POD racks up computing performance

26 May 2010

LJMU’s Computing and Information Services (CIS) department are about to enter into a new era of reliable, ergonomic and energy-efficient network computing after taking delivery of two seemingly inconspicuous containers that will drastically transform the energy and space requirements of the University’s burgeoning data centre.

There are now two containers sitting side by side in the former print room of LJMU Tower, waiting to spring into action to provide LJMU staff, students and our stakeholders with all of the computing services we often take for granted.

Currently our server and central storage racks are dotted around the basement of LJMU Tower, in what was formerly the vault of the old Midland bank. For some time it has become clear that the space isn’t ideally suited as an environment for the technology, which has specific environmental requirements in order to function consistently.

This has been a problem traditionally with data centres - planning and building a suitable custom space for IT hardware is a time-consuming and costly business, which doesn’t always guarantee the required results.

This summer our new HP POD, or ‘Performance Optimized Data Center’, will be deployed - rectifying these current issues by taking over as a dense, climate-controlled space for all of our backend IT kit.

The hi-tech POD features an advanced cooling system that creates a self-contained, expandable and highly efficient space which will keep our data centre running at optimum performance, minimising the risk of hardware failure.

In tandem with the POD, we have the Active Power PowerHouse container – an uninterruptable power supply unit that will ensure a consistent and reliable source of energy is running directly into the POD. The PowerHouse contains a diesel generator and flywheel which ensures not only power consistency, but a complete continuation of power supply in the event of a power cut.

The overall system of power supply and storage, the first of its kind deployed in the UK, represents a huge step forward for LJMU’s computing network users, not only in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability, but also reliability and piece of mind for its end users.

Pictured: Computing Officer Wayne Baker, Operations Manager Mark Wynne, CIS Director Jim Wrightson and Computing Officer Tony Marsden