Schneider Electric introduced Wednesday the Micro Data Center (DC) Xpress line of connected products, making it faster, easier and more cost effective to build and deploy micro data centres at the network edge. Designed to allow IT equipment to be pre-installed by the customer, partner or integrator before shipment, it features complete data centre physical infrastructure and management software in a single self-contained and secure enclosure.
Ideal for edge and IoT applications where deployment speed, reliability and security is paramount, the Micro DC Xpress is certified by leading converged and hyperconverged IT vendors. This permits the customer, partner or integrator to fully populate and test their solution in-house prior to shipping to their regional or local edge sites, thus reducing deployment time and risks.
Micro DC Xpress, available in 24U, 42U and customizable configurations, is prefabricated and tested in Schneider Electric factories, ensuring reliability. The full plug-and-play system can be delivered in just 2-3 weeks, greatly reducing the complexity and cost of traditional deployments.
Utilising Schneider Electric’s Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software suite, StruxureWare for Data Centers, and built on the EcoStruxure integrated architecture platform, Micro DC Xpress can be integrated into a customer’s larger IT-asset monitoring system or a managed service provider’s RMM and remotely managed via the cloud for maximum uptime and connectivity. The solution also includes physical protection capabilities, including key-card functionality to prevent unauthorized access and ensure the safety and security of the environment.
“In our digitally-connected world, businesses and consumers have a low threshold for interruptions to service. Edge computing solves real-time data transmission issues by bringing bandwidth-intensive content and latency-sensitive applications close to the users or data sources to ensure reliable connectivity,” said Chris Hanley, senior vice president, Data Center Systems, Schneider Electric. “As the market evolves, especially around IoT, we are committed to delivering simplified, cost-effective solutions that enable edge technologies.”
Schneider Electric introduced last month new IIoT capabilities that will enable its industrial customers to measure and control the profitability of their operations in real time.
Developed through a partnership with Seeq, a vendor of software and services that enable data-driven decision making, EcoStruxure Profit Advisor uses big data analytics to measure the financial performance of an industrial operation in real time, from the equipment asset level of a plant up to the process unit, plant area, plant site and enterprise levels.
On-premise or cloud-enabled, it works seamlessly with any process historian to mine both historical and real-time data. It then processes that data through Schneider Electric’s proprietary segment-specific accounting algorithms to determine real-time operational profitability and potential savings.
The Micro DC Xpress will be available to order in North America, UK and France next month, and in all of Europe later this year.
