Tech giant Naver’s new hyperscale data center

Cloud boom behind Naver’s 
supremacy push

With soaring traffic on its platform, Naver embarked on the project to construct one of Asia’s largest data centers which will be developed over six phases using a substantial volume of generator sets. 

The first phase of the Gak Sejong data center features 18 Cummins QSK95 gensets with a 60 Hz standby rating of 3750 kVA. At the heart of the genset is Cummins’ most powerful diesel engine, a 95-litre V16 noted for its power density, fuel efficiency and low emissions capability.

In addition to the gensets, Cummins has also supplied the DMC8000 digital master control system for the gensets, designed to provide best-in-class resiliency and system uptime in any potentially disruptive scenario.

Located on a 294,000-square-meter site, the Gak Sejong data center is all about Naver’s big push to secure its supremacy position in fast-growing artificial intelligence.

Outperforming Google

Launched as an online platform in 1999, Naver was the first South Korean web portal to develop its own search engine. Today, it has 48 million daily users using the mobile web and PC search engine.

When all six phases of the Gak Sejong data center are constructed, it will be fully capable of hosting more than 600,000 servers. Data storage capacity will be 65 exabytes, or 65 billion gigabytes – more than one million times the capacity of the National Library of Korea.

“The collaboration between the Cummins teams – sales, engineering, supply chain and service – has been crucial to the success of the Gak Sejong project,” said Homyun Choi, who has headed up the project for Cummins South Korea.

“Brad You, who worked on the logistics side, faced the daunting task of getting the 30-tonne QSK95 gensets from the US to Korea, but he succeeded in keeping the project on schedule.

Partnership with Naver

“Above all, our partnership with Naver highlights Cummins’ commitment to providing best-in-industry customer support and also the ability to meet the stringent demands of prestigious data center projects.”

Gak Sejong represents Naver’s second data center, complementing the tech giant’s existing facility in Chuncheon, which has been operational since 2013 and features Cummins gensets – eight 2500 kVA units powered by Cummins’ QSK60 engine – for backup power.

At the opening of Gak Sejong, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon said: “Hyperscale data centers recently have gained recognition as the core infrastructure for technological innovation, but Naver has been preparing for hyperscale data centers since the opening of Gak Chuncheon 10 years ago.

“The hyperscale data center Gak Sejong will become an engine for technological innovation not only for Naver but also for all industries.”

Sustainability is a focus for Gak Sejong. The center employs a self-developed air conditioning system which cools server rooms using natural wind and optimizes energy efficiency by reusing waste heat for central heating, snow and ice melting systems on facility roads and floor heating.

Platinum rating

Naver is aiming for platinum certification under LEED V4 Platinum (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which is the most widely used green building rating in the world. Platinum is the highest possible rating.

To maximize operational efficiency in the vast facility, Naver has implemented various technologies, including AI, robotics and driverless shuttle buses.

A robotic automation system manages server assets, with robots monitoring and controlling the flow of assets in real time within the data center. The autonomous shuttle buses connect major bases within the site, transporting workers between locations.

The site is also designed to ensure service continuity even in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires. A special earthquake-resistant design used for nuclear power plant-level buildings is applied to the site, so it can withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 9.0, which is equivalent to the intensity of the devastating Fukushima earthquake in Japan.