< PreviousWhat is the current state of play for data centres in terms of power? Data centre operators are preparing for a step change in data demand. The introduction of 5G telecoms networks in the UK will mean that consumers will experience download speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G. At these speeds, data demand will inevitably rise as consumers stream media and machine-to-machine communication picks up under the Internet of Things (IoT). At the same time, we’re continuing to see a shift to the cloud, as well as the steady growth towards future development of self-driving cars. However, it’s not yet possible to know the size of future demand – and therefore how much power data centre operators will need to feed their servers and cooling systems. However, one recent study by RWTH Aachen University calculated that within five years, Germany’s 5G roll-out may increase annual electricity demand from the country’s data centres by 3.5 terawatt-hours (TWh). This is the equivalent power demand of 2.5 million people. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that governments are looking upon data centres as a potential threat towards carbon policies. The challenge for operators is to demonstrate the important role of data centres in energy initiatives particularly in the much larger industrial and transport sectors thanks to IoT and 5G technologies. As a result, data centre operators want to deploy architectures that offer flexibility and energy efficiency, while enabling them to optimise their assets. How are operators planning to meet the growing power demand? In practice, data centre operators are looking to suppliers to think laterally and come up with non-traditional designs to make their power distribution systems more efficient and flexible. For example, we see an increase in large scale operators looking to medium voltage distribution architectures to optimise their electrical assets and increase efficiency by using higher voltages. Medium voltage UPS and battery storage solutions gives operators the opportunity to participate in demand side response and become less dependent on grid connections. However, this is not realised without other design challenges. As a result, we’re helping customers overcome these issues to ensure they’re continuing to meet their overall objectives for resilience and availability, as well as working towards greater energy efficiency. What other practical actions are operators taking to meet growing power demand? Many operators have a build-as-you-grow strategy, so we are delivering a lot of modular systems based on skid-mounted pre-fabricated power modules that are assembled from our base products such as switchgear, transformers and UPS systems. In this article, James Madden, ABB’s Data Centre Sales Leader for North Europe, answers questions about how the supply chain is supporting operators to enhance efficiency, resilience and flexibility. James Madden Data Centre Sales Leader for North Europe ABB power distribution www.networkseuropemagazine.com 50Power distribution for the decade of data power distribution www.networkseuropemagazine.com 51Operators can deploy these in a flexible way to power growth as and when they need it. Speed of deployment and agility is key for our clients, build times are becoming increasingly shorter putting the supply chain under continuous pressure in this booming industry so building standardised modular power trains makes sense. One of the ways that we’re addressing these pressures in production is through digitalisation in our own factories. This is helping us to manage production in a faster and more reliable way. We’re also encouraging our customers to open a dialogue at concept stages where we can act as a partner in planning and total lifecycle management, it also helps us plan our resources accordingly to ensure an optimised design and smooth execution. What other challenges does the industry face? Brexit is another potential challenge as it leaves rules around services unclear during the transition period. Depending on the outcome of trade negotiations, UK operators may need to deploy new capacity quickly before the end of 2020 to overcome potential restrictions on cross-border data flows. With operators working towards increasingly shortened programmes to build new capacity, the industry and its supply chain will be watching the trade negotiations closely. How is the data centre industry responding to the outage on the UK’s transmission grid on 9th August 2019? Resilience and availability are always high priorities for the sector, so the 2019 outage experienced on the UK’s transmission and distribution grids prompted some data centre operators to think differently. We see operators now toying with the idea of continuous onsite generation and adopting a microgrid strategy, potentially operating their facilities in island mode with the deployment of gas-powered generation. Gas offers the benefits of providing independence and resilience while having a lower environmental impact than traditional diesel engines. Such strategies allow operators to participate in Demand Side Response (DSR) schemes and earn income from National Grid by simply switching off their grid supply or exporting. Technology has an important role to play here. For – with operators working towards increasingly shortened programmes to build new capacity, the industry and its supply chain will be watching the trade negotiations closely – power distribution www.networkseuropemagazine.com 52example, power conditioning equipment inside a medium- voltage UPS provides isolation from disturbances from operations within the microgrid and the wider national grid. Protection and control technology are also an essential part of the mix. Operators now need control systems to oversee operations like islanding, load shedding or managing the grid connection, which relies on the IEC 61850 smart grid communication protocol. At a low voltage level, operators need to synchronise systems to manage automatic transfer and reconnection of loads and generators, as well as ensuring the right level of protection and control for generators and transformers. What is the state of play for digitalisation and automation in the data centre sector? Adoption of digitalisation varies widely across the sector, depending on the function of a data centre and the level of risk that is appropriate for its operator. Digitalisation has potential to optimise operations – for example, the latest Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) can provide monitoring of power consumption and performance of individual systems. It can also help with visualisation and visibility, helping operators to evaluate demand and performance and take more informed decisions. For example, we’re seeing a shift towards multi-tenancy data centres to power Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) applications. They need to react quickly to growing demand and make the most of their assets and the space available at their sites. Digitalisation helps them to create more competitive architectures. An important aspect about digitalisation is that operators can choose the level that suits them – for example, the level of remote monitoring or control and whether to embed technology into new infrastructure or retrofit it to legacy systems. How can data centres be more competitive? We’re seeing a transfer towards multi megawatt cloud and colocation facilities. The operators of these sites want energy efficiency, reliability, flexibility and a small footprint for grey space infrastructure. This is helping them to optimise assets and improve their green credentials. We’re supporting this by focusing on technologies with modular construction, high energy efficiency and smaller footprint. For example, we’re launching the new Megaflex UPS at Data Centre World 2020. It is designed to provide 1,500 kW backup in a footprint that is 45 percent smaller than comparable systems. What hasn’t changed is that operators are focused on cost and speed of delivery, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) rather than capital expenditure, and the potential payback from energy efficient technologies, digitisation and automation. ABB is a valuable partner to operators in all of these areas. n – adoption of digitalisation varies widely across the sector, depending on the function of a data centre and the level of risk that is appropriate for its operator – power distribution www.networkseuropemagazine.com 53Today’s ‘Intelligent Buildings’ offer functionality far beyond traditional building management systems. An Intelligent Building supports energy savings and integrates services to drive economic, social and environmental benefits for owners, tenants, and staff populating buildings. Benefits range from improved productivity to enhanced comfort and safety. Sensors and devices make it possible to digitally represent physical objects, systems and spaces. Data collected by IoT devices enables optimised functionality of the building systems and spaces. For example, many new Smart PoE systems have built-in sensors that offer enhanced energy-saving possibilities. Occupancy sensors can help utilise space and flexible workplaces more efficiently. Smart lighting equipped with occupancy and ambient light sensors that change lighting over the course of the day help increase productivity. An Intelligent Building’s nervous system is essentially the network that connects data input devices (actuators, switches, system controls and so on) with the intelligent software that acts based on those inputs. Today, more and more systems run on, or are being adapted to, an Ethernet network rather than a proprietary system. However, the network needs to support different systems, each with their own bandwidth and power requirements. Careful planning is, therefore, essential. Intelligent Building network design Let’s take a closer look at current key developments in Intelligent and Connected buildings, and their requirements. A BIoT – essentially an IoT Installed in buildings – could, for example, encompass (Smart) Sensors, Access Control systems, or HVAC and Metering systems. These systems and devices are all connected to a network. Even if they are wirelessly connected using proprietary protocols, they will often be connected to a gateway allowing communication with the Enterprise network and ultimately the cloud. According to research by Memoori, the number of BIoT hardware devices and applications is growing every day. A recent report puts expected business volume in Europe for BloT products at 4.52 Bn. US $ in 2022, which includes hardware as well as software and services. Creating future-ready building infrastructures Jan Middeldorf, Senior Product Manager Nexans Todd Harpel, Standardisation Director, Nexans Technology drivers such as Power over Ethernet (PoE), WiFi-6, convergence and Building Internet of Things (BIoT) are changing the design, implementation and management of data and power infrastructure. Is your network future-ready? future-ready infrastructures www.networkseuropemagazine.com 54Creating future-ready building infrastructures future-ready infrastructures www.networkseuropemagazine.com 55The Digital Ceiling is essentially a moniker for a network of smart digital products and applications installed in the ceiling. Not only building systems, but also WLAN Access points, IP cameras, Smart Building systems and Connected Lighting solutions with PoE-powered LED fixtures. Connecting highly efficient LED based lights with twisted pair cabling offers the benefit of providing lighting control signals and PoE to the fixtures and switches through the same cable, eliminating the need for a separate power cabling infrastructure. In many cases the luminaires themselves incorporate sensors and other intelligent features that can greatly reduce the cost of installing separate control devices and associated cabling. Technology Driver The latest Power over Ethernet standard (IEEE 802.3bt, published in September 2018) allows for power transmission over all four cable pairs. It offers up to 90W output power at the Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and 71.3W at the Powered Device (PD). Furthermore, the latest standard supports 10GBase-T, making it possible to provide 10Gbps transmission speeds while supporting power delivery over copper. It’s also backwards-compatible with previous generations of PoE. This latest generation of PoE enables connected lighting solutions, as well as applications such as network powered Digital Signage in public areas and airports, and offers support for power-hungry IP Cameras and the latest WLAN Access Points. In fact Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) Wireless LAN technology is affecting the network cabling layout in today’s buildings. This generation of Wi-Fi offers greater user bandwidth and channel efficiency. However, increasing wireless network performance requires better signal quality, which leads to a decrease of radio cell size by some 30%. Care should be taken to ensure adequate cabling is available to support the higher access point density required. As bandwidth bottlenecks are shifted away from the wireless part of the networks - which can now handle gigabit speeds – the capability of the wired interface becomes critical. Wi-Fi 6 access points are often equipped with multiple 2.5 or 5Gbit/s (IEEE 802.3bz) uplink ports and powered by IEEE 802.3bt compliant PoE. As a consequence, Category 6A copper is recommended as a minimum to provide adequate bandwidth and superior heat dissipation capabilities in cable bundles. Theoretical maximum bandwidth in combination with reduced distance between client and access point, which has a marked impact on network design and functionality. future-ready infrastructures www.networkseuropemagazine.com 56Impact on IT Infrastructures Today, data and power networks are converging. An increasing number of end devices are connected via copper cable to provide data as well as power. Previously, a work desk might use PoE-based power for no more than a VoIP phone. However, today’s Digital Ceiling devices and applications often require much more bandwidth and/or power. Furthermore, the changing nature of applications using the network also means requirements in the area of IT security and reliability have changed. To address cabling density and endpoint flexibility requirements, intelligent building cabling standards such as ISO/IEC 11801-6:2017 recommend using a passive zone cabling architecture. With this approach, Service Concentration Points (SCPs) can be created, each of which can support multiple Service Outlets in a coverage area of about 16 m2. Unlike the standard Enterprise LAN where the location of the work area outlets for Information Technology (IT) is usually predictable, these Service Outlets (also called Equipment Outlets) which connect the different building functions, or Operational Technology (OT), may be positioned in many different parts of the space. Utilising a zone cabling architecture will result in a cabling density that is designed to support different systems and devices that can be optimally positioned according to the function they serve. Fibre in the Digital Ceiling approach An alternative network design for Digital Ceiling support is to install optical fibre and a small Ethernet switch providing power and connectivity as an active consolidation point in the building space being supported. From this active consolidation point, only a short distance needs to be bridged to the connected devices with patch cords and PoE power can be supplied. This approach can also provide for future connections as network designers often don’t know how many devices or systems will be connected in any given area of an Intelligent Building ahead of time. Choosing the right cabling infrastructure The key to selecting the right cabling infrastructure is to provide a flexible solution that can support the different bandwidth and power requirements of various services and devices in different locations. Installation of Category 6A cabling is considered a best practice because it supports the highest bandwidth and greatest power levels without the risk of overheating in large bundles, which are sometimes present in the zone cabling architecture. The introduction of a Digital Ceiling active consolidation point can provide similar flexibility and the potential to reduce cabling costs. Installing optical fibre to a locally powered Ethernet switch located within the building space can meet bandwidth and power requirements for each device with the flexibility of connecting that device with a simple patch cord. New ‘Single Pair Ethernet’ (SPE) equipment will open the way for an additional ‘overlay’ network designed to support intelligent building systems. Work on SPE cabling standards is underway with the expectation that this technology will enable economical, high density deployment of a whole new wave of connected sensors and controls that will make our buildings even smarter. n future-ready infrastructures www.networkseuropemagazine.com 57SolarWinds Head Geek program welcomes new team member and celebrates industry achievement Liz Beavers SolarWinds has introduced Liz Beavers as the newest member of the company’s Head Geek team and announced that Microsoft recognised Head Geek Thomas LaRock with his 12th consecutive Microsoft MVP award for passionately sharing data platform knowledge with the tech community. “Having once been on the front lines working as IT pros themselves, the SolarWinds Head Geeks are invaluable assets to the organisation when it comes to relating 1:1 with our IT pro community,” said Darren Beck, CMO, SolarWinds. “Their depth of firsthand knowledge and experience combined with industry insight drives today’s tech conversations and is what makes them unique. We’re excited to see Liz bring her ITSM expertise to the Head Geeks team, and we’re so proud to see Tom be recognised year after year as Microsoft MVP.” LaRock is a 12-time recipient of the Microsoft MVP honour: The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Program makes up a global community of over 4,000 technical experts driven by passion, community spirit, and a quest for knowledge. These community leaders come from more than 90 countries, speak over 40 different languages, are awarded in more than 90 Microsoft technologies, and answer more than 10 million questions each year. LaRock received his first Microsoft MVP award in 2009 and has received one each consecutive year for his continued contributions to and enthusiasm for the Microsoft community. LaRock was named a Microsoft MVP for his technical expertise with SQL Server and his interest in system center cloud and data centre management as well as Microsoft Azure. In addition, LaRock is a Microsoft Certified Master, Microsoft Data Platform MVP, VMware vExpert, and former Microsoft Certified Trainer. He has a wide range of experience in the IT industry— including roles such as programmer, developer, analyst, and database administrator—and he enjoys sharing his insights on his blog. n NS1 expands executive leadership in Finance, People, and Product NS1 has expanded its executive team with seasoned leaders in finance, people management, and product innovation. Hires include David Wilson as Chief Financial Officer, Lorraine Heber-Brause as Vice President and Global Head of People, and Sanjay Ramnath as Vice President of Product Marketing. These hires come at a point of strategic growth for NS1. Demand for the company’s modern approach to foundational infrastructure technology continues to accelerate as organisations in all industries become more reliant on digital services and applications to connect employees, engage with customers, and gain a competitive advantage. The collective experience and vast knowledge these leaders possess will support continued innovation both in product and employee experiences while solidifying NS1’s leadership in delivering software-defined application and access networking solutions that power the growing connected economy. David Wilson, Chief Financial Officer With a 20-year track record in financial leadership for both public and private markets, Wilson takes the helm just nine months since NS1’s $33 million Series C funding round. In his new role, David’s focus will be to put NS1’s capital to work to help the company maximise returns from its rich opportunity set. Wilson has previously held CFO roles with Symphony Communications, a private company that provided encrypted communication technology; Ooyala Inc., where he played a lead role in its sale to Telstra (ASX: TLS); ACS (NASDAQ: ALSK), a facilities-based telecommunications provider; and DirecTV Broadband (formerly Telocity; NASDAQ: TLCT). Lorraine Heber-Brause, Vice President and Global Head of People Lorraine Heber-Brause is an experienced human resources and global people operations executive with a proven track record of leading organisations through rapid growth and transformation. Her focus and expertise span organisational and cultural development, coaching and training, employee engagement, and diversity and inclusion programs. In the new role, she will lead people operations and shape NS1’s employee growth strategy, which includes a transparent strategy and goals for hiring and team diversity as well as deepening all facets of inclusion. Sanjay Ramnath, Vice President of Product Marketing For more than a decade, Ramnath has led product and strategy teams through the formulation of go-to-market (GTM) strategies and launches of hardware, software, and SaaS products. At NS1, he will spearhead messaging and GTM strategies for NS1’s solutions, reinforcing the critical role the company’s technology plays in enabling leading organisations to deliver exceptional application experiences. n Movers and Shakers Share your news: editor.networks@abacus-comms.co.uk www.networkseuropemagazine.com MOVERS AND SHAKERS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 58Extreme Networks appoints Nabil Bukhari as Chief Technology Officer Extreme Networks, Inc., a cloud-driven networking company, has announced Nabil Bukhari as Chief Technology Officer, in addition to his current role as Chief Product Officer. In his new role as CTO, Nabil will expand on the “first mover” technology strategy he implemented to deliver simple, effortless, cloud-driven networking solutions that improve customer experiences and drive business advantages. He will continue to report to President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Meyercord. “Congratulations to Nabil on his expanded role as our new CTO. He has done an outstanding job leading and transforming our product organisation. As an inspirational leader at Extreme, we want to leverage his capabilities with an external, customer-facing role in support of our field. We want to showcase Nabil’s innovative ideas, thought leadership, and his many talents to our customers, partners, and the broader technology industry,” said Ed Meyercord, President and CEO. Under Nabil’s leadership, the CTO office will drive an experience for customers and end users, furthering the success of Extreme’s portfolio and accelerating innovation in the networking sector. He will continue to serve as CPO, driving the strategy, execution and delivery of Extreme’s suite of products, overseeing a team of more than 1,100 people in product definition, planning, and execution. n Extreme Networks names Joe Vitalone as Chief Revenue Officer Extreme Networks, Inc. a cloud-driven networking company, has announced Joe Vitalone has joined the company as Chief Revenue Officer. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in sales, marketing, and operations management. He has held senior sales and marketing positions at Mitel, ShoreTel, and Arrow Systems, and most recently served as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Jemez Technology. As CRO at Extreme, Joe will oversee global sales, channel, and sales operations teams and report to Ed Meyercord, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Joe is a results-oriented leader. His experience managing international teams and route-to-market transitions, as well as his impressive record in moving organisations from transaction-based purchasing to subscription models, will be invaluable as we continue to cloud-enable our portfolio and bring the benefits of cloud-driven networking to our customers. We’re pleased to have him join Extreme and know he will be a key contributor, driving sales productivity and helping to grow market share, revenue, and partnerships worldwide,” said Ed Meyercord, President and CEO. Previously, Joe served as Chief Marketing Officer at Arrow Systems Integration, now ConvergeOne, and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Razberi Technologies. A technology and sales expert to his core, Joe started his career in sales working for companies including AT&T and Polycom. n Colt Data Centre Services (DCS) announces new APAC head to drive hyperscale growth in the region Colt Data Centre Services (DCS) has announced the appointment of Hiroshige Sugihara as Vice President, Head of Asia-Pacific. This announcement comes as Colt DCS continues its commitment to hyperscale builds and expansion within the region; including the scheduled completion of Tokyo’s Inzai 3 data centre later this year. Based in Japan, Hiroshige will lead all Colt DCS operations in APAC. He will play a key role in driving the company’s global vision and continued investment in new builds across the region as the company focuses on expanding its international hyperscale offering in 2020 and beyond. Hiroshige comes to the role with over 37 years’ experience as a senior leader in the IT industry. He has held previous executive leadership positions spanning APAC and the US, including Senior Vice President, Chief of staff, International of Oracle Corporation and Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Oracle Japan. “I am excited to join Colt DCS during a period of such strong growth,” said Hiroshige. “The company’s continued hyperscale expansion in APAC, as well as its commitment to the highest standards of operation were key in my decision to join the team. I am looking forward to working with the APAC and global teams to ensure the company’s commitments to the region are met.” n GTT appoints Ernie Ortega Interim Chief Executive Officer, expands executive leadership team GTT Communications, Inc. has named GTT’s Chief Revenue Officer Ernie Ortega as the interim CEO while the Board continues its search for a new CEO. The Board of Directors also announces that Don MacNeil has joined the GTT leadership team as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Mr. MacNeil will lead GTT’s network operations, service delivery, assurance and vendor management teams, as well as GTT’s product organisation. “I am delighted to name Ernie Ortega as interim CEO and Don MacNeil as GTT’s Chief Operating Officer,” stated H. Brian Thompson, GTT Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board. “Both Ernie and Don have a track record of delivering successful organisational change and operational improvement for national, international and global businesses. Their industry experience and leadership will accelerate our drive to operational excellence, a clearly outstanding client experience, continuous improvement of our services, and the achievement of our organic growth goals." Mr. Ortega joined GTT in June 2019 as Division president, Americas, and has extensive industry experience with a strong record of delivering revenue growth. Prior to joining GTT, Mr. Ortega was CEO of Towerstream and previously held senior executive roles at Colt Technology Services, Cogent, and XO Communications, after beginning his career at MCI. n IP House appoints Mark Saunders as Sales Director IP House has announced the appointment of Mark Saunders as Sales Director for the company. With over 20 years of experience in an array of digital sectors including, Cloud and Communications, Connectivity, SaaS, Digital Transformation and AI supported Data Automation, Mark is a seasoned professional, bringing an array of skills, experience and concise leadership to the company. Joining IP House, Mark brings his experience to lead the sales and marketing teams, working alongside the company’s partners to achieve goals collaboratively within the IT, data centre and cloud computing industries. His mission is to help IP House become one of the most recognised names in the London data centre market, and in working with ISPs, VARs and MSPs, his drive and expertise will help to maximise the businesses ambitions and potential. Mark stated: “I’m delighted to be joining the IP House team at a time where data centres and digital infrastructure are crucial to the way in which businesses operate.” He continued: “Working alongside the sales team and leadership personnel, I believe we must continue to prioritise exceptional service to customers and focus our efforts on building new relationships with a growing MSP and ISP partner base, demonstrating the considerable value that IP House brings to the London data centre market.” n MOVERS AND SHAKERS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 59 www.networkseuropemagazine.com 59Next >