OPEX Options for Data Centres in the Age of AI

 AI is reshaping how data centres are planned, built andfunded. Demand for machine learning and advanced analytics is placing pressureon traditional infrastructure models, with unpredictable spikes inprocessing requirements and shorter hardware lifecycles making long-termcapacity planning harder to manage. Many AI workloads rely on large clusters ofGPUs or specialised processors, increasing power and cooling demands whileplacing significant pressure on compute capacity.

At the same time, global demand for chips and memory, drivenheavily by AI growth, is contributing to price increases and supply shortages.The impact is not limited to organisations running large AI platforms. Manybusinesses are seeing unexpected cost increases for server and storageupgrades, often outside planned budgets, while component lead times continue toextend. With these pressures unlikely to ease in the short term, technology andfinance leaders are reviewing how they invest in infrastructure. Formany organisations, the question is no longer if consumption-based models makesense,  but where they deliver the mostvalue.

One practical response is the move from capital expenditure(CapEx) to consumption-based operational expenditure (OPEX). Under this model,infrastructure is delivered as a service. Providers install systemson-premises, or in a colocation facility, with additional capacity availablewhen needed, and customers pay for the resources they use.  This reduces the need for large upfrontinvestment while providing cloud-like flexibility for workloads that still needto remain in a controlled environment.

Leading Consumption-Based Solutions

Several major IT vendors now offer on-premises consumptionmodels. Whilethe models are similar in principle, they differ in how they approach scale,flexibility and operational control.  Each has a different emphasis, but they areall designed to give customers access to infrastructure as a service ratherthan relying solely on traditional purchase-and-refresh cycles.

HPE GreenLake is one of the more established optionsin this market. It provides a broad set of on-premises and cloud services on apay-per-use basis. Its maturity and unified management approach make itattractive to organisations looking for a single platform across hybridenvironments.

Everpure Evergreen//One focuses on enterprise storagedelivered through a subscription model. It combines high-performance flashstorage with ongoing, non-disruptive upgrades, allowing customers to scalestorage and adopt newer technology without a large upfront capital purchase ordisruptive refresh project.

Dell APEX offers a wider portfolio covering core datacentre infrastructure, including compute, storage and backup, as well asprivate cloud and high-performance computing services. It supports a range ofdeployment options, from on-premises to edge locations, and uses the APEXConsole to simplify management and scaling. The model also includes proactivecapacity management and flexible usage commitments, helping customers keepcapacity and cost aligned with demand.

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Why OPEX Models Appeal to Customers

For many organisations, these models address both financialand operational challenges:

·      Financial predictability: Pay-per-usepricing reduces the need for large upfront investments and links cost moreclosely to actual demand. This helps with budget planning and limits the riskof unplanned capital spend when hardware prices rise. For mid-sizedorganisations, it also reduces the need to over-provision infrastructure “justin case”-  a common challenge whenplanning for AI.

·      Scalability and speed: Reserved capacitygives customers room to support new projects or sudden growth without waitingmonths for procurement and deployment. This is particularly important for AIworkloads, where demand can scale unpredictably and evolve quickly.

·      Reduced risk and easier modernisation:Vendors take on more responsibility for maintenance, lifecycle management andupgrades. This helps keep systems current without the disruption and riskassociated with major refresh projects.

·      Alignment with business demand: Becausecosts are linked to usage, IT teams can show a clearer connection betweeninfrastructure spend and business activity. This makes it easier to justifyinvestment and adjust capacity as priorities change.

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The Path Forward

As markets are shaped by technology change and constrainedsupply chains, flexibility is becoming as important as capacity. AI-drivendemand and component shortages are making fixed, CapEx-heavy approaches harderto justify, particularly where future requirements are uncertain.

OPEX options such as Dell APEX, HPE GreenLake and Everpure Evergreen//Onegive organisations a more adaptable way to plan infrastructure. They allow ITresources to expand or contract as demand changes, helping customers supportinnovation, including AI initiatives, without being held back by longprocurement cycles or unexpected hardware costs. They also shift more of thecapacity planning and hardware investment burden to the provider.

For CIOs and CFOs, consumption-based infrastructure isbecoming an important part of a more agile and cost-controlled data centrestrategy. In the age of AI, it offers a more practical balance fororganisations trying to innovate without losing financial control - capacitywhen it’s needed, and cost control when it’s not.

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Published June 2026 Tech Insights

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