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The most valuable commodity on earth today is data. How we make it, use it, move it & protect it. Join David McCall as he invites guests from all industries to talk about how they use data to drive their business & innovation in their market.
Episodes
Wednesday May 06, 2026
Wednesday May 06, 2026
Bill Kleyman, CEO of Apolo, says the gigawatt era is here, and our industry has to grow up fast. We get into power as a relationship, the new physical security frontline, why every data center is becoming an AI data center, and what bravery actually looks like in this market.
Chapters:
00:00 Cold Open: The Energetic Chipmunk on a Barrel of Oil
01:20 Welcome to the Gigawatt Era - Why It Is Already Here
06:31 The Outsider Reaction: When Trillions of Chips Sound Like a Threat
09:06 Listening to the Skeptics: A High School DECA Lesson and a GDC Backstage
23:36 Plant Seeds, Do Not Win Arguments - The Communication Playbook
24:50 Power Is Not a Line Item, It Is a Relationship
32:23 Bravery Defined: Big Decisions With Eyes Wide Open
38:14 Cloud, AI, and the Electrification Moment for Digital Infrastructure
44:02 The New Frontline: Physical Security in the AI Era
54:42 Tools of the Adversary: Drones, Wireless, and What Comes Next
59:38 The Catalyst, the Targets, and the Closing Charge of Fearless Curiosity
Links and References:
Bill Kleyman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billkleyman
Apolo (Bill’s company): https://www.apolo.us
Bill Kleyman personal site: https://billkleyman.com
AFCOM article — "2026: The Gigawatt Era Begins" (Bill’s monthly AFCOM piece referenced at the top of the episode). Read it here
AFCOM State of the Data Center 2026 — the 10th-anniversary edition of the report Bill authored. The "human threats overtaking ransomware" and "84% changing physical security" figures both come from this report.
AFCOM resources AFCOM forthcoming security article — "The New Frontline: Securing Data Centers in an AI Era," scheduled for AFCOM publication the Friday of the recording week. AFCOM news feed
Bastille Networks (referenced for wireless / drone-based facility security): https://bastille.net
Volta Grid (referenced for behind-the-meter natural gas generation): https://www.voltagrid.com
Schneider Electric Innovation Summit (where Bill heard the 200 GW projection): https://www.se.com/us/en/work/campaign/innovation/summit.jsp
NVIDIA GTC 2026 (Jensen Huang trillions-of-chips and 600 kW rack reference): https://www.nvidia.com/gtc
Game Developers Conference (GDC) - Bill’s Luminary Stage talk: https://gdconf.com
Nomad Futurist (industry talent and education organization Bill is on the board of): https://nomadfuturist.org
Infrastructure Masons (where Bill chairs the Education Committee): https://imasons.org
AFCOM (where Bill is Data Center World Program Chair): https://afcom.com
Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!
For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com
Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters
Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
Ojonimi Bako's dad survived hepatitis C on a clinical trial at Gilead. Now Ojonimi builds the facilities where the next cure gets discovered. The CEO of Kaya connects construction chaos, AI-driven supply chains, and what it means to build something that outlasts you -- in under 90 minutes.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction -- Ojonimi Bako, CEO of Kaya
00:00:53 From Accenture and Walmart Labs to Construction: The Origin Story
00:05:36 The Gilead Story -- Why Mission-Critical Infrastructure Is Literally Life and Death
00:10:44 Electricity, Night, and What the AI Transformation Actually Means
00:16:00 Practical AI: From Grocery Lists to Accelerating Human Expertise
00:19:08 Why People Resist AI -- and Why That Is Already Changing
00:26:35 Building the Pyramids Again: The Scale of the Data Center Revolution
00:28:41 Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Changing World -- The Full-Stack Operator
00:32:01 Foundation: Physics, Upward Bound, and Silicon Valley
00:35:55 Africa, London, Oslo -- How Global Experience Shapes Lateral Thinking
00:39:11 The Moment Ojonimi Saw the Problem: The Suffolk Accelerator
00:42:09 What Is Kaya and How Does It Work? 00:47:59 Choke Points -- The Real Challenges of Building Across Stakeholders
00:51:39 Japan, Trust, and the Single Plan
00:54:58 Buy, Track, Deliver -- The Kaya Platform Explained
00:56:38 Building Trust with Skeptical Customers -- Execution at Speed
01:04:00 Connecting Construction Work to Human Flourishing
01:04:40 The Base of the Economic Pyramid -- Supply Chain Responsibility in DRC and Africa
01:07:39 What Gives Ojonimi Hope -- Community, Gratitude, and What Comes Next
01:09:44 One Belief People Get Wrong About AI
01:13:04 The Leadership Habit He Is Still Developing -- His Father's Legacy
01:18:05 What We Didn't Get to Cover -- Real-World Results and 2026 Focus
01:19:26 How to Connect with Ojonimi Bako and Kaya
References:
Ojonimi Bako on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ojonimibako/
Kaya (company website): https://www.kayapays.com/
Accenture -- https://www.accenture.com
Walmart Global Tech (formerly Walmart Labs) -- https://tech.walmart.com
Gilead Sciences -- https://www.gilead.com
Suffolk Construction -- https://www.suffolk.com
Bootstrap Labs (Applied Artificial Intelligence fund, San Francisco) -- https://bootstraplabs.com
Nvidia -- https://www.nvidia.com
Amazon Web Services (AWS) -- https://aws.amazon.com
Kent State University -- https://www.kent.edu
Upward Bound Program / Ohio Wesleyan University -- https://www.owu.edu
Stanford Graduate School of Business (Executive MBA) -- https://www.gsb.stanford.edu
Procore Technologies (referenced as industry platform) -- https://www.procore.com
Autodesk Construction Cloud (referenced as industry platform) -- https://construction.autodesk.com
Architecture 2030 (carbon emissions from the built environment): https://architecture2030.org
Responsible Minerals Initiative (cobalt sourcing and the Democratic Republic of Congo): https://www.responsiblemineralsinitiative.org
Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!
For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com
Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters
Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcastoffice@q.com
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
I sat down with Ivo Ivanov to talk interconnection, AI, latency, resilience, and why digital infrastructure has to get closer to people. Airports, robots, sovereignty, and even space made their way into this one.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro & Why Interconnection Matters Now
00:01:20 - Explaining Interconnection in Plain English
00:06:09 - Why the Internet Must Be Developed Further
00:08:45 - Latency, Eye Blinks, and Real-Time Robotics
00:14:10 - Why Digital Infrastructure Must Be Everywhere
00:17:10 - Reducing Complexity Through Interconnection
00:19:47 - AI-IX, Agent Routing, and GPU as a Service
00:24:42 - Teaching New Employees the Language of Interconnection
00:28:39 - Carrier Neutral and Data Center Neutral Explained
00:31:22 - What Neutrality Has Meant for New York and Dallas
00:38:19 - Resilience, Redundancy, and Operational Risk
00:41:09 - Latency Is the New Currency
00:45:39 - Data Sovereignty, Security, and National Power
00:51:44 - What the Industry Is Still Underestimating
00:56:22 - Space Connectivity and the Digital Divide
01:01:01 - What Data Center Leaders Need to Hear
01:06:15 - Final Takeaway: Why This Industry Matters
References and External Links
DE-CIX corporate website: https://www.de-cix.net/en
DE-CIX North America: https://www.de-cix.net/en/north-america
DE-CIX Academy: https://www.de-cix.net/en/resources/de-cix-academy
Interconnection Academy: https://www.interconnectionacademy.net/
DE-CIX AI-IX press release: https://www.de-cix.net/en/about-de-cix/media/press-releases/de-cix-launches-worlds-first-fully-integrated-ai-internet-exchange-ai-ix-to-support-model-training-and-inference
DE-CIX neutrality study / US IX release: https://www.de-cix.net/en/about-de-cix/media/press-releases/80-of-us-internet-exchanges-are-now-data-center-and-carrier-neutral
DE-CIX Space IX: www.space-ix.net
Ivo Ivanov on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivo-ivanov-de-cix
Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!
For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com
Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters
Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Last year, I grabbed lunch with Rob Coyle and his son, Reid. While Reid was easily the most entertaining person at the table, the conversation regarding the Open Compute Project (OCP) stayed with me for months. We finally sat down in the studio to discuss how we facilitate the tools that will enable humanity to thrive. From 800-volt power to open standards for Artificial Intelligence (AI), we are exploring how to make the technology pie bigger for everyone. Because let's face it: secret sauce is overrated when you can feed the whole industry.
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Welcome & Rob’s BBQ Explanation of OCP
00:02:58 – The “Bigger Pie” Story That Sold Leadership
00:05:06 – Rob’s 10-Year Journey from Member to Foundation
00:07:48 – Core Mission: Multi-Vendor Ecosystem + Accelerating Innovation
00:09:04 – Safe, Fast Conversations: How OCP Actually Works
00:12:24 – Biggest Wins: 21-Inch Rack & Liquid Cooling
00:15:51 – Real Aha Moments at Events & Demos
00:21:53 – Why OCP Events Feel Different (Continuum of Innovation)
00:28:23 – Efficiency at the Core + Server Re-Engineering Story
00:33:13 – AI Shift: From Components to Full Open Systems
00:39:53 – 800-Volt Power & the New Power Distribution Project
00:55:22 – New Open Data Center for AI Initiative
01:01:48 – Surprise Conversation: Education & NIMBYs
01:07:25 – How Anyone (Even Students) Can Jump In for Free
01:14:44 – What Excites Rob Most About the Future
Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!
For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com
Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters
Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
We spend all day worrying about supply chains, but what about the "people chain"? Jason Coe and I dive into military-grade mission focus, the future of raised floors, and why a project is only as good as the team running toward the fire. Tune in to the next QTS Experience.
Chapters:
00:00 - The Data Center Symphony: Relational over Commodity
09:13 - The Decade Shift: Evolution from 1MW to 100MW+
18:54 - Structural Ceilings and Raised Floors Explained
22:30 - The "People Chain": Why Caring is the New Critical Factor
24:43 - Plan B is Making Plan A Work
31:25 - Coordination vs. Communication: Why Teams Keep Failing
34:18 - Project Management: Dominating the Last 10%
41:13 - High Density vs. Raised Floors: Is the Role Dead?
55:08 - Leadership Philosophy: People Do What You Inspect
1:10:18 - Revitalizing Communities Through Data Center Infrastructure
1:19:46 - Vetting Partners: The "Get It" vs. "Don't Get It" Mental List
1:31:00 - Listening First: Connecting with the Local Community
Thank you for visiting our channel, be sure to Like, Comment, and Subscribe!
For more information, go to https://www.QTSDataCenters.com
Learn More about QTS Data Centers on the QTS YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/users/qtsdatacenters
Think you have a great topic for a podcast or would like to schedule an interview with Dave? Send in your requests to podcast@qtsdatacenters.com
Friday Mar 06, 2026
Friday Mar 06, 2026
Roy Illsley joins me to challenge the status quo of global data. We’re moving past "one-size-fits-all" clouds to an era of digital self-sufficiency. From why the US and EU are in a friendly race for autonomy to the bold prediction that our next data centers will be orbiting the Earth—don't get left behind.
References & Guest Links
Guest Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royillsley/
Company Website: https://omdia.tech.informa.com/
Mentioned Organizations:
https://www.datacentercoalition.org/cpages/home
https://us.ovhcloud.com/
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/
Monday Feb 23, 2026
Monday Feb 23, 2026
David Quirk joins me to unpack liquid cooling, AI infrastructure chaos, and why the data center industry might be losing—and rediscovering—its collaborative DNA. We talk standards, disruption, and what happens when innovation moves faster than certainty.
References Mentioned
ASHRAE TC 9.9: https://tpc.ashrae.org/?cmtKey=fd4a4ee6-96a3-4f61-8b85-43418dfa988d
ASHRAE Standard 90.4: https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/about/government%20affairs/advocacy%20toolkit/virtual%20packet/standard-90.4-2022-fact-sheet.pdf
Guest Links
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-quirk-258b8b40/
Company: https://www.dlbassociates.com/
Friday Jan 16, 2026
Friday Jan 16, 2026
Nuclear is getting sexy again, and it’s all AI’s fault. I’m sitting down with Brian Smith to talk about why big tech is reopening Three Mile Island and why splitting atoms is the most exquisite way to power our digital future. Let's get glowing!
- Guest: Brian Smith
- Company Website: Idaho National Laboratory
Studies & References
- Kairos Power & Google PPA: Partnership for reactor deployment in Tennessee.
- Crane Clean Energy Center: Microsoft/Constellation partnership to reopen Three Mile Island.
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL): Lead laboratory for Nuclear Energy Research.
- The Advance Act (2024): Federal legislation reforming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
- Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP): DOE public-private partnership initiative.
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Tuesday Jan 13, 2026
Join me and Robert Bryan from Enercon as we dive into why nuclear power is finally having its "Cubs win the World Series" moment. From extending plant lives to 80 years to "drawing your box" for work-life balance, we’re getting pragmatic about the grid's future.
References & Guest Information
Guest: Robert Bryan, Enercon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-bryan-b7828714/
Company: Enercon Engineering: https://www.enercon.com/about/
Referenced Entities:
Idaho National Labs (GAIN Program): https://gain.inl.gov/
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC): https://www.nrc.gov/
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): https://www.tva.com/
Three Mile Island (Constellation/Microsoft Project): https://penncapital-star.com/economy/microsoft-describes-three-mile-island-plant-as-a-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity/
Vogtle Electric Generating Plant: https://www.southernnuclear.com/our-plants/plant-vogtle.html
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
Thursday Jan 08, 2026
I’m joined by Dan Golding to tear down the old rules of data center design. We explore the nuclear renaissance, why the fiber-to-power trifecta is non-negotiable, and why 600kW racks might require you to wear a face shield. It's time to stop resting on our laurels.
- Idaho National Lab (INL): Referenced in transcript as "Gaidu National Lab" regarding SMR scale calculations. https://inl.gov/
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems: Mentioned regarding Google’s power purchase agreement for the first plant in Virginia. https://cfs.energy/
- Nvidia: Referenced regarding the 600kW rack roadmap. https://www.nvidia.com/
- Open Compute Project (OCP): Mentioned regarding upcoming discussions on cooling infrastructure. https://www.opencompute.org/
- Guest: Dan Golding, CTO and Apple/Google Veteran.
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgolding/