Colocation centers are rapidly emerging as the preferred alternative to privately-owned data centers. In fact, reports suggest that the global colocation center market will increase by more than 14% annually through 2030.
This impressive growth is driven by several key factors. First, end-users that migrate their IT infrastructure to a colocation facility can help reduce their operating costs and generate greater ROI by essentially renting IT server racks and computing space. Users who make the move to colocation facilities can also reduce the potential for computing and data processing downtime by tapping into an existing state-of-the-art infrastructure.
This means colocation facilities need enclosures to support network and server appliances, enclosures, power distribution units (PDUs), and IT cooling systems that can quickly be configured to a variety of specifications in order to help manufacturers harness the power of IT computing in a colocation environment.
For colocation facilities, this means speed-to-market and flexibility are top-tier priorities when specifying the right IT enclosures. Standardization is not only key in helping to increase a colocation’s rapid deployment, it’s also critical in helping manufacturers adapt to fluctuations in market demand.
The following advantages demonstrate how standardized IT enclosures can help colocation facilities accelerate their deployment, and how Rittal IT solutions can help colocations get up and running fast.
Standardized IT enclosures allow for simplified scalability
Optimizing your colocation facility starts with the ability to offer end-users a simplified path to scale their IT infrastructure. This is particularly important for rapidly growing or changing industries; for example, the automotive industry is looking for increased agility right now given the continued growth in the construction of a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
Standardized IT enclosures that use a modular design can help colocations simplify scalability by reducing the time, resources, and tooling required to configure and customize enclosures based on computing variables such as server rack density or cooling requirements. Standardized modular IT enclosures can also help colocations support a wider range of cable and component densities inside the enclosure to help manufacturers leverage more efficient, powerful computing.
Plus, a standardized design simplifies the process of pairing the IT enclosure with the ideal accessories and spare or component parts, and it also streamlines the ordering and installation process to help colocations scale their operations quickly and efficiently.
Rittal’s TS IT Colo enclosure utilizes a comprehensive, standardized design that features full depth adjustable front adjustable front and rear EIA rails, a full-size slide-in removable partition, and a standard hardware kit that allows the enclosure to be bayed in just a matter of minutes.
This standardized, modular approach to IT enclosures also allows for greater flexibility within the cabinet to support the highest cable and component installation densities, and the lack of internal obstructions maximizes the customization of internal rack or wire configurations.
Designed with dimensions currently preferred by U.S. colocation facilities, Rittal TS IT Colo enclosure is the readily available IT enclosure solution manufactured in the U.S. to help colocations maximize their delivery and installation capacity, and offer customers the scalability required to unlock more productive IT computing.
Standardized IT enclosures can help colocation facilities think outside the rack
As the colocation market continues to grow, colocation facilities will be tasked with optimizing their infrastructure footprint while controlling their operating costs and maximizing revenue. Rack space in a colocation facility is part of what drives revenue, and colocations that can take their server racks outdoors will be able to increase their deployments in a wide range of applications.
However, the challenge is specifying IT enclosures that can handle the wide range of environmental conditions and deployments that come with an outdoor infrastructure to support the indoor IT spaces. Some IT enclosures may be designed to better protect IT assets in certain conditions as opposed to others, and some may be engineered under certain regulatory or compliance standards while others are not.
These variables can create a significant challenge for the outdoor support infrastructure in creating the speedy deployment necessary to be competitive in a crowded market.
Rittal’s CS Toptec outdoor enclosure is a standard solution that offers superior durability and reliability in a range of environmental conditions, including heat, cold, and moisture, as well as in harsh environments that contain airborne contaminants.
The CS Toptec outdoor enclosure uses a double-wall design to increase passive heat dissipation and reduce the impact of exposure to harsh UV light. UV-resistant paint finishes and stainless or aluminum construction options provide exceptional resistance to UV light damage to help maximize the performance and lifespan of the enclosure.
What’s more, the standard modular design of the CS Toptec enclosure allows for fast, simplified mounting of IT cooling units like our Blue e+ climate control systems, which are designed specifically to help maintain optimal temperatures inside IT enclosures regardless of the rack density.
With a more standardized approach to IT enclosure design, Rittal can help colocation facilities decrease their deployment timelines by simplifying scalability, and by providing IT enclosure solutions with the flexibility and versatility today’s colocation facilities need to optimize productivity.
Learn more about our IT enclosure solutions.