Science and Technology Science and Technology
Thu, August 19, 2010
Wed, August 18, 2010

Brocade Opens New State-of-the-Art Data Center and R&D Innovation Lab


Published on 2010-08-18 10:35:35 - Market Wire
  Print publication without navigation


SAN JOSE, Calif.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Brocade® (Nasdaq:BRCD) today announced the opening of its state-of-the-art data center and engineering labs in a 75,000-square-foot space at its new San Jose headquarters, incorporating key elements of flexibility, energy efficiency, sustainable design and technology innovation. The construction of the new campus enabled Brocade to design its engineering labs and data center to the highest standards and best practices, from the ground up, collapsing the access and aggregation networking layers for a flat Layer 2 network that results in more available bandwidth and simplified operations.

"Our data center and R&D lab go beyond just being functional spaces. They are a testament to Brocadea™s technological expertise, corporate vision and core values."

Brocade consolidated three San Jose-area data centers into one 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, decreasing the physical footprint requirement by 30 percent and reducing data center energy consumption by 37 percent, which will eliminate 4,450 tons of CO2 emissions per year. In the process, the company was able to decommission approximately 133 kilowattsa™ (kW) worth of equipment, translating to $200,000 in yearly savings. In addition, Brocade:

  • Increased the electrical density of its racks by 21 percent by utilizing more rack unit space and designing new rack elevations.
  • Gained 12 percent more vertical space by designing a flat floor lab a" as opposed to a raised floor a" enabling engineers to install taller racks with more rack units.
  • Consolidated five R&D engineering lab locations into one R&D Lab. The decommissioning of 400 racks and subsequent re-racking of equipment resulted in a yearly savings of $260,000, increased rack power density (up 21 percent), and decreased rack footprint (down 20 percent).
  • Unveiled an extremely capable, highly-available yet simple network based on Brocade NetIron® MLX technology, eliminating the need for the aggregation layer. Connecting the network edge directly to the core has greatly reduced capital outlay and simplified operations, in addition to decreasing requirements for space, power and cooling.

aBrocadea™s new cutting-edge data center incorporates design features that are directly linked to our Brocade Onea" vision a" unmatched simplicity, investment protection, non-stop networking and optimized applications,a said Michael Hirahara, Vice President, Global Real Estate, Facilities and Services at Brocade. aOur data center and R&D lab go beyond just being functional spaces. They are a testament to Brocadea™s technological expertise, corporate vision and core values.a

The new data center executes on the Brocade commitment to business and corporate responsibility, with a number of advanced design features that optimize energy efficiency, including:

  • Hot-row/cold-row configuration and hot-row containment
  • Custom-designed, energy-efficient in-row cooling units with built-in fan redundancy
  • Fully automated controls at the POD level with energy monitoring capabilities
  • Energy-efficient chillers and cooling towers
  • High-efficiency motors with variable frequency drives
  • Occupancy-sensing lighting controls
  • Very Early Warning Smoke Detection (VESDA) system
  • Fire suppression using dry pipe and dry agent to protect equipment
  • A calculated Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric of 1.3, while comparable data centers of the same size typically have a PUE greater than 1.5

Additional Information

About Brocade

Brocade(Nasdaq:BRCD) develops extraordinary networking solutions that enable todaya™s complex, data-intensive businesses to optimize information connectivity and maximize the business value of their data. For more information, visit [ www.brocade.com ].

Brocade, the B-wing symbol, BigIron, DCFM, DCX, Fabric OS, FastIron, IronView, NetIron, SAN Health, ServerIron, TurboIron, and Wingspan are registered trademarks, and Brocade Assurance, Brocade NET Health, Brocade One, Extraordinary Networks, MyBrocade, and VCS are trademarks of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., in the United States and/or in other countries. Other brands, products, or service names mentioned are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

© 2010 Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Contributing Sources