Greenest data centre in Benelux
Belgian specialist of co-location IP backbone services, Belgian Networks Solutions has opened what it says is the "greenest and most modern data centre in Belgium". This was done in collaboration with Dutch communications and ICT service provider, KPN, as well as specialist in cabinets for IT-infrastructure in the Data Centre, Minkels.
"We're the only party in Belgium - and I also think in the whole Benelux - that can deliver capacity of more than 10kw on rack without having to do water-cooling; we're doing it with air-cooling, which is most interesting for the client himself," CEO of Belgian Networks Solutions, Samuel de Wever, told IT Europa. "And we're guaranteeing an availability of 99,999% per year when it comes to power and cooling, and of 99,990% on our network."
Belgian Networks Solutions is using "free cooling principles" (outside air to cool the room), as well as racks optimised with Minkels that are deeper, wider, and have their doors perforated to make sure the cool air really goes into their service.
In 2006, it was the first in Belgium to integrate Minkels Cold Corridors in its commercial data centres, which strongly lowered its needs on cold air to cool up the infrastructure. But when its data room was full two years later, KPN invested a huge amount of money in a new room that they completely rebuilt, adding new piping and installing even lower power usage rack units.
If a normal data centre has a "power use efficiency" of 1.8, meaning that it needs 80% electricity for its cooling systems, Belgian Networks Solutions together with KPN and Minkels has brought it down to a factor 1.3, meaning that it just needs 30% electricity. "We're saving around 50% of power just for that cooling systems, which is amazing and also makes that our customers can get better prices," explained de Wever.
With its backbone networks connected to international backbones in London, France and the Netherlands, Belgian Networks Solutions says it wants to be a two-tier data centre and addresses IT companies and big customers (with more than 200 employees) that have services for their business and want to bring it to a safe environment.
"The advantages in taking a co-location with us instead of a co-location directly at a data centre," he pointed out, is that if in the second case, the customer is only getting is a small part of the floor space and electricity, we're delivering a full service taking care of the cooling, the electricity, the network, etc., so he can really focus on his business and we're focusing on ours."
The customer has however the possibility to fully monitor his rack and its environment. "We put a lot of effort was put in power management too, so that the customer can check the quantity of power he consumes, the temperature of his rack, the time his rack was open (since it's working with electrical lockers), and above all, he can choose from one day to another, to use 10kw or only 1kw automatically.
Minkels is benefiting from a rising demand for energy-monitoring systems and expects, despite the recession, that its Europewide turnover during H1 2009 will be roughly the same as in H1 2008. "Existing data centres are opting en masse to step over to this new technology and install retrofit Cold Corridors," said General Manager Minkels. "It is a measure that companies can implement quickly and easily, besides offering a short ROI period."