On this episode of Not Your Fathers Datacenter, Raymond Hawkins sits down with Jerome Soltani, Global Head of Services at Schneider Electric, to explore how predictive maintenance and partnership are transforming data center operations. Jerome Soltani shares his global journey from France to the US, reflecting on his two decades at Schneider, his experiences growing service teams, and the challenges of managing critical infrastructure at ever-increasing scale.
The conversation dives deep into the technological shifts shaping the data center industry—especially the move from traditional, reactive maintenance toward predictive, data-driven strategies that leverage AI and advanced connectivity. Jerome Soltani explains how maintaining at a system level, rather than an asset-by-asset approach, is essential for uptime, efficiency, and ultimately customer satisfaction. The discussion also highlights workforce challenges, the importance of training the next generation through initiatives like the Texas State Technical College partnership, and ongoing efforts to drive sustainability and community impact.
Through candid insights and real-world examples—including managing more than 1200 power centers across multiple US sites—Raymond Hawkins and Jerome Soltani showcase how collaborative innovation is enabling the data center industry to scale, adapt, and thrive.
Whether you’re on the operations floor or in the boardroom, this episode offers valuable perspectives on the future of digital infrastructure.
00:00 Intro & Welcome
04:29 Rising Through the Ranks to SVP
09:02 Epic Haleakala Climb Adventure
12:14 The Untold Challenges of Liquid Cooling in AI
14:16 Embracing Predictive Maintenance Revolution
18:24 Predictive Maintenance Revolutionizes Data Centers
20:24 Unlocking Massive Opex Savings
26:15 Addressing Industry Workforce Crisis
29:26 Reno Campus' Game-Changing Donation
33:57 Streamlining Systems to Boost Satisfaction
36:33 Schneider's Bold Sustainability Mission
39:40 Behind-the-Scenes Partnership Secrets