IO Anywhere Direct Current (DC) Module is 10 to 20 Percent More Energy Efficient than Traditional Alternating Current (AC) Technology
PHOENIX, Ariz. – November 2, 2011 – IO, the leading provider of next-generation modular data center technology and services, and ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today that they have agreed to partner in the development of a new data center module based on direct current (DC) power. Together, they will deliver the world’s first DC-powered data center module, which will be completed by the end of the year.
DC-powered technology is being increasingly adopted for electrical distribution in data centers as it reduces power conversion losses and is 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient than traditional alternating current (AC) technology. DC-powered systems also reduce complexity and require less space – decreasing equipment, installation and maintenance costs.
This new module expands IO’s modular products to include a DC-power option supplied by ABB. Similar to IO’s AC-power distribution network (PDN), the new DC-powered module is manufactured by IO using the IO Anywhere standards-based hardware and software architecture. The AC- and DC-powered modules are managed and optimized by IO OS®, the first data center operating system.
“The data center has always been DC powered; every device in the data center uses DC power inside,” said George D. Slessman, CEO of IO. “By leveraging the intelligent control of IO OS and IO’s modular data center platform, we can now deliver the entire data center from the source on DC power, while providing flexibility to deliver AC power where and when needed.”
“ABB has a long heritage in DC-powered technologies since pioneering high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission in the 1950s,” said Tarak Mehta, head of ABB’s Low Voltage Products division. “We are pursuing the further development of DC power in many contemporary applications such as electric vehicle charging, renewable energy, energy storage and data centers where substantial economic and environmental benefits can be realized.”
The project underlines ABB’s goal to expand DC-power applications. ABB recently announced it will design and install an advanced DC-power distribution system for green.ch, one of the top information and communications technology (ITC) service providers in Switzerland. In May 2011, ABB gained a controlling interest in Validus DC Systems, a leading provider of DC power infrastructure equipment.
About IO
IO designs, engineers and delivers data center infrastructure for the world’s largest enterprises, governments and service providers. IO owns and operates data centers for hundreds of customers, and leveraged this experience to build a next-generation Data Center 2.0 technology platform. IO Anywhere modular data centers provide enterprise-class infrastructure that can be delivered as Data Center as a Service and rapidly deployed as a product to customer sites anywhere in the world. IO developed the first data center infrastructure operating system, IO OS, to provide the intelligent control needed to maximize utilization, resiliency and energy efficiency. IO is a privately held company headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz. For more information on IO, please visit us on the web at io.com.
IO and the IO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of IO Copyright© 2011.
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