Manufacturer Benefits From Standardized Data Center Architecture

Challenges

A global semiconductor manufacturer was moving to a hybrid cloud architecture across their global fleet of data centers, deploying twin peered data centers in cities around the world, running active-active. During this process, they wanted to standardize data center architecture to support day-0 design in combination with day-1 and day-2 expansion to accommodate growth in demand. They also wanted to create a solution for 1/10Gbps with future readiness for growth up to 100Gbps.

Solutions

The Wesco Technology & Support Services (TSS) team worked with the customer to define standard points of distribution of infrastructure and compute racks, as well as standard cabling architecture to ensure that the functionality and design approach could easily be deployed consistently across different continents.

Standardizing manufacturers and including all details in the documentation enabled the customer to leverage their global spend and benefit from improved unit-rate pricing on all components. Building blocks were standardized for small, medium and large data center deployments. Furthermore, we worked with our supplier partner to develop a custom power strip that overcomes the power delivery limitations of a standard 32A 400V power strip, delivering 22kW actual. This reduces the need 

for two strips per electrical feed to one strip per electrical feed, so two strips per 20kW cabinet instead of four. We also used two-color power distribution to simplify high-availability inspection. 

The TSS team designed each facility in AutoCAD and produced tender documentation for the customer to solicit installation works through Wesco partners. All cabinets were preassembled and quality checked at Wesco facilities. All cabling materials were also prelabeled and copper and fiber trunks and panels were preterminated. The assembled cabinets were then delivered on site via white glove delivery service to ensure all cabinets arrived safely and on time.

Results

As a result of working with the Wesco TSS team, the manufacturer now has a standardized data center architecture that can easily be deployed across the globe, whether on-premise or colocated. The standardization documentation provided by Wesco makes it easy to deploy the same architecture at all the customer’s other locations around the world. Wesco global presence means that it can offer the same service and level of expertise, no matter the location.

In addition to meeting the customer’s needs and keeping the project on track, Wesco also helped the customer save money. Delivering the cabinets preassembled simplified installation and minimized time on site for the installation partner, therefore reducing labor costs. Furthermore, by working with our supplier partner to create a custom power strip and cutting the number of power strips needed for each cabinet in half, TSS saved the customer approximately $2,000 per cabinet.