Zoho launches in-house server platform to support AI workloads

June 17, 2026 3 min read

According to Zoho, the server can reduce energy consumption by 12% to 18% and lower total cost of ownership by 20% to 30% while maintaining platform performance.

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Growing demand for artificial intelligence processing capacity is driving a new wave of innovation in technology infrastructure.

Zoho Corporation introduced Nathu La, a server platform developed over five years to run data, cloud and AI workloads.

Zoho Corporation announced the launch of Nathu La, an internally developed server that is part of the company’s strategy to build a fully integrated technology stack, spanning hardware infrastructure and software applications.

According to the company, Nathu La maintains platform performance while reducing energy consumption by between 12% and 18% and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO) by 20% to 30%. Zoho said these efficiencies also help reduce the inference costs associated with artificial intelligence workloads.

The server was developed in collaboration with Intel and incorporates Intel Xeon 6 processors. The company said it will use Nathu La to host its applications and optimize hardware-software integration for specific workloads, with the goal of reducing costs, improving performance and strengthening data governance for its global customers.

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Infrastructure optimization.

Shailesh Davey, CEO of Zoho Corporation, explained:

”Over the past three decades, Zoho Corporation has invested in building its own technology stack from the ground up. The launch of the Nathu La server is aligned with that objective. With Zoho’s strategy of using right-sized, contextual models running on our own platform, powered by our own servers and accelerated by our own database and GPU infrastructure, we are multiplying the benefits of building and operating our entire technology stack. These long-term R&D investments across every layer are designed to create customer value and ensure our solutions remain more sustainable and accessible.”

Nathu La’s design philosophy is based on the principles of the Open Compute Project, with an emphasis on modularity, thermal efficiency and ease of maintenance. According to Zoho, these characteristics help reduce both total cost of ownership and energy consumption across its data centers.

In practice, the new server is designed to consolidate virtualization, high-performance computing, AI inference and storage applications within a single platform to support the company’s operations and services.

The announcement also forms part of Zoho’s talent development and engineering strategy in India. The company noted that the platform was developed with intellectual property originating in the country, at a time when much of the server technology used across the industry has historically been imported.

Engineering talent development.

To support the project, Zoho established a dedicated research and development team in Nagpur in 2020 focused on initiatives including server design.

Some members of the project originated from SETU (Student’s Engagement for Transformative Upskilling), an initiative designed to develop engineering talent through advanced learning in electronic systems design and manufacturing.

According to the company, SETU focuses on strengthening critical thinking, creativity and applied engineering skills. More than 300 students have participated in the program, and some have since joined Zoho.

Davey added:

”The development of the Nathu La server reflects our commitment to building complex technology powered by talent from smaller towns and cities. Through focused investments in R&D and skills development, this move into hardware allows us not only to build and own the technology, but also to cultivate the expertise and talent that sustain it.”

The Nathu La chassis and motherboard platform are the result of five years of research and development in hardware, firmware and systems management. Based on Intel Xeon 6 processors, the server is designed to optimize virtualization workloads, high-performance computing, AI inference and storage applications.

The platform incorporates custom subsystems, a proprietary modular Data Center Secure Control Module (DC-SCM) design and chassis options compatible with different deployment environments. According to the company, these features provide flexibility across a range of use cases.

Security and technological autonomy.

Zoho also said that modular components, including the DC-SCM and network interface card (NIC), were designed internally by its hardware engineering team and assembled by Indian electronics manufacturing services partners.

The company further disclosed that it has filed patent applications related to thermal management designs and cost-optimized server architectures.

Nathu La was designed with security embedded at the hardware level and throughout the technology stack. According to Zoho, ownership of the platform’s core intellectual property enables the company to manage security audits, firmware updates and operational continuity without relying on third-party licensing.

Zoho added that the solution aligns with open-source software, local content and national digital infrastructure initiatives, while also supporting Indian government programs aimed at strengthening high-performance computing capabilities and domestic digital infrastructure.