We are leading the way in data centre efficiency and performance

From data centre infrastructure efficiency (DCIE), to Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), there are many considerations which ultimately impact the cost to build, operate and scale a facility. But while everyone strives to become more effective, efficient and environmentally responsible, not all operators are successful. Instead of looking holistically at optimising their data centre footprint, many focus on discrete initiatives – leading to shortfalls in overlooked or deprioritised areas.

At VIRTUS, we’re different. We are proud to underpin much of the UK’s digital economy and we take that responsibility very seriously. We operate the most efficient data centres in the UK by achieving optimum performance through a journey from design and construction, through deployment to operation and optimisation, leveraging emulation, automation and analytics at every step of the way.

1. Understanding objectives

We truly understand what is meant by ‘optimum performance’. For most, uptime and availability are crucial performance indicators, and they come hand in hand with scalability, particularly for data centre providers that are expected to flex their provision alongside multiple customers’ changing requirements. Another objective is to address reliability and security concerns. This means ensuring comprehensive security services – including DDoS mitigation, intrusion detection management, managed security monitoring, penetration testing / vulnerability assessments and compliance advice.

However, setting objectives isn’t only about defining what is required today. At VIRTUS we are dedicated to our customers, so we continually review which techniques, technologies and strategies are performing as expected, and which need to be improved. This means that we’re uniquely able to flex and grow alongside our customers and in line with their changing and developing needs.

2. Design and construction

The rising cost to construct and operate a data centre calls for improved approaches to design; and deploying a holistic design approach provides significant benefits to data centre managers, facilities, customers and the business as a whole.

VIRTUS data centres are built to award-winning Intelligent Design principles – incorporated in the build and subsequent Operations to ensure our data centres are highly resilient. Enhanced security gives customers total peace of mind deploying a defence in depth methodology, and maintaining leading industry awards and accreditations makes us a reliable IT partner with a proven track record.

3. Power, cooling and management

Power and cooling account for much of the operating costs of a data centre, and as such they are a crucial consideration. To ensure optimum performance and sustainability, VIRTUS pioneers and uses a variety of innovative techniques including indirect evaporative air.

In terms of power requirements, our Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS) ensure always-on reliability and peace of mind for our customers – no matter how quickly they grow.

And, when it comes to energy use, we are leading the way in UK data centre sustainability and are committed to using 100 per cent renewable and zero carbon energy sources – helping our customers to meet environmental goals whilst also providing cost savings and increased reliability.

4.Harnessing people power

For many, the data centre industry is largely invisible. People often don’t realise that when systems and applications are running in the cloud, there’s a robust physical infrastructure that makes it all possible. But for VIRTUS, our staff are at the heart of everything we do, because they provide the Operational Excellence for which we have an enviable reputation.. Celebrating 10 Years of Operations since LONDON1 opened its doors in March 2011, many of the original data centre staff are still working at VIRTUS today, showcasing our depth of knowledge and experience.

But what skills do we look for in staff? It perhaps goes without saying that technical skills are crucial - and these requirements are continually evolving. But, as well as technical skills, soft skills like collaboration, teamwork and leadership are all critical within our Operational team. Clear communication skills as important to foster close working relationships within data centre teams and need to be coupled with clearly defined areas of responsibility between the disparate teams involved in operational reliability and consistent service delivery. All of this contributes to the smooth running of our facilities, and the ability to effectively meet the needs of our customers.

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We are proud to be a leader in an industry that has become one of the most crucial pieces of business infrastructure in the modern world. We are responsible for storing and processing the vast amounts of information needed to run the digital economy - if data centres don’t work, businesses won’t be able to operate. At VIRTUS, we have spent over 10 years working with supply partners and customers to innovate, enhance product development and ensure that we’re providing Operational Excellence to all our customers – something we continue to do now and in the future.

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