Cadence has announced an expansion of its collaboration with HPE to accelerate digital twin-driven data center modernization for next-generation AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. The collaboration integrates the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform, which virtualizes data center environments using AI, HPC, and physics-based simulation, with HPE’s sustainable data center modernization services and expertise. The platform is being standardized within HPE’s AI-focused modular data center, AI Mod POD. This approach targets improvements in planning, optimization, and lifecycle operations, including total cost of ownership, deployment speed, and operational efficiency.
“As AI reshapes data center requirements, digital twins provide a powerful foundation for designing and operating high-performing infrastructure. Working with HPE, we aim to help customers model and optimize complex environments using AI, HPC, and physics-based simulation,” said Sherman Ikemoto, Group Director, Cadence.
Cadence, NVIDIA, and HPE are working together to deliver scalable, energy-efficient data center blueprints from edge to cloud. These aim to support modernization of facilities handling power-dense AI workloads and advanced cooling architectures while addressing sustainability, regulatory, and service-level objectives.
“HPE is focused on helping customers modernize data centers for the AI era with solutions that are scalable, secure, and more sustainable. By deepening the collaboration with Cadence, we bring engineering-grade digital twin capabilities to customers so they can optimize capacity, energy efficiency, and operational decisions across the data center lifecycle,” said Paul Nelson, Global Director, IT Sustainability & Data Center Services, HPE.
Cadence will introduce digital twin-based solutions covering design, deployment, and operations. These include using high-fidelity digital twins to validate AI- and HPC-ready facilities against power, space, cooling, and sustainability targets; evaluating deployment scenarios for HPE Data Center Services - AI Mod POD with the Cadence Reality DC Elements Design Library, which now includes the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 and the upcoming NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72; predictive modeling to increase utilization and reduce stranded capacity; and running “what-if” scenarios for capacity planning, energy optimization, and failure or upgrade planning.
The Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform allows creation of high-fidelity digital replicas of data centers and campuses by using vendor-provided digital models that simulate physical behavior. HPE’s data center design and engineering team incorporates the platform to enable evaluation of design tradeoffs and refinement of operations.
The collaboration will be featured at HPE Discover Las Vegas 2026. A roundtable titled “Data Centers for AI: Power, Scale, and Deployment Choices” is scheduled for June 17, 11:00am - 11:45am, with participation by Sherman Ikemoto. A live demo of the HPE AI Mod POD with NVIDIA will also showcase the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform.
