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CityServiceValcon is a distributor of energy products including fuel, propane and lubricants since 1932. With seven locations, CityServiceValcon has grown into one of the country’s leading energy logistics and delivery companies.
The decision to implement a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) within its Kalispell, Mont., data center, gave CityServiceValcon a fast and efficient way to combine different IT resources (compute, storage and virtualization) into one simple building block. While the advantages of the hyperconverged technology are significant, with so much riding on the infrastructure, the demand for 100 percent uptime is imperative.
Yet because of its rural location, CityServiceValcon cannot always bank on favorable power quality conditions. As a result, the company required an uninterruptible power supply(UPS) capable of delivering unparalleled reliability and uptime for the site, which supports approximately 165 employees.
In 2016, as CityServiceValcon was preparing to outfit its data center with new Nutanix servers, the organization recognized the need to simultaneously upgrade its power protection solution. When considering the specifications of a UPS upgrade, the two primary decision-making factors were capacity and the ability to run software throughout the entire environment, Wyman reveals. Beyond those two prerequisites, the company also desired a power protection solution offering scalability, flexibility and remote management— at a reasonable price point “We needed it to be flexible in that we had multiple power types—both 208V and 220V equipment—so it was important what kind of power the UPS would accept,” Wyman explains. “And cost, of course, was a factor.”
CityServiceValcon, which was working with CDW on its Nutanix server purchase, turned to the expertise of CDW Sales Representative Adam Robbert for a UPS proposal.
With an Eaton solution in place to protect its hyperconverged infrastructure, CityServiceValcon is now able to:
• Ensure 100% uptime to its data center, regardless of utility conditions
• Remotely monitor, manage and shut down its virtualized network with Intelligent Power Manager
• Accommodate the various power requirements of its environment with a flexible, scalable UPS
• Address distribution challenges with Eaton Metered Input PDUs
Eaton not only offers industry-leading power protection products, but has also formed strategic partnerships with other industry front-runners, including Nutanix. That made the Eaton 9PX UPS a perfect fit for CityServiceValcon to safeguard its Nutanix servers, as well as 40 virtual machines (VMs) and a Dell switch stack. In addition to delivering premium backup power and scalable battery runtimes for servers, voice/data networks and storage systems, the 9PX maximizes availability with extended battery runtime options, hot-swappable batteries, an internal bypass and an optional maintenance bypass.
The UPS provides more real power (watts) to protect equipment, while leaving room for expanding IT environments. The ENERGY STAR® qualified UPS also offers a high efficiency rating, which helps save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient operation. The 9PX’s split-phase model addressed another of the company’s key concerns—offering both 120V and 208V output without a transformer, thereby saving vertical rack (U) space, weight and cost. To gain additional UPS runtime, the organization also purchased an extended battery module (EBM).
For CityServiceValcon, the most valuable aspect of the solution is its certification with Nutanix and the Eaton-Nutanix partnership. Eaton validated its Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) software to run on Nutanix's infrastructure. The seal of approval guarantees that IPM’s live migration will kick in to prevent a power outage based on security alarm notifications or humidity/temperature spikes. “The interoperability between the Eaton and Nutanix equipment is invaluable,” Wyman says.
IPM features all of the tools to monitor and manage power devices across the network even in virtualized environments, combining the most critical applications to ensure system uptime and data integrity. Users not only gain power monitoring and management, but also graceful shutdown during an extended power outage and extensive notification capabilities. “The software saves my sanity,” Wyman emphasizes. “Being able to configure it to react or behave in a certain way is invaluable, and gives us peace of mind—not to mention reduces risk,” he adds. “The remote management and Interoperability with Nutanix are extremely appealing.”
The Eaton Network Card-MS allows the UPS to directly connect to the Ethernet network and the Internet, supporting real-time monitoring and control of UPSs across the network via a standard Web browser, SNMP-compliant network management system or power management software.
CityServiceValcon also deployed Eaton Metered Input PDUs, which provide remote monitoring of the current draw of individual sections via network communication. This capability, combined with state-ofthe-art software, allows the company to aggregate the information from many ePDUs in one location. A local display is also available for phase balancing and for easy start-up and provisioning of servers.
CityServiceValcon has been so impressed with the Eaton solution that the organization is already planning to purchase a second 9PX unit to protect equipment at its disaster recovery site.
The ability to purchase a comprehensive power protection solution that works seamlessly within both its HCI and virtualized environment has been a game-changer for CityServiceValcon.
