The QTS Experience

Ep 242 Roy Illsley: The Digital Independence Era— Your Local Infrastructure is Your Competitive Edge

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/

Ep241: David Quirk — Liquid Cooling Chaos, AI Reality, and the Future of Data Centers

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/

Ep240: Brian Smith: Nuclear’s Sexy Glow—The Exquisite Power Fueling the AI Revolution!

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 & Company Links

• 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.

 

Ep239: Robert Bryan: Nuclear Renaissance, SMR Realities, and Squeezing the Atom!

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 

Ep 238: Dan Golding: SMRs, Fusion, and Why Your Data Center is Just a Cold White Box

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.

 

External References & Links

• 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 Connections

• Guest: Dan Golding, CTO and Apple/Google Veteran.
• LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgolding/

Ep237: Jim McDermott on the Digital Monroe Doctrine, Power, and Data Gravity

Jim McDermott drops a provocative idea: a Digital Monroe Doctrine to keep compute close to home while partnering with Canada and Mexico. We geek out on why moving bits beats moving electrons, power gravity, and how prosperity next door keeps everyone happier (and scorpions cooler).

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesacmcdermott/

Ep236: Steve Altizer—From Big Boxes to Smart Modules: The New Data Center Frontier

Steve Altizer—mechanical legend and self-proclaimed closet architect—offers a fresh way to look at the modern data center. From the rise of prefabricated white space to liquid cooling’s growing pains, he lays out where the industry is headed and why the old concrete box might finally be ready for an upgrade. It’s smart, honest, and unexpectedly fun.

Ep235: Santiago Suinaga – From Mexico City Gamer Kid to Data Center Titan

Santiago Suinaga grew up in Mexico City with a Macintosh and a dad obsessed with tech. 19 years later, he sold his data center empire and now runs Infrastructure Masons full-time. We talk power, community drama, AI boom, and why the industry needs to stop working in silos.

 

Guest LinkedIn: (33) Santiago Suinaga | LinkedIn
Infrastructure Masons: https://www.imasons.org

Ep 234: Rose Weinschenk – From Minds to Megawatts: A Human Scientist and Data Center Whisperer

I sat down with Uptime Institute’s Rose Weinschenk – a former psychology researcher turned data-center truth-teller. Rose brings a rare talent: understanding the humans behind the hardware. We dig into how people actually behave in high-stakes environments, why mentorship still matters, the trouble with poaching, and what it really takes to build trust in an AI-powered future. It’s thoughtful, nerdy, and full of moments that make you wonder why more psych majors aren’t running critical infrastructure.

References & Links
Uptime Institute 2025 Staffing Survey Report: https://intelligence.uptimeinstitute.com/resource/2025-staffing-and-recruitment-survey-results-and-crosstab-files
Rose Weinschenk: https://intelligence.uptimeinstitute.com/author/rweinschenk
Uptime Institute: https://uptimeinstitute.com/ 

Ep233: Kurt Lindorfer – “Shaking Things Up with Seismic Smarts & Data Center Swagger”

Structural engineer Kurt Lindorfer joins the QTS Experience to explore what happens when design goes beyond the code. From intelligent structures and base isolation to hula-dancing data centers, we blend serious seismic insight with humor—because protecting billions in data deserves a little swagger.