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We've been very busy here at Wright Line these first few months of 2007 participating in various industry trade shows including: BICSI – The telecommunications association show which supports the information transport systems (ITS) industry CALNENA – the California Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association conference and exhibit PITTCON – a conference and exhibit on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy AFCOM – an association of professionals focused on enhancing data center management These are just a few of the shows so far and it has led me to reflect on the breadth and depth of our product portfolio and the various vertical markets that we serve. If you’re looking to outfit any technology-intensive environment within your organization – whether it be your data center or you call center, your computer training lab or your mass spectroscopy lab or any department in between – I encourage you to take some time to visit our website, www.wrightline.com to see where we will be exhibiting next. You can also identify your local Wright Line direct sales representative for a free space analysis. I encourage you to peruse the articles we have in this issue of The Wright Connection. The material is as diverse as the markets we serve. We have a feature piece this month on the continuing evolution of the Analytical Lab, and what you can do to stay on top of it. Additionally, we have an article on using the "NEC 80% De-rating Rule" to help keep your data center running smoothly! And, finally, we’ve included a brief case study on one of our data center installations. Thanks for taking some time. Regards,  Larry McHugh The Analytical Lab Evolution: Are You Ready?
Rate of Change If there is one thing you can count on in the analytical lab, it is constant change. Gary Cipa, a leading analytical lab designer at Interlab Inc. puts it like this: "The most important dynamic in the lab is that we simply don't know where science will be tomorrow. Technology is advancing at such a tremendous rate we can't anticipate or build a building that will be ready for tomorrow's technology. We can only anticipate that it will change, and therefore it is imperative that we configure as much adaptability into today's lab as possible." Instrumentation Chemistry: From Wet to Dry In today's laboratories, the glassware, wet sinks, open flames, and manual analysis techniques of the past have been replaced by highly sophisticated instrumentation technology and information processes. As a result, jobs previously performed by people are now done by machines. This has radically changed workflow and space requirements. Properly housing and accessing this new equipment, along with the required computers and flat panel displays, has made traditional thinking about layout and spacing obsolete. So how do you come up with a design that addresses efficiency, economy, functionality, safety and constant change? You keep it adaptable, dynamic and open from the design right down through to the user level. The open lab concept is not a new one, but putting all functions in an undivided space fits particularly well with the challenges faced in the analytical lab. This way you have better utilization of space, improved interaction between work groups, and lower construction costs. The open concept lab is not simply about removing intermediate walls. If you want to get the most out of it, the open space has to be enhanced by non-traditional laboratory casework and service distribution systems. If you have benches, carts and tables that can be moved and reconfigured, then you can easily reconfigure the entire lab to match new procedures and projects on an on-demand basis. Furniture with height adjustability, vertical integration and accessory hardware allows your people to be more efficient and comfortable, in an ergonomically friendly environment that minimizes repetitive stress injuries. And when all of this adaptability is at the user level, the efficiencies realized are maximized. More Good News Aside from all the above advantages to mobile or modular furniture and tables, there's another significant cost savings advantage: because mobile furnishings are not fixed to the building, they have a much shorter depreciation cycle! For fixed equipment, the depreciation cycle is 39.5 five years. It is drastically reduced for mobile or modular furnishings – five to seven years! That's one the accountants will love. At Wright Line, we've been working in technology-intensive environments for years. What we do is provide modular furniture solutions that maximize ergonomics and efficiently integrate technology for a better workspace design, more efficient workflow, and a more productive workforce. To put it simply, we are well placed to help the analytical lab deal with the challenges that will continue to emerge from its ongoing evolution as a technical space. As labs continue to embrace open and flexible concepts, Wright Line will be there to provide them the furniture systems and accessories they need to stay ahead of the competition. The NEC 80% De-rating Rule in the Data Center: What You Need to Know!
In the Beginning... When Edison presented his famous invention in 1879, there were no codes governing electricity, and installers and manufacturers had to improvise. But by 1895 there were five conflicting electrical codes used in the United States. The next year, representatives from a variety of organizations met at the Manhattan headquarters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to turn these five codes, plus a number of international codes, into a single comprehensive document. The result was the publication of the National Electric Code (NEC) in 1897. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) took over sponsorship of the code in 1911, a logical move for the visionary organization whose goal is to reduce the loss of life and property from fires and related hazards. What is it? The "NEC 80% De-rating Rule" actually refers to articles NEC 210.21.B.2. and NEC 210.23.A.1. of the National Electrical Code. In essence, these articles specify that where connected to a branch circuit supplying two or more receptacles or outlets such as a power strip, equipment shall not exceed 80% of their specified ampacity on a continuous basis. It is also required that the power strip is clearly marked with the “Maximum Current Draw” allowed. Rule vs. Law While the NEC is not itself a U.S. law, NEC use is commonly mandated by state or local law, as well as in jurisdictions outside of the United States. And, as it is enforced by the Occupational Health and Safety Association (OSHA), it is a legal requirement. It should be noted that in the U.S., anyone may face a civil liability lawsuit for negligently creating a situation that results in loss of life or property. There are precedents when organizations and people failed to adhere to well known best practices for safety and they have been held negligent in court. These facts have led to the NEC becoming the de facto standard set of electrical requirements. What's it for? The 80% de-rating rule is essentially designed as a mandatory safety margin and addresses overheating of circuit breakers which ultimately results in "tripping". It also helps to avoid degradation to the insulation of the conductor or wiring. Circuit breakers are used to protect against overheating, not overloading. Most household and commercial branch circuit breakers are designed for 80% continuous load (continuous is defined as more than 180 minutes). In practice, operating a branch circuit breaker at greater than 80% rating continuously may cause it to trip depending on several factors (i.e. heat in the panel board, age of the circuit breaker, load on the breaker, manufacturer, etc.) So, in essence what the 80% rule does is reduce the risks of permanent failures to the insulation of the wiring associated with the overloading of an electrical circuit while also avoiding very inconvenient disruptions (breaker tripping) of mission-critical loads. This rule specifically deals with circuitry at the end of a breaker, or ultimate point usage, and is therefore generally applied when sizing the rack-mount power strip. Capacity Planning: The 80% De-rating Rule in Action  Click image to see larger view The best way to appreciate the importance of the 80% de-rating rule is to see it in the context of capacity planning. Let’s use the example of an “A” and “B” fed data center. Whether the end design is 20, 30, 50 or 60 amps per cabinet these capacity planning rules apply. We will use 20 amps for this demonstration. Any load that is classified as a continuous load will receive a Long, Continuous Load [LCL] adder. This means that the branch circuit, to which the LCL is connected, is required to be sized to 125% of the actual equipment load current or conversely, the equipment load current is 80% of the maximum rating. It is important to note that the LCL adder is only figured once, meaning that if the branch circuit having the continuous load is calculated at 125% – and this is the only place to figure LCL – then the LCL will be "automatically" carried along with the sub-feeders – to the next panel and so on. In this example a total of five cabinets represented by the green squares will each have two (“A” and “B”) power strips installed. The sum total equipment load current on either power strip shall not exceed 16 amps as per the 80% de-rating rule. The cabinets will be fed by two Remote Power Panels (RPP) represented by the red squares. The sum total of the RPP current rating is 100 Amps since the 80% de-rating has already been applied at the cabinet level. The two RPPs will be fed by two Power Distribution Units (PDUs) represented by the brown squares. The sum total of the PDU current rating is 100 Amp since the 80% de-rating has already been applied at the cabinet level. The “A” PDU is fed by an “A” UPS and the “B” PDU is fed by a “B” UPS. The normal operating load on either UPS should not exceed 40%. This is to account for a failure mode scenario, losing one of the feeds – either “A” or “B”. If this happens all of the power will be fed by either the “A” or “B” side. Nameplate Data There is also some confusion around the source of the data that should be used in the NEC 80% de-rating rule. Unless you’ve got the time or the expertise on staff to bench test each piece of equipment after it has been configured, it is recommended that the name plate information be used. Name plates generally have two numbers on them, one being the maximum draw and one being the operating draw. Using the name plate data will account for changes made to the equipment after it is installed. Even if RAM or a hard drive is added after installation, the equipment cannot use more power than is on the nameplate. It Pays To Follow the Rules Essentially then, the “NEC 80% De-rating Rule” is designed to enhance safety and is a critical part of planning your data center’s electrical infrastructure. Using this rule as a component of capacity planning provides the following benefits:
In today’s data centers, with such a high concentration of power consumption, properly incorporating the “80% rule” into your planning is one of the best ways to ensure that both power and cooling are available to support your equipment. Sources National Fire Protection Association [NFPA]www.nfpa.org National Electrical Code [NEC] 2005 Edition [NFPA 70] Branch Circuits - Article 210 210.21.B.2 Outlet Devices, Receptacles 210.24.A.1 Permissible Loads, Branch Circuits Conductors for General Wiring - Article 310 310.16 Table 310.15(B)(2)(a) Featured Installation:
Synygy Puts Paramount Enclosures in Stunning Showcase Data Center
When Synygy, the largest provider of incentive compensation management solutions, converted a century-old Beaux Arts power station in Chester, Pennsylvania, into the world headquarters for its 500-person operation, it chose Wright Line's Paramount Enclosure System for its data center. With a capacity for 3,000 servers, Synygy's new state-of-the-art data center, combined with its offsite backup data center, features a level of security, application availability, maintenance, scalability, and enterprise data integration that meets or exceeds even the toughest standards. Prominently located within the immense room that once housed the power plant's steam-driven turbines, and encased within a contemporary glass facade, Synygy's data center is truly a showpiece within this beautifully renovated building. Paramount's clean, sleek lines and unparalleled aesthetics complement the meticulous re-design of this 1918-era structure that the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) called "one of the best-preserved and most monumental early power plants in the United States." "The data center is at the heart of the incentive compensation management outsourcing services that we provide to our clients, so we made the data center the visual focus of our new headquarters," said Mark A. Stiffler, president and CEO of Synygy. "It was important to have all elements of our data center to be both visually interesting and easy to service. The Paramount enclosure platform fits well with our vision for the Turbine Hall data center." Product Spotlight: What You Need For the Lab
As our feature article this month makes clear, successful labs are those that incorporate openness, dynamism, and user level adaptability into their design. Our TechBench and TechOrganizer, as well as our lab seating options are the perfect way to maximize the benefits of these concepts, because they are designed with the user, the space, and the interaction of the two, firmly in mind. Click on the photos for more details! Please visit our website for more information on our Wright Line Products. Industry News
New "Lab-on-a-Chip" Technique
The good people at National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a simple, miniaturized technique for rapidly separating minute samples of proteins, amino acids and other chemical mixtures. The device can run up to eight separations simultaneously in a space the size of a quarter, and you can read more about the lab technology here. Data Center Electricity Bills Double The price of powering a data center has become a critical issue in the last year, and now a study from Stanford University has put together some hard numbers on the big picture both in the U.S. and globally. Information Week has an interesting article on data center electricity consumption, both in terms of costs and solutions going forward. Upcoming Trade Shows
Our participation at trade shows offers us a great chance for us to meet our clients and colleagues, so visit our website for a complete list of shows we be attending in 2007. |
Did You Know?
The number of servers worldwide has doubled since 2000
Source: IDC   The New Analytical Lab: Who's Affected?
Some Finer Points to Consider When Planning Your Lab
Modularity
The rapid pace of today's technology refresh rate underscores the need to use modular furniture systems that are adaptable. Technology Integration Today's scientific and technical workers need to combine computer work and hands-on physical tasks in the same workspace. Keep in mind that there may be frequent shifting of attention from computers to test instrumentation. Cable Management Consider the increased cable loads at the workstation. Look for high-capacity horizontal and vertical railways that house data and power cables as well as power strips. Equipment Access Service drawers, movable worksurfaces and storage options above and below the worksurface eliminate awkward reaching, bending or lifting. For more information on lab design contact your local account rep for a free space analysis. |
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If one thing is clear from the recent PITTCON show, it is that there has never been a better time to be in the analytical lab business. Today's versatile technology, the ability to increase throughput in shorter cycles, and the huge demand for lab services across every sector of the economy has meant unprecedented revenue opportunities. However, the drivers and conditions that have created this optimal business environment have also created new challenges for the analytical lab, challenges that can make space planning and design difficult. Simply put, the analytical lab is now a constantly evolving space. In this article, we'll take a look at what is driving this evolution, the impact it is having, and what you can do to meet these new challenges. 
Invariably as we visit data centers or attend industry functions, the subject of power loads comes up, and someone always mentions the "NEC 80% de-rating rule". Often, though, this reference is misused and there seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding it. In this article, we’ll take a look at the various aspects of the “80% De-rating Rule” and how it applies to the electrical infrastructure of the data center.
