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Modernizing enterprise infrastructure: business’ growing need for powerful infrastructure in the face of AI and HPC workloads
Jane McCallion speaks with AHEAD’s Chris Tucker (EVP of AHEAD Foundry) and Paul Allen (EVP of EMEA Sales) about the company’s global expansion, the operational power of their Foundry facilities, and how tools like Hatch are revolutionizing supply chain transparency for modern high-performance workloads
As enterprises adopt complex artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, legacy IT procurement and deployment strategies are falling short. Founded 20 years ago in the US, technology solution provider AHEAD has rapidly scaled — supported by major acquisitions like CDI — to address these shifts on a global scale.
Rather than stopping at high-level consulting, AHEAD guides enterprise customers through the entire lifecycle — spanning cloud, cybersecurity, AI data center design, and physical execution.
Shifting from "buy and ship" to localized delivery
Global organizations are moving away from traditional "buy and ship" models, where IT assets were purchased in the United States and shipped overseas. Today, enterprises demand local procurement, staging, and deployment closer to their operations.
To support this shift, AHEAD has expanded its physical footprint across key EMEA and APAC hubs — including Amsterdam, London, and India — ensuring consistent service quality worldwide.
Streamlining deployments via AHEAD Foundry
At the core of AHEAD’s operational strategy is Foundry, a specialized rack integration initiative that replaces piecemeal hardware delivery with complete, ready-to-run solutions:
- Volume Staging: Components arrive at a central Foundry facility rather than cluttering customer job sites.
- Pre-Configuration: Engineering teams apply golden software images, lock down system BIOS/firmware, and pre-test hardware.
- Full Rack Integration: Complete racks — cabled, configured, and tested offsite — ship directly to data centers, drastically reducing time to capacity.
Disrupting supply chains with Hatch
Enterprise IT procurement has historically relied on spreadsheets and static updates, leaving teams guessing when multi-million-dollar orders will arrive. AHEAD’s Hatch platform changes this by bringing consumer-style tracking to B2B infrastructure via real-time API integrations:
- Vendor Visibility: Connects to partner manufacturing floors to track production in real time.
- In-House Tracking: Shows live configuration progress within Foundry facilities.
- Logistics & CMDB Sync: Tracks carrier delivery in real time and automatically populates customer Configuration Management Databases.
Key takeaways
- End-to-End Infrastructure: AHEAD bridges strategic consulting with physical build, run, and management services.
- Localized International Reach: Staging hubs across Europe and APAC eliminate cross-border shipping delays.
- Turnkey Staging: Offsite rack assembly and firmware standardization drastically cut deployment timelines.
- Real-Time Visibility: Hatch delivers end-to-end transparency from the factory floor to final installation.
- Next-Gen Power & Thermal Needs: To support dense AI loads, facilities are evolving beyond air cooling toward advanced liquid-cooled architectures.
Watch the full video Q&A to hear Chris Tucker and Paul Allen discuss how AHEAD is reshaping enterprise infrastructure.
