Softsource

Get connected
www.hp.com/go/getconnected
Get the insider view on tech trends, alerts, and
HP solutions for better business outcomes
Share with colleagues
© 2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties
for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should
be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
4AA3-4839EEW, Created June 2011
Bright, green credentials
If Softsource is to open up new international markets,
it knew it had to work to world-class credentials. Its
environmental reputation would be a key
component. Building a new centre from scratch
allowed Softsource to create not just New Zealand’s
most energy efficient facility, but, potentially, a totally
self-sustained environment.
The state-of-the-art hot aisle containment cooling
system maximises the cooling effectiveness over and
above the traditional data centre cooling
technologies. Heat sensors provide maps of which
areas require more or less cooling, allowing tailored
solutions and preventing excessive use of cooling
systems.
“We have a three-step approach,” Garcia-Curtis
says. “We use the latest technology from HP to
reduce power consumption up-front, then we’re
getting smart on how we cool that environment
– using heat exchangers and water cooling. Down
the track, the next step will be to add solar arrays
and wind turbines to give us power generation
capability.”
Softsource has set a goal for the data centre to
achieve a Power Usage Effectiveness rating of 1.2,
matching the performance of the world’s leading
organisations such as Google and Yahoo, and
significantly below the New Zealand average rating
of 1.6 – 1.9.
Initial power saving estimates put power usage up to
30 per cent lower than rival facilities, with savings
expected to increase this number to 40 per cent in
the future.
In addition to reducing the organisation’s carbon
footprint, this also provides significant costs savings
for Softsource, which can be passed on to
customers.
Building green also helps to future proof the data
centre as both businesses and governments increase
focus on emissions. By staying ahead of the curve,
Softsource ensures any future emissions or power
consumption requirements are met, avoiding further
expense or disruption of services.
“We believe that long term there will be benefits to
having a green vision, and addressing this concern
today serves as another differentiator, showing
Softsource is addressing all aspects of our customers’
business,” Garcia-Curtis says.
A secured future
While the specs are impressive, Garcia-Curtis points
out that the data centre remains, fundamentally, a
tool. Businesses will be drawn solely to the results it
achieves.
He says the centre provides an enormous
opportunity for New Zealand businesses to take
advantage of a world-class resource which allows
them to increase productivity and concentrate their
focus on core business functions.
“Others will watch the success of this closely and will
look to replicate it. But at this stage we’ve got a
first-mover advantage. We’ve got a window of
opportunity that I’m confident we will maximise.”
With a successful build in place and a strong
partnership with HP, Softsource is now looking
toward similar builds overseas.
The integrated nature of a Converged Infrastructure
model means additional data centres will not only
offer localised services to new markets, but will also
increase the capacity and level of redundancy
across all data centres, ensuring the maximum value
and performance are derived for both Softsource
and the company’s customers.
The company’s focus on innovation has resulted in a
model which it can take anywhere in the world,
providing customers with the best possible range of
technology and services.
Customer solution
at a glance:
Primary hardware
• HP Industry Standard
Servers
• HP Networking E5412
fabrics
• 3PAR F400 Storage
System