Viridity Software Joins the Data Center Alliance

The Data Center Alliance (DCA) welcomes Viridity Software, and is excited to add their data center energy resource management (ERM) solutions to the DCA’s offerings.

The Data Center Alliance brings together the best-in-class IT infrastructure manufacturers into one place, where IT decision makers can find the data they need to make smart decisions about their growing data center needs. For companies looking for balanced, factual data to improve productivity in the fields of power, KVM, network management, remote access, environmental monitoring and air flow, the DCA is the answer.

After the successful DCA kick-off event in California in July, we have already begun planning for the next DCA event – watch this space!

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Webinar: Increase Operational Efficiency with Strategic Remote Access Management

Space is limited.Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/346894848

In this webinar, co-hosted by Data Center Alliance members Digi, Minicom and Server Technology, you’ll learn:
• How the integration of Digi, Minicom and Server Technology’s solutions can dramatically increase your IT staff's efficiency and reduce server downtime.
• How you can provide IT staff with a secure, single pane of glass for seamless, single click access to your servers and devices using both in-band and out-of-band access (i.e. KVM and service processors).
• How to increase operational efficiency and security with a remote access management strategy, while leveraging existing hardware and software tools.
• A demonstration of the integrated solution in action.
• What the Data Center Alliance is, why it was formed, and its value for data center end-users, VARs and consultants.


Title: DCA Members Digi, Minicom & Server Technology present “Increase Operational Efficiency with Strategic Remote Access Management"

Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees:
Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000

Macintosh®-based attendees:
Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Data Center Alliance Road Show Overview

Data Center Alliance’s First Event Provides Innovative Ideas for Increasing Data Center Efficiency

Speakers from PG&E, ENERGY STAR, and industry leading data center companies share valuable insights

The Data Center Alliance (DCA) today announced that they successfully hosted their first event, titled “Winds of Change: Creative Concepts for Increasing Data Center Efficiency,” on July 27th at the Biltmore hotel in Santa Clara, California. The event explored solutions for data center efficiency challenges to an audience of CIOs, facilities managers, data center managers, IT managers and system administrators.

The Data Center Alliance event was sponsored by DCA members Digi International, Elliptical Mobile Solutions, Minicom, PDI, and Wright Line. Together with other alliance partners, these companies have joined forces to leverage the core strengths of each organization, and to fill the information gap in the marketplace by providing a centralized, comprehensive source for building successful IT infrastructures.

Digi’s presentation about their integrated console management platform made a compelling case for centralized access control as a driving force in helping data enters run more smoothly. It was hard not to be convinced by Elliptical Mobile Solutions’ concrete value proposition for their modular data centers: their “Data Center in a Box” offers operational expenditures savings for clients from 40% to 65%. Minicom demonstrated how remote access management increases operation efficiency while maintaining security. Equally exciting was PDI’s talk about their power solutions, and the innovations they have introduced in order to track and reduce data center energy use. Wright Line’s erudite explanation about how to eliminate chaos cooling gave participants a road map for creating predictability in their data centers.

William Dunckel, Senior Project Manager at Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), captivated the audience with his keynote speech on “Myths and Facts Driving Data Center Energy.” Bringing charts and statistics to life, Dunckel drove home the necessity of reducing the carbon footprint of data centers, and outlined strategies for making it happen.

“It’s encouraging to see the dedication of the data center community to this important initiative,” Dunckel said. “The existence of this event bodes well for the future of the environment.”

Kathy M. Diehl, Regional ENERGY STAR Program Manager, spoke about the hot topic "ENERGY STAR for Data Centers." Her talk addressed the development of the "Guiding Principles for Energy Efficiency Metrics for Data Centers," giving a colorful context to the standards that are now used. Diehl's speech highlighted the reality that most stand-alone and larger buildings housing data centers have the means for tracking and curbing energy use.

“With ENERGY STAR’s help, it is easy to establish an energy management program that will benefit both your company’s bottom line and the environment. I am happy for the opportunity to inform the attendees of this event about ENERGY STAR's efforts to support energy efficiency for data centers,” said Diehl.

“The DCA is proud to host an event with such relevance and substance. After hearing all our speakers, attendees have the tools to make major positive changes in many aspects of their data centers, such as scalable designs for rack enclosures, data center mobility, lowering cooling costs, remote access management, power management, and facility design. We are already planning the next DCA event!” said David Zucker, Executive Director, DCA.

Here are some photos from the set up:

PG&E Senior Manager to Deliver Keynote Address at the First Data Center Alliance Road Show

Come hear William Dunckel speak about “Myths & Facts Driving Data Center Energy” in Santa Clara, CA on July 27, 2010. It’s the first Data Center Alliance event, and it’s going to be a lot of fun: great speakers, networking opportunities, and free breakfast.

William (Bill) Dunckel works as Senior Project Manager in the Customer Energy Efficiency division of Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Dunckel also serves as the Energy Committee Chairman of the Critical Facilities Roundtable, a consortium of data center and critical facilities owners and operators in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been improving quality and efficiency of manufacturing and high tech service processes since 1980. Dunckel, a licensed professional industrial engineer with degrees from UC Berkeley and San Jose State University, has also been a graduate engineering professor and a member of SJSU’s Center for Manufacturing Excellence.

Register now

Industry Leaders Form The Data Center Alliance

The Data Center Alliance was formed with Minicom, Wright Line, ServerTechnology, Uptime Devices, and Digi International to fill the information gap in the marketplace by providing a centralized, comprehensive source for building successful IT infrastructures.

The mission of the DCA is to serve as a central repository of data center/server room products and services and to provide IT decision makers with a clear understanding of the different solutions available for their IT infrastructures.

Because each organization has unique IT challenges, whether they are with physical space, power consumption, remote access, or budget, there is no generic solution that adequately meets the requirements of every CIO. Mixed IT environments demand specialized solutions in order to optimize resources.

The Data Center Alliance brings together the best in class IT infrastructure manufacturers into one place where IT decision makers can find the data they need to make smart decisions about their growing data center needs. For companies looking to improve productivity in the fields of power, KVM, network management, remote access, environmental monitoring and air flow, the Data Center Alliance is the answer.

“The Data Center Alliance helps companies find what they need quickly and easily. In today’s complex IT environment, customers welcome simplicity. The program lets companies see all the puzzle pieces in one place. The value of the program is having quality offerings from all aspects of the IT infrastructure in one convenient location,” explains David Zucker, Minicom’s Director of KVM Business Development.

In addition to the value they bring to their customers, members of the Data Center Alliance benefit from joint marketing efforts such as webinars, podcasts, trade shows, and cross promotion via social media marketing. Members also enjoy increased exposure to the right channels through lead generation and heightened brand awareness. By capitalizing on mutual interests, the program opens doors for new business opportunities and market penetration.

“The alliance is the next step in bringing Digi closer to other data center solution providers,” said Brian O’Rourke, principal product line manager, Digi International. “We are integrating each other’s products and working together to provide ‘best of class’ solutions for customers. We provide industry leading console management solutions, and we are pleased to partner with other organizations to help customers better manage their data centers.”

“Wright Line is pleased to continue its long-standing relationship with Minicom and looks forward to participating in the Data Center Alliance. The Alliance serves as yet another vehicle toward additional co-marketing and collaboration initiatives. We’re excited to lend our assistance to projects where our innovative airflow management solutions, including our patented Heat Containment System™, can assist IT professionals in their quest to make their data centers more efficient and reliable,” stated Pete Rumsey, Wright Line’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“This Alliance helps to bring best of breed product solutions together, ensuring compatibility within the marketplace,” notes Calvin Nicholson, Director of Product Marketing for Server

Technology. “We are proud to be part of this new effort to provide infrastructure monitoring, management and control solutions that increase data center efficiency.”

To learn more about the Data Center Alliance, visit http://www.minicom.com/dca-partners.htm