to reveal uh everything about it.
00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:25.440
Let's just put it like this.
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:36.639
And again, though, AI has become such a big topic, and obviously we won't talk about the event, but it has become a key focus of a lot of these, um, a lot of the events that are taking place in the data center industry.
00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:47.360
But if you actually look at the agenda, there's very little from the AI community, it's very much data center people talking about the challenges that AI brings, which is obviously capacity, demand, growth, etc.
00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:54.960
But there's not many experts from within AI saying this is what's coming, or this is what you can expect, or this is how you can manage it.
00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:02.320
It's all data center people saying, got a bit of a problem here, but no one from the AI community adding their input.
00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:12.399
Yeah, and and you know what gets even it gets even it gets even better because I have the you have that um the investment communities for the data center industry.
00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:18.000
These guys and girls are sitting there and they're like, Um, how can we invest in AI businesses?
00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:26.240
Well, do you just see that even these big investment firms don't really have access to that community?
00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:33.440
And it's like surreal because I I think one big I think one big issue here is that you have two different generations.
00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:48.240
That AI community, the data AI community is a very I wouldn't say young, but yeah, it's it's probably this yeah, there's probably a 20 20 years age gap in between, I would say, probably in the decision makers space, uh, between the two industries.
00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.000
And yeah, how do you bring them together?
00:15:50.080 --> 00:16:05.120
Well, just have a drink in the evening, and I mean Munich within a pub, if you is very casual, and people love it because uh it's uh the I had had one gentleman he showed up, he was um old old Bavarian gentleman.
00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:08.320
Um, shout out to Otto here on the podcast.
00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:22.399
Otto, Otto is in this Otto is in the 70s, and Otto was like, you know, we uh in in Bavaria, you know, when you have these traditional beer uh tables where the you sit once a week and you talk, and he's like, he's like the only thing we talk about is AI.
00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:29.039
And he's like, but we can't get the youngsters to come with us during the week uh in the evening on a table and talk about.
00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:34.320
And and he's like, that's why I came to this event, because I want to understand what is AI, how does it work?
00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:35.759
And it's the same way around.
00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:38.799
People here data center, data center, data center.
00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:44.000
You will probably have a lot of people show up to these data center events and be like, What is actually a data center?
00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:44.960
How does it work?
00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:46.559
And what are the impacts?
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:54.960
And sometimes you'd be surprised because these individuals will work for um for the city, they will work for the government, they will be business owners.
00:16:55.039 --> 00:17:00.320
In um, they will have this small, well, small SMEs with maybe 500, 600 employees.
00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:10.319
But this is again potential clients for somebody that's a data center architect because this guy is maybe upscaling or the next generation is coming in, and he needs to grow his business.
00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:21.599
So it's really about bringing everybody together that is one interest in the tech space, wants to learn, wants to know, but then also have the insiders there to really share the knowledge between each other.
00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:26.400
Um, and I think that's sort of the philosophy we're trying to uh go by with.
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.359
Yeah, and there's been some great new events.
00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:35.759
I'm gonna shout out to Gen Plus One in the UK who are doing the next generation under 35, I think.
00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:42.400
So I just uh just scrape in it, not um, but they're they're doing some great events for for young people in the sector.
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:49.839
Um there's a lot of good things happening now, and hopefully we can we want to work together with these types of organizations to bring them together with the AI community as well.
00:17:49.920 --> 00:18:03.920
So, but equally the point you're making, I guess, is those people that are not in our industry, give them the opportunity to come to these events and have a conversation because if we want to attract more people, which we all talk about all of the time, and we've been at events where they've talked about it.
00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:12.319
I've been in discussions with events about hosting something around it, and it's never happened because it's not driven by sponsors, it's driven by community.
00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:19.440
Um, but that opportunity for them to come into a bar or wherever we are and just have a chat with somebody is really important.
00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:24.880
If you want a career in the industry, pop in, have a chat to some people that work in it and learn a bit more about it.
00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:29.279
Yeah, this is and that's the thing that always surprised me in this particular industry.
00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:37.839
It's in in other industries, you walk into conferences, events, whatever it is, and you have a big like something called a job wall, right?
00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:47.119
And then the companies will put, hey, we're looking for this person, this person, this person, and then when the younger people come in and after, you can just scan the QR codes, apply for it.
00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:53.200
You would have the the head of talents for the businesses also walking around trying to engage with these young people.
00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:56.000
So, why don't we do this for for this industry?
00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:03.920
I I don't understand it because it's it's not like it's it's not like it hasn't been around only for two years, it has been around for for ages.
00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:16.400
So, and this is also one of like the the things that we're then trying to do with you, obviously with the work that you're doing, is to really create this this the space then like yes, let's let's nurture young talent, but also older talent.
00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:25.039
Like if they come from a different industry and they want to change and all of these, like it come on, like it's open, it's an open community.
00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.240
So, actually, you should call it open data centers.
00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.759
But it's not very secure, I know Andy.
00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:38.400
Sorry, I'm probably gonna get some bad comments on this one, but um, I I think I think it's just yeah, let's collaborate.
00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.359
Like, why not?
00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:40.559
What's stopping it?
00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:59.680
I mean, it's there's so much stuff happening, and the only way we can really make a change if we stick together and we do it as a community, rather than trying to individually change things, which is yeah, it might work, but together I think we have more pull when it comes to it.
00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.720
Yeah, 100%.
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.240
And I think the right people will come together, and that's that's the key to this.
00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:09.359
And and on the talent piece, I think a lot of it comes from a fear of losing talent.
00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:13.599
I think that's why the the sector's very much we need to keep hold of our talent.
00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:20.319
Um, yeah, I can I can quite happily tell you that at these events there's a lot of uh talent conversations happening behind closed doors.
00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:28.559
So having a job ball on the wall is not gonna change anything, it will hopefully help more people find the right role, but they'll still find the roles if they really want them.
00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:30.480
And it could bring more people to you.
00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.039
If you focus on retention, you won't lose the talent anyway.
00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:34.400
I think that's the key.
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:37.759
So dates in the club nights coming soon.
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.119
Where are we gonna be?
00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:40.079
What's the well?
00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:44.079
I I I well, I think there's gonna be some pizza and some pasta with the first one.
00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.640
There's a clue.
00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:49.119
There's a clue, some pizza and some pasta.
00:20:49.359 --> 00:21:00.000
Um, yeah, it's it's also we're trying to really take it to communities who are not as um, I would say, as well established when it comes to the event space as of course in London.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.039
I mean, you have a meetup every week about some topic.
00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:05.599
So really trying to take it to these areas.
00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:09.519
Um, and uh let's see, I would say watch the space.
00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:14.319
Um, if you want to get involved, with let us know, reach out to us.
00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.079
We're really open for it.
00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:18.559
Um, and then maybe another giveaway.
00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:25.279
Everybody, maybe if you would be around in Munich in some time during the Oktoberfest, end of September.
00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:35.200
Um, yeah, maybe look for a hotel already because there might be uh something worthy the data center club nights, but you need to probably bring your leatherhose and then your dendle for it.
00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:37.200
Let's just put it like this.
00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.920
And on one point you made that you know, we can make this a global community.
00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.920
You know, data center club already is global.
00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.039
There's people in it from all over the world, and there's people regularly reaching out to me and saying, you know, what can I do to drive it?
00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:59.759
And we really do have plans to drive it and make it big, make it a so if you are listening and you think you can help us somewhere in the world.
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.359
please reach out.
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.960
We are open to to spread in the net as as quickly as we can from a community perspective.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:11.519
So you know if you're if you're somewhere where you think this might work, drop us a message.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.720
We're happy to jump on a call and have a conversation about it.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:19.279
And help you out wherever you need help with it because it's really about building the community.
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:24.160
I mean it's it should not stop with the place you're at.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:30.319
It's you one person is enough to start a community I always say and then from there it just grows.
00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:36.079
And I think that's something uh beautiful that's a pretty that that's a beautiful thing about being a human.
00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:40.480
We can't be alone right and that's that is exactly data center club though.
00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:48.000
And I've said it before when we did our podcast about data center club I've said it it was an idea to try and bring people together.
00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.079
I had no idea what would happen with it.
00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:55.279
And let's be totally honest we've not done a lot of marketing promotion or anything around it.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:22.400
It's just a community on LinkedIn with a goal to bring people together to remove the barriers that that's all it is but we now sit at 3,000 and something members we're not far off the members of another data center community that we won't mention but we're not far off the members of that group and we will grow well above that we'll know what group you're talking about because we have I think we have our own shirts now Andy isn't it yes merch is coming soon.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:24:04.640
Merch is com merch is coming so you might see a picture of Andy with a data center club shirt on on the road and that but that brings us on to the final point I wanted to talk about you mentioned it at the start I want to know what the listeners want and that goes for merch as well you know what merch do you want but the the key point is what do you want from an event or a networking event it could be you could consider this as a you know a one-day event what do you want to see at an event like that or you could consider it from an evening networking event what do you want you know from we've touched on the sort of no name badge the open door policy trying to bring different communities together but what else do you want?
00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:10.559
We really really do want to know you know to please come back to myself or Paul to to discuss.
00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:40.000
Yeah that would be lovely and even like speaker wise who would you love to see I mean clear Sam Altman Bill Gates Steve Jobs if you could bring him back and see how he would reveal the next iPhone which probably looks the same as the one currently does but it's like yeah it's like who who would you like to see on a stage and even what industry are they from and do you think that would be for you something we want to really create something which creates impact for generations to come.
00:24:40.319 --> 00:25:14.480
And I think that's at a nice nice cliffhanger right yeah definitely and it could be that we offshoot this into loads of different avenues as well it doesn't have to be one you know we might have leadership next generation AI we don't know where this is going but it can go anywhere you want it to go and I think that's the key message we're trying to paint here is what do you want we'll create it with your support and we want people to get involved as well you know I I can't do data center club on my own Paul wants feedback for his events so that we can make them the best events that are out there.
00:25:14.559 --> 00:26:05.920
So come into the community help us out and you know you can be a part of this which hopefully is a motivation to to get in touch with us and also if you know a nice location in your city where you you think we should do a data center club night let us know we'll be in touch how about this one if you've got a data center where we can have a data center club nights even better we'll bring we'll bring immediately we'll obviously sign an Nda before we enter we'll bring our ID to get through the door but if that would be amazing I don't think it'll ever happen but if anyone listening's got a data center or if it's a data center that's no longer in use that will be that would be another that would be a proper data center club night so yeah to all the I I would think to all the operators out there if you can give us a data center for a night we make it worth your time.
00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:43.279
Free promotion free promotion from us free data center from you it's a win-win we better leave it there because otherwise we'll go into too much detail about what we're trying to do or we'll just uh talk on all day um we'll be this will probably come out after kickstart but we might see some of you at kickstart or have seen some of you I'll be at um data centre world in London the the week after Paul is always around at the event so if you see either of us you know please come and speak to us about this idea and and help us out and as I say you know drop us a message if you want to have a chat about anything we've talked about it we'd love to hear from you.
00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:47.519
Perfect thank you for having me Andy and see you in Amsterdam.
00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:48.559
See you there.
00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.119
Gone for the flight bye
