Eaton’s Proactive Power Management Transforms Network For The University Of Winchester
“The quality of service from the UPS systems was a critical factor in our choice of supplier, but more than that, it’s the support that Eaton brings in enabling us to monitor and manage our systems.”
Sean Ashford BA (Hons). Network and System Manager, The University of Winchester
Background
Having previously ranked 10th for teaching excellence, the University of Winchester has well established themselves as one of the top-rated UK universities. Since opening their doors in 1840, they have been consistently investing within themselves to make them the popular university they are today. This is particularly evident in the improvement to the facilities and infrastructure over the past decade, with new teaching blocks and student villages having been built.
Alongside the work to the facilities, a strong commitment has been made to creating a modern virtualized IT infrastructure. Before this case study, there was a data center on the main campus that supported the core IT infrastructure. After their current UPS system’s batteries failed without warning, it was clear to the university’s IT team that a new UPS provider was needed to meet all of their requirements.
Challenge
With their current UPS system failing and unable to provide the required resilience for the campus, the university faced an urgent need to replace the UPS units across the campus. With a campus full of students it was vital to get things running again quickly to ensure the around-the-clock availability of IT services that they needed.
As the batteries showed no warning signs before failing, the problem was discovered through the noticeable fumes coming from the units. Instead of replacing each UPS with a like-for-like replacement, it was decided that superior products should be used to avoid scenarios like this happening in the future. They hoped that the replacements would offer superior performance and reassurance, creating a list of criteria the new equipment would need to meet.
The key criteria were:
• Remote control and management of the IT equipment.
• Close integration with the VMware virtualized IT environment.
• Proactive monitoring and predictable maintenance of infrastructure.
Solution
Eaton provided UPS units paired with power management software that could be supported by a remote management service.
For the University of Winchester, achieving a virtualized environment that could integrate a power management software with existing VMware servers was the ideal scenario. With Eaton’s Intelligent Power Management (IPM) software allowing the IT team to manage all their mission-critical applications through a single pane of glass approach, it seemed like the perfect solution, meeting the requirements set out by the team.
The software can also be configured to prioritize the most critical applications in case an event occurred that affected the power. This added an additional layer of reassurance to the team to know that even a worst case scenario, the most important equipment would remain intact.
Alongside the IPM software, Eaton also installed 50 5PX single phase 3kVA units, 2 9SX UPSs 5000i, and a 93PM UPS.
Each 5PX unit provides a critical runtime of up to 20 minutes in the event of a power failure, enough time to cover short power outages without losing funcationality.
Results
Since their installation, the new products have already proved invaluable having kept the IT running despite several thousand small power outages occurring. These data center solutions have given the University of Winchester the ability to build an integrated, resilient, and highly efficient infrastructure. With superior monitoring and management abilities, the ability for proactive maintenance to ensure business continuity and resilience is easier than ever.
Explore the products for yourself
Eaton 5PX Gen2 UPS
The new Eaton 5PX Gen2 UPS provides Enterprise Networks and Edge IT equipment with best-in-class line-interactive power protection maximizing IT space and Service Continuity. Eaton 5PX Gen 2 offers powerful tools to remotely monitor, integrate with IT architecture and remotely deploy/maintain large installed base of UPSs.
Features:
- Increased standard runtime
- Secure connection
- Enhanced surge protection
- Enhanced power density
- Best-in-class efficiency performance
- Energy Star 2.0 certified
- Reduced energy consumption and cooling costs
- Reduce risk of intrusion
Explore our Eaton 5PX Gen2 UPS
Eaton 9SX UPS
The Eaton 9SX UPS offers high availability, flexibility, and advanced protection for infrastructure, industrial, medical, IT, networking, storage, and telecom. Delivering online double conversion protection in convenient tower, rack or RT format
Features:
- Regulates voltage and frequency
- Highest effiency levels
- Reduces energy and cooling costs
- Versatile form factor
- Stronger & longer battery life
- Prioritised shutdowns
Read the full Case Study here: Eaton’s Winchester University Case Study
More Eaton Products Available from Comms Express:
Eaton Uniterruptible Power Supply | Eaton Ellipse ECO | Eaton Ellipse PRO | Eaton 3S Mini UPS | Eaton 5P | Eaton 5S | Eaton 5SC | Eaton 5PX Gen2 UPS | Eaton 9PX | Eaton 9SX
| Eaton UPS Comms Cards | Eaton UPS Warranty Upgrades | Eaton UPS Services | Eaton 3S Gen2 UPS | Eaton PDUs | Eaton Rack REC Series | Eaton Rack Accessories
If you require any further information on these or any other products that we stock here at Comms Express, please do not hesitate to contact our team who will be only too happy to help.
Until next time…
