Middlesbrough’s Teesside University data centre upgrade has been given planning permission following consultancy works done by data centre design consultancy firm Keysource.
The company said the university will install a critical power generator to ensure it has an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and a highly resilient modular UPS which can be expanded in response to changing requirements.
The generator will also utilise a fresh-air cooling system that will take advantage of the mild temperatures outside the facility.
Keysource added that there were several major risks associated with the project due to the data centre’s location.
Flanked by an estuary and in close proximity to the sea, the university sits in an area where the atmosphere could potentially by challenging for both the IT and M&E infrastructure, with corrosion being a risk. Also, being located next to Middlesbrough’s industrial area, the data centre faced contamination risks which could damage the equipment.
Andrew Maclaren, assistant director for Estates Services & Energy Procurement at Teesside University, said: "We chose Keysource through the North East Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC) framework.
"We wanted totally independent data centre design specialists with experience in both fresh air cooling as well as working within the education sector."
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Andy Hayes, director at Keysource, added: "We have a number of Higher Education providers within our portfolio and are well versed in the challenges the sector faces particularly around the need for flexibility and the budgetary constraints."
