Cost model: data centre cooling

In this month’s cost model, Aecom’s engineering services cost-management team explores the options for cooling large data centres – from traditional air cooling with chiller and Crac units, to free cooling and water-based systems

Battery technology in UPS systems – VRLA v Li-ion

Although lead-acid batteries are long-established, with a majority market share, lithium-ion is starting to pick up pace. Alex Emms, of Kohler Uninterruptible Power, compares the two technologies

Tiers for fears: How to ensure data centres keep companies flying

The meltdown of British Airway’s IT systems, after a power-supply failure, demonstrates how critical data centres are to business operations. Andy Pearson looks at levels of resilience and explains why cloud computing is making firms more susceptible to power cuts