Networks Europe Nov-Dec 2016 | Page 6

06 NEWS IN BRIEF Networks Europe helps you to understand the art of the possible as the news desk highlights some of the stories currently catching their attention. Industry comment in response to Autumn Statement The chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the Autumn Statement an investment of £1bn in digital infrastructure, with a hike in R&D spending to boost innovation among other announcements. This has received mixed reactions from the UK data centre industry. Lawrence Jones, digital entrepreneur and CEO of UKFast commented: “This investment in our digital infrastructure is welcomed but the government has got its priorities wrong. When you examine the £55bn being splurged on HS2 compared to a paltry £1bn being spent on future-proofing the entire UK’s digital economy, which is worth £180 billion a year to the country, it’s an insultingly small figure. Many of our clients, who run businesses in rural areas, could be many times more productive if they had improved Internet access.”   Marcus Jewell, VP EMEA at Brocade said: “It’s encouraging to see the UK government recognising the need for both businesses and consumers to embrace 5G and enhance connectivity. For too long huge swathes of the country have been stuck with poor connectivity, considering the UK’s position as a technology powerhouse this was never acceptable. This announcement is a key next step for the UK’s digital infrastructure, as it will not only improve connectivity for homes and businesses, but provide the critical foundations needed to handle the huge data demands of our future smart cities. The increased availability of full-fibre broadband and the trials of 5G internet promised by the government investment is especially vital if the UK is going to maintain its position as a digital innovator, and keep up with economies where fibre broadband has been the default install for some time.” Schneider Electric Launches new 3-Phase UPS Solution Schneider Electric has introduced Galaxy VX, a highly efficient, easy to deploy, compact three-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with flexible operating modes for large facilities, data centres and business-critical applications. This innovative pay-as-you-grow solution will support enterprises in their move to hyperscale data centres, enabling them to reap the greatest value in their IT deployments by delivering efficiency without compromising reliability. It is available from 750kW to 1,5MW ratings and can be paralleled to support multi-MW load power requirement. “Our customers have three main challenges,” said Gael Souchet, Senior Product & Launch Manager, Schneider Electric. “These are risk management, encompassing reliability, ease of maintenance and safety; capital preservation and reducing operating expenses. Galaxy VX addresses each of these with improved te chnology, greater ease of use and compatibility with a variety of power architectures.” The Galaxy VX features a four-level inverter for greater reliability and efficiency. Lithium ion batteries provide better power density than equivalent lead-acid batteries yielding savings in space and easier maintenance, resulting in an improved mean time to replacement (MTTR). “With Galaxy VX, we’re also providing customers with multiple energy storage options”, he continued. “This presents them with the best power protection solution for their business, while enabling them to prepare for future energy storage requirements.” Intended for use in large data centres and colocation facilities, the Galaxy VX is rated at 1.5MW / 1.25MW,1MW & 750kW, making it ideally suitable and scalable for the power requirements of such facilities. Galaxy VX fully integrates with Schneider Electric latest energy management solutions, including StruxureOn Digital Services for Data Centres and features flexible operating modes to optimise the efficiency of IT environments. n Just Plug & Play with Rittal’s New Fastener The time-consuming business of assembling and positioning of components in IT racks is now a thing of the past. Components can be quickly and easily installed on, or removed from, the 482.6 mm (19in) mounting level of racks with Rittal’s new fastener. Following the plug and play principle, the 19in fastener is simply slid onto the rail from the inside and then locked. At the same time, the integrated contacting ensures the potential equalisation needed. “Integrating three captive nuts within the mounting profiles in just one click saves time - and nerves”, explains Clive Partridge, Product Manager IT Infrastructure at Rittal. The fastener has robust construction, ensuring it can be repeatedly dismantled and reused. It can be used with every enclosure in the Rittal product range straight away. It's available as a pre-assembled 1U support with three captive nuts, including centre attachment, to standard EIA 310. n www.networkseuropemagazine.com