IBM Expands Ecosystem of Partners to Provide Robust Data Center Solutions

LAS VEGAS - IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new and extended partnerships aimed at meeting the rising demand for energy efficient data center capacity worldwide, while providing more flexible options for clients to meet business demand and IT growth.

Speaking before an audience of over 1,500 at Gartner’s 28th Annual Data Center Conference, Steven Sams, vice president of Site and Facilities for IBM Global Technology Services, called to action the global leading power, cooling and cabling providers to partner with IBM and each other in new ways to drive cost optimization.

IBM continues to build strong relationships with the world’s leading providers of data center physical infrastructure equipment to champion an expanded modularized data center. The following members have worked with IBM to integrate their products and services with IBM’s Portable Modular Data Center (PMDC): Anixter, APC by Schneider Electric, CommScope, Eaton Corporation, Emerson Network Power, Panduit, Siemon, and Vette Corp. Targeting data centers at the most fundamental levels, IBM’s ecosystem of partners have helped clients expand their operations more efficiently. The Portable Modular Data Center can be shipped and deployed into any environment, enabling clients to install a data center in any remote location or employ a temporary data center solution; as well, the Portable Modular Data Center can be used as a mobile solution for disaster recovery, disaster avoidance and other mobile needs.

“These partnerships allow IBM to produce a broader lineup of solutions to provide cost-effective and flexible data center alternatives from mid-size companies to large enterprises requiring remote and temporary data center capacity,” said Sams. “Consequently, IBM offers the most comprehensive range of options for clients, with the IBM Data Center Family, to support their business growth in a cost-effective manner.”

IBM’s PMDC provides a fully functional data center in a shipping container with a complete physical infrastructure including power and cooling systems and remote monitoring. It also has all the elements of the secure operating environments found in traditional “raised-floor” data centers, including protection from fire, smoke, humidity, condensation and temperature changes. The PMDC can support multiple technology vendors and multiple systems in an industry standard rack environment and enables complete access to both the front and rear of the IT equipment from within a physically and environmentally secure container.

The modular offering has the ability to set up shop virtually anywhere, provided there is access to water, electricity and telecommunications. Moreover, the PMDC approach can cost up to 30 percent less to design and build, and consume up to a 50 percent smaller footprint.

PMDC is one member of the IBM Data Center Family® of solutions to drive greater advancements in energy efficiencies by making data centers more flexible in matching information technology (IT) needs to capital and operating costs. With roughly 60 percent of the capital costs and 50 percent of the operational costs of running a data center being energy related, the ability to design, construct and activate a highly energy efficient data center has become a business imperative.

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