Compute selection precedes workload definition
Address the cause before treating the recommendation as approval-ready.
Decision Guide
AI Infrastructure Readiness Decision Guide
Questions, evidence and red flags to review before approving infrastructure for AI workloads.
Questions · Evidence · Red flags · Executive output
Questions to ask
Do not approve until the answers are traceable.
Each answer should identify its source, owner, confidence level and impact on the decision.
01. Which AI workloads are being approved and how will demand grow?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
02. Is power capacity available at the required density?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
03. Can cooling support the load under realistic operating conditions?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
04. Are network, storage and latency assumptions validated?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
05. What resilience and recovery level is required?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
06. Which data-sovereignty and security constraints shape hosting choices?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
07. Can the operating team support the target architecture?
Document the answer, assumptions and validation action.
Evidence pack
Minimum evidence to collect.
EvidenceWorkload and growth profile
Check recency, completeness and ownership.
EvidenceFacility capacity baseline
Check recency, completeness and ownership.
EvidenceRack-density and cooling model
Check recency, completeness and ownership.
EvidenceNetwork and storage architecture
Check recency, completeness and ownership.
EvidenceResilience, security and operating model
Check recency, completeness and ownership.
Red flags
Signals that should trigger a review.
Average power values are used instead of peak and growth scenarios
Address the cause before treating the recommendation as approval-ready.
Cooling analysis ignores rack-level density
Address the cause before treating the recommendation as approval-ready.
Recovery and operational support are treated as later topics
Address the cause before treating the recommendation as approval-ready.
The business case compares acquisition cost but not total operating cost
Address the cause before treating the recommendation as approval-ready.
Executive output
The decision should produce more than verbal approval.
01Decision and scope
What is approved, deferred or excluded.
02Assumptions and risks
Remaining uncertainty and control actions.
03Roadmap and owners
Sequence, owners, milestones and dependencies.
04Governance cadence
Reviews, KPIs, escalation and exit criteria.
Related solution
AI InfraGrade™
The guide helps prepare the decision. A formal recommendation requires context-specific scope, evidence and validation.