IBM has introduced a range of portable modular data centres (PMDCs).
The PMDCs are part of a 'family' of modular data centres offered by IBM, according to Brian Canney, offering leader, Global Site and Facilities Services, IBM Worldwide.
PMDCs are fully functional data centres built into insulated and environmentally isolated prefabricated containers, and are able to withstand extreme conditions - from wet conditions in a seaport in Belgium, to hot and sandy desert conditions in the Middle East.
Although PMDCs are suitable for extreme and isolated environments, they offer benefits for urban businesses as well, being easily installed in warehouses or parking lots to free up revenue-driving building space.
"PMDCs give customers a lot of flexibility because the time to market is relatively short. Building a data centre can take anything from a year, two years, or even longer, depending on where and what you're building, whereas a PMDC can be anything between 12 and 14 weeks," says Mariana Kruger, integrated technology services executive at IBM SA.
The units are factory-made, which, according to Canney, enhances quality control and speeds up the manufacturing process. Multiple locations are used for manufacture, so that the data centres are "made for the market they're in, fulfil all the local requirements, and cut down on shipping", he adds.
The PMDCs then arrive at their destinations completed and tested, with monitoring, cooling, fire protection and security systems built in. They need only power and data to get up and running.
So far, three PMDCs have been provided in SA, and are partially built locally. "We are a large corporate organisation, but we also have a local corporate responsibility, so we've done local PMDCs in conjunction with some local players," says Kruger.
The data centres can be powered by generator or solar panel, making them suitable for remote sites. Multiple units can be stacked or extended to accommodate expanding needs.
The benefits of modularity should not be underestimated, according to Kruger. "Modular DCs are a pay-as-you-grow model, which helps businesses reduce the initial capital outlay, but gives them the chance to grow the data centre as the data grows."
Previously, most businesses have built entire data centres, and waited to grow to fill the capacity. "The modular approach prevents this inefficiency. For a data centre built 20, 30 years ago, they could never have imagined the power and cooling that are needed today," Kruger continues. "The PMDCs are part of our strategy to work smarter and become energy smarter in a changing environment."
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