< Previousdatacentre efficiency www.networkseuropemagazine.com 50 At the same time, many more are replacing outdated and inefficient equipment in an effort to ensure their data centres are as efficient as possible and achieving the right performance levels. Customers, too, are focused on sustainability goals; 62% of Oracle’s data centre power is certified as renewable; Google has been using 100% renewable energy since 2017; AWS has committed to be using 80% renewable energy by 2024, 100% by 2030 (potentially as early as 2025) and to be net-zero carbon by 2040; Microsoft has been carbon neutral since 2012 and is committed to being carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all historical carbon generated since the company started in the 1970s, by 2050. This signals great progress for the industry, and for business in general. However, instead of focusing on discrete initiatives, the most committed providers are looking holistically at optimising their data centre footprint: managing the data centre lifecycle end-to-end. To achieve optimum performance, providers must embark on a journey from design and construction, through deployment, operation and optimisation, leveraging emulation, automation and analytics to ensure their customers’ needs are met at every step of the way. Darren Watkins Managing Director VIRTUS Data Centres There is plenty of advice out there about optimising and improving parts of the data centre, and it is something the entire industry is looking at as demand continues to grow. Operators are striving to become more effective, efficient and environmentally responsible and many are harnessing innovative cooling techniques or committing to using carbon-zero renewable energy. Preparing for a better future: Greater datacentre efficiency and performancedatacentre efficiency www.networkseuropemagazine.com 51 ancedatacentre efficiency www.networkseuropemagazine.com 52 What is ‘optimum performance’? For most data centre providers, 100% availability is a key performance indicator, since the IT loads they support are mission-critical and the impact and cost of downtime are high – not just for the providers, but for all businesses. Data centres today underpin almost all of the UK and global digital economy, even more so now that almost everyone has turned to online services for remote working and/or recreation. Usage of video conferencing and collaboration tools, online fitness classes, gaming and shopping are all seeing dramatic increases in demand. And data centres have been instrumental in enabling and supporting the rapid switch to home working at scale. Scalability is equally vital for performance, as customers look to operators to provide more or less space as and when needed. This is particularly key for colocation providers that are expected to flex their provision alongside their multiple customers’ changing requirements. For example, the increased use of High-Performance Compute (HPC) environments, which require large amounts of power and the agility to rapidly change consumption profile in line with demand. At the same time, modern data centres are expected to keep power usage within the environmental requirements. There are other performance metrics to consider - how energy efficient the data centre is, what its Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating is, how cost-effective it is in terms of CapEx, OpEx, or total cost of ownership (TCO) and how sustainable and environmentally compliant the design is. Other critical resources are increasingly being measured, such as Water Usage Efficiency (WUE) and reporting the reduction of carbon emissions. These metrics are becoming more of a necessity as many organisations are regularly asking providers for evidence of robust sustainability and carbon reduction measures for their own CSR commitments. Plus, the EU Commission recently set a “green deadline”, noting that the industry "should become climate neutral by 2030.” Success begins with construction and build The first consideration for data centre operators is likely to be its location. Of course, a data centre can be built almost anywhere with enough suitable power and the right connectivity, but location has an impact on the quality of service it can provide to its customers. Data centres should be located close enough to data centre ecosystems to allow for mission-critical data replication services, but far enough from both to satisfy physical disaster recovery requirements. When it comes to design and construction, there are plenty of things to think about such as materials, time to market and cost. But it’s not just about quick and efficient builds. Innovative data centre designs are a way to stay ahead of the market, pushing standards forward. For example, some providers make use of natural water sources for cooling, some ensure they harvest rainwater and reuse heat waste, others have built air flooded data halls that use hot aisle containment and are cooled using indirect evaporative air technology to provide cooling, but with very low energy use. Innovation must be aligned with ongoing sustainability, and it’s here where the BREEAM (Building Research datacentre efficiency 53 Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) standards are important. The standards look at the green credentials of commercial buildings, verifying their performance and comparing them against sustainability benchmarks across the entire project lifecycle. As well as the commitment to meeting BREEAM specifications, many providers also employ a modular build methodology to deploy capacity as and when required. This drives up utilisation and maximises efficiency both from an operational and cost perspective. Deployment, operation and optimisation Power and cooling account for much of the operating costs of a data centre, and as such they are a crucial consideration for efficiency and performance. Trends like immersion cooling, back-up power and generation solutions are all interesting areas for innovation in the future. Liquid cooling has fast made a comeback as a way of maintaining optimal operating temperatures, notably in the HPC arena together with innovative techniques like using indirect evaporative air. Our data centres use a variety of these techniques in their facilities, alongside innovations in liquid cooling. This strives to produce a 1.0x PUE which, according to the Uptime Institute’s annual survey, is well below the 2020 average of 1.58x. All operators attempt to get the PUE ratio down to as near to 1.0x as possible, with most new builds falling between 1.2x and 1.4x. In terms of power requirements, the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) will be determined by several factors including the criticality of the systems under load, the quality of the existing power supply and of course, the cost. When it comes to energy use, many providers are committed to using 100% renewable and carbon zero energy sources – helping them to meet environmental goals while also providing cost savings and increasing reliability. For back-up power, the industry continues to investigate alternative, sustainable sources - fuel cells are being looked at as a standby energy source. At present, this technology is not available at the scale required for large data centres. Unfortunately, nothing currently is workable at the scale some customers need, and in the UK, we are very fortunate to have extremely stable National Power. However, research into all new sustainability innovation is ongoing. Market demand for data centre space has been growing year-on-year and it is predicted that it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, as more and more devices connect to the internet and more data than ever is produced. As long as the increasing data needs to be analysed and converted into information, there will be a continued demand for data centres to both process and store it. However, demand comes with constant cost and sustainability pressures, so time and investment must be spent on research and development of every aspect of data centre solutions - from cooling systems to distribution to security and monitoring - to improve performance and efficiency. Forward-looking providers will work with supply partners and customers to innovate, enhance product development and adopt where possible. By doing this, data centres can provide a robust and secure high performing solution that is efficient and can support customers now and in the future without dramatically affecting cost. n Time and investment must be spent on research and development of every aspect of data centre solutionsSmart FM know-how Every business has an impact on the environment - along with legal obligations that it must fulfil. Facilities owners need to understand a variety of complex laws and legislation when it comes to environmental compliance. What are some of these obligations? And how can smart technology make implementing and demonstrating environmental compliance easier? smart facilities www.networkseuropemagazine.com 54STEP 1: Identify your key obligations and risks You can use smart technology to help you assess the main environmental risks of your business activities. For example, sensors connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and automated meter readers (AMRs) can help you keep track of your water, raw materials and energy consumption, waste management and production of pollution and emissions. Having access to all this data on one cloud-based platform allows you to gain a comprehensive overview of your facility’s resource-dependency and output. This data can then be used to inform your overall review of your environmental impact. Identifying key risks will not only help you meet legal obligations but will also highlight ways in which improving your environmental performance can directly benefit your business, such as reducing energy costs. Once you have identified relevant risks to your business, the next steps include managing these risks. In this article, we’ll discuss the different ways that smart technology can assist. STEP 2: Clear the air: manage and monitor air pollution The Environmental Protection Act 1990 is a piece of legislation that contains 164 sections, arranged in nine parts and supported by 16 schedules. One of the key areas it includes is “Integrated Pollution Control and Local Authority Air Pollution Control". This section focuses on preventing and reducing the release of substances into the environment. Your obligations include: • Ensuring that you do not produce unnecessarily dirty smoke • Not exceeding set limits on sulphur content • Not producing emissions that cause a nuisance to your neighbours Remember that activities that produce significant air pollution are likely to require an environmental permit, so be sure to contact your environmental regulator. Monitoring and managing air quality levels is made simple using smart technology. An air quality monitoring system of smart sensors connected to a central building management dashboard is able to detect carbon dioxide levels, noxious gases and pollutants. This real-time data provides enhanced visibility, instant alerts, improved situational awareness and earlier indications of air pollution risks. It’s worth noting that external air conditioning units (the ones you see sticking out of windows that drip water) can fall foul of these regulations if they are faulty. They need to be regularly maintained and monitored to prevent this. STEP 3: Watch your waste The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations SI 2011/988 make it an offence not to apply the waste hierarchy duty, collection of waste duty or collected waste duty. When it comes to waste, your environmental obligations include: • Minimising any packaging you use • Ensuring waste is stored appropriately • Keeping copies of waste transfer notes • Two years’ worth of waste records available • Treating waste sent to landfill to reduce its environmental impact If you are generating hazardous waste, there are extra controls to be aware of. Be sure to check with your environmental regulator regarding your registration. Many businesses are all too aware that manual waste management is time-consuming, costly and inefficient. Waste can also generate lost time and effort too, particularly when it is collected unnecessarily before the receptacles are full. With a smart waste management system, you can automate predictive waste collection schedules. By equipping your waste and recycling stations with level sensors, you’ll benefit from real-time data sent to collection crews or other departments. This enables a more efficient collection schedule and provides historical data and record-keeping. STEP 4: Energy efficiency The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) has made it mandatory for close to 14,000 UK companies to complete an initial audit of their energy usage. Company criteria • Private and third sector • Employ at least 250 staff or • Have an annual turnover of more than £42.5million The audit involves looking carefully at how your organisation uses energy in buildings, transport and industrial operations. An accurate overview of energy consumption is made possible through smart meters, automated meter readers (AMRs) and smart sensors. Smart meters provide accurate energy consumption data; sensors can be attached to doors, walls, desks and windows to monitor variables such as temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels, helping businesses to identify areas that are being overheated or over-cooled. The data from this smart technology enables facilities managers to identify potential energy savings and make informed decisions to reduce energy consumption. STEP 5: Cutting carbon emissions The UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 is a legally-binding, long-term framework to cut carbon emissions. It sets out the Government’s commitment to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions to net-zero by the year 2050. Businesses are required to follow suit and will be coming under increased scrutiny over the coming years. Businesses that have installed smart technology to help with energy management are better placed to meet these obligations and legislations, both currently and in the future. Another benefit is a greater understanding of their carbon footprints and where reductions can be made. No matter the industry, there are several examples of IoT applications helping to reduce carbon footprints and improve energy and operational efficiencies along with profitability: • Energy efficiency (as mentioned above in relation to ESOS) • Lighting efficiency—smart lighting that is more responsive and automated leads to greater energy efficiency • Heating and cooling efficiency— predictive maintenance and automated HVAC controls help these systems to consume less energy It pays to go smart IoT technologies have revolutionised the ways that businesses work, and the way in which they demonstrate compliance with environmental legislation and obligations. By making such smart choices now, facilities managers can make their operations more efficient and ensure long-term sustainable success. n Five steps towards environmental compliance in your facility Matthew Margetts Director of Sales and Marketing Smarter Technologies smart facilities www.networkseuropemagazine.com 55The Internet of Things (IoT) has a vision of reporting data from low-cost sensors across communications links, and into huge databases within the cloud for analysis. With more data, the aim is to glean additional information to help optimise process plants, cities or even everyday lives. There is immense value in being able to optimise operations to detect and respond faster to impending issues. That’s why RTUs have been used for decades to monitor power consumption and battery backup at telecommunications towers. In a process plant covered by a Wi-Fi or 5G network, with servers in the cloud or in a nearby, air-conditioned control room, RTUs gather information about critical assets. In the event of a grid failure, the RTU allows operators to continue to monitor assets to ensure continued, uninterrupted operation. RTUs work on the simple premise that, if the condition of an asset is understood, it can be managed efficiently and respond quickly to change. More recently, they have been deployed at wind turbine towers to monitor production, rather than consumption, at each one. The RTU has to have enough capacity to manage the limited number of input/output (I/O) points that are required at each power generation tower. In the manufacturing sector, industrial IoT (IIoT) provides similar benefits for a vast range of equipment such as pumps, valves, compressors and even railway lines and potable water. But there are challenges, one being cybersecurity. Cybersecurity and RTUs Many industrial applications concern public safety — such as the transport of people or of hazardous materials or the production of food, beverages and medicines for human consumption. Risks of any external access to control systems can preclude the open connectivity that is a core driver for the IoT. Another challenge is rising volumes of data, with increasing loads on both the main server and the communications networks that connect to it. RTUs collect data from sensors at the remote location and process it for an immediate, local response. There is no latency in sending data to a central server and waiting for it to respond. It also solves the problem of outages when there is no link to the main server. RTUs are autonomous and can maintain local control for extended periods without supervisory oversight. They are also data concentrators, but sending every data sample to a main server will quickly overload a communications link. Instead, RTUs minimise congestion by concentrating the data to only what is necessary. Faster, low latency response An RTU can sample the level of a water tank, or the voltage on a train power line, several times per second for alarm and control purposes and only send key details to the main server. This keeps communications traffic to a minimum. For example, sending a minimum, maximum, average, total and standard deviation for a data point each hour, rather than every one second sample, reduces communications traffic by 99.9%. This allows RTUs to provide an insight into the remote systems when there is next to no available bandwidth. As analysis tools, RTUs collect data from local sensors, analyse it and then respond to change. The typical algorithms in use today are process control related, just like a programmable logic controller (PLC). As the IIoT evolves, more and varied functions are being developed. For example, the Kingfisher CP-35 runs a Linux operating system on a 1GHz processor. This is a significant level of processing power available in the field, dedicated to analysing data from a single location. A fleet of 100 such RTUs across a network gives 100GHz of processing power. The first rule of SCADA is that communications will fail. In addition to being autonomous controllers, RTUs must be data loggers. While offline, an RTU will maintain a store of data that should be sent to the central server, uploading it later, once the link is restored. The latest RTUs can store hundreds of thousands, and potentially millions, of events. To put this into perspective, 100,000 events is about 140 days’ worth of hourly averages from 30 remote sensors. In the IoT, the role of an edge computer is to pre-process data and act before the data is passed on to the main server. This allows a faster, low latency response, and minimises traffic between the central server and the edge. This is exactly the role that an RTU can fulfil in IIoT. With the right protection and safety features, these congestion minimisers can keep the first rule of SCADA — that communications will fail — at bay as much as possible. n Craig Abbot Sales Manager Asia Region Ovarro The first rule of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) is that communications will fail. One challenge is rising volumes of data place increasing loads on both the main server and the communications networks connected to it. Craig Abbot, sales manager for the Asia region at Ovarro, explains why remote telemetry units (RTU) are vital for minimising congestion in intelligent power, utility, broadcast and transport applications. remote telemetry www.networkseuropemagazine.com 56The IIoT journey starts with remote telemetry remote telemetry www.networkseuropemagazine.com 57Movers and Shakers New management at R&M Americas R&M has appointed its long-serving, experienced Senior Manager, Paulo Campos as the new Executive Vice President R&M Americas and Managing Director R&M USA, Inc. Campos successfully positioned R&M Iberia in the market from 2010-15 and over the last six years has just as successfully established R&M in Latin America, with its own production plant. During this time, R&M became one of the leading players in Brazil. The facility in Santa Rita do Sapucaí in Minas Gerais has continuously been expanded to meet the demands of new businesses generated in the telecom and data centre sector. With his new roles and with the merge of the two regions, Campos’ main focus will be on the continuous further development of R&M’s business and positioning in North and South America. He will be relocating to California with his family. The new Managing Director for R&M’s South America business is Edison Castro, who is based in São Paulo, Brazil. Edison is an accomplished and proven General Manager with significant experience in driving sales and building teams in the data communication industry. He has held various Senior Management positions in the industry over the last 15 years. Most recently, Edison Castro was the Sales Director Latam for Prysmian’s Multimedia Solutions business. Prior to this, he was in charge of sales for Prysmian’s telecom and high voltage business. Both North and South America are important strategic growth markets for R&M. n Paulo Campos Edison Castro Cradlepoint, a provider of cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, has announced new partner leadership hires and increasing investment in its partner programmes and platforms as part of its global expansion strategy. Businesses of all sizes increasingly turn to LTE broadband solutions to deliver agile, secure, reliable wide-area network (WAN) connectivity. The emergence of 5G is only accelerating this shift. At the same time, the global pandemic has accelerated digital transformation as organisations implement new strategies to drive revenue and serve customers based on wireless connectivity that is instantly deployable anywhere you can get a cellular signal. This rapidly growing market represents a promising opportunity for partners globally and an opportunity for Cradlepoint to expand its Wireless WAN leadership based on its NetCloud Service and portfolio of branch, mobile, and IoT cellular routers. Cradlepoint has hired several industry- recognised channel leaders recently, deepening its partner expertise and resources. These hires include: • Krissy Kelley, VP of Global Partner and Field Marketing, responsible for partner enablement, scaling and co-marketing. Krissy comes to Cradlepoint after several senior marketing and channel leadership roles at Fortinet, Citrix and RSA. • Lisa Wight, VP of Global Distribution and Partner Programme, plays a critical role in implementing the scalable distribution and partner programme worldwide. Lisa has extensive global distribution and channel experience from VMware and Dell. • Steve Benvenuto, VP of Partner Sales, North America, is focused on driving partner success and growth in North America. Steve brings more than 20 years of channel leadership and execution from Cisco. • Darryl Brick, VP Partner Sales, EMEA, is overseeing Cradlepoint's partner sales throughout Europe. He brings decades of EMEA channel-building experience from Juniper Networks, Infoblox, Imperva, and ServiceNow. n Key leadership hires and global expansion for Cradlepoint Gigamon welcomes Michael Dickman as New Chief Product Officer Gigamon has announced Michael Dickman as its new Chief Product Officer (CPO). Dickman will lead product innovation management and marketing across the company’s portfolio of hybrid cloud, 5G and security solutions. Shane Buckley, President and Chief Operating Officer at Gigamon said “Michael brings tremendous product, market and leadership expertise to Gigamon and we are excited for him to spearhead our next phase of innovation. He will be an excellent addition to our team as we work with our global customers to optimise and secure their hybrid cloud environments.” Prior to Gigamon, Dickman served as Senior Vice President for Product Management and Technical Marketing at Aruba Networks (an HPE company). In his six years with the company, he implemented a Mobile-First strategy with the Aruba Switching portfolio while introducing an award-winning cloud-native operating system, AOS-CX. Most recently, Dickman focused on accelerating Aruba’s cloud platform business which provides network management, AI Ops, user experience, and other services for wireless, wired and wide area networks (WAN). Additionally, he held multiple product and strategy leadership roles in Enterprise Networking at Cisco Systems including early work on SD-WAN for hybrid cloud. Dickman began his career at the Boston Consulting Group. n www.networkseuropemagazine.com MOVERS AND SHAKERS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 58Indigo Telecom Group Limited has appointed Ian Duggan as CEO. Spearheading Indigo Telecom Group’s next phase of international expansion, Duggan joins as CEO after founding and serving as CEO of 4site since 2003, the specialist provider of mobile wireless and fibre services acquired by Indigo Telecom Group in 2019. Duggan has spent nearly 30 years working across multiple roles in civil engineering and telecoms. After graduating as an engineer with a BSc in Construction Management from Waterford Institute of Technology in 1992, Duggan worked as an engineer on a range of major civil projects in Ireland. In 1996, Duggan joined Esat Digifone where he worked as a Principal Engineer and looked after the roll out of hundreds of mobile network sites. During his six years with the company, he saw Esat Digifone transform to Digifone and finally to O2. In 2003 Duggan founded 4site and grew the business to a leading telco design company across the UK and Ireland before being acquired by Indigo in 2019. Kevin Taylor MBE, Executive Chairman, Indigo Telecom Group, commented on the announcement: “The Indigo Telecom Group Board is excited to appoint Ian as the new CEO that will take the company forward. Ian is a hugely experienced business leader with a proven history of developing and growing a sustainable, diversified and profitable business. We have worked closely together since the 4site acquisition and I have seen first-hand that Ian is the right person to lead Indigo Telecom Group forward into the next phase of our international growth.” Duggan said: “I am honoured to take on the role of CEO for Indigo Telecom Group at such an exciting time in the company’s history. As well as establishing a stronger presence in Germany, APAC and the US, our ambition is to further expand and to become a telecom leader that commits to promoting a sustainable, inclusive and trusted workplace.” n Ian Duggan Appointed Indigo Telecom Group CEO to Spearhead International Expansion Opengear names John Svensson as Regional Sales Manager – Nordics Opengear has appointed John Svensson as its new Regional Sales Manager – Nordics. As IT organisations increasingly value comprehensive out-of-band management, Svensson will use his extensive experience to continue Opengear’s rapid expansion across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. The appointment comes amid record revenue growth for Opengear across the entire EMEA region. In the last 12 months, Opengear has acquired more than 200 new customers, signed up 14 new distributors and expanded headcount by 20%. Financial services, banking, telecom, higher education, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, oil and gas, local and central government, computer gaming, online gambling, technology and managed services are all sectors where Opengear has seen significant customer growth. Recently, Opengear has pursued a programme of dynamic channel transformation, significantly extending the network of organisations it works with across Europe. In the Nordics region, Opengear signed a new agreement with Copenhagen-based SEC Datacom and extended its relationship with Exclusive Networks, a pan-European distributor for Opengear. Svensson’s appointment continues Opengear’s strategic shift toward local sales and presales expertise to increase business opportunities and expand collaboration with distribution companies, systems integrators and managed services providers. Svensson, former Sales Director in the Nordic and Baltic region for Gigamon, also previously held senior positions with Accedian and Viavi Solutions. He said, “I’m excited to be part of such a dynamic, fast- growing company with a strong opportunity in the Nordics. I will focus on strengthening collaboration with associate businesses and end-users, developing new opportunities, and becoming a trusted adviser.” Alan Stewart-Brown, Vice President EMEA for Opengear, said, “While other IT companies have been retrenching, we have been recruiting. We’ve enjoyed phenomenal growth across the Nordics and John brings deep experience in networks and sales across the region. He will play a key role as we improve our reach and redouble our expansion efforts. Last year was another record year for Opengear throughout Europe, a year when network resilience has never been more critical to business continuity planning. As this year unfolds, we expect further substantial growth, especially across southern Europe and the Middle East.” n North appoints COO North has appointed industry figure, Paul Comerford as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). The hire is part of the company’s bold growth strategy and will see Comerford join North’s executive leadership team, reporting directly to CEO Glen Williams, who joined the business at the start of this year. Comerford brings more than 35 years of experience and joins from IT and Unified Communications’ services provider, Allvotec, where he held the role of COO. Paul was responsible for driving operational vision and strategy and prior to this, he held senior management positions at Unisys, BT and Damovo. North provides intelligent, integrated technology services to public and private sector clients across the UK. The provider has a focus on the Internet of Things (IoT), Networking and Connectivity, and Safety and Security. The business is backed by Aliter Capital, a specialist investment firm based in Glasgow and London. As part of his new role, Comerford will play an integral role in the senior leadership team to implement North's vision and values. With a remit to embed operational and service excellence, he will integrate service delivery, operations, project delivery, and HSEQ to create greater synergies and streamline processes. Comerford said, “The market opportunity for North is vast. The business already benefits from a strong reputation, an experienced team and a clear plan to tap into existing and new markets such as IoT and 5G. It’s a great time to be joining the business and I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues to transform North into an unrivalled end-to-end managed service provider.” Glen Williams, CEO for North, added, “Paul’s appointment to our team evidences our commitment to building a robust, forward-looking senior leadership team that can help drive and execute our strategy. Paul is a commercial and operationally focused executive leader, with decades of experience delivering change for ICT organisations. This expertise, coupled with his collaborative and flexible management style will add real value to our business.” North has ambitious growth plans which are focused on organic and inorganic growth across several established and emerging markets. n MOVERS AND SHAKERS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 59 www.networkseuropemagazine.com 59Next >