Power infrastructure buying guide for edge environments
Traditional data centers have evolved from large full-sized facilities to small outposts at the edge. Massive amounts of data generated by next-generation applications have accelerated the need for faster processing power, performance, and security closer to the edge. With latency-sensitive applications becoming widely distributed, companies increasingly rely on edge deployments and small and medium-sized data centers to crunch data closer to the end-user.
Selecting the right power infrastructure for your edge computing application can be a confusing process. We make it easy. Learn how to keep your mission critical applications and devices running longer and prevent servers from data loss with these buying tips.
Several factors go into selecting the right rack enclosure for your edge environment. The first factor to consider is also the most rigid: the physical space you have available. Unless you have the budget to move walls or clear out additional square footage, understanding the maximum rack size your space can accomodate (while also allowing for airflow around your equipment) is the first step to building out a compute edge environment. Luckily, rack enclosures come in a variety of sizes.
Cable clutter eats up valuable space inside a rack. Organize inside the rack enclosure with cable trays and blanking panels.
Physical security is critical to safeguarding sensitive data and infrastructure. If your enclosure is going to be installed in an open-access location or if there is a lack of trained IT personnel present, you should strive to replicate data center-grade physical security as much as possible.
A locking rack enclosure is the logical first step in securing your hardware from both malicious and accidental tampering. Eaton offers a variety of security solutions, allowing you to choose the level of protection that best suits your application.
Power distribution to IT equipment inside the rack enclosure is not just about having the right number of receptacles. This is a critical decision that calls for more than a few simple power strips.
For edge computing environments, remote management is the primary concern. Being able to remotely control and reboot faulty devices can help you avoid costly, time consuming trips to remote locations. Some rackmount PDUs provide individual outlet switching capabilities. This means having the right number of receptacles and being able to control them without setting foot on site.
Explore Eaton's RackPDU G4 and discover more about their unique features.
If you only need to manage a couple of remotely controllable devices, rackmount UPS models can also come with switched outlets.
4) Select the right UPS capacity
Start by calculating your power requirements by adding up the wattage of all the equipment you plan to connect to the UPS. Then multiply the total by 1.2 to allow for future expansion. This grand total in watts will give you the overall power capacity you'll need from the UPS.
But be on the lookout for the rating of the UPS! UPS battery backups are rated in both volt-amperes (VA) and watts. However, it's easy to be fooled by VA ratings as they can be misleading. For example, a UPS rated at 1000 VA / 900 watts will provide 1/3 more power than one rated at 1000 VA / 600 watts, even though they appear to have the same power rating. Watts are the key measure to focus on because they provide the value for real power.
To understand the difference between watts and VA and why it matters, read more here.
Lithium-ion batteries are more readily available than they were a few years ago, so if you have not explored a UPS with lithium-ion batteries, now is the time.
They have a lot of benefits for edge computing environments, and minimizing the number of trips to remote sites to maintain batteries is one of the biggest. Consider the total cost of replacing UPS batteries:
(battery cost x number of sites) + travel time to and from sites = large capital expense
Lithium-ion batteries have a higher upfront cost than standard valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries, but their average service life is eight years. VRLA batteries, on the other hand, typically last three to five years. As a result, you can eliminate one battery replacement cycle over the lifetime of the backup power UPS.
There is no magic formula for determining the amount of battery runtime you need. However, there are a few important things to consider which will help you narrow down a runtime range that will keep your network protected without leaving you holding extra batteries.
Explore runtime graphs for all of Eaton's backup power UPSs in the interactive runtime graph library.
7) Select the best network connectivity solution
Remote sites call for remote monitoring. Connecting your UPS system to your network is critical in maintaining visibility into your edge computing system and the first step in that is selecting a network connectivity card.
With ransomware and cybersecurity attacks increasing in both sophistication and frequency, cybersecurity is also a critical concern. Eaton's Gigabit Network Card and Industrial Gateway Card are the first UPS connectivity devices to meet both UL 2900-1 and IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity standards.
Read more about how Eaton can help manage your cybersecurity.
8) Enable remote management for edge computing solutions
Depending on the complexity of your compute edge deployment, you can leverage one of the following solutions:
It also integrates with Dell EMC VxRail Hyperconverged Infrastructure. Learn more here.
For remote management of multiple remote sites, our recommendation is Brightlayer Data Centers suite software for distributed infrastructure management. Software provides you with deep intelligence into your network connected UPSs, enabling you to remotely manage and control your equipment, and identify and fix issues before your equipment goes down.
9) Connect with your hyperconverged infrastructure system
In condensed and virtualized IT environments power disruptions are more dangerous than usual. Unfortunately, the reality of hyperconverged infrastructures is that they are often improperly provisioned and therefore lack an adequate power management strategy.
Eaton’s strategic partnerships with the leading HCI providers ensure vendors have verified that Eaton’s UPSs, PDUs and Brightlayer Data Centers suite software are compatible with their infrastructures, which saves time and money and reduces risk from deployment through the lifespan of equipment. With ever-growing responsibilities and ever-present IT fire drills, Eaton has focused on designing solutions that enable IT professionals to manage power remotely.
Ready to safeguard your home and small office applications with an Eaton UPS?
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