Local technology infrastructure company Telenetix Technology Solutions is offering the global information and communication technology (ICT) industry a modular data centre, dubbed T Cube Modulus, which uses a standard shipping container as the basis for its design and construction.

Telenetix was responsible for designing and manufacturing the first mobile police service centre that was deployed and launched in Diepsloot by former Gauteng Premier, now Minister of Arts and Culture, Paul Mashatile, in 2009.

The design of the data centre is cost effective in terms of power use efficiencies and time to the market, says Telenetix operations director Dean Hall.

“It adds value by reducing the actual upfront capital costs associated with building a conventional brick and mortar data centre by 30%,” explains Hall.

He points out that the market is rapidly embracing cloud computing, virtualisation and the portability and mobility of data and data storage; however, the roll-out of enabling technology infrastructure to support these moves is not keeping pace.

Rolling out fixed infrastructure for customers with ever-changing capacity needs is just not viable anymore, compounded by the hefty price tag of a conventional data centre, which is becoming a constraint.

He states that the company’s market research over the past 12 months has indicated that people want flexibility and port- ability and, since the physical technology footprint required is becoming smaller and smaller, it makes it viable to opt for a con- tainerised data centre solution instead.

“In terms of our order book, we are busy with five units for Australia, with a possible extension of another 35 units.”

Telenetix chairperson Keith Kenneth says that, currently, there is a global increase in demand for modular solutions, and the company expects that there will be an increase in demand for the T-Cube Modulus solution, especially from African countries.

“T Cube Modulus is a fully home-grown data centre solution, which is perfectly suited for deployment to the African environment and offers unrivalled flexibility, scalability, power efficiency and capacity at a fraction of the cost of its traditional brick and mortar predecessor,” says Kenneth.

Since Google and Microsoft pioneered the concept of containerised data centre infrastructure in the US, Telenetix has optimised both the design and manufacturing standards of its proprietary T Cube Modulus, and offers enhanced performance, while ensuring power efficiency (a power use effectiveness ratio of about 1,3) within its ‘green’ data centre.

The company believes that the solution augurs well for both the environment and business as it uses recycled containers and offers a reduction in electricity consumption normally associated with conventional power-hungry data centres.

Hall points out that the company believes that its target for this year looks more favourable in terms of the order book than it did the past two years.

“The economic meltdown [in 2009] affected everyone negatively – hence, our expansion with the modular solution into export territories with a definite currency advantage,” says Kenneth.

“Telenetix will always be at the forefront of developing technology infrastructure solutions that will enable both government and business to meet the needs of people. Our continued focus on the manufacturing of mobile and portable technologies serves to enable the provisioning of services through- out urban and remote locations alike.”

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