NETWORKS EUROPE The magazine for network and data centre professionals May/June 2023 OPTIMISING YOUR UPS THE LIQUID FUTURE OF DATA CENTRE COOLING Staying rock solid in a changing world Are nuclear-powered data centres on the horizon? Don’t let static be in charge of your fibre network IN THIS ISSUE:Trends and Predictions 0612 CONTENTS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 02 16 The views expressed in the articles and technical papers are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the publishers. The author and publisher, and its officers and employees, do not accept any liability for any errors that may have occurred, or for any reliance on their contents. All trademarks and brandnames are respected within our publication. However, the publishers accept no responsibility for any inadvertent misuse that may occur. This publication is protected by copyright © 2023 and accordingly must not be reproduced in any medium. All rights reserved. Networks Europe stories, news, know-how? Please submit to editor@networkseuropemagazine.com including high resolution (300dpi+ CMYK) images. Surrey Technology Centre Surrey Research Park 40 Occam Road Guildford, GU2 7YG www.networkseuropemagazine.com Published by: Abacus Communications Limited Publisher: Greg Ward Editor: Hazel Davis 05 Foreword 06 News The news desk highlights some of the latest industry stories. 12 Rock solid in a changing world David Savage, CEO and founder, Excelerate Technology, asks, “Are we as future- proof as we think?” 16 A multidisciplinary approach to developing application-based modular data centres A multidisciplinary approach to developing application-based modular data centres. What do you need to keep in mind when designing, specifying, building, testing and operating a modular DC? 21 Fuel cell use in data centres – How much do you know? Ed Ansett, Founder and Chairman, i3 Solutions Group looks at fuel cell use in data centres and asks, how much do you know? 24 For uninterrupted operations – optimise your UPS For uninterrupted operations – optimise your UPS. A UPS serves as protection against power outages, brownouts and other power disturbances, says Vertiv 29 The rise of software-defined networking and automated networks The rise of software-defined networking and automated networks. Alan Hayward, sales and marketing manager at SEH Technology considers the rise of software- defined networking and automated networks 32 The liquid future of data centre cooling Developments in liquid-cooling technologies are a significant step forward, says Markus Gerber, senior business development manager, nVent Schroff 48 Cybersecurity Mobile data Data recovery Internet technology Sustainable power sourc es 3238 www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com CONTENTS 03 34 Tackling TSA compliance through privileged access Tackling TSA compliance through privileged access TSA will continue to evolve. Mark Warren, product specialist, Osirium, evaluates how privileged access can play a key role as a defence mechanism 38 The rise of cybersecurity threats and what that means for the channel Jon Selway, VP of channel Sales EMEA, Aryak, on the must-have elements of a comprehensive security solution 42 Don’t let static be in charge of your fibre network Although invisible to the naked eye, electrostatic charge (ES) can cause havoc to a fibre network, says Liam Taylor, European business manager, Fibre Optics, Microcare 48 Resellers and end-users can weather economic uncertainty through managed networking Uncertainty often drives innovation, and now is the time for resellers to consider their next steps, says Jon Selway, vice president of channel sales EMEA, Aryaka 46 Mobile players and policy makers must collaborate to accelerate 5G rollout in Europe Mobile players and policy makers must collaborate to accelerate 5G rollout in Europe 50 Are nuclear powered data centres on the horizon? Could small modular reactors change how data centres are powered, asks Ed Ansett, founder and chairman, i3 Solutions Group 54 Movers and shakers We take a quick look at some of the industry's movers and shakers, including new appointments, promotions and personnel changes.KDS SUMMIT RETURNS Tuesday 21 November 2023, Business Design Centre, London The KDS Summit is back by popular demand. Attracting decision-makers from around the industry, KDS Summit (formerly known as Kiosk Summit) puts self-serve technology and digital signage suppliers, buyers, sellers, organisations and individuals face to face with an audience of key decision-makers and buyers. Taking place on Tuesday 21 November at the Business Design Centre, London, the KDS Summit brings together the core sectors that make up the global kiosk and digital signage industry, including kiosk, self-service, EPOS, digital signage and wayfinding serving retail, hospitality, public and corporate buildings, transport, venues and more. We offer exhibitors and attendees a comprehensive picture of the customer engagement digital landscape faced by a wide range of verticals and the event will feature a whole day of informative and engaging seminars delivered by industry experts on the key themes impacting the kiosk and digital signage market. Network with buyers, suppliers, integrators, architects and AV professionals across a variety of industries including tourism, retail outlets and FMCG operations and engage with an audience of key decision-makers and buyers in search of new partners and suppliers. For more information and to receive an early-bird discount, email sales@kdseurope.com. Welcome to the latest issue of Networks and my first as editor, taking over the reins from the incomparable Laura Vallis. I am looking forward to getting to know you all and getting to the heart of the key issues affecting the industry. With that in mind, we’d love to hear more from you about what you’d like to see across all our publications so we’re setting up some independent editorial advisory groups. Watch this space (or your inbox) for more information on that. Meanwhile, in this issue we look at the terrifying spectre of fear, uncertainty and doubt (or FUD, in case the term is a new one for you), courtesy of David Savage, CEO and founder of Excelerate Technology. David argues that resilience and a good plan B is essential in today’s changing world. “Technology is only good if it has failsafe connectivity and interoperability underpinning it,” he says. Jon Selway, Vice President of Channel Sales EMEA, Aryaka agrees that, while the outlook might not always be rosy, there are silver linings to be found and managed networking plays a key role in weathering uncertainty. I’ve personally enjoyed learning about fuel cell use in data centres, thanks to Ed Ansett, founder and chairman of i3 Solutions Group. Fuel cells are projected to achieve cost parity with diesel generators in data centres but there are still certain challenges to overcome before they move from potential to production. Hazel Davis Editor NETWORKS EUROPE The magazine for network and data centre professionals May/June 2023 OPTIMISING YOUR UPS THE LIQUID FUTURE OF DATA CENTRE COOLING Staying rock solid in a changing world Are nuclear-powered data centres on the horizon? Don’t let static be in charge of your fibre Network IN THIS ISSUE: FOREWORD www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 05Siemon product and application guide for data centre designers Siemon has published a new product and application guide that provides data centre designers and operators with valuable insight into the benefits that high-speed cable assemblies can deliver in support of higher-bandwidth, low-latency applications in the data centre. Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, edge computing and other emerging technologies are widely adopted in enterprise businesses today. This drives the need for data centre server and storage systems to deliver speeds well beyond 10Gb/s in support of these applications. Siemon’s new guide details how Direct Attached Cables (DACs) and Active Optical Cables (AOCs) can deliver performance, reliability, scalability and power efficiencies to cost-effectively adopt these emerging technologies. A key focus in the guide is data centre topology and how fixed length DACs and AOCs can support shorter in-cabinet connections or connect servers across multiple racks in End of Row (EoR) or Middle of Row (MoR) configurations. In addition to providing a detailed overview of the cable options available to scale and support transmission speeds all the way to 400Gb/s, the guide also addresses the rising challenge of latency. With latency impacting real-time technologies such as virtual reality, high-frequency trading and blockchain, direct attach copper high-speed cable assemblies deliver distinct benefits over and above structured cabling for increased network performance. Common concerns relating to equipment density and switch port utilisation can also be addressed through high-speed cable assemblies. The guide demonstrates how DACs and AOCs can be deployed to connect a single higher-speed switch port to multiple lower speed servers using 4x 10GbE, 4x 25GbE, 4x 100GbE or 2x 200GbE breakouts. “While there is no one single solution for connecting servers in data centres, high-speed cable assemblies offer a number of advantages and should be considered a valuable alternative to other cabling options”, said Ryan Harris, Sales And Market Manager for high-speed cable assemblies at Siemon. “We have created this guide to help data centre designers and operators make informed decisions when selecting cabling for their data centre server and storage systems, especially when future technologies must be supported that rely on high-speed, low-latency cabling for optimum performance.” According to ABB Electrification’s Energy Insights survey of 2,300 leaders from small and large businesses across a range of sectors, 92% feel that continuing energy instability is threatening profitability and competitiveness. Energy costs and insecurity are having a significant impact on the workforce with decreased investment in employees. Business leaders are also concerned about potential impacts of meeting their sustainability targets. Rising energy costs and insecurity are forcing business leaders to rethink how they operate and where they invest in their businesses, to grow and remain competitive. The key impacts on businesses due to rising energy costs in the last year include lower profit margins (34%) and cuts to spending in some areas (34%), leading to a shift away from investment in R&D and other business growth initiatives. Over a third (38%) have, or plan to, reduce technology investment, while a third (33%) expect to cut spending on infrastructure and 31% foresee a decline in marketing spend. Some 83% of business leaders express concern about the security of their business’s energy supply, and many are taking action to address energy insecurity and fluctuating energy prices. Over a third (36%) are worried about further rises in energy costs, 31% are concerned by power cuts and blackouts, and a quarter by energy rationing. In response, 34% have already increased investment specifically focusing on improving their energy efficiency and 40% are looking to install on- site renewable energy generation to become less dependent on the grid. While businesses overall want to take proactive actions to address their energy challenges, a third are being put off by the perceived cost of implementing energy efficiency measures, and almost half (49%) feel they don’t have the know-how or resources to proceed. Much of the technology that can help businesses - large or small - to optimise their energy management and reduce costs, is already widely available. For example, at a telecoms HQ in Hanoi, smart building technology reduced energy costs by 20%, while retrofitting hardware and using energy management solutions at an ABB factory in Italy has led to 30% energy savings. ABB Electrification’s energy insights survey results www.networkseuropemagazine.com NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 06NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 07 New ABB Ability SmartTracker enables users to monitor UPS system performance and optimise efficiency ABB has launched a unique way to remotely monitor UPS systems, further expanding its ecosystem of digital tools for smart power supplies and sustainable energy management. The ABB Ability SmartTracker provides 24/7 remote monitoring of critical uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems and gives users data-driven insights to improve energy efficiency and power supply resilience. Sébastien Surply, ABB Global Product Group Manager, Power Protection, said: “The ABB Ability SmartTracker is just the latest ABB Ability innovation giving customers greater visibility and an instant connection to ABB expertise. For any UPS keeping critical applications running, real-time UPS status data is essential; when equipment is installed in remote or secure locations, remote access is even more important. The SmartTracker simplifies monitoring, helping users manage their critical power assets with greater ease and confidence.” The ABB Ability SmartTracker uses cloud-based infrastructure to provide remote supervision of multiple UPS devices and the electrical system. When critical power events occur, SmartTracker sends immediate alerts to users and to a team of UPS professionals in ABB’s 24/7 technical support centre in Quartino, Switzerland. Asset health can be verified at any time, with ABB’s cloud-based algorithms using the UPS data to provide actionable insights. Service teams can be automatically notified when action is required. Automated reports also help customers improve their use of assets. A simple plug-and-play upgrade suitable for ABB’s high-performance UPS solutions, the proprietary ANC Network Card, is easy to install. Once connected, customers can use SmartTracker to monitor their system at any time and from anywhere. Both the hardware and firmware are designed for cybersecurity, guaranteeing the highest levels of protection and security. Giovanni Capua, ABB Global Product Manager, Digital, said: “ABB Ability solutions combine ABB power supply and energy management expertise with connectivity and software innovations to give users real-time data insights to drive better decisions. The SmartTracker demonstrates how we deliver solutions that only make power supplies more resilient and energy efficient – and how ABB’s continuous digital advancements enable customers to adapt as their power requirements evolve.” Anritsu Corporation has announced the extension of its 6G research activities to include innovative research together with Aalborg University in Denmark. This new 6G research program will develop novel techniques for channel sounding and communication channel sensing in new 6G frequency bands, including the millimetre-wave and sub-terahertz bands. This will be enabled by Vector Network Analysers from Anritsu, which have specific features to enhance measurement methods, together with antenna and measurement systems technology from Aalborg University. As industry and standards organisations discuss and plan the frequencies and waveforms to be used in next-generation mobile communications (such as 6G, IMT-2030), detailed understanding of radio channel characteristics is key information. This research program will enable new techniques for high-resolution and wide-bandwidth radio channel characterisation, which will contribute to system modelling and performance evaluation for 6G technologies. Also, for candidate 6G technologies, the work will support the evaluation of ‘Joint Communications and Sensing’ techniques and waveforms that are currently being researched. Jonathan Borrill, Head of Global Market Technology at Anritsu said: “We are very pleased to further extend our 6G research activities, and to collaborate with Aalborg University. The university has a proven world-class capability and knowledge for channel sounding and OTA measurements, and we believe that this research program will contribute world-leading results and test capabilities to the industry.” Wei Fan, professor and leader of the “Wireless Propagation and Over the Air testing” research group at Aalborg University said: “Radio channel modelling is essential for design and development of 6G system and interfaces, which starts with reliable measurements of channels by using high-fidelity channel sounders. We are very happy to work with Anritsu, a world-leading radio frequency test instrument manufacturer, in this project.” Anritsu extends its 6G research activities with new Aalborg University partnership “ We are very pleased to further extend our 6G research activities, and to collaborate with Aalborg University. The university has a proven world-class capability and knowledge for channel sounding.”Arelion unveils new Prague PoP at CRA’s DC Tower Data Centre Arelion has announced the provision of a new PoP (Point of Presence) at the DC Tower Data Centre in Prague. As part of the company’s commitment to the region, this will be the second Arelion PoP in Prague. Supporting current and future growth in traffic, the new PoP provides direct access to the global Arelion AS1299 IP backbone, with high-speed IP Transit, Cloud Connect, and Internet Exchange (IX) Connect services for content providers and enterprises. Arelion has long been committed to ensuring Prague has the connectivity needed by its businesses, content providers and consumers, having been the first provider to install a backbone PoP in the city in 2000. The new PoP will provide additional capacity, resilience and choice to those requiring IP services in the metropolitan area, where traffic has grown as consumers take advantage of new services such as streaming, and businesses require improved access to global cloud services. Patrik Andreasson, Head of Sales Nordic, CEE and Balkans at Arelion, said: “Growing the number of PoPs that we have in Prague is an important step forward for businesses in the region, giving them greater choice over where to locate their services and join the internet backbone. Along with this installation at the DC Tower Data Centre, our latest IP services make it easier than ever before for companies to reach cloud services from companies such as Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft, and give the best possible experience to their own customers.” Petr Možiš, CCO at the CRA DC Tower Data Centre, said: “Prague is a growing technology centre, and one that we are proud to be an important part of. This new PoP will give our customers great redundancy and capacity, with lower latency, while ensuring that we can support the continued growth in our technology sector and in consumer consumption of data services.” A new collaboration between Aruba and Red Hat offers an all-in-one application platform consisting of Aruba Enterprise Managed Services and Red Hat OpenShift, freeing SMB or large enterprise companies from any management burden. Aruba Managed Hybrid Cloud powered by Red Hat OpenShift, offers an application foundation that is ready-to-use with integrated runtime, developer tools, CI/CD and monitoring, and can deploy and run cloud-native applications through automation of operations across the entire technology stack and self-service provisioning for developers. The new service offers a fully managed, integrated and monitored experience by Aruba. In detail, the engineering of the service is actually the result of the collaboration between Red Hat and the Aruba Enterprise team , the division dedicated to the design, implementation and management of highly-customised enterprise technology solutions. At a data protection level, data sovereignty and security capabilities are also provided by Aruba Data Centres, certified to the highest levels and located on Italian territory and by the specific expertise of the SOC (Security Operation Centre) team. Another layer of cloud-native security capabilities is built into Red Hat OpenShift. This mix of features and potentialities is the basis of the collaboration between the two companies: on the one hand, Red Hat enables a cloud-native approach that is open and flexible for faster cloud migrations that are easier to manage; on the other hand, Aruba Enterprise makes maintenance and management of these solutions immediate. "The hybrid cloud can be considered a facilitator for companies' entry into the cloud, as it allows for effective management of services that can be transferred to the cloud and those that must remain on-premise,” said Giorgio Girelli, GM of Aruba Enterprise, “The open hybrid cloud that we deploy represents its more current and innovative aspect, as it unifies and simplifies flows and processes, making it possible to break down those barriers that risk hindering the digitisation of businesses." The new platform offers enhanced stability even for critical applications: the attention devoted to software maintenance, monitoring of running environments, regulatory compliance, logging and data storage aspects allows for quick action to help resolve critical issues related to cybersecurity and service continuity. Aruba Hybrid Cloud meets open source with Red Hat collaboration www.networkseuropemagazine.com 08 NEWS IN BRIEF Share your news! Send your press releases or announcements to: editor@networkseuropemagazine.comAllied Telesis has concluded its 30th EMEA Partner Conference and Awards, which were held in February in Porto, Portugal. Over 60 Partners from across Europe and the Middle East joined members of the Allied Telesis management team including Dr Sachie Oshima, CEO and Chair of Allied Telesis, and Tim Hopkins, COO of Allied Telesis. At the conference, delegates were updated on the latest Allied Telesis WiFi 6 solutions, which are ready for tomorrow’s emerging needs; the launch of Auger, a new remote IT infrastructure monitoring service; and all upcoming Channel Marketing activities planned for 2023. Delegates also heard from Graham Peck, Data Security Manager at Leeds United Football Club who emphasised the importance of working together with Allied Telesis Platinum Partner, Netprotocol and Allied Telesis, who deliver a secure and resilient network offering excellent performance and peace of mind. The morning conference was concluded by Dr Oshima who confirmed her commitment to all delegates. “As Chair and CEO, I am committed to increasing the global presence and growing the market share at Allied Telesis. I am committed to supporting our partnerships and strengthening our relationships. I am committed to developing quality networking solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations and anticipate market needs. I am committed to finding new markets where our products command value and this is my pledge,” said Dr Oshima. The Partner Awards were presented by Dr Oshima and Tim Hopkins. UK winners were: • G4S, Project of the Year • Holker, Partner of the Year • Lloret, New Partner of the Year Following the conference, Partners were given a city tour of Porto before enjoying a Gala Dinner at the famous Graham’s Wine Cellar. Allied Telesis confirms its commitment to channel partners at 2023 EMEA Partner Conference Espria Partners with Five9, adding cloud-based contact centre solutions into its portfolio Espria has announced a ne w strategic alliance with Five9. The collaboration will allow both companies to extend the delivery of capabilities that help businesses deliver more engaging and unified customer journeys across digital and voice channels and between virtual and live agents. The addition of Five9 to the Espria portfolio of cloud-based applications is a major enhancement to its existing offering. Contact centres have become necessary for many organisations to adopt systematic approaches to enhance performance, channel support and engagement, reporting, and analytics, with a continuously changing customer base where customer preferences often change. These solutions streamline the process of providing modernised, up-to-date services to customers as well as customising them to meet specific preferences and requirements to provide the benefits of minimal capital investment, 24/7 technical support, reliability, security and scalability. Alex Tupman, CEO of Espria said, “Today, it is crucial for contact centres to unify and analyse customer interactions across channels, self-service, and live channels and to break the data silos to transform data into a winning customer experience strategy. As a result, we have been actively looking to move into the customer contact centre market, enhancing our overall solution offering. This partnership enables us to do just that, and to realise our customer-focused strategy." “Five9 will now enable us to resell and integrate practical and powerful tools for managing customer experiences with a solution that overcomes the inherent complexities involved in integrating multiple touchpoints across both self-service and assisted channels.” Five9 has a recognised heritage in helping organisations address customer experience challenges by delivering flexible and practical tools for deploying and managing AI applications, as well as the ongoing integration of real-time analytics and business intelligence. Five9 will also be partnering with Espria in its mission to champion how to ‘do more with less’ by delivering a range of industry-leading Optimise IT events in 2023. Exa Infrastructure and Colt Technology Services collaborate on Channel Tunnel route EXA Infrastructure has announced it has partnered with Colt on a new robust digital ecosystem in the Channel Tunnel linking the growing data centre markets in London and Paris. The collaboration between the two industry titans offers its customers the most reliable and flexible fibreoptic route utilising the shortest crossing on the market. EXA will upgrade 66km of undersea network with 288 fibres of the latest technology G.652D optical cable which will benefit new and existing customers. In addition to the highly secure infrastructure being located in a tunnel 40m below the sea bed, the Channel Tunnel also offers routing flexibility for customers to reach Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt from London. EXA Infrastructure, VP network investments, Steve Roberts said: “This is an important industry collaboration to meet the growing digital demand we are seeing across Europe and beyond. The Channel Tunnel forms a key part of EXA’s strategy to provide our clients with a choice of three scalable and fully diverse dark routes between the UK and Europe.” 'I am committed to developing quality networking solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations' NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 09Next >