This article features insights from Ahmad Ghafar Saifullah from PT. Power Kalista Satria (POKASA), a Rockwell Automation Silver System Integrator Partner in Indonesia.
Data centers are the beating heart of today’s digital economy.
Across Asia Pacific, investment in these facilities is accelerating, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, cloud adoption, and hyperscale expansion. With this growth comes new challenges: higher power density, stricter sustainability targets, and the need for faster deployment. To meet these demands, collaboration between global industrial automation leaders and local engineering experts has become essential.
One such partnership is between PT. Power Kalista Satria (POKASA), an Indonesian engineering and electrical power solutions company, and Rockwell Automation. Together, we are helping data center operators achieve resilience, intelligence, and scalability in mission-critical environments.
Local Expertise Meets Global Technology
POKASA has over 20 years of experience delivering industrial automation, SCADA integration, and power system solutions across industries such as utilities, manufacturing, oil & gas, and telecommunications. Their strength lies in designing and integrating reliable electrical and automation systems that respond to customer operational requirements.
By partnering with Rockwell Automation, POKASA combines its local engineering and project execution expertise with Rockwell’s proven automation platforms, digital transformation technologies, and cybersecurity capabilities. This collaboration enables customers to deploy scalable, intelligent power and automation systems that support mission-critical operations like data centers.
Trends Reshaping Asia Pacific Data Centers
The region’s data center sector is evolving rapidly. Operators are facing:
- Higher power density from GPU-intensive workloads
- Demand for uptime and resilience, as downtime becomes increasingly costly
- Sustainability pressures, with stricter energy-efficiency targets
- Cybersecurity and visibility requirements to protect critical infrastructure
- Faster deployment timelines for hyperscale and colocation facilities
At the same time, challenges such as grid instability, rising energy costs, and limited skilled manpower are intensifying. As a result, technologies in high demand include intelligent power management, predictive maintenance, and cybersecure control architectures.
Shifting Customer Priorities
Where uptime was once the sole priority, today’s data center customers are balancing multiple needs:
- Speed of deployment to meet aggressive expansion schedules
- Resilience for continuous power availability
- Operational intelligence with real-time visibility and predictive insights
- Compliance and cybersecurity to meet stricter standards
- Cost-to-operate optimization through automation and analytics
Around power continuity, the conversation has shifted from simply having backup power to ensuring intelligent, coordinated power management. Customers want confidence that systems can respond automatically, recover quickly, and minimize risk during disturbances.
A Real-World Example
POKASA and Rockwell Automation recently supported a globally recognized OEM with a mission-critical genset power solution. The customer required highly reliable backup power, automated synchronization, fast response during utility disturbances, centralized visibility, and scalability for future expansion.
