Highly available IT services for modern municipalities
Instead of running their own data centers, many communities outsource their IT and data center processes to specialized service providers such as the KDRS/RZRS. For the renewal of the data center‘s infrastructure, project manager Michael Possidente chose the flexible, modular cabling system tML® from tde - trans data elektronik.
As a professional IT service provider the company network KDRS/RZRS - consisting of the local data processing for the region of Stuttgart and the data center for the region of Stuttgart – has been supplying Baden-Württemberg’s communities with a wide range of advanced IT solutions for more than 40 years. In addition to municipalities, cities and counties also organizations, local municipal enterprises and the Public Services are outsourcing their IT processes to the KDRS/RZRS. The focus of the data center service is the management and deployment of critical high-availability data from the public sector. More than 200 customers currently use the services of KDRS/RZRS.
Considering the constantly rising transaction and data volumes, the KDRS/RZRS has implemented various renovations and expansions of the data center since 2011 to optimally meet the customer’s high quality requirements regarding performance and data security at all times. Besides the extension of the hardware landscape the expansion of the existing cabling infrastructure was also part of these changes.
After carefully considering various cabling alternatives, the choice fell on the tML® cabling system of tde – trans data elektronik from Dortmund. „The flexible implementation, the high packing density and the quality of the components played a key role in our opting for tde,“ says project leader Michael Possidente. In the initial stage, the cable trays were installed on the ceiling of the data center. The installation of the cabling system was carried out by Michael Possidente and his team themselves. The tML® system was delivered completely preassembled and the components merely had to be connected on site. “Before we started the project, we ascertained the material requirements for the new cabling infrastructure. We chose the types of modules and moreover had to determine the required trunk cable lengths. So we simply measured the distances with a tape measure - it was much easier than previously thought,“ says Michael Possidente. Another plus: From now on, Michael Possidente will always have pre-assembled modules and cables in the appropriate length in stock. If the existing cabling infrastructure within the server racks is no longer sufficient because of an increased amount of hardware, he can flexibly ad the needed modules and instantly rewire the server rack due to the plug and play principle. After completing the first stage, all the data cables had to be raised from the floors and shifted to the ceiling trays. The installed network is capable of migration, which means that the fiber-sided rear space is already completely equipped with the parallel optical connectors, which are necessary for future data rates. Thus, the lines can continue to be used even after a later upgrade to 40 GbE.
Michael Possidente is very pleased with the current restructuring of the data center and the chosen cabling system: „Our system requirements are continuously and precisely met. We are in constant communication with tde and searching for new approaches. Everyone who values highest flexibility and quality is very well equipped with tde’s tML® system!"