Johannesburg, 14 May 2008
Temperature, humidity, fire, secure access, clean continuous mains power and remote system monitoring are the most critical factors in ensuring the integrity and reliability of the data and communications systems upon which most businesses and organisations have become so reliant upon in this electronic age.
The strategic importance of these systems and the need to ensure their ongoing operation is underlined by increasing demand for reliable, all-encompassing data centre, network, disaster recovery and environmental monitoring and protection system solutions.
"Mission-critical network and telecommunications technology must have exceptionally high availability and be managed and monitored 24 hours a day," says Clinton Cowley, Managing Director of Structured Infrastructure Solutions (SIS), a company in the JSE-listed technology solutions group, Square One Solutions.
"Companies will not be able to deliver high quality ITC services without effective environmental system management systems that make use of IP, Web and GSM technologies to enable remote monitoring and control of critical support systems."
SIS offers the Dectorack environmental management system, developed for harsh African conditions where computer systems are required to function in remote locations and in situations where effective maintenance is difficult and expensive to achieve because of distance.
"About 85% of the market is currently in South Africa," adds Cowley. "Typical applications include DR rooms, rented buildings without suitable communications rooms, SME companies with branch offices, chain store organisations and franchise operations that have widespread individual stores or outlets needing to provide sales data, stock reports and other critical financial information quickly and efficiently to head office."
Another major application in South Africa is for the monitoring and maintenance of remote cellphone and wireless transmission stations where early warning systems and monitoring of essential elements such as access, power supplies, backup generators and their fuel levels is critical.
"Technology has ensured that today's companies are extremely dynamic, requiring modular environmental management solutions with scalable design technology in the form of three or four bolt-together component sections that can be quickly moved, assembled and disassembled as required while achieving cost savings of up to 50%."
Another factor, according to Cowley, relates to risk management because modern computer servers track temperature levels and operating conditions for information that can be used by the manufacturer/distributor to determine the validity of server failure warranty and subsequent business interruption compensation claims.
"This is a serious risk, so the Dectorack system monitors, records and transmits temperature, humidity, mains power, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) air conditioning/air flow and audible noise levels, signal strength, luminosity levels and smoke/fire detection among other parameters, to ensure that company data centres operate within optimum conditions and in accordance with warranties."
Cowley adds that simultaneously managing multiple remote data locations is only possible through dedicated environmental control systems that improve the overall function, lifespan and reliability of communications equipment while minimising costly system downtime.
"The modularity of Dectorack ensures the needs of data centres and remote support systems can be implemented on a fit-for-purpose basis most cost-effectively and upgraded or extended simply and quickly as required."