University of Cambridge Implements Dynamic Emerson Data Center Solutions to Drive Efficiency, Lower Costs and Reduce Carbon Footprint

Emerson will enable Cambridge to control multiple data center environments remotely and save energy costs by as much as 40 percent

Huntsville, AL (April 28, 2015) – Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson (NYSE:EMR) and a global leader in maximizing availability, capacity and efficiency of critical infrastructure, was selected to help drive operational efficiencies in December 2013 by the University of Cambridge, one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious universities.

Due to the fragmented nature of its campus system, the University uses more than 200 independently managed server rooms across 120 departments to cope with staff and student data - resulting in inefficient energy usage. With large quantities of data, including sensitive research material, internal records and financial information, advanced data storage capabilities are critical.

“By upgrading our data center infrastructure, we expect to reduce our carbon footprint by 30 percent and our IT energy costs by as much as 40 percent,” said Ian Tasker, data center manager, University of Cambridge. “This equates to a considerable reduction in our Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which currently spans from 1.7 to 3, lowering it to 1.2 and below.”

The University’s research teams also have a growing need for high-performance computing, which requires vast quantities of power to process data at high speed. To address these challenges, the University of Cambridge wanted to rationalize its server rooms by building a coexisting central data storage hub to improve service efficiency and tackle its high energy consumption. It also wanted visibility into IT and infrastructure processes, which would provide the ability to manage them holistically.

After assessing a variety of options, the University selected a range of Emerson Network Power solutions, including high power modular Trinergy™ uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), coupled with a Premier Warranty service contract and LIFE™ remote diagnostic and preventive monitoring services, as well as racks, MPH2 rack power distribution units (PDU), and Emerson’s world-class data center infrastructure management (DCIM) system, the Trellis™ platform. By deploying the Trellis platform, the University of Cambridge will gain real-time insights into power, thermal management and IT equipment to help them manage capacity and increase efficiencies. The new data center hub is split into three separate halls, allowing space for approximately 300 racks, supported by both redundant UPS and generators.

“We implemented a dynamic solution for the University’s existing data center ecosystem, enabling them to reduce the number of server rooms and gain greater visibility into the full scope of operations,” said Steve Hassell, president, Data Center Solutions at Emerson Network Power. “By combining intelligent energy efficient products with real-time insights and analytics from the Trellis platform, the University will be able to make decisions resulting in dramatically reduced energy consumption.” 

About Emerson Network Power 

Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson, delivers software, hardware, and services that maximize availability, capacity, and efficiency for data centers healthcare and industrial facilities. A trusted industry leader in smart infrastructure technologies, Emerson Network Power provides innovative data center infrastructure management solutions that bridge the gap between IT and facility management and deliver efficiency and uncompromised availability regardless of capacity demands. Our solutions are supported globally by local Emerson Network Power service technicians.

About Emerson 

Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial and consumer markets around the world. The company is comprised of five business segments: Process Management, Industrial Automation, Network Power, Climate Technologies, and Commercial & Residential Solutions. Sales in fiscal 2014 were $24.5 billion. For more information, visit www.Emerson.com.​​