APC Offers NetShelter CX to SMBs

NEWPORT, R.I.—In the past, American Power Conversion has addressed the needs of the SMB space through its channel partners.

Now the IT power management company is looking to work directly with small and midsized businesses, and is rolling out a new enclosure designed to offer companies integrated cooling, power and sound-dampening capabilities.

In addition, the APC NetShelter CX Office Enclosure is made of a wood composite material, which eliminates the need for a server room or network closet by enabling businesses to house them in open office space, according to Karl Langmuir, director of solution development for APC’s home and business networks unit.

“This is a departure in terms of our standardized offerings,” Langmuir said.

APC officials showed off the NetShelter CX Office Enclosure June 5 at a day-long event here hosted by its parent company, Schneider Electric.

The enclosure—which comes in 18U (31.5 inch), 24U (42 inch) and 38U (66.5 inch) configurations—does away with the need for a dedicated space for IT equipment, he said. Traditional metal racks are too ugly and noisy to be put in the middle of a room.

“They’re not aesthetically pleasing,” Langmuir said. “They’re not ideal for [being] in the open office.”

The APC enclosure looks like a piece of office furniture, and with the noise dampening material on the inside, it generates about 18 decibels of sound when the doors are closed, he said. Opened, the noise rises to 70 decibels or so.

The enclosure includes three fans and a ventilation system that keeps the hardware inside cool.

The 18U enclosure offers a capacity of 18 rack spaces, while the 24U offers 24 rack spaces and the 38U 38 rack spaces. They consume between 19 and 57 watts of power.

Langmuir said the enclosures are available now in the United States and Europe through both APC and its channel partners, and will be launched in Australia and New Zealand in August.