Info Tech: January 10, 2012 eNewsLetter |
If enterprises learned anything in 2011, it is that business-critical applications and data are the lifeblood of an organization and need to be protected accordingly. For this reason, environmental monitoring solutions became a must-have for many forward-thinking organizations, providing them with real-time information on temperature and other climate conditions that can destroy servers and other computing gear in minutes, if not seconds.
As we turn the calendar to 2012, the market for data center solutions is only expected to grow. Take heating and cooling manufacturer Trane (News - Alert), which recently partnered up with General Electric, to launch a new data center solution aimed at improving environmental monitoring and data analysis.
The new product, dubbed the Tracer XT, combines the power of Trane's automation technologies with GE's Proficy software platform. The end result is a product capable of integrating real-time information from a number of data center systems – including HVAC, power, lighting, safety – into a singular interface.
By aggregating data from a number of otherwise siloed systems, Tracer XT is designed to help manage energy use and cooling while improving efficiency and reducing waste. The SCADA-based system should allow IT administrators to optimize both the operational and environmental performance of their data centers, says Trane.
"By collecting real-time data and providing actionable information at incredible speeds, Tracer XT integrates with existing Tracer controls to allow for faster decision making about management of data center functions, including critical systems," Joel Lehman, Trane's global portfolio manager of systems controls, told Data Center Dynamics.
First teased at DatacenterDynamics conference in Toronto last month, the Tracer XT is expected to hit the market sometime in January.
One of the most critical aspects of any data center platform like the Tracer XT is an environmental monitoring solution, which can save organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars by notifying them of potentially crippling climate conditions that can paralyze a data center.
Austin, Texas-based ITWatchDogs has been a leader in this space for over a decade, providing a myriad of cost-effective data center solutions that monitor conditions like temperature, humidity, dew point, water and airflow, among others. These conditions are monitored in real-time by live video feeds and HTTP. If the conditions break predetermined thresholds, IT administrators will be alerted via text message, email or other alarms.
Click here to check out ITWatchDogs' full portfolio of solutions, including its recently-released, cost-effective WatchDog 100 model.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO East 2012, taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.
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Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Carrie Schmelkin
