Schneider, Vigilent Team for Data Center Cooling

Energy management specialist Schneider Electric and cooling management systems company Vigilent have launched Data Center Operation: Cooling Optimize, an add-on module for Schneider Electric’s data center infrastructure management product, StruxureWare for Data Centers.

The enhancement uses closed loop control along with monitoring and analysis capabilities to enable data centers to automatically self-correct issues with temperature and air flow.

The self-learning Cooling Optimize module is aimed at bridging the gap between facilities and IT by matching cooling with critical thermal locations on the floor. The module employs software from Vigilent that continuously adjusts cooling as environmental conditions change. This real-time response to temperature-affecting events, such as equipment moves, upgrades or IT load swings, stabilizes air flow and solves the complex puzzle of cooling resource allocation, Schneider says.

Key benefits of the Cooling Optimize module include:

• Instant results: Dynamic cooling control, improved thermal conditions, and energy savings are immediate.
• Risk mitigation: Up to 95 percent of hotspots are automatically resolved, and data is provided to help facility managers diagnose trickier issues. The system also includes robust fail-safes and alarms.
• Cost savings: Up to 40 percent of cooling energy costs are eliminated by delivering all necessary cooling with the lowest possible energy use, according to Schneider.
• Increased capacity: Stranded cooling capacity is identified and unlocked, allowing facilities to handle increased IT load.
• Extended equipment lifecycles: Since cooling equipment is used more effectively and efficiently, it lasts longer and requires less maintenance, Schneider says.