Standardization Helps Reduce Risk, Cost and Complexity of Edge Computing Deployments

World Wide Technology (WWT) wanted to create an innovative environment that brings together a vast range of technology. The provider envisioned a place where real data centers could be built and rebuilt and be quickly and easily tested (and ultimately standardized) to meet business needs—whether in the enterprise or at the edge. WWT turned to APC by Schneider Electric (APC) to enable such flexibility and help its customers and partners save time and money in their edge computing deployments.

Known as the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), this collaborative ecosystem allows customers and partners to design, build, learn, demonstrate and deploy innovative technology products and integrated architectural solutions.

In the ATC, different manufacturers’ equipment, applications and various integrations can be tested and validated. Configurations can scale up and down and fail on purpose — all without risk. This is especially important for achieving the standardization needed for successfully deploying edge computing.

Once the right design is found, the plan can be implemented in WWT’s Global Integration Centers, where certified engineers help reduce the risk, cost and complexity of IT deployments.

To create these environments that allow for fast, agile and repeated builds — and in turn, save time and money — WWT uses customized racks, power and cooling from APC.

Testing for Edge Computing and Beyond

Global Integration Centers are climate-controlled production environments with advanced networking, secure remote access and ISO-certified procedures. The centers are constantly and quickly changing to accommodate different project timelines, power requirements and IT types.

APC’s products enable this flow and give WWT the flexibility it needs to support all the variances. A large percentage of racks shipped out of the integration center are in APC cabinets. WWT also partnered with APC to build, test and analyze the results of a new packaging system that will protect integrated rack shipments and provide higher reliability once it arrives onsite.

Supported by APC’s physical layer, WWT’s Integration Centers are enabling edge computing deployments and roll-out. As WWT advises customers and partners on a resilient edge methodology that is standardized and scalable, APC’s offerings in this space complement this focus.

WWT customers use the Global Integration Centers to:

• Stage their infrastructure during facility construction or preparation
• Rack and stack components from multiple manufacturers into ready-to-deploy systems
• Configure thousands of network, collaboration, security and end-user devices
• Test edge applications

We spoke with Bill Hoelzer, a WWT facilities technical architect, about our work together. He explained, “No other in the industry offers a modular style UPS at the size like APC by Schneider Electric. We’ve also standardized the busway with APC by Schneider Electric equipment. Overhead distribution is a critical part of how we can be so flexible. I don’t have to hire an electrician to re-run power every time I need to change the rack. I simply change it at the overhead level.”

Overall, the ATC helps close the gap between what customers and partners think they need and what their businesses really require. Then, the Global Integration Centers help reduce risk, cost and complexity of IT deployments. Capex is preserved and the right infrastructure for today can be built while also being ready for tomorrow’s edge world.

To learn more about how your business can achieve Certainty in a Connected World in this age of edge computing, read the full story about APC’s work with WWT: “Taking the Guesswork out of Building Data Centers.”