New generation of speed, storage and data processing capacity

Pentair offers the new Schroff ServCite rack based on the highly efficient OCP (Open Compute Project) concept. The rack has been developed specifically to meet the stringent requirements of the telecommunications industry for shock and vibration resistance, redundancy and reliable cooling capacity. Compared to many other standards in the telecommunications industry the rack has significantly higher data processing and/or storage density. The rack can accommodate ToR (Top of Rack) switches, a power supply unit with pluggable PSUs, a rack agent as well as shelves for CPU and memory plug-in units (also known as Compute and Storage sleds). The number of compute and storage sleds in use, and thus the computing power or storage density, can vary depending on the requirement. Seventeen Storage Sleds, with the ability to hold up to 24 hard drives with up to 8TB of storage capacity can be housed in one standard rack. If the rack is equipped exclusively with compute sleds, 34 sleds fit into a rack. All Compute sleds can be equipped with two half SSI server main boards, each with two bases. This makes it possible to install up to 136 Xeon processors in the rack. Heat is dissipated from the components as a result of straight airflow from front to rear and optional backdoor cooling. Conventional 19inch systems usually require directed air cooling with at least two changes in direction. The straight airflow in the rack and the sleds is more efficient and reduces the amount of space needed for redirecting air in the system. That space is then available for additional electronic components. Furthermore, the company’s approach with the rack follows a new redundancy and reliability concept. While every component requires redundant implementation in conventional systems such as AdvancedTCA, storage and data processing are installed in the rack with excess capacity of just 10%. If a hard drive, processor or even a sled fails, the task is simply transferred to another server. Some functions such as the power supply, current conversion and switches still feature 100 percent redundancy.