Device Monitors Data Centers

Liebert Corp. is offering a new monitoring appliance for computer rooms and small data centers called the Universal Monitor, the first in a series of products that will eventually scale to large data center versions.

The metal-cased, wall-mounted appliance is available now and lists for $1,300. It has four analog outputs, eight digital inputs and eight digital outputs, officials said. It can be attached to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning devices; water pumps; security products; and other hardware, according to Heath Klein, product manager, in Columbus, Ohio.

Administrators can have the Universal Monitor forward alarms to a pager or to Lieberts SiteScan Web-based monitoring software through a direct connection. Administrators can designate which alarms are important and should be triggered immediately and which can stay in event logs for routine maintenance checks, Klein said. Its built-in modem has a dedicated backup battery, he said.

Liebert plans to link such systems with its uninterruptible power supplies by the middle of the decade, said Randy MacClearly, vice president and general manager, in an interview after the blackout last month. Systems with smarter electronics instead of transformers, higher frequencies for products that are more expensive but also more energy efficient and wireless data center communications are on Lieberts research and development agenda.

There are similar plans at American Power Conversion Corp., such as a modular approach to power distribution, cooling and connections, that will reduce installation times, according to Neil Rasmussen, chief technology officer and senior vice president at the West Kingston, R.I., company.

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