Belden and OptiCool Deliver High-Density AI Data Center Cooling 2026

As AI workloads push rack densities beyond what traditional data center cooling can handle, operators face a critical choice: build new facilities or find a smarter path forward. Belden and OptiCool now offer a third option.

Data center operators across enterprises and colocation environments are under growing pressure to support AI infrastructure without committing to costly ground-up construction. Rack power densities that once peaked at 10-20 kW are now routinely exceeding 60-100 kW for AI compute workloads, rendering conventional air-cooling architectures insufficient. The need for integrated, rack-level thermal management has become a defining infrastructure challenge of 2026.

What was announced

On April 16, 2026, Belden Inc. (NYSE: BDC) announced a strategic partnership with OptiCool, a specialist in two-phase rear-door heat exchanger (RDHx) cooling technology. The joint solution integrates Belden's racks, cabinets, power distribution and connectivity infrastructure with OptiCool's two-phase liquid cooling rear-door heat exchangers into a single deployable package. The integrated solution supports up to 120 kW per rack, enabling AI-class workloads within existing white space — without requiring new facility construction. The combined offering is available through Belden's channel ecosystem and OptiCool's agent and distributor network, allowing procurement through familiar infrastructure partners.

AI is changing what data centers need to deliver, but it shouldn't always require a ground-up rebuild. By pairing our racks, power and connectivity with OptiCool's rear-door heat exchangers, we give operators a practical way to turn existing white space into AI-ready capacity.

Why this matters for CEE

For IT directors, CIOs and data center managers across Central and Eastern Europe, this partnership addresses a highly practical constraint: most existing facilities in the CEE region were not designed for AI-class rack densities. Building new purpose-built AI data centers requires significant capital expenditure, long planning cycles and regulatory approvals that vary across markets including Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Baltic states. The Belden-OptiCool integrated solution provides a faster, lower-risk path to AI readiness by retrofitting existing infrastructure. Colocation operators in markets such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria can now offer AI-capable rack space to enterprise tenants without full facility redesign. The solution's compatibility with any server, storage and networking platform also reduces vendor lock-in risk — a key concern for procurement teams across the region.

Technical details

• Cooling technology: Two-phase rear-door heat exchanger (RDHx) by OptiCool — the only provider using two-phase liquid refrigerant in this form factor
• Maximum rack power density: Up to 120 kW per rack
• Cooling unit showcase: OptiCool 60 kW rear-door heat exchanger demonstrated at Data Center World 2026, Booth 437
• Infrastructure components: Belden racks and cabinets, power distribution, structured cabling and connectivity
• Deployment model: Pre-integrated package (racks, power, connectivity, cooling) for rapid deployment without custom design work
• Server compatibility: Works with any server, storage and networking vendor — no platform lock-in
• Deployment target: New builds and existing data center white space retrofit
• Availability: Through Belden channel ecosystem and OptiCool agent and distributor network
• Event presence: Data Center World, Washington DC, April 20-23, 2026, Booth 437

Softprom and Belden

Softprom is the official distributor of Belden across the CEE region, providing access to Belden's full portfolio of data center infrastructure solutions including racks, cabinets, structured cabling, fiber and copper connectivity, and power distribution systems. As AI infrastructure demands intensify across Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, Softprom ensures regional partners and end customers can access and deploy Belden solutions efficiently through local expertise and established supply chains.

The Belden-OptiCool partnership represents exactly the kind of integrated, field-deployable solution that CEE data center operators require to compete in the AI era — and Softprom is positioned to support procurement, configuration and deployment across all covered markets.

This content was prepared as part of the Softprom DistriFlow project — an automated system for monitoring and adapting vendor news. Original source: original article.