April 2026 Data Center & Digital Infrastructure Events Preview
EDUCATION
As spring gathers momentum, April is shaping up to be a big month for the digital infrastructure space. Between global expos and regional summits, there’s a lot on deck for anyone involved in data center design, operations, power & sustainability, and emerging technologies. Here are some of the standout events:
Key Events
1. AFCOM Data Center World (DCW)
Dates: April 14–17, 2026
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Organizer: AFCOM
Description: One of the largest and most comprehensive events for data center professionals, DCW covers all aspects of data center operations, design, management, and sustainability. Expect keynotes, hands-on labs, and workshops on emerging technologies, AI-ready infrastructure, and operational best practices.
Link: afcom.com/DCW2026
2. Atlanta Data Center Summit
Dates: April 29–30, 2026
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Organizer: Atlanta Data Center Alliance
Description: A regional summit focused on the Atlanta market, this event brings together operators, developers, and technology vendors. Topics include connectivity, cloud expansion, energy efficiency, and the region’s growing edge and hyperscale data center ecosystem.
Link: atldatacenter.org
3. World Data Symposium (WDS) – IATA
📅 April 8-9, 2026
📍 Doha, Qatar IATA
While focused on the aviation sector, WDS brings critical relevance for data center folks—sessions on cybersecurity, data analytics, governance, compliance, AI/ML, and emerging tech often overlap with what data infrastructure operators need. A good event if you're interested in how data and operational resilience intersect. IATA
3. OCP EMEA Summit
📅 April 29-30, 2026
📍 Barcelona, Spain Open Compute Project
Organized by the Open Compute Project, this summit is focused on open infrastructure design, sustainability, energy efficiency, and heat reuse in the EMEA region. It’s an excellent venue for seeing what hyperscale operators are doing, learning about innovative hardware and facility design, and connecting with global leaders working on open designs. Open Compute Project
What to Look Out For in April
Power & Energy Strategies — With rising energy costs and sustainability becoming a non-negotiable, events like Data Center World are putting strong emphasis on renewable sourcing, efficiency, and alternative energy architectures. Data Center World
AI & Infrastructure Synergies — Infrastructure that supports AI/ML workloads (cooling, power, high-density racks, interconnect) is increasingly central in show agendas.
Open Hardware & Collaboration — Summits like OCP EMEA are showing how open standard/hardware projects can push forward innovation in cooling, modular design, and sustainability.
Data Governance & Security — Especially in events tied to aviation or sectors with strict regulation (e.g. WDS), there’s strong focus on compliance, data integrity, cybersecurity, and operational risk.