Streamlining Data Center Infrastructure for Arizona Electric Utility Company

Introduction

For electric utility companies, having reliable IT infrastructure creates smooth operations and while avoiding potential disruptions. With large amounts of data required to manage electrical grids, even minor interruptions or inefficiencies can lead to significant complications. A robust IT infrastructure allows utility companies to focus entirely on their business and remain confident that their data and equipment are protected. This case study highlights how Rittal, in partnership with a distributor, helped an Arizona electric utility company optimize its IT infrastructure for a data center while consolidating its supply base, streamlining processes, and supporting future growth.

The Challenge

The Arizona electric utility company, which provides reliable power to over 428,000 customers, planned to build a new data center to support their expanding operations while also looking to consolidate their supply base. With multiple suppliers for different types of enclosures and infrastructure, the customer needed a streamlined solution that would provide consistency across their operations, especially in their industrial automation and IT infrastructure. Additionally, the company required IT enclosures that could be customized to fit unique design specifications and delivered quickly to meet their project deadlines.

The Rittal Solution

The customer already had a strong relationship with both Rittal and the distributor on the industrial automation side, having previously purchased TS8 enclosures, wallmounts, and other accessories. To introduce the customer to additional solutions, the Rittal account manager and the distributor’s sales team organized a demonstration with the Rittal Mobile Design Center at the customer's headquarters. Although the event was primarily focused on industrial enclosures, the inclusion of a Rittal IT rack sparked the interest of the customer’s IT manager.

Following the demonstration, a lunch and learn session was organized. The IT team was particularly impressed with the efficiency and quality of Rittal's TS IT enclosures and solutions for data centers. This opened the door for Rittal and the distributor to present a comprehensive system solution for the customer’s new data center project.

Partnership First:

In addition to providing high-quality enclosures, Rittal’s collaboration with the distributor and the utility company exemplified a strong, customer-focused partnership. The coordinated efforts between Rittal and the distributor ensured that the customer’s needs were met at every stage of the project, from design to installation.

IT Infrastructure Consolidation:

By consolidating both their industrial and IT enclosure needs with Rittal, the utility company was able to reduce their supply base significantly. Rittal’s broad product line offered a one-stop solution that includes IT enclosures, cooling, power, monitoring, and security systems. This comprehensive offering allowed the utility company to streamline their procurement process, saving time and resources while ensuring compatibility across their infrastructure.

Flexibility and Customization:

One of the customer’s critical requirements was the flexibility to customize their enclosures to meet the specific design needs of their new data center. Rittal’s configurable enclosures offered the right solution as they allowed the customer to tailor the enclosures and accessories to their exact specifications. This ensured that the IT racks would fit seamlessly into the data center’s layout to optimize space while providing room for future scalability.

Quick Solutions:

Moreover, Rittal’s ability to deliver these enclosures quickly was essential in helping the customer meet their tight project deadlines. By working with the distributor, the utility company was able to place orders and receive the enclosures within a shorter lead time than traditional custom solutions.

The Results

With Rittal’s whole system solution, the utility company was able to consolidate their supply chain, reduce complexity, and improve operational efficiency. The flexibility of Rittal’s configurable enclosures allowed the utility customer to tailor the solution to their new data center’s design, optimize space, and future-proof their infrastructure for growth.

The quick turnaround times on customized orders helped the utility company stay on track with the construction of their data center, while the robust TS IT enclosures provided peace of mind that their critical IT infrastructure was secure and well-protected.

Conclusion

Rittal’s solutions enabled the Arizona electric utility company to focus on their core mission of providing safe, reliable power to their customers, without having to worry about the performance or reliability of their IT infrastructure. By collaborating closely with customers and distributors, Rittal provides efficiency, room for growth, and peace of mind so electric utilities can power their business into the future.

Contact Rittal for Comprehensive Data Center Infrastructure

If your business is seeking comprehensive, reliable, and customizable IT infrastructure solutions for data centers that streamline operations and support future growth, then contact Rittal today. Our team is ready to help you optimize your processes and ensure your critical systems are protected.