Managed Services provide a 24/7 preventative solution to your business’ infrastructure as a whole.  A proper Managed Services solution is ideal for managing your security, communication, and network infrastructure. But why choose managed services over outsourced IT?

What’s the difference?

Third-party outsourced IT usually works on a break-fix model of service where the provider fixes issues as they arise. It’s a reactive approach with little focus on preventative maintenance.

Managed services view your IT solutions as a whole and are a relationship of integrated services. It uses a proactive approach where specialized skills are used to optimize your solutions, completing work every day to keep your network, security, and communications working 24/7.

Managed services providers maintain networks, perform necessary updates, and keep your system running smoothly while offering helpful advice on optimizing and improving your network based on how you use it.

What Outsourcing IT Offers

Businesses often choose to outsource their IT solutions because it is less expensive. Hiring someone to perform smaller tasks and fix problems as they arise can often be cheaper.

Often hired to complete certain tasks instead of looking at a network as a whole, IT outsourcing is valuable for smaller companies who do not have the resources to build an in-house team or who can’t prioritize their infrastructure yet.

Why Choose Managed Services

Managed services like those provided by Activo, provide the benefits of outsourcing and a professional IT department, without the drawbacks.

With managed services, you will have an outsourced team of experts who manage your network and its needs. Rather than having to solve problems as they occur, this team will work on preventative maintenance daily to ensure your system works all the time, allowing your business to focus on what matters most – serving your clients.

As the managing solution, the team who works on your network will have an intuitive understanding of your needs and will be able to make updates, complete repairs, and keep you connected faster than an outsourced team who is looking for the first time.

Managed services also provide all-inclusive solutions. Rather than relying on a single fix, your team will provide solutions like physical and cyber security, communications through tools like Microsoft Voice and Teams, and manage cloud services to keep you and your team connected around the world.

This is valuable as businesses must be constantly prepared – a disconnect can lead to massive losses that can last until you are reconnected. Using a managed services provider negates risks – you are less likely of being disconnected and will have the best network solutions available to you, thanks to the experts working with your business.

Managed services are on a fixed budget, meaning there are no surprise repair costs as there can be with an expensive outsourced fix to something that could’ve been fixed earlier.

Even if you don’t have the means to build an in-house team, it is recommended to use managed services, as their preventative maintenance keeps you running in the long term.

Managed services have become a more popular way to have business requirements met. Companies can get the benefits of both outsourcing and professional IT departments, without the cost of IT in-house. If you’re ready to stop relying on inconsistent networks and find long-term solutions to help optimize your business, contact Activo today. We provide custom-managed service arrangements that fit the needs of your business and help it grow.

The post Help Your Business Thrive with Managed Services appeared first on Activo.

Among the many benefits, intelligent building technology offers are a reduction of energy costs, the use of data to timely monitor performance, and early detection of faults. In short, smart buildings directly benefit the building owner, manager, and occupants. Here is how:

Operating Costs

Imagine walking into a building in which the temperature and lighting can automatically change to individual and environmental preference. By using sensors and monitors, smart buildings can set the temperature according to the weather outside or switch lights on or off depending on whether there is anyone in the room. Valuable insights can be gained into how much energy a building is consuming and this data can be used to make real-time adjustments to the HVAC and lighting systems remotely by building managers. With access to this data on their smartphones, employees are more aware of their carbon footprint and are mindful of energy consumption.

Operating costs can easily rise in buildings when equipment is not performing to optimal levels or needs repairs. Smart buildings can detect faults in a time-efficient manner, providing owners and managers with relevant data that can be used to make informed decisions on what measures are required to rectify the situation. With early detection, preventive steps can be taken, saving time and money on costly repairs or worse, further damage.

Employee Productivity 

Besides cutting down on energy costs, smart buildings can gather data and provide valuable feedback on how to make a space more engaging and productive for employees. The building automation system can monitor the air quality and detect when CO2 levels are high and automatically adjust the oxygen levels. This leads to employee alertness, better concentration, and improved productivity.

With personalized controls, smart buildings allow employees to control temperature and light settings, creating a more productive and comfortable working environment. Employees can also increase their efficiency by reducing time spent on mundane tasks. For example, in a smart building, employees can locate colleagues, reserve space for a meeting or find the optimal working area through a web interface or mobile app.

By promoting a comfortable and environmentally friendly space, HR professionals can use a smart building to attract new talent and decrease the turnover of existing employees. Smart buildings use data to save energy and increase efficiency. They provide an automated system that helps reduce operating costs and measures which boost the productivity of employees. Smart buildings provide solutions for owners, managers and those who occupy them.

Embracing intelligent building technology is essential in staying ahead of your competitors. To take full advantage of emerging innovations with future-ready infrastructures, it is essential to have a network systems infrastructure based on your specific requirements.

At Activo, we leverage technology to develop IP networks to help you gain that competitive edge. For more information about how Activo can incorporate intelligent transform into your existing or new structure, click here.

Contact Activo to Learn More

Activo is a national network system integrator that specializes in providing superior network systems planning, integration, installation, and support services across Canada. Whether you’re looking to enhance your building’s security, add intelligent lighting, or reduce energy consumption, Activo is here to help. Contact us today for information on our intelligent building solutions.

 Read more from Activo:

• Why Structured Cabling Is the Backbone of the Digital Building
• Why You Need to Be Ready to Deploy a Digital Building Architecture
• 5 Factors Driving the Digital Building Transformation

The post How Smart Buildings Can Lower Costs and Increase Productivity appeared first on Activo.

Will your network be able to support the demands digital buildings place on it?

With the right structured cabling infrastructure, one engineered to meet your organization’s needs today and evolve as you grow, the answer is yes.

What Do Future-Ready Structured Cabling Solutions Need to Deliver?

1.      More Power

The cabling in digital buildings will need to support Power over Ethernet (PoE), a technology that allows power and data to be safely transmitted over the same network cables so that devices like cameras and lights can be deployed virtually anywhere. As the number of devices that connect to networks not only increase but also become more complex and power hungry, they will demand a greater amount of power that your cabling needs to be able to reliably provide.

The reality is that outdated cabling simply won’t be able to keep up.

2.      The Ability to Handle Higher Temperatures

With the creation of more power comes the creation of more heat. Even in small degrees, heat rise within cables can have major implications including:

• Insertion loss, which can lead to things like bit errors.
• Unplanned downtime.
• Premature wear-and-tear.

Although category 5e and category 6 cables can be used to support PoE devices, the reality is that category 6a cable is almost always the superior choice. Category 6a cabling is affordable and capable of running data at rates up to 10 gigabits per second, suppressing alien crosstalk so they can be bundled with limited issue, mitigating heat, and more.

To learn more, download “Defining the Digital Building”, a free e-book from Panduit.

3.      Increased Bandwidth

Between the array of devices connecting to the network (including tablets, phones, laptops, and building systems like HVAC and wireless) and applications like communications and conferencing applications that are running in real time, our bandwidth needs are only going to go up.

Ultimately, taking action now to create future-ready structured cabling systems will make it easier to evolve and meet future needs.

What Will Be Integrated as Part of the Digital Building?

1.      Building Automation Systems

Although building automation systems (BAS) have come a long way in recent years, there is still much we have to look forward to.

Today, BAS can integrate things like:

• HVAC
• Lighting
• Security
• Elevators
• Audio/visual

Even specialty systems like nurse call or scheduling applications can be included, and many systems also have mobile compatibility so that operators can manage and control components using mobile devices.

2.      Lighting

Intelligent lighting is on track to take industries by storm. One of the main reasons—it’s about more than just light. Innovative lighting systems also incorporate sensors that can:

• Turn lights on and off as people move between rooms and communicate with building automation systems to adjust ventilation levels according to the number of people currently present.
• Enable occupants to set their own personal lighting preferences using smartphones.
• Adjust light levels throughout the day to complement or mirror outside and ambient light.
• Provide visual alerts if noise levels go above pre-set levels.
• Direct employees to available conference rooms.

One of the attributes that makes lighting so attractive is the sheer volume. Because they are so dense, they become an ideal platform for distributing sensors throughout a space.

3.      Audio/Visual

AV has already become an echo of what it was in many ways. Where we had projectors, we now have innovative conferencing tools. In place of posters, we now see dynamic digital signage. Despite these advancements, however, AV signals are still generally transmitted over closed networks.

AV over IP (AVoIP) promises to change that. In essence, AVoIP builds on HDBaseT (the current standard for transmitting HD audio and video) by encoding signals into Ethernet, routing them via a LAN, and decoding them at the other end for the display device.

The impacts of this transition will be significant. AV devices will be managed by the same person or department responsible for the larger network, and it will simplify and streamline cabling infrastructure since organizations will no longer need separate cables and connections.

4.      Industrial Environments

For a long time, there has been a clear line between the carpeted office and the cement-floored warehouse. IT teams managed networks and hired structured cabling engineers to run cabling for data networks on the office side, while in the warehouse electricians were brought in to run control and signal cables alongside power in wire baskets.

Today, the lines are becoming blurred.

IT staff venture onto plant floors to diagnose network connectivity issues, while cabling contractors run fibre and copper to meet the warehouse’s changing needs.

Lay the Right Foundation for Next-Generation Digital Buildings

The success of the digital building depends on its systems performing well independently and together. You need an infrastructure in place that enables this interconnectedness, and that all starts with cabling.

To make your journey a triumph, you need to choose the right partner. Look for someone who has a wealth of experience in planning, integrating, installing, and supporting each component of your organization’s infrastructure—ensuring you get a future-ready system that empowers you to make the most of the changes digital buildings will bring.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Contact us today to learn how Activo can help you maximize your success in the IoT!

Read more from Activo:

• 3 IoT Trends for 2018 (and Beyond)
• Why You Need to Be Ready to Deploy a Digital Building Architecture
• Evolving Today’s Data Centres to Meet Tomorrow’s Demands

The post Why Structured Cabling Is the Backbone of the Digital Building appeared first on Activo.

What Forces Are Driving These Transitions?

In a recent article, Commscope identified a number of ‘megatrends’ affecting changes across virtually every industry including:

• Widespread digitization
• Demographic and social shifts
• Increasing urbanization
• Climate change

Despite these challenges, data centres today are in many ways more important than they have ever been. Unexpected downtime can be costly, financially and in terms of the effect it has on overall productivity, and network infrastructures are playing increasingly important roles in both day-to-day and longer-term successes for businesses of all types and sizes.

Forging Future-Forward Data Centres

The most important action you can take to get you and your data centres ready for the future is plan, developing a strategy that takes things like migration pathways, boosted speeds, scalable infrastructures, and virtualization solutions like co-located or cloud environments into account.

In another article, Commscope looked specifically at some of the various ways different industries can and are modifying their approaches to meet expanding demands:

• Healthcare: Digitization is something patients around the world expect and want. In one international survey, 75 percent of respondents said they anticipate interacting digitally with their healthcare providers (email communications, virtual doctors, digital records, and more) in the future.
• Automotive: Vehicle manufacturers are already reacting to customer demand to have simpler, easier to use, and more intuitive services and solutions built into the cars they use. These include driver-assist capabilities, as well as functions like smart maintenance alerts.
• Financial: Digital transactions are rapidly rising in popularity among consumers. Zelle, a peer-to-peer payment app processed over 100 million transactions in the first half of 2017, while Venmo (a competitor) saw roughly $30 million in volume in the final quarter of that year.

With industries across the board increasing their use of and reliance on digital networks and services, it’s critical to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to keep up with growing needs and enable continued success in the marketplaces of tomorrow.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Get in touch with Activo today to learn how we can help design and architect future-ready, interoperable network infrastructures and data centres!

Read more from Activo:

• The 6 Industries Leading the Way in the IoT
• 5 Things You Can Do with Video Analytics
• 4 Insights on What a Digital Transformation Will Mean for Your Business

The post Evolving Today’s Data Centres to Meet Tomorrow’s Demands appeared first on Activo.

Deloitte University Press recently put together a comprehensive survey exploring how IoT technologies will increase values for real estate companies. We’ve summarized their findings here for you:

What the IoT Means for Buildings

The IoT connects individual objects, machines, and tools to turn them into a collective well of information. In buildings, it often starts with sensors designed to track a range of factors including:

• Light
• Air pressure
• Temperature
• Motion

Smart building management systems can then analyze the data captured and react intuitively to achieve a desired result.

How Your Building Can Benefit from the IoT

1. Enhance Efficiency

• Lower your energy costs by employing tools like motion sensors to automatically adjust temperatures and turn lights on and off. These small actions can really add up, reducing energy consumption by up to 30% for larger sites like warehouses and shopping malls.
• Pre-empt repairs and maintenance, enabling your systems, software, and tools to automatically alert you when something is wrong and prompt you to take preventative action.
• Analyze behavioural patterns to understand how the space is really used and what steps you can take to help it function even better.

2. Identify Needs

Smart buildings have the potential to anticipate and meet demands before users even need to ask:

• The IoT in the office will provide opportunities to design comfortable, tailor-made working spaces that improve employee productivity and health.
• In retail environments, the IoT will make it possible to understand visitors’ shopping patterns and distinguish a ‘buyer’ from a ‘browser’.
• Industrial settings will be able to take advantage of automated pick-up processes and more rapid, accurate shipments.
• Tenants in multi-family dwellings can look forward to more enjoyable experiences centred around their own personal preferences and habits.

Deloitte University Press created an interactive graphic exploring how the IoT will affect office, retail, industrial, and multi-family buildings. Click here to learn more and see the tool in action!

Using physical space more strategically and in a way that keeps pace with evolving trends will be a key theme for buildings in the future.

3. Boost Productivity

The IoT is about more than simply making machines smarter. It’s about designing technology and solutions that can make our lives simpler and better – especially in the workplace, where most people spend around 1,700 hours each year.

The IoT can enable businesses to:

• Adjust environmental conditions (temperature, lighting, and air quality) dynamically to suit individual employees.
• Understand optimal ventilation levels and how they vary throughout the day.
• Improve productivity by scheduling tasks and breaks more appropriately to encourage collaboration and socialization.

The IoT can mean real, tangible opportunities for building owners and managers ready to make the most of them, turning your physical locations into informational assets.

Activo provides solutions for businesses of any size looking to maximize success in the IoT. Contact us today to discuss your needs!

Read more:

• 3 Ways Future-Ready Cabling Prepares Networks for the Internet of Things
• The Future Looks Bright with Cisco’s Digital Ceiling
• 5 Trends for Designing Future-Ready Data Centres

The post Building for the Internet of Things (IoT) appeared first on Activo.

CommScope recently published an article exploring the evolution of connected, efficient data centres. We’ve highlighted the five key trends they anticipate will have a clear impact on how infrastructure is designed and used both today and into the future:

1. The Exploding Demand for Bandwidth

Global IP traffic is predicted to soar beyond the zettabyte (1,000 exabytes) threshold by the end of this year. It will triple again by 2020, with more traffic coming from handheld devices (including mobile phones and tablets) than other traditional sources (especially PCs).

Data centres need to be ready to embrace this major technological shift.

How many new users and devices will join the global internet community by 2020? Read our blog to find out!

2. The Transition to the Cloud

Cloud options that exist today include a number of public, private, and hybrid solutions.

Benefits of moving to the cloud include:

• Increased flexibility and mobility.
• Easier ongoing management.
• Lower hardware and infrastructure costs.
• Enhanced team collaboration.
• Streamlined control.
• Greater security (including disaster recovery).

As the choices available for users continue to grow, so too will the number of people moving some (or even all) of their data centre components to the cloud. These changes will impact the requirements placed on data centres.

3. The Rise of the Internet of Things (IoT)

The IoT will be driven by connected devices – whether mobile phones, tablets, cars, lighting, or other kinds of new technology – pushing large volumes of data to data centres.

Smart cities, for example, require data to be stored, processed, and analyzed to make research-driven decisions that will positively impact how people, things, and technology interact.

4. The Move to Edge Computing

Edge computing (moving applications, services, and data away from core environments) will ultimately move content even closer to consumers.

This will help to:

• Improve the quality of service for end-users.
• Remove service bottlenecks.
• Boost security.
• Extend scalability.

It’s crucial for data centres to be prepared to distribute content around the globe, closer to where consumers will be able to access it.

5. The Advent of New Technologies

Alongside consumer demand, technology will continue to have major effects on how data centres are engineered and managed.

Key emerging technologies today include:

• Network Functions Virtualization (NFV): NFV is a new approach, replacing traditional network components with their virtual software counterparts. This lets service providers scale based on demand, boost deployment speeds, and standardize the hardware they use across numerous projects.
• Software Defined Network (SDN): SDN impacts network architectures. It introduces centralized networking and agile rerouting to optimize capacity at all times.
• Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI): HCI combines storage and compute tiers to produce tinier pieces, stitching them together using software to create a larger resource pool. This boosts agility, fault tolerance, machine-to-machine support, and more.
• Spine Leaf Architecture Design: Spine leaf designs employ Ethernet fabric networks to extend the traditional hierarchy of data centres, which helps to minimize latency.

These are just some of the changes appearing on the horizon. There will be more to come as demands on data centres increase, which is why service providers need to ensure they have the right future-ready tools and knowledge at hand.

The digital transformation is here. Are you ready to make the most of it? At Activo, we work with trusted service providers like CommScope to provide secure, scalable, and high-quality solutions. Contact us today to learn more about our services!

Read more:

• 3 Ways Future-Ready Cabling Prepares Networks for the Internet of Things
• 5 Trends for an Increasingly Mobile Workforce
• 3 Ways to Maximize the Security of Your Security Systems

The post 5 Trends for Designing Future-Ready Data Centres appeared first on Activo.

When you expand your office or acquire a new space, it is inevitable that you will need to either augment or replace the existing cabling. Chances are, cabling isn’t something that you know a whole lot about. But it’s important. Cabling is the delivery system for all of your mission-critical applications. It significantly affects the performance of your network in ways that you may not be aware of. So where do you get started?

The Best Test

Outdated, mismatched, or improper cabling will affect your network’s performance much more than old hardware systems will. Even though cabling typically amounts to only 5% of your network expenditure, bad cabling can cause up to 80% of your network’s failures. You may buy the best cabling available, but if it is mismatched or not installed properly, you are going to have performance issues.

Therefore, your first task is to get the existing cabling inspected and tested. You need to know if it is going to meet your business’ bandwidth and network requirements.

Hire a network cabling company to conduct a full assessment of the existing cabling. Some testers only provide a connectivity report, which tells you whether the cabling is active but does not supply important details. You need a more comprehensive inspection to know if the current cabling will be able to handle your business’ network activity and connected devices. Testing equipment can range from $100 to $10 000. Ensure that the professional you entrust has state-of-the-art equipment that will provide you with a full report of the existing cabling system’s capacities.

A proper test will tell you:

(a) Whether the cabling meets ANSI/TIA/EIA standards.

(b) The electrical characteristics of the cabling. This will find issues such “cross-talk” (interference from other electrical devices).

(c) The capacity and bandwidth of the cabling.

Installation Foundation

After having the cabling tested, you will know if the existing cabling will meet your needs. You must now decide: add on to the system that is in place, or install a new one.

If you decide to replace the cabling, we have some foundational tips to help you out:

(1) Remove Abandoned Cabling  – It causes health and safety risks. Do yourself a favour and don’t just install new cabling over it.

Did you know that abandoned, inadequately fire-rated cables in the plenum ceiling space can spread a fire throughout a building while emitting toxic fumes? Why take the risk?

(2) Understand Your Options – Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, and fiber optic cabling are the types of cabling that are best suited to support the network. Categories of cabling below Cat5e are unlikely to be able to provide the bandwidth required for business. With a capacity of 100 Megabytes per second (Mbps), Cat5e is generally sufficient for current business needs. Cat6 is a good investment in future-proofing your network and is certified to handle Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps). Fiber optic cables are ideal for transmitting more information over longer distances than the Cat5e-Cat6A standards, such as the backbone between wiring closets.

Did you know that there are very detailed standards for communication cabling systems? For example, Cat5e, 6, and 6A copper cabling have a maximum segment length of 100 meters – 90m for structured (permanently installed) cable and 10m for connecting cable at the ends. The ANSI/TIA/EIA is the standards body for the manufacturing, installation, and testing of communication cabling systems.

The professional you hire to install your cabling should provide you with recommendations as to which type of cabling is right for you and adhere to the ANSI/TIA/EIA standards.

(3) Do it Right the First Time – Leading cabling manufacturers— Belden, CommScope, Corning, and Panduit —design their cabling systems to perform effectively when installed to industry standards. Mixing and matching will cause performance impairment, resistance, and errors.

The installation must be handled with the proper know-how and care to avoid mismatched patch-cords, incorrectly terminated cables, over-bending, and binding cables beyond capacity. Any of these problems will affect the performance of your network by reducing the speed of transmission, causing inefficiencies in your business while underutilizing your expensive network hardware.

Did you know that there are certifications for the design, installation, and testing of communication systems? Ensure that your cabling system is designed by a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD), and installed and tested by certified installers.

(4) Get a Warranty – If you have the cabling installed properly, manufacturers have complete confidence that their cabling will perform well and last a long time. A warranty will give you piece of mind that when you upgrade your network, the cabling system will support the higher bandwidth capabilities.

Did you know that manufacturers will provide performance warranties for up to 20 years for correctly installed and tested cabling by trained and certified vendors who adhere to prescribed standards? Ensure that you receive manufacturer certification, and the manufacturer will provide an entire replacement at their expense if there are performance issues.

To recap, your cabling is the backbone of your network. When moving to a new space, you must: get it tested, decide to add on or replace, remove abandoned cabling, understand your options, have everything properly designed and installed, and get a warranty.

If you’re planning to move or expand your space, we invite you to contact a trained and certified Activo cabling specialist today for a Complimentary Cabling Analysis. The analysis includes a cabling system inspection, sample testing, comparison to industry standards, and recommendations.

The post Network Cabling Considerations appeared first on Activo.

Ensuring that networks and cabling systems are ready to handle heightened demand is an integral part of this dynamic shift. It’s important to choose the right cabling engineered specifically to manage increased loads and minimize issues like crosstalk, resistance, return loss, and more.

Keep reading to learn how the right cabling will prepare your networks for the IoT:

1.     Ensure Zero Downtime in the Internet of Things

Now more than ever before, failure isn’t an option for any network. With the IoT, downtime means security systems malfunctioning, phones not working, alarms not operating, and smart lighting systems keeping a building’s inhabitants in the dark. Networks today need to continue transmitting data packets constantly while never compromising their delivery of powered links to service connected devices.

When you think about it, that’s asking for a lot from your network.

2.     Make Smarter, Better, Faster Decisions

Today’s advanced control and communication systems are facilitating greater interoperability, maximum flexibility, faster response times, and the delivery of real-time data. Is your physical infrastructure keeping up? Network components – including cabling solutions – need to adapt in order to successfully accommodate the enhanced capabilities and increased demands of connected devices.

Cisco’s Digital Ceiling, for example, uses the IoT to turn lightbulbs into smart data sources. Lights on Power over Ethernet (PoE) are able to adjust to the real-time needs of the building and its occupants. Connected unified services solutions can also control temperatures by tapping into HVAC systems and provide 24/7 monitoring of Wi-Fi, smoke detection, building access control, and video cameras – lowering costs of ownership by 20-30%.

3.     Respond Rapidly to Increased Network Needs

The right cabling acts to ensure every link will be delivered every time, regardless of environmental or handling conditions; it prepares you for the IoT by improving the physical integrity of your cabling channel to meet heightened demand. Moving data reliably means improved communications, streamlined operations, and reliable signal integrity for all your mission-critical needs throughout your cabling infrastructure.

Cabling is a long-term investment for any business, enabling success in a technology-driven marketplace. Finding the right cabling solutions will prepare you to make the most of the IoT.

Activo provides cabling solutions for businesses of any size looking to maximize success in the IoT. Contact us today to discuss your cabling needs!

Are you interested in learning more about the changing millennial workplace – including new technological needs and buying cycles? Stay tuned to our blog for updates about our upcoming event!

Read more:

• What is Structured Cabling?
• Activo Win: Infrastructure Cabling and AV Solutions for a Canada-wide Insurance Provider [Case Study]
• Network Cabling Considerations | It’s Your Move | Part 3

The post 3 Ways Future-Ready Cabling Prepares Networks for the Internet of Things appeared first on Activo.

Results from a recent IDG Research survey of over 100 IT executives reveal that:

• 39% of respondents are currently using the cloud
• 48% are evaluating the cloud
• 24% are using it on an enterprise basis

Migrating data to the cloud, however, is not as simple as many data centre managers imagine. Although the cloud will minimize the amount of hardware data centres will need, companies need to have the right physical infrastructures in place to maximize the benefits of the cloud.

Ensuring A Strong Foundation and Infrastructure for the Cloud

Although virtualization can reduce the number of servers, switches, storage devices, and other hardware needed, data centres still need to have a solid base. Without that foundational infrastructure – including cables, cabinets, and racks – payback from cloud computing will be reduced.

Companies that fail to make investments in their physical infrastructure experience negative side effects including:

• Increased costs (55% of respondents)
• Slower implementation times (41%)
• Increased power and cooling needs (38%)

Those still considering and evaluating cloud computing were more likely to report higher power and cooling needs than those already on the cloud.

Benefits of Planning for the Cloud

Finding solutions to prepare a data centre’s infrastructure for the cloud can bring benefits including:

• Reducing unplanned outages
• Minimizing costs for infrastructure and management
• Boosting the time made available for strategic activities
• Faster provisioning
• Reducing infrastructure complexity
• Enhancing operational controls
• Improving confidence in layer-one stability
• Having a documented, approved provisioning process

Panduit Helps You Do More on the Cloud

Panduit provides industry-leading intelligent data centre solutions – delivering design and advisory services, energy-efficient cabinets, Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM), preconfigured infrastructures, High-Speed Data Transport (HSDT), and a foundation for physical infrastructures. Panduit’s solutions streamline and simplify the process of specifying, designing, installing, and managing complex physical infrastructures needed for cloud computing:

• Panduit Infrastructure Design Services: Panduit bases its services on a solid understanding of your IT architecture and business objectives, in addition to industry expertise, best practices, and more.
• Physical Infrastructure Manager™ (PIM™): Being able to maintain real-time visibility as you move to the cloud is critical. PIM is an enterprise-class DCIM tool that lets you manage allocation, asset tracking, and utilization information.
• PanView IQ™ (PViQ™): This enables data centre managers to easily and proactively manage capacities.

Planning and preparing for your move to the cloud will ensure a seamless transition and quicker returns on your investment.

Activo provides cloud solutions for businesses of any size that maximize efficiency, productivity, storage, security, and cost savings. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

More from Activo:

• The Pros and Cons of Premise-based and Cloud-based Unified Communications
• How to Optimize Data Centre Energy Efficiency [Whitepaper]
• Activo Announces Innovative Enterprise-Class Cloud Voice Solution

The post Cloud Deployment Success with Panduit appeared first on Activo.

CommScope Delivers Fully Optimized Data Centers

A key player in cable TV infrastructure, the first wireless networks, and the first data centers, among other achievements, CommScope® is a global leader in designing, building, and managing wired and wireless networks. The company delivers solutions that help organizations worldwide boost bandwidth, improve network performance, and simplify technology migrations.

CommScope brings a true understanding of data centers solutions and how to build and optimize a data center to be efficient, agile, cost-effective, and ready for whatever the future has in store.

Benefits of Data Center Convergence

At the center of the business, data centers are dynamic systems that must continually evolve. Mobility, cloud computing, and other technological advances are helping to drive data centers toward innovative new transformations, such as converged infrastructures (also known as integrated systems or unified computing systems).

Converged infrastructures (CI) increase business efficiency and turn data centers into a true network rather than just a place to process data. Convergence reduces compatibility conflicts between systems ranging from servers to networked devices, and even storage. Cost benefits may also be realized, with less need for floor space, power, cooling, cables, and other expenses.

This video by Ciaran Forde, Vice President Data Center Solutions at CommScope, explains key data center trends in greater detail:

Activo is a proud CommScope partner with the expertise to design, build, and implement effective data center solutions. Contact us to get started!

 More on Data Centers from Activo:

• CommScope’s Data Center on Demand™ Meets Changing Business Needs [PDF]
• How to Optimize Data Center Energy Efficiency [Whitepaper]
• CommScope imVision™ Makes Infrastructure Management Easy [Whitepaper]

The post Data Center Convergence [Video] appeared first on Activo.