NETWORKS EUROPE The magazine for network and data centre professionals November/December 2021 IOT AND SMART CITY TECHNOLOGY TO SUSTAIN GROWTH CONTAINMENT IN MISSION-CRITICAL EDGE DEPLOYMENTS CABLING AND NETWORK SOLUTIONS BRINGING FIBRE CLOSER TO WORKPLACES AND END-USERS BUILDING AND MAINTAINING SMART CITIES IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES WHY CONTAINMENT HAS A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY TO PROVIDE A HIGHLY EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE IT ENVIRONMENT IN THIS ISSUE: FUTURE-PROOFING THE DATA CENTRE NET-ZERO: RESILIENCY AND RELIABILITY THE COMPOUNDING BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE NETWORK MANAGEMENT05 Foreword 06 News The news desk highlights some of the latest industry stories. 14 Developments, opportunities and challenges for cabling and network solutions Michiel Panders, R&M General Manager Europe excl. DACH looks at why it's more important than ever to make informed decisions to bring fibre closer to workplaces and end-users and increase the bandwidth of WiFi access points. 18 Design in latency at the start to enhance application performance and user experiences David Coffey, Chief Product Officer, NS1 discusses why low latency must be regarded as a feature that is built into an organisation’s infrastructure from the start as superior performance is critical to the end-user experience. 22 TREs and the IoT: enabling a trusted connected future Trusted Connectivity Alliance (TCA) and IoT Security Foundation share a common vision: to secure the IoT and drive sustained growth through trusted connectivity. Claus Dietze, Chair of the TCA Board, explains how Tamper Resistant Elements (TRE) can help the IoT achieve its potential. 26 The role of containment in mission- critical edge deployments Gordon Johnson, Senior CFD Engineer at Subzero Engineering on why containment has a vital role to play in addressing the fact that edge data centres need to provide a highly efficient and sustainable IT environment. 30 The nightmare before Christmas Scary backup stories are not just for Hallowe’en. Richard Root, Digital Marketing Specialist, ATTO Technology suggests we gather round and read these three real- life, backup horror stories! 34 Debunking the myths: NetOps and automation does not replace human expertise Alan Stewart Brown, VP of EMEA, Opengear looks at how organisations can enhance resilience by adopting NetOps: an approach that embeds a growing amount of automation, virtualisation and orchestration, to make networking operations and functions faster and more accessible. CONTENTS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 02 182230 NETWORKS EUROPE 1 Tudor Business Centre Waterhouse Lane Kingswood KT20 6EN www.networkseuropemagazine.com Published by: Abacus Communications Limited Publisher: Greg Ward Editor: Laura Vallis Sales Executive: Keith Foster 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 © 2020 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.36 Three ways to future-proof your data centre Dave Sterlace, Head of Technology at ABB Global Data Center Solutions, takes a look at three key trends instrumental in delivering the data centres of the future. 40 Future-proofing the data centre For today’s operators, future-proofing the data centre covers a broad spectrum of requirements. Rowland Kinch, CEO at Custodian Data Centres discusses how the continued pace of change and scale in the industry means that data centre providers are having to think forward to stay in the race. 42 Future-proofing data centres with dongle servers Alan Hayward, Sales and Marketing Manager at SEH Technology looks at how rapidly advancing trends and increasing business demands have put pressure on data centres to keep up with technology. 44 Ensuring sustainable growth for Europe’s data centre market Amid a growing market, it is critical to partner with a supplier that can keep pace with net-zero carbon emission goals. Billy Durie, Global Sector Head for Data Centres at Aggreko, discusses how operators can ensure they rise to the data centre sustainability challenge. 48 Prepare for a green recovery by transitioning to smart grids The energy sector is increasingly under pressure to deliver solutions as the UK bears down on its 2050 net-zero emissions target. David Hall, VP Power Systems, Schneider Electric believes that by transitioning to smart grids we can better prepare for a green recovery. 52 Small businesses: The future of the new normal Rob Hancock, Head of Platform, Giacom explains why SMBs are the future of the new normal and what the channel can do to enable and equip this growing sector more effectively. 58 The compounding benefits of sustainable network management Magnus Bjornsson, CEO of Men&Mice discusses why sustainable networking is the answer for any network manager interested in the effortless transfer of data, seamless migration between platforms and uninterrupted service as they onboard a recent company acquisition. 62 Net-zero: resiliency and reliability Anthony Ainsworth, COO, npower Business Solutions (nBS) explains why sustainable on-site generation is a must for data centres. 66 Why IoT and smart city technology will make it possible to sustain growth For all its potential, building and maintaining smart cities is not without its own challenges. Xavier Dupont, Senior Director Product Line, at Lantronix, highlights what these challenges are and how to overcome them. 70 Local authority carbon neutral strategies are adding to, not reducing, their carbon footprint Peter Ruffley, CEO, Zizo explains why switched-on authorities should consider pragmatic, tactical and low carbon alternatives that leverage Edge computing to deliver immediate insight, control and results. 74 In the limelight: green data centre operations It's no surprise that going “green” is top of the agenda for many data centre providers. Fabrizio Garrone, Aruba representative on the Board of Directors of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact takes a closer look at how the sector is minimising its environmental impact. 76 Eight trends in cloud computing to look out for in 2022 As 2022 approaches, Amir Hashmi, Founder and CEO of zsah, a managed IT and cloud solutions provider lists eight trends expected to continue into the new year. 80 Smart Buildings Show The UK’s commercial smart buildings event welcomed visitors back to their two-day, free-to-attend conference and exhibition. Held at ExCeL London in October, the show featured industry-leading speaker sessions and panel debates from some of the sector’s most renowned brands. The Networks Europe team attended the show this year. 82 Movers and shakers We take a quick look at some of the industry's movers and shakers, including new appointments, promotions and personnel changes. 587642 www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com CONTENTS 03Depend On Us DON’T DOUBT THE DATA… DEPEND ON THE NEW FIBERMASTER The new FiberMASTER series of fibre optic testers will make it easier and faster to verify, troubleshoot and certify fibre optic cabling. • Complete range - Includes OTDRs, PM/LS and Probes • Easier to carry - One of the World’s smallest OTDRs • Lower Cost - Save 50% compared to other premium brands • Highly Accurate - Distance accuracy verified by German test lab • Made in the USA – Quality testers built with 30 years of experience For a short demonstration or for more information please call +44 (0)1925 428 380 or email uksales@trend-networks.com www.trend-networks.com © 2021 TREND NETWORKS LIMITED. All Rights Reserved. NEWIt's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. As we move into the festive period, our thoughts are leaning towards a bit of a break, a few days off with the family and maybe a glass (or two) of Christmas cheer. However, the Networks Europe team have noticed that our readers don't seem to be slowing down just yet. Our news desk is inundated with stories, press releases and thought leadership articles. In fact we've had so much being sent to us that we can't fit it all in this magazine! Not that we're complaining. There's no Grinch here, so please keep sending your stories in. It's so great to hear that our professionals are constantly looking at how to overcome challenges with new, innovative ideas and can see the many opportunities to develop and enhance the performance of the data centre and networking industry. In October, the UK’s commercial smart buildings event, Smart Buildings Show, welcomed visitors back to their two-day, free-to-attend conference and exhibition. The Networks Europe team attended the show which featured industry-leading speaker sessions and panel debates from some of the sector’s most renowned brands. In this issue, we review the show. We look at the challenges for cabling and network solutions and why we should design in latency at the start of building an organisation's infrastructure. We investigate how Tamper Resistant Elements (TRE) can help the IoT achieve its potential and why containment has a vital role to play in addressing the fact that edge data centres need to provide a highly efficient and sustainable IT environment. We discuss how NetOps and automation does not replace human expertise and how organisations can enhance resilience by adopting NetOps. One of our focus themes in this issue is how to future-proof your data centre. We have articles from ABB, Custodian Data Centres and SEH Technology on that subject matter. Another focus theme is sustainability. It's vital that we have 'green' strategies in the data centre industry. We have features on how to ensure sustainable growth for Europe’s data centre market from Aggreko and how to prepare for a green recovery by transitioning to smart grids from Schneider Electric. Men&Mice discuss why sustainable networking is the answer for any network manager, while Zizo looks at why some local authority carbon neutral strategies are actually adding to, and not reducing their carbon footprint. npower Business Solutions (nBS) explains why sustainable on-site generation is a must for data centres. On the same theme, Aruba takes a closer look at how the sector is minimising its environmental impact and Lantronix questions how IoT and smart city technology will make it possible to sustain growth. Wishing you all some time to relax whether you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Holidays. There's a lot to read through in this magazine so take it easy, have a couple of mince pies on standby and read at your leisure! We'll see you in 2022! Laura Vallis Editor Networks Europe magazine FOREWORD www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 05DC Byte launches industry- first project management tool specifically for data centre sector DC Byte has announced the introduction of a new cutting-edge data centre focused mapping and management tool – Project Planner. The launch is in conjunction with the latest deployment of the DC Byte platform which comes with a fresh new UI and a range of enhanced features. Project Planner delivers project management and planning functionality in one centralised dashboard. Specifically developed for the data centre sector, with in-built GIS functionality; it enables teams to organise, map, select and analyse all their data centre sites from one location. The technology allows departments worldwide to collaborate quickly and effectively across their private library of detailed opportunities, which can be further organised into predefined or custom projects. Combined with DC Byte Analytics, Project Planner becomes an incredibly powerful tool for market evaluation and planning as it enables teams to benefit from instant access to information in order to make faster decisions. For additional insights, teams can add further overlays to their projects with enhanced data such as fibre maps, flight paths, hazards and competitive landscapes, project tracking from search to post-purchase, in addition to rapidly analysing multiple elements that can impact purchase criteria options, such as identifying floodplains. Project Planner also brings a further benefit of being able to simplify complex project sharing needs by giving teams the tools to review detailed reports at the click of a button. It is available as either a cloud-based application or a local enterprise solution, supporting security and data compliance regulations. Ed Galvin, Founder and CEO at DC Byte, said, “Never before have we seen global teams working in such an aligned way. Time-zones have practically become redundant as the always-on approach to business has been further fuelled by remote working. Furthermore, the pace at which the data centre sector has responded to worldwide demands for more processing power has been phenomenal. The competition for land has never been fiercer and business leaders are increasingly reliant on data to make educated and intelligent remote decisions, in a close to real-time environment. Project Planner not only enables teams to collaborate in a more agile way but it also greatly enhances the level of detail they can explore from a single location at the click of a button, which will ultimately lead to achieving greater efficiencies in an often time- pressured decision-making process.” n www.networkseuropemagazine.com NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 06 Cradlepoint partners with Staffline to improve on-site productivity and solve connectivity issues Cradlepoint has announced a new partnership with Staffline to provide high-speed, flexible solutions for its on-site connectivity needs. As a UK recruiter and provider of adult training, Staffline often requires its own dedicated connections for on-site projects with clients around the country. Previously, this has caused delays and frustration as fibre cables can take between 90-100 days to install and would often only be operational after the project was complete. Cradlepoint’s solutions were deployed within 10 days of confirming the order and at a cheaper overall cost compared to the wired alternatives. This is due to Cradlepoint’s routers only requiring a one-off cost for implementation of the router, with a low monthly charge for data, similar to a phone contract. Meanwhile, wired alternatives contain a high fixed monthly cost, which also has a minimum contract length of around two years, significantly hindering flexibility of projects that might end early or need to run longer than planned. Cradlepoint’s Wireless WAN solutions, in the form of NetCloud controlled and managed E300 and E3000 routers which utilise 4G LTE and the latest 5G technology, allow Staffline employees to experience connectivity speeds twice as fast as most home fibre broadband. The solutions allow for flexibility not seen with wired alternatives. For example, moving routers between sites rather than being cemented in by fixed contracts, securing connectivity to complete their projects and providing a high-quality service to their clients, including within modern office blocks that often provide interference with mobile connectivity. Grant Carter, Group IT Service Delivery Director at Staffline, commented, “As market-leading recruitment and adult education provider, Staffline Group has a significant and constantly evolving office footprint across the UK. Traditional ADSL and Fibre connectivity solutions were not meeting the demands of our business and service users, either in terms of performance of the solution or installation lead time. “At Cradlepoint, we have identified a new connectivity solution that meets all of our needs. Setup lead time is vastly superior. The 4G and 5G functionality allow us to leverage all major network service providers to enjoy high quality, consistent signal coverage to multiple connected users. Additionally, the Cradlepoint solution forms a core component of our managed print services, allowing us to quickly implement cost-effective on-site print services whilst avoiding expensive and invasive peripheral services typically involved with managed print solutions.” Paul McHugh, Area Director UK at Cradlepoint, commented, “We are very excited to be working with Staffline to provide these connectivity solutions through our Wireless WAN services for their on-site teams. As businesses emerge from the pandemic and continue their digital transformation journeys, these types of flexible solutions will become even more vital in ensuring workers can be agile and productive, no matter where they are based.” n Panduit launches ITE adjustable depth 4 Post Rack Panduit has launched its adjustable depth 4 Post Rack, designed to support network equipment in data centre and telecommunication environments. The rack combines the stability of a cabinet with the accessibility of an open rack to provide the user with maximum flexibility when designing the network layout. Upgrading active equipment in telecommunication rooms and data centres often requires a deeper rack than standard supplied units, which the Panduit 4 Post Rack system provides. The adjustable depth 4 Post Rack system allows maximum versatility in a single part number. Additional mounting holes in the posts allow for various accessories to be attached, such as PDU brackets, vertical patch panel brackets and vertical tie-off brackets to create greater application flexibility. The enterprise adjustable rack, has the capability to adjust the depth of the rack to fit specific network needs. Each rack has 39 different depth options from 584mm-1066mm in 13mm increments. This provides flexibility while keeping cabinets clean and organised. The adjustable rack can be assembled in minutes and is self-squaring when assembled with the option of eight different masked grounding locations at all corners of the rack. The rack’s feet face inward to minimise footprint, remove trip hazards and improved safety risk. Available in black and white as standard, the rack has a UL load capacity of 907kg offering a highly adaptable rack and cable management system to manage and protect organisations’ network investment. nABB expands offerings to provide reliable, quality power for global telecommunications infrastructure Building on its proven GP100 rectifier platform, ABB Power Conversion has developed a new lower-voltage, true three-phase, 6-kilowatt (kW) version to provide the power levels needed in telecommunication and networking applications. The low-line rectifiers provide the foundation for a variety of lower-voltage power systems to be developed by ABB, starting with its low-line GPS4830. Both the low-line GP100 and GPS4830 help to meet power designers and engineers demands for high-density data and communication solutions where high-line 380-480V feeds may not be available – and in regions, such as Japan, where lower-voltage (200-, 208- and 240V) AC utility power is prominent. Vito Savino, Wireline and Data Centre Segment Leader at ABB Power Conversion, explained, “With voltage levels varying by region, a one-size- fits-all approach to power conversion topologies cannot effectively meet the capacity demands of telecom applications responsible for keeping our world connected. "By expanding our line of GPS4830 power systems to now support lower-voltage environments, we can meet the needs and requirements of our global customers while helping to provide the reliable, quality power they require.” The GP100L3R48TEZ rectifiers deliver the same amount of power as competitive AC-DC power supplies but in half the rack space – significantly improving power density. This high power density, combined with the rectifiers’ compact design and high efficiency operation, helps it meet the evolving needs of customers and original equipment manufacturers within the telecom, cable, and data centre segments. For example, the rectifiers provide the 48V DC output voltages required for many of today’s distributed power architectures, telecom switches, LAN/WAN/MAN applications, file servers and enterprise networks. When used in ABB’s GPS4830 power systems, the efficiency levels achieved with the low-line GP100 rectifiers combine with the proven cabinet design and distribution of the GPS4848 to provide a robust solution for telecommunications applications. A fully equipped low-line GPS4830 bay can achieve 144kW of capacity with 12 rectifier shelves incorporated while still allowing 44in of vertical space for the installation of distribution panels. “The addition of the low-line GP100 to our product portfolio enables us to provide a complete range of GPS4830 power systems to meet our customers’ needs regardless of the utility voltage available near their facility,” Savino continued. “And with both high-line and low-line variations now available, we can provide a one-stop-shop for our customers to meet their global telecom power needs.” n NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 07 COSEL has announced the introduction of 1,000W free-air convection cooling power supplies, the AEA1000F series. Designed for applications requiring a high level of safety, the AEA1000F is certified according to the EN62477-1 (OVC III) standard for industrial applications and is approved in accordance with ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1, and EN60601- 1 3rd Edition for medical applications. The AEA1000F is suitable for Body Floating (BF) applications and complies with 2MOPP (IN/OUT) and 1MOPP (OUT/FG) safety requirement. The AEA1000F layout is optimised for free-air convection making it ideal for use in equipment being operated in low noise environments. With the ever increasing levels of automation in industrial and medical applications, power supplies must be able to deliver extra power during peak operation times as required by dynamic loads for example, motor startup. To satisfy and sustain such conditions the power supply must be designed with a high dynamic control level and a power stage able to sustain repetitive peak loads. The AEA1000F is able to deliver 330% of its free-air, convection cooled, nominal power during a period of up to 3,000ms, which is outstanding and responds to the latest market requirements from industrial and medical equipments. Industrial applications are now requiring efficient power supplies that are able to work in various environments with a high level of safety. The fact that the AEA1000F is certified to the EN62477-1 Over Voltage Category Three (OVC III), means that final equipment powered by the products can be directly connected to the main distribution panel without adding an extra level of isolation. This simplifies the systems designer’s task, reduces costs and guarantees the highest level of efficiency. COSEL announces 330% peak power 1kW open-frame power supplies for medical and industrial applications Designed for international applications, the versatile AEA1000F has an input voltage of 85-264VAC. Three output voltages are available: 24V, 36V and 48V with respective current ratings of 42A, 28A and 21A. Output voltage can be adjusted using a built-in potentiometer. For low harmonic current distortion, the AEA1000F uses active Power Factor Corrector (PFC), and the switching stage uses an LLC resonant topology deploying the latest generation of power semiconductors, conferring to a typical efficiency of up to 95%. For additional power the AEA1000F can be connected in parallel, up to six units. When in parallel, by adjusting the output voltage on the ‘Master’ unit, ‘Slaves’ neatly automatically adjust their output voltage to be of equal value. Optimised for convection cooling, the AEA1000F can be operated within an ambient temperature range of -20 to +70ºC. Depending on the assembly method and ventilation used in the final equipment, a derating may apply as specified in the technical documentation. The AEA series is suitable for a large range of applications such as: robots and robotics, infusion-pumps, ventilators, actuators, process control, radio and transmission equipment, and emergency signaling. nwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 08 NEWS IN BRIEF A Tier III ready data centre design was shortlisted for a DCS Data Centre Power Innovation award. The team at Cannon Technologies working in conjunction with several OEM manufacturers, have recently developed the Tier III ready data centre by making a pre- certified set of solutions available. Over the past year, CENTIEL has been working closely with Cannon Technologies to help with the design and implementation of modular UPS technology for the Tier III ready data centre design, which has been fully approved by the Uptime Institute and was nominated for the award. The winners of the DCS Awards were decided by a public vote and the finalists announced on 28 October 2021 at an award ceremony held in London. Cannon Technologies’ Mark Awdas, Engineering Director explained, “There has been an increase in the demand for certified Tier III data centres. Therefore, it made sense to work with our portfolio of trusted partners to develop a pre-certified set of solutions, ready to take to market. The result is that any organisation now looking to implement a Tier III data centre can purchase a pre-approved design and all the equipment for what is essentially a fixed price. We just need to re-assess the figures for the environmental element depending on the location of the installation. Purchasing a pre-approved Tier III data centre in this way, can save time and reduce the overall build cost, while maximising convenience. Customers can push forwards with confidence, safe in the knowledge the configuration is already certified.” CENTIEL’s leading three phase, true modular UPS CumulusPower and technical support was chosen to be incorporated into the design. The technology offers the highest levels of resilience, is flexible, robust and it has been tried and tested in many scenarios. Louis McGarry, Sales and Marketing Director, CENTIEL UK confirms: “The first 100kW data centre solution, using a 2N design configuration has been completed. The extensive range of CumulusPowerTM frame sizes means that 100kW could be achieved in a small footprint by scaling 25kW modules to ensure capacity in each system. Along with Cannon Technologies, we are now delighted to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award which recognises the extent of the work that went into this unique project.” The UPS is only a small element of the whole approved Tier III data centre which has been created. Cannon Technologies has also worked with other partners to provide a complete data centre solution, that includes generators, switch gear, cooling and cabling so the entire design can be offered as an approved solution. The development of the certified Tier III data centre now offers a rapid and convenient answer to implementing a fully inclusive, certified solution. n Tier III ready data centre design nominated for major award Bend-insensitive fibres reduce bend losses extending expected network lifetime In the new era of hyper connectivity, it is essential that the industry looks to increase the capacity of the world’s optical networks and operators must choose to leverage a bend-insensitive fibre cabling system that can keep up with new technologies. This was the message expressed by Prysmian Group in its latest Industry Insight. Bend-insensitive fibres, especially the best performing G.657.A2, can enable the development of extreme fibre count and reduced diameter cabling solutions to provide the highest bandwidth capacity in duct installations and minimise losses linked to macrobends and microbends. Therefore, operators will have access to faster and more stable optical networks, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly installations, with lower operating costs and increased network lifespan. Bend resistance can extend the expected network lifetime by improving repair resilience and as such, is beneficial for operators looking to make significant OPEX savings. Prysmian Group Executive Vice President Telecom Business, Philippe Vanhille, said, “The rising wavelength requirements of PONs and wireless networks drives the need for truly bend-insensitive optical fibres, to become an integral part of Fibre-to the-X (FTTx) and 5G mobile networks. In the new era of hyper connectivity, it is essential that we increase the capacity of the world’s optical networks and operators must choose to leverage a bend-intensive fibre cabling system that can keep up with new technologies. Operators that take advantage of these fibres, and in particular the G.657.A2, will achieve the most potential from their deployed networks.” Adopting cost-effective and flexible bend-insensitive single mode fibres can secure the entire wavelength spectrum used by current and future Passive Optical Networks (PONs). With bend-insensitive fibres, the integrity of the network infrastructure is secured, stability is increased across all bands and possibilities are opened up for system evolution. The resilience of bend- insensitive fibres provides manufacturers with the ability to design cabling solutions that can support the full use of transmission bands and future-proof higher capacity networks, that will often operate outside of present standard ranges. Moreover, the use of G.657 fibres that are coated with 200μm and 180μm diameter can significantly reduce the dimensions of the cables, while achieving higher fibre density. These reduced diameter fibres are fully compatible with any G.652 fibre, which makes them easy to insert into an existing network or upgrade parts of existing optical infrastructure. As fibre networks become more crowded and space limited, fibre bends are more likely to occur and therefore preventing power leakage with G.657 fibres is crucial. Bend resistance also allows the use of smaller loop guides when installed and a reduction in the bend radius of splice trays. n Share your news! Send your press releases or announcements to: editor@networkseuropemagazine.comNEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 09 Aggreko has reaffirmed its commitment to more sustainable data centre construction with the launch of its Greener Upgrades. The initiative will see Aggreko invest c.£30 million in more environmentally-friendly temporary solutions before the end of the year, as part of the company’s wider decarbonisation strategy. Within the next 10 years, the business aims to cut the amount of diesel used in its fleet and reduce local air quality emissions from its equipment by 50% each, with the eventual goal of achieving carbon neutrality across all business operations by 2050. Billy Durie, Global Sector Head for Data Centres at Aggreko, said, “With pressing climate commitments growing in the global conscience, data centre operators are leading the way in re-evaluating the environmental impact of their facilities. However, it’s important to recognise that this is something that goes beyond the realm of day-to-day operations. “With the launch of Greener Upgrades, we’re trying to support contractors in their efforts to build more sustainably, by reducing both the carbon footprint and local emissions of data centre construction. Only by ensuring that the environmental impact of both construction and operation remains to a minimum can we enable the growth of truly green IT infrastructure.” While a number of motions towards greener practice can be observed in Europe’s data centre market, the focus has predominantly been on increasing operational efficiency through the adoption of technologies such as free cooling and waste heat recovery systems. With the launch of Greener Upgrades, Aggreko aims to support the move towards carbon neutral data centre construction. Statistics from the Digital Economy and Society Index’s (DESI) 2020 Report indicate that internet use in the EU continues to grow year-on-year, with 85% of Europeans surfing the web once a week – an increase of ten percentage points since 2014. With demand showing no signs of slowing down, the construction of new data centres will be required to avoid placing strain on existing infrastructure. Earlier research from Aggreko showed that grid access was among the top priorities for British and Irish contractors during the data centre construction phase. However, with larger projects often taking weeks to establish a connection, temporary power and temperature control is required in the interim. The launch of Greener Upgrades follows the introduction of ultra-low emission Stage V compliant generators to the Aggreko fleet, which are compliant with the European Commission’s Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD). The MCPD forms part of 2013’s Clean Air Policy Package, with the aim of limiting the emission of certain pollutants from Medium Combustion Plants. Aggreko have also recently pioneered the use of hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) as a drop-in fuel, allowing operators to reduce local emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In the coming months, Aggreko is also set to launch an online estimation tool that will allow data centre contractors to calculate the reductions they can make in CO2, local emissions and fuel. This tool will enable operators to witness a projection of what may be possible before experts undertake a full assessment. n Aggreko launches greener upgrades in support of sustainable data centre construction Quantum introduces Scalar Ransom Block Quantum Corporation has announced its latest innovations to protect against ransomware and other forms of cyberattacks. Quantum’s Scalar Ransom Block is an industry-first feature of Quantum’s Scalar tape systems that eliminates the risk of data being accessed or compromised over the network. This patent-pending feature creates a hardware “block” between data stored on tapes and every network-connected device including the robotic tape system. Ransom Block can be initiated remotely, does not require any person to handle tapes, ensures data cannot be accessed over the network even if the tape library is hacked, and preserves the ability to audit the tape library so customers know their data is safe and secure. It employs a simple and unique concept to create a physical barrier between data stored on tapes and the network connected robotic tape system. Jamie Lerner, Chairman and CEO of Quantum, said, “The threat of ransomware and other forms of cyber- attacks are one of the chief concerns of our customers. Tape storage systems are a critical part of building cyber-resilient infrastructures, both for large archives and as part of a comprehensive data protection strategy. However, even data stored on tapes can be compromised if the tape library itself is hacked, which is why we designed these new features in partnership with a large cloud provider. Quantum Scalar Ransom Block is an industry-first solution that ensures data is protected and secure with a click of a button and provides the ultimate layer of protection for data stored on tape.” Tape systems are a critical part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure data is protected and quickly recoverable in the event of a ransomware attack. Tape systems are inherently more secure than hard drive (HDD) or flash (SSD) storage systems because the data stored on tape is not connected to the network. However, because the tape library itself is a network connected device, there is still some risk of a remote hack in the unlikely event the tape library itself is hacked. To address this risk in a simple, automated way, Quantum designed the Scalar Ransom Block feature. Tapes stored in the library sit in a magazine. Quantum’s patent-pending design partially ejects the magazine so the tapes cannot be selected by the robot until an operator physically re-inserts the magazine. Because the magazine is only partially ejected, the barcode scanner on the robot can still scan the tape barcodes, so that system administrators can perform periodic audits of the tape system to ensure tapes are still present. The tapes are inaccessible until an operator, who must have physical access to the tape library, re-inserts the magazine. Tape systems can be stored in secure data centres that require badged access. In addition, Quantum has introduced Logical Tape Blocking, which enables administrators to use software commands to prevent tapes from being loaded into a drive while the magazine is being filled with tapes, before it is ejected. Although still software-based and not a physical blocking mechanism, this new capability further reduces the risk window until Ransom Block is initiated. n Next >