Ortronics/Legrand Announces "Best Practices" in Green Infrastructure; Company's Solutions Facilitate Energy Efficiency in the Data Center

New London, CT (PRWEB) April 28, 2008 -- Ortronics/Legrand, a global leader in high performance copper, fiber, and wireless structured cabling solutions, has formulated a "Green Migration Roadmap" for organizations seeking to implement energy efficiency in the data center. While recent studies emphasize that organizations are not yet set up to manage Green IT at an operational level, Ortronics' green infrastructure solutions make it convenient to save energy, providing IT organizations with a cost-effective first step in a broader green strategy.

According to an EPA report issued in August 2007, the energy consumption of servers and data centers has doubled in the past five years and is expected to almost double again in the next five years. As energy costs become a greater percentage of the IT budget (an IDC report projects that by 2010, 70 cents of every IT dollar will be devoted to powering and cooling devices in the data center), green IT will become a major priority. At present, there are significant barriers to a comprehensive "greening" of the data center and/or enterprise network (costs of replacing older equipment, disruption to business processes, etc). Organizations can take first steps via improved cabling and cable management, as the density in racks and cabinets requires additional energy for proper cooling. Ortronics/Legrand has outlined "Best Practices" in implementing a green infrastructure in conjunction with cable partner Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company.

"The right connectivity infrastructure is essential in creating a resilient, agile and energy-efficient data center or SAN," said Ortronics/Legrand President Mark Panico. "As energy costs continue to escalate, IT organizations are faced with choices regarding how to increase the energy efficiency of their data centers and network infrastructures. These choices range from slow, steady improvements to quick, bold strokes. Ortronics' commitment to sustainable practices allows us to help our customers realize significant - and immediate -- gains in energy efficiency, providing the foundation for a comprehensive green strategy going forward."

Best Practices for Energy Efficiency

-    Use hot aisle/cold aisle arrangement

-    Reduce cable congestion from under the raised floor to improve cold air movement

-    Improve airflow with innovative rack designs

-    Use smaller cables to reduce congestion

-    Use blanking panels for open rack spaces

-    Use occupancy sensor lighting

The company's structured cabling and cable management products are conceptualized, designed and manufactured with these best practices in mind. Introduced this past January, the Mighty Mo® 10 is an advanced cable management system specifically designed for higher density applications, such as data centers and storage area networks (SANs). The system features the Mighty Mo 10 cable management rack, which is designed to maximize the airflow of network equipment, whether it is side, bottom or back vented. Innovative honeycomb side rails and baffles work together to manage intake and exhaust air, creating cold aisle/hot aisle air distribution for network equipment. Available in 7' or 8' heights, the Mighty Mo 10 can be assembled as a 19" or 23" rack, has a 16.25" channel depth, and can fit on a 2' x 2' floor tile.

For end-to-end channel solutions, Ortronics partners with Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company, who offers a selection of "green" cabling, from its reduced diameter copper cables (ranging from Berk-Tek's LANmark?-10G2 CMP = 0.300" to Berk-Tek's LANmark-6 UTP = 0.190"), to its new compact high-fiber count cable technology, MDP, which is easy to install and terminate, and is 50 percent smaller than comparable fiber count ribbon cables. The thinner the cables, the less congestion there is in the rack or cabinet, promoting more efficient airflow and cooling--and a resultant decrease in energy use.

Visit Booth #1075 at the Interop Show in Las Vegas to see the new Mighty Mo 10 advanced cable management system and other energy-efficient infrastructure products.

For more information contact:

Ortronics/Legrand, 125 Eugene O'Neill Drive, New London, CT 06320

Sales: 860-445-3900 or 800-934-5432, Fax: 888-282-0043 or 860-405-2992

Editorial Contact and Photos:

Laura Fradette, Marketing Communications Manager

Ortronics/Legrand, 125 Eugene O'Neill Drive, New London, CT 06320

Direct Tel: 860-405-2861, Fax: 860-405-2972

Background for Editors:

Ortronics/Legrand, headquartered in New London, Connecticut USA, is a global leader in high performance structured cabling solutions, offering a complete range of Category 5e, 6 and 10 Gig copper, fiber optic, wireless and residential/MDU connectivity solutions. In addition, Ortronics offers Cablofil® wire mesh cable tray and Wiremold® pathways. Other programs and services include: engineering and technical support, systems planning, training programs and a 25-year warranty program. www.ortronics.com

Ortronics/Legrand is a subsidiary of Legrand, the global specialist in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for suppliers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth. Backed by sound business and financial structures, Legrand is actively expanding its presence in fast-growing geographical zones and market segments that include lighting controls, energy savings and home automation, through a sustained stream of targeted, self-financed acquisitions and other initiatives. In 2007 Legrand employed 35,000 people around the globe and reported sales of ?4.1billion, including 25% in emerging markets. The company is listed on the Eurolist market of Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the SBF120, FTSE4Good and MSCI World (ISIN code FR0010307819). www.legrandelectric.com

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