A new micro data centre enables end users to move data centre operations to the edge, bringing computing power close to critical equipment to solve data latency and bandwidth issues. The EcoStruxure micro data centre architectures developed by Schneider Electric are standardised on Stratus Edge Computing platforms that are accelerating the move of traditional data centre capabilities to the factory floor.
The new micro data centre integrates Stratus’ fault tolerance and virtualisation with Schneider Electric’s uninterrupted power to consolidate software workloads and run critical equipment with no downtime. Jointly developed, the micro data centres are fully tested, validated, and available with preloaded software to reduce engineering complexity for system integrators (SI). The server virtualisation enables end users to concurrently run monitor and control, on premises historian, manufacturing execution, asset performance management, and automated material handling applications as well as advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications.
Purpose built for the operational environment; the unit is physically protected in a single enclosure.
“When partnering with Stratus, we spoke about the many day to day responsibilities of a system integrator and the security and privacy concerns raised with outsourcing information technology (IT),” John Knorr, vice president of global IT alliances at Schneider Electric, said. “We made it our mission to not only bridge the gap of IT and operational technology (OT) but also simplify the purchase, deployment and management cycle all together with a one stop shop solution.”
The new architectures are ideal for deployment in industries that want to harness real time edge data for insight and competitive advantage. Previously, SIs and end users had to source the compute platform and power components from separate vendors and distributors, align requirements and costs, and then assemble, configure, and test. The combined solution enables organisations are able to deploy an OT ready micro data centre for 40 per cent less field engineering cost and 20 per cent faster time to market.
