Emerson advances Avocent Data Center Planner. Emerson Network Power (EMR) introduced the next generation of Avocent Data Center Planner, a component of its portfolio of DCIM capabilities. The software solution enables data center managers to make informed decisions for the planning and effective management of their data center assets and physical infrastructure. Features of the new release include the ability to gauge real-world power usage, visualization for end-to-end connections, zone management, and Spanish language support. “The ad-hoc data center management tools that were effective in the past are increasingly difficult to maintain in today’s complex environment,” explained Traci Yarbrough, director of product marketing, Emerson Network Power data center solutions. “Avocent Data Center Planner is an effective alternative to legacy management tools because it provides all of the detailed information that is required to efficiently plan and manage the physical infrastructure in one dynamic graphical interface. Customers realize an immediate return on investment because they no longer need to consult multiple point products to make decisions and plan changes. It also builds on our promise of delivering a simple and easy to use DCIM capability.” Avocent Data Center Planner is available worldwide immediately.

VMware opens cloud solution marketplace.  VMware (VMW) announced the VMware Solutions Exchange, an online virtualization and cloud solutions marketplace where customers, partners and developers can converge to help simplify the process of evaluating and selecting business solutions through a centralized, self-service portal. Embracing both private and public clouds, VMware will enable customers to use search tools and directly engage with partners and developers to help ease the process of finding the right solution for their businesses. “With the VMware Solution Exchange, we are offering our robust partner network a new and centralized marketplace to promote their solutions and directly connect with customers to help expedite the sales process,” said Parag Patel, vice president, Global Strategic Alliances at VMware. “For customers, our goal is to empower them to quickly and easily find the resources they need to make purchasing decisions to accelerate their journey to the cloud, while also helping our technology partners deliver and manage joint solutions in a single, self-service location.”

Riverbed selected by MasterBrand Cabinets.  Riverbed Technology (RVBD) announced that MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc. (MBCI), a leading kitchen and bath solutions provider, has deployed 28 Riverbed Steelhead appliances, and Steelhead Mobile client software, across its operations in the United States and Canada and to its developers in India. Looking for a solution that enabled mobile workers and provided employees in remote offices around the world faster access to data and applications, Master Brand Cabinets turned to Riverbed. Its WAN-optimization solutions from Riverbed reduced data traffic by 82 percent and increased bandwidth capacity by four times – and in some cases by as much as six times during peak periods – in its private cloud environment. As a result of its Riverbed deployment, MBCI has been able to avoid upgrading its bandwidth, which will save the company as much as $1.2 million per year (based on adding four to six T1 lines at $800 each per month, across 21 manufacturing sites). At the same time, MBCI has experienced an 82 percent reduction in data across the WAN and increased bandwidth capacity up to six times during peak data periods. “We had two choices – add more bandwidth or invest in WAN optimization,” said Jadd Miller, senior network engineer at MBCI. “We chose the Riverbed WAN optimization solution as it gave us the most value out of our legacy systems, while drastically improving the performance across our WAN. Adding additional bandwidth would have been a partial remedy, since it did not address the latency issues caused by distance.”

Emerson Network Power, an Emerson (EMR) business announced the details of its use of Oracle Fusion Middleware in the development of the Trellis platform.  The Trellis platform is a combination of Oracle Fusion Middleware’s Application Integration Architecture and components, and Emerson’s expertise in data center systems. The middleware allows a common language to be used between the many applications and systems managed by Trellis and gives scalability to handle the huge amounts of data that must be consolidated and analyzed to provide real-time visibility and control. “The challenge data center managers face today is that current generation systems do not have the ability to understand what is happening in the complex critical infrastructure and why,” said Steve Hassell, president of Emerson Network Power’s Avocent business. “Our experience in servers, power, cooling, infrastructure management software, services and embedded firmware technologies that span IT and facilities’ domains, combined with the power of Oracle Fusion Middleware, has enabled us to create a game-changing data center management platform that allows our customers to maximize data center availability, capacity and efficiency.”

Savvis launches Symphony cloud-based Database.  Savvis, a CenturyLink company (CTL) announced the launch of Savvis Symphony Database, a cloud-based database platform. Announced at OpenWorld 2011 it  brings the advantages of cloud computing to Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server environments. Selecting from Oracle Enterprise 11G RAC or Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 users can provision everything needed for a complete database solution with just a few clicks. ”Symphony Database offers the agility that enterprises require of their database solutions, including the ability to burst both performance levels and infrastructure to accommodate the varying demands placed on the database environment,” said Brent Juelich, senior director, managed services at Savvis. “Unlike traditional database offerings, Symphony Database does not require hardware provisioning and software licensing, freeing enterprises from long-term contracts and expenses.”

EMC unveils Oracle best practices.  EMC announced a new EMC Proven Solution as well as a best practices white paper developed by EMC IT that can help dramatically improve Oracle customers’ database performance and accelerate their journey to the cloud. The white paper shows that after deploying the EMC Greenplum Data Computing Appliance (DCA) EMC IT achieved up to 13X faster queries and decreased data load times from six days to just 29 minutes. They also noted that a new IDC user survey names EMC the leading provider of storage technology in Oracle and other mission critical environments. The new EMC Proven Solution doubles the performance of Oracle Database 11g RAC, running OLTP workloads in both physical and VMware vSphere virtual environments, utilizing Oracle Direct NFS on EMC VNX unified storage with the FAST Cache technology. EMC Chairman and CEO, Joe Tucci, and President and COO of Information Infrastructure Products, Pat Gelsinger gave an OpenWorld 2011 keynote Monday about using the cloud to transform IT infrastructure, applications and end-user device layers.

In this timely whitepaper three issues are discussed; how to determine bottom line downtime data center costs, specific data center infrastructure vulnerabilities, and the long term case for addressing these issues overall. This research is extensive. It covers 41 independent facilities with a minimum of 2500 sq feet. It encompasses all levels of the Enterprise from CIO to management personnel using an activity-based costing model which took into consideration direct, indirect and opportunity costs.

The subsection entitled “Quantifying the Cost of Downtime” is particularly enlightening and examines nine categories of vulnerability. It calculates a loss of $5.600.00 per minute with extrapolated numbers that are frightening. The value in this whitepaper is that it not only looks to measure and analyze but conclude a way forward. This information should be shared with all that have a monetary investment in your data center.

Thus the debate begins – Comfort Cooling vs. Precision Cooling. Cold air is cold air, temperature is temperature, correct? No, not at all.

At first consideration traditional cooling (comfort) air systems designed for buildings can be implemented quickly and cost efficiently but the needs of the data center are different. Critical IT equipment may experience a variety of issues if not sitting in the proper environment. Although precision cooling may seem more expensive to implement, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is eye-opening

This whitepaper from Emerson makes a compelling case for the need behind precision cooling. It reviews:

• The cost of running a system not specifically designed for the data center
• The cost of downtime
• Humidity – how it affects equipment and how it affects the data center
• Service and maintenance
• Latent vs. sensible cooling
• The threat of airborne contaminants

Follow this discussion through and review a formulated analysis on cooling TCO. Understand what might look like cost efficiency could indeed be wasteful and possibly harmful.

A cross-section view of the SmartMod, the modular data center component of the Smart Solutions product line from Emerson Network Power.

Emerson Network Power is pushing into the modular data center market in a larger way with today’s debut of Smart Solutions, a family of integrated infrastructure systems for the data center. The new products bring together hardware and software in row-level and container-based solutions that allow customers to quickly deploy advanced IT infrastructure.

Emerson becomes the latest data center equipment vendor to boost its focus on the modular data center market, which offers flexible designs that resemble traditional data centers, but can be built cheaper and faster than typical greenfield projects. The company initially rolled out a container offering last summer, but only in Europe.

Emerson’s modular offerings include the SmartRow and SmartMod, which are both available globally. Here’s a review of the new products:

• The SmartRow (PDF) is a standalone data center infrastructure that supports up to 20kW of IT equipment in an enclosed, multi-rack configuration with integrated power, cooling, infrastructure management and fire suppression.
• The SmartMod (PDF) is a container-based offering that includes IT equipment, power and cooling a rapid-deployment enclosure. It can be used to supplement existing data center capacity or can be deployed as a remote data center or disaster recovery site. The SmartMod enclosure comes in either 40-foot and 53-foot sizes.

The new products can integrate with Emerson’s SmartAisle, an existing a system that combines cold-aisle containment, in-row cooling and management tools to provide data center managers with more control over the temperature and energy use in their environments. (See our video demo of the SmartAisle for more)

“Our customers are looking for greater economy and efficiency in their data centers, interoperability with existing systems and more control over their IT environments,” said Jeff Sturgeon, vice president of solutions and marketing, Emerson Network Power’s Liebert power and cooling business. “Delivering a new level of modularity, scalability and flexibility, these new solutions will serve as guiding principles as we expand the family of Smart Solutions.”

Smart Solutions

The Smart Solutions integrate many of Emerson’s power and precision cooling technologies and services, including Liebert, Knurr, ASCO, Avocent, and NetSure.

The SmartRow is available in air-cooled, water/glycol and chilled water configurations to work with existing heat rejection systems. The infrastructure features a backup ventilation system with temperature sensors that activate exhaust fans at the top of the enclosure if temperatures get too high for any reason. Power protection can be provided by rack UPS systems or existing UPS systems. In addition, integrated fire suppression allows the system to meet fire code without costly room modifications.

Emerson says the SmartMod’s 11.5-foot internal width differentiates the new enclosure from traditional container systems, providing sufficient access to the front and rear of the rack row for servicing without the use of rack sliders and without having to open the enclosure to the outside elements. To accommodate larger IT loads, power and IT equipment can be separated into matching enclosures configured to function together.

A look at the SmartRow integrated infrastructure solution from Emerson Network Power.

This white paper from Emerson Liebert provides a detailed overview of cloud computing technology, including a standard definition of cloud computing, common types of cloud architectures and services, and driving factors and perceived risks impacting widespread adoption. It also examines best practices for optimizing critical systems for the deployment of cloud architectures in existing facilities, including implementing a high-density systems configuration, optimizing power architectures for high availability and mitigating complexities with a robust monitoring and management platform. Finally, it will look ahead to how the integration of next-generation technologies forges a path toward an integrated approach to data center infrastructure management (DCIM), in addition to enhancing the availability of today’s cloud deployments.

Learn best practices for optimizing critical systems for cloud deployment in existing facilities and forging a path toward an integrated DCIM approach. Click here to download this white paper on flexible, high-availability cloud computing infrastructure for your data center.

Please visit the Data Center Knowledge White Paper Library for all the latest expert insights on technologies to run your data center.

Now, data centers must enter a new stage of maturity marked by a more proactive approach to management to enable increased efficiency, better planning and higher levels of service. Achieving actionable visibility into data center operations requires the ability to collect, consolidate and analyze data across the data center, using advanced devices, sensors and management software.

The ten steps outlined in this paper from Emerson Network Power provide a systematic approach to building the foundation for data center infrastructure management by deploying and leveraging measurement, intelligent controls and centralized monitoring and management. Data centers employing these 10 prescribed point solutions for infrastructure performance monitoring stand to gain an operational, strategic and transformative advantage for their enterprise or business. Click here to download this white paper.

The company announced its Trellis roadmap today at Interop in New York. Emerson expects the core Trellis modules to be available by the fourth quarter of 2011 with subsequent modules rolling out over the following 12 to 18 months. Existing solutions from Emerson will either migrate or integrate with the new Trellis platform.

Trellis will provide a real-time view of operating conditions for IT equipment and the power and cooling systems, allowing companies to make better use of their available data center capacity. According to Emerson, if every U.S. data center improve utilization by 10 percent, U.S. businesses would save more than $10 billion through improved data center infrastructure management.

“Virtualization has brought greater flexibility and efficiency to data center management, but has introduced new complexities and pressures to the static physical infrastructure,” said Steve Hassell, president of the Avocent business of Emerson Network Power. Hassell was CIO at Emerson when the company built its new 35,000 square-foot, LEED Gold data center, an initiative that gave him first-hand experience with the challenges facing even a state-of-the-art data center. “Organizations today lack visibility into the impact of virtualization and the deployment of high-density servers on the physical infrastructure, and that keeps them from utilizing the full capacity of their equipment. We intend to provide that visibility along with the tools to manage and optimize changes to the physical infrastructure.”

Emerson says Trellis will provide a detailed view of physical and IT infrastructure layers, eliminating the need for guesswork that necessitates a power system capacity “buffer” based on nameplate loads for equipment. In emphasizing the importance of DCIM tools in its plans, Emerson noted that its acquisitions of Aperture and Avocent represent a more than $1.25 billion investment, which is among the largest in a single solution category in the company’s history. In January, Emerson named its own CIO, Steve Hassell, to head up the newly formed division that encompasses the Aperture and Avocent brands.

“By 2014, DCIM tools and processes will become main stream in data centers, growing from 1 percent penetration (in 2010) to 60 percent,” said David Cappuccio, managing vice president and chief of research for Gartner’s Infrastructure teams. “To take advantage of the benefits as they evolve, I&O leaders should begin the DCIM evaluation process in 2010 and 2011,”

Many data center managers trying to use comfort cooling solutions to satisfy their data center cooling needs, as these systems can mean simplified and economical deployment up front. However, because they are not designed to meet the unique needs of critical IT equipment, reliance on comfort cooling systems can result in an increased risk for premature system failures as well as grossly inflated operating cost.

In contrast, precision cooling systems are designed specifically to meet the needs of high density computing. The decision to accept the increased risk of comfort cooling systems is usually based on the lower initial costs. However, precision cooling systems actually represent the most cost-effective solutions when total cost of ownership is evaluated. Consider the following on average, TCO for comfort cooling systems is significantly higher — up to 60 percent — than that of precision cooling systems over the life of the equipment.

Finally, data centers that incorporate high density cooling design into their expansion or renovation plans will benefit from scalable IT capacity and reduce the risk of IT downtime. Click here to down this white paper on data center cooling.

Data center energy consumption is being driven by the demand within almost every organization for greater computing capacity and increased IT centralization. Meanwhile, global electricity prices increased 56% in recent years. The financial implications are significant; estimates of annual power costs for U.S. data centers now range as high as $3.3 billion.

While progress has been made on data center efficiency, an objective, vendor-neutral evaluation of efficiency opportunities across the spectrum of data center systems has been lacking. This has made it difficult for data center managers to prioritize efficiency efforts and tailor best practices to their data center equipment and operating practices. This paper closes that gap by outlining a holistic approach to energy reduction, based on quantitative analysis, which enables a 50 percent or greater reduction in data center energy consumption. Click here to download this white paper.