Kell Systems Featured in Guardian Data Store

You may have seen our recent Infographic highlighting the impact of Computer Server Noise on the office environment.

This Infographic was this week added to the Guardian Datastore, which is a dedicated Flickr group set up by the Guardian newspaper to curate some of the most interesting Infographics from within the UK.

Data visualisation is becoming an increasingly important tool for consumers and businesses alike, because to put it simply, there is just so much of it out there! It seems like from the moment we go online these days we are bombarded with different qualitative and quantitative data sets and visualising data in this way is a means of cutting through the vast data-sets out there and arriving at something qualitatively useful and visually appealing.

In the case of this particular Infographic we have highlighted the noise made by Computer Servers within the context of wider household and office environments.

It's one thing giving a scientific breakdown of office server decibel levels - as we do here on our site - but ultimately we want to make this information as digestible and easy to comprehend for our visitors as possible.

Even the slightest change in decibel level within a working environment can have a tremendous impact on the well-being and productivity levels of your staff, so it is important to get the environment right.

As we move towards greater virtualisation and Cloud hosting this is becoming an even greater concern, with the need for 'full' traditional server rooms decreasing and businesses opting to place their ICT in the open office environment. The Kell Systems Netshelter CX allows for this deployment effortlessly - and importantly also quietly - helping your business to focus on what it does best, and not have to worry about your ICT.

Delighted to have seen this useful piece of data visualisation from the Kell team featured by the Guardian and look forward to further data visualisations in 2012!

09 Dec 2011 08:47:00

Kell Systems Study Shows Impact of Computer Server Noise on Office Environment

Kell Systems, part of the APC by Schneider Electric family, today released a study showing the day-to-day impact of computer server noise on the office environment. The results show that by adding just two computer servers to the standard office space, room noise level will increase by an average of 3 decibels, which equates to a perceived doubling of noise level by the human ear.

The report is designed to help conceptualise the impact of computer server noise within the context of everyday objects and environments, and the findings have been visualised in the accompanying Infographic, which can be viewed via our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/KellSystems?sk=app_190322544333196

The Human Sound Spectrum
Noise levels range from 0 [zero] decibels [dB] right up to the loudest possible sound at 194 dB, which is a fixed limit based on the earth's average air pressure.

However, the standard deviation of the noise consumed by the human ear on a day to day basis runs on a much smaller scale, between approximately 30 dB and 80 dB. This means that the noise deviation between specific objects and environments is highly sensitive and minor fluctuations of 2-3 dB can have a profound effect on the awareness of - and discomfort caused by - sound.

Employers are legally required to provide protective ear-wear for noise levels over 85 dB+, which is the recommended dB limit for workers operating tools during short bursts. For office workers exposed to more consistent noise levels throughout the working day, the recommended level is considerably lower at 55 dB to 65 dB.

Key Report Findings
--Average office noise levels: The average noise level of a regular-to-loud office space without conversation is 50-55 dB.
--Conversational Speech: Conversational speech registers at a noise level of 60 dB - anything above this point can begin to cause discomfort/distraction within a working environment.
--2 Computer Servers housed within the open office space will raise the average office noise level to 63 dB. This is 3 dB higher than conversational speech and a perceived doubling in noise by the human ear.
--4 Computer Servers housed within the open office space will raise the average office noise level to 65 dB, something comparable to a household washing machine.
--8 Computer Servers housed within the open office space will raise the average office noise level to a sound comparable to a household vacuum cleaner being used in close proximity.
--High Frequency: Because the noise produced by office IT is high frequency, the 'noise-type' produced by Computer Servers is particularly discomforting, emitting disturbing high frequency noise.
--Consistent Noise: Exposure to this level of noise in short sharp bursts is one thing, but in the office environment this can be particularly damaging with employees exposed to server noise on an on-going basis for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week.

'With the rise of cloud hosting and virtualisation we have seen a dramatic shift in the way that office IT is supported,' said David O'Coimin, Joint Managing Director for Kell Systems. 'Computer Servers are now shifting away from the traditional server room and into a few small, but very noisy boxes. As manufacturers of soundproofed server cabinets, we witness these issues first hand on an almost daily basis, and hope that this research will help to highlight the growing issue of Computer Server noise on employee health and stress levels and business productivity.'

About the Kell Systems Netshelter CX
Putting your IT equipment inside a quiet IT enclosure from Kell Systems will on average knock an amazing 18.5dB off the top of your server noise, which is a perceived drop off in nose levels of up to 98%. The noise left over by 8x computer servers acoustically sealed inside a Kell server cabinet will be lower than a quiet office or light distant traffic sound. This soft white noise will be perceived as invisible among general office noise levels by the human ear.
The company published another study earlier this year highlighting the environmental impact caused by the annual CO2 emissions of the average office server room, which can be read in full here: http://kellsystems.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-co2-absorption-study-released-by.html.

For further information please visit www.kellsystems.co.uk.

Research & Resources
As a specialist in the design and build of soundproofed server cabinets for business datacentres of all sizes, Kell Systems is an expert in the area of office noise levels. This report was compiled using our own research in combination with the online resources listed below:
1. Kell Systems Noise Reduction Performance Study, 2007:
http://www.kellsystems.co.uk/noise_reduction_performance.asp.
2. Noisehelp.com Noise Level Chart, 2010-11: http://www.noisehelp.com/noise-level-chart.html.
3. National Institute of Deafness & other Communications Disorders (NIDCD) website, 2011: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/Pages/default.aspx.
4. Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 2011: http://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/employers.htm.
5. HSMC Occupational Health & Safety Consultancy, 2011: http://www.hsmc.co.uk/index.php.

02 Dec 2011 14:44:00

Announcing Important 2012 Portfolio Changes

Within these changes the standard finish option will become light oak, and we will be focussing our efforts on ensuring that this - our most popular finish - is available 'off the shelf' in future to ensure that we are able to minimise delivery time.

The rest of the finishes in the portfolio today will still be available after Dec 31, but on lead times of up to 8 weeks - so please contact us today if you have requirements we can help you with before this change occurs.

The full spectrum of these changes can be viewed on the new portfolio update section of our website, and will come into effect on January 1st 2012, so please do not hesitate to get in contact with us today should you have any further questions.

28 Nov 2011 13:44:00

White Noise, What Noise

24 Nov 2011 14:27:00

Netshelter CX Makes the ITV News

The Kell Systems Netshelter CX recently made a cameo appearance on the ITV Meridian Regional News - and so advanced are the Netshelter CX's awesome cloaking capabilities that we even missed it ourselves first time around!

All Saints Junior School in Reading has been hitting the headlines in recent months as one of the first of 24 free schools in the UK to be set-up by parents and a local charity under a new Government initiative.

As the ITV News footage shows, even the IT has freedom in this free-school, since the Kell Systems Netshelter CX 'Server Room in a Box' has allowed the institution's computer servers to be deployed directly into the open classroom space. Because of the Netshelter's awesome sound-proofing capabilities and aesthetically pleasing design this equipment blends effortlessly into the background within the classroom environment without disturbing the children's learning even from just few feet away.


Managed to spot it yet? It's the unobtrusive cabinet in the corner supporting the whiteboard! That's right this single cabinet, which looks like a regular piece of office furniture, is being used to house all of the computer server technology to run the school's IT.

This versatility has also been particularly important for All Saints, who are currently based in temporary accomodation until building work on the School's official school building has been completed. Now the IT infrastructure that supports the children's multimedia learning will be able to be moved effortlessly alongside them when they enter their shiny new building.

It is perhaps a compliment to the Netshelter CX that we even took so long ourselves to spot it in action and exemplifies the excellent job that this technology does in helping IT hardware blend effortlessly into the background rather than taking centre stage.

We of course wish the new school good luck with the new venture and are delighted to be playing our small part in history in the making. To hear the awesome sound-proofing capabilities of the Netshelter CX for yourself, please visit the video tours section of our site: http://www.kellsystems.co.uk/video_tours.asp.

14 Nov 2011 11:37:00

Kell Systems Wins Innovation of the Year Award at Latin American Channel Awards

Kell Systems, part of the APC by Schneider Electric family, today announced that one of its products has won the 'Most Innovative Product for Corporate' Award at the 2011 Latin American Channel Awards. The coveted award was presented to the company for their sound-proofed server cabinet known as the Netshelter CX, effectively a 'Server Room in a Box'.

From the left to right: Kelvia Reynoso (APC Inside Sales Representative US Miami Exporter & Caribbean), Liliana Grisales (HBN Business Development Manager) , Hector Martinez (APC Enterprise Business Development Manager), Carlos Zaldivar (Cooling Systems Business Development Specialist) and Event Model.

UK Manufacturing Success Story
The Award was presented at a special ceremony held at the Hotel Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, US, at the end of October. In a month which reportedly saw the UK-manufacturing sector shrink at its fastest rate for more than two years and in which the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) recorded a sharp fall in manufacturer confidence, the international recognition for the Somerset -based manufacturing facility represents a significant UK manufacturing success story.

The accolade will also come as welcomed news for the Coalition Government, which has come under fire in recent months for failing to help boost the UK's slowing industrial sector, prompting fears amongst business owners and industry analysts that the country is teetering back towards recession.

Global Expansion
Kell Systems hit the headlines earlier this year when the company became part of the APC by Schneider Electric family - the Global energy management specialist.

For Kell Systems, the immediate emphasis is on both domestic and Global expansion, with plans to increase unit output by up to 20 per cent over the next twelve months. Speaking from the company's purpose-built factory in Frome, Kell Systems Joint Managing Director, David O'Coimin, was buoyant about the future of the UK manufacturing sector.

'We are very proud to receive this award on behalf of the entire team, and of course amidst the latest doom and gloom headlines surrounding the manufacturing sector,' said O'Coimin. 'These days only around one third of the UK's total manufacturing output comes from the automotive sector, with an increasing amount of growth coming from the innovation sectors such as ICT [Information & Communications Technology] and sustainable energy. Global export provides further opportunities. Looking at Latin America alone the region's online population has increased 15 per cent in the last year to reach more than 125 million users - that gives some indication of the burgeoning International ICT sector and the huge opportunities that this brings.'

Combined Economic & Environmental Sustainability
With units installed in companies all over the world, from UK Government council buildings, to Global IT giants such as Google, Microsoft, and HP, the unique Netshelter CX 'Server Room in a Box' is revolutionizing the way Global businesses house office ICT. In fact, there is even a cabinet installed in the White House!

In typical usage, the Netshelter CX can reduce server noise by a perceived 90%, CO2 emissions by up to 97%, floor space by 90%, operating costs by 98%, and capital costs by up to 80% when compared with a traditional server room, making it one of the most innovative ICT hardware developments in recent years.

The winners of the Latin American Channel Awards were chosen by the portal www.channelawards.com, which received over 40,000 votes from technology enthusiasts located in 20 countries across Latin America.

09 Nov 2011 10:56:00

Addressing the Great Misuse of ITs Energy By-product

In a study that has so far gone relatively un-noticed within the datacentre industry, scientists from Microsoft and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville have proposed a novel way to recycle the excess heat energy generated by computer servers: Use it to heat offices and homes.

The full study was put together by an extensive team of scientists comprising of Jie Liu, Michel Goraczko, Sean James, and Christian Belady from Microsoft Research, and Jiakang Lu and Kamin Whitehouse from the Computer Science Department of the University of Virginia.

The scientists highlight how the uptick in virtualisation and cloud computing is facilitating a generation of much more mobile office server technology, which can be more easily moved from location to location and controlled remotely.

The increased mobility of office server technology is something that we take very seriously here at Kell, as our unique 'Server Room on Wheels' technology demonstrates.

By physically removing computer servers from computer rooms and placing them into people's homes, this latest study argues that the next step in converting them into home heaters is a relatively easy one to make.

Within the wider industry the issue of computer room temperature has become an increasingly contentious one in recent years, as Global business continues to spend billions of pounds annually on cooling the ambient temperature within computer rooms alone.

The ICT industry is itself still unsure as too just how cool server cooling needs to be, and the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Intel -- not to mention The American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) - have all called for a rise in upper data-centre temperature from around to something like 27 degrees Celsius in recent years.

If you think about it the over-cooling of computer servers adds greatly to the environmental concerns associated with operating them. For a start, excess heat is being generated in the running of these machines, but by generating even more energy to reverse this by-product you are arguably doubling the problem rather than seeking a solution.

While this latest research from Microsoft and the University of Virginia may propose a radical solution, it does at least represent an attempt by the business and academic ICT communities to raise the issue of excess energy generation within computer rooms and look for a more positive solution.

Image: A mock-up of what a home Server Heating System could look like in the future.

01 Nov 2011 09:59:00

Give Your Computer Server Room to Breathe

If you want to avoid over-heating in the office environment take regular, long, deep, breaths. Isn't that what the doctor ordered when it comes to maintaining healthy stress levels in the workplace?

Well now thanks to the unique front to back breathing mechanism of the Netshelter CX, your computer servers can take a leaf out of the calmest employees' book and stay cool, quiet, and in control within the open office space.

What exactly do we mean by this? Well, you can think of the Netshelter CX as a kind of mechanical lung that is wrapped around your office's computer servers to ensure that they maintain a healthy breathing pattern at all times.

Ambient office air is pulled into the enclosure at ground level - because this is the coolest place in the room, and also in the case of our towering 38U cabinets from the roof. This cool ambient air is drawn in via acoustic 'Sidepods' on either side of the Netshelter CX that allow air in to the enclosure, while preventing noise from escaping.
Above: Our engineers investigate the effects of different ambient air pressures on server ventilation performance.

This air is introduced to the front of rack via large vertical vents behind the front doors, before IT equipment in the rack, aided by the fans in the rear of the enclosure, channel the cool air through its own vents. The effect here is like putting the equipment in a wind-tunnel. The fast-flowing exhaust air is then ejected back into the office environment complete with only a nominal increase in temperature.

A common misconception is that computer servers need a dedicated server room built around them to allow them to operate at optimum air pressure and temperature levels at all times. But in fact returning to our employee analogy the very opposite is true. You wouldn't keep an overworked and stressed employee locked away in a freezing cold room 365 days a year - it would be hard enough to justify the operating costs and energy emissions, let alone the legal costs!

So, instead of consuming huge amounts of energy to cool your IT equipment back down it makes sense to help your office IT breathe normally outside of the confined, traditional server room.

When charged with looking after your office IT the huge investment costs involved can make it easy to over-medicate the patient through concern. However, a breath of fresh air and a calm consistent approach is the best medicine and with the Netshelter CX you just plug in and play. There is no need to worry about any forms of additional cooling, ducting, ventilation, air pressure or any other traditional server room issues for that matter - so you can leave the patient to us and get on with doing what your business does best!

And perhaps the best thing about this mechanical lung is the awesome sound-proofing it brings.

Far from hearing the noisy coughing and wheezing of computer servers in the background the Netshelter CX's calming capabilities actually reduce the sound of the servers inside to be more in keeping with the ambient room volume level. So you can put your healthy, quiet, patient out into the office workspace without a hint of stress!

26 Oct 2011 14:27:00

Kell Systems at the Micro-P Training Exhibition 2011

Kell Systems Business Development Director, Mark Richards, was in Stratford-Upon Avon at the weekend, demonstrating the awesome soundproofing benefits of the Kell Server Cabinet to attendees of the Micro-P Product Training Exhibition 2011.

The area is of course known as Shakespeare Country, and it may surprise some readers to learn that the bard himself is no stranger to our blog, since we recently wrote about the many guises that the Kell Server Cabinet falls under: from a quiet server enclosure, to a server cabinet, to network cabinets, server cooling, computer cabinets, IT cooling solutions and beyond!

Our soundproofed cabinets are quickly becoming known as a 'Server Room in a Box' solution to modern datacentre hosting, since they allow for the soundproofed deployment of IT hardware within the open office space.

In this slightly blurred image from the event you can see the cabinet doing its thing blending effortlessly into the corner of the room - just imagine how much additional space would be taken up in this room if a complete server room had had to be built within it.

As alluded to on our blog before, we love to witness the expression on people's faces when we close the doors of the cabinet and let them experience first-hand the box's unique soundproofing effects!

Saturday was no exception, with a huge interest from the sales and management staff who attended the event alike. Many thanks for all of the great feedback that we have so far received from all the attendees who stopped by one of our sessions.

A huge thank you also to Lisa Adams and Beth Brown who put together the event, in what was a fantastic programme that began with breakfast at 7:30am and ran right through into the night with the awards ceremony and evening entertainment.

Thanks also to our delivery technician, Chris, who did a great job of deploying the demonstration cabinet in time for the event - next stop the Swan Theatre when the Royal Shakespeare Company asks us to deploy a Kell Cabinet on the side of the stage to keep their ICT quiet during performances!

13 Oct 2011 10:21:00

Server Room in a Box

While the world around us is undergoing great change so too are changes in the energy and IT sectors revolutionising the office IT industry.

Rising energy costs and increasing demand mean that every watt, every metre of space, every minute, and most importantly of all every penny counts in reducing the costs of operating IT equipment at both local and Global level.

Additionally, the current trend towards virtualisation and the growing prominence of Cloud computing mean that the vast spaces needed to house your IT of old are becoming increasingly unnecessary.

At Kell Systems, we understand that with change comes great opportunity, and in the ever-advancing world of IT this change comes rapidly and continuously.

That is why we have developed the Kell Server Cabinet - also now known as the Netshelter CX under the APC by Schneider Electric brand. These unique, soundproofed, server cabinets have come to be thought of as a 'server room in a box' by many of our clients, because they allow for IT deployment wherever and whenever it is needed, saving in a big way on space, cost and deployment time.

For those already operating full server rooms the challenge is not necessarily to eradicate what will have undoubtedly required a huge capital investment in the first place. Instead, the goal should be to consolidate IT equipment to that crucial tipping point where a reduction in physical hardware can lead to greater economic and environmental efficiency, but which might also lead to a change in how the IT is housed - ie, from dedicated white-space, to portable IT enclosure, out in the open office space, which has the advantage of winning back floor space for the company's core-business.

As the recent addition of Kell Systems to the APC by Schneider family demonstrates, we are reaching an industry-level tipping point now where less IT hardware is beginning to lead to greater efficiency and the market is demanding new solutions..

In many ways, by integrating the Kell Server Cabinet into its wider datacentre product suite, APC by Schneider Electric has squared the circle in creating a full datacentre infrastructure solution. Together we are now able to provide a very flexible home for the entire data and network management suite of products which includes everything from individual power management devices to full datacentre solutions, and crucially, the emerging steps in between.

So whether you are an SME, a small organisation, even home based business, looking to save space and operating costs by eliminating the need for a traditional server room, or a Global organisation looking for a standard infrastructure solution for IT round the edge of the data centre or out at the remote or branch office (think retail outlets, banks etc), look no further than the Kell Server Cabinet - a complete 'server room in a box' and an environmentally sound solution too!

11 Oct 2011 10:36:00

Top 10 Tips for a Greener Office

The economic and energy efficiency benefits of using a Kell Cabinet are well documented, both here on our website and in the wider industry sustainability articles that we contribute to on a regular basis.

As a market leader in Green office IT, Kell Systems are regularly called upon by the press to offer analysis and opinion on the technologies associated with the server enclosure, cabinet cooling, the network cabinet and wider server deployment trends.

As a result, many of our clients go a step further than this, in asking for additional green office advice. With that in mind we have compiled our 'Top 10 Tips for a Greener Office' for you here.

1. Monitor your equipment and update energy intensive machinery - start by installing energy metres on equipment so you can see how things are performing.

2. Do as much as you can electronically - Use email, instant messaging and tele- and web conferencing.

3. Recycle where you can: It sounds criminal that some businesses don't do enough of this - and it may literally be criminal soon when tighter Govt. restrictions are imposed.

4. Embrace Virtualisation! It may be possible to condense your IT into up to 10% of its current physical footprint. Doing so will save space and operating costs.

5. Cloud computing - research has shown that switching to cloud computing can have significant energy reducing advantages for your business.

6. Don't waste energy overcooling your servers - the likes of Google, Microsoft and Intel have all called for server room temp increases in recent years.

7. Sounds like an obvious one, but don't leave the heating on and the windows open!! You won't believe how many businesses do this because they are working on high operating costs so they believe that small changes like this won't make a difference - but they absolutely do!

8. Light sensors: Use automatic motion detectors to determine when staff are in the office working late or when they have gone home - leaving the lights on when there is no-one in the office is extremely wasteful, but so many businesses still do it!

9. Take PERSONAL responsibility: the business arena is where we can really start making a difference to the environment. At home the difference is significant but it's in the workplace where together we can all achieve a cumulative mass.

10. Invest in a 'Server Room in a Box' for your IT equipment - don't waste energy managing two separate environments, one for your IT and one for your humans. Make advances in mobile IT infrastructure and acoustic IT enclosures work for you.

Many of them sound simple but of course the cumulative effect of applying all of these techniques to your office could be: significant annual savings. And bear in mind, true sustainability is not only helpful for the environment - it is helpful for your operating costs too.

Kell Systems regularly works with partners who are experts in the field of helping companies to reduce their carbon footprint and IT operating costs, and we are now part of the APC by Schneider Electric family, so get in touch with us so we can put you in touch with the right people to provide you with a more serious energy assessment.

05 Oct 2011 15:39:00

Readings First Free School Puts Cost-Saving and Energy Reducing Technology into the Classroom

All Saints Junior School has implemented the Kell Systems 'Server Room in a Box' within the classroom of its recently opened school building in Reading. The school, managed by CfBT Schools Trust, is the first of its kind in the local region and one of only 24 Free Schools currently in operation in the UK to date.

A Complete Server Room in a Box
The decision to deploy computer servers within the open classroom space represents a forward thinking move that has allowed the development of the school to take place without the space usually required to build traditional server rooms or wiring closets. Opened in September, All Saints Junior School is currently in temporary accommodation whilst its permanent building is renovated:

The Right Solution for the Multimedia Learning Environment
With multimedia learning on the increase, Information Technology is becoming more and more important to the classroom environment. In the case of All Saints, the 'Server Room in a Box' has allowed the school's IT network to quite literally become part of the classroom furniture.

'Keeping costs down and being environmentally friendly is important, but the main thing from our point of view was that we went with what was right for us at the time,' said Susannah Daniel, Head-teacher for All Saints Junior School. 'Our temporary accommodation means that we do not have space for a traditional server room so a compact solution like this works well. This product fits snugly - and importantly in the classroom environment - safely into the corner of the room, and the sound-proofing means that the servers can be running in the background without disturbing the children.'

Wider Education Sector Application
David O'Coimin, Joint Managing Director for Kell Systems, which is now part of the APC by Schneider Electric family, emphasized the importance of integrating portable IT infrastructure into UK schools.

'Our solutions are perfect for educational institutions such as All Saints,' said David O'Coimin. 'They are soundproofed, compact, low cost and you can leave your server equipment safely locked away in it overnight. Perhaps most importantly of all for the education sector is that they are highly mobile, and so allow for the sharing of IT equipment between departments, in the same way that more old school Audio-Visual equipment would be shared around in days gone by.'

The Kell Systems IT Cabinet has become widely known as the 'Server Room in a Box' due to its ability to house a complete small space IT requirement within a single, portable, secure, attractive cabinet. In typical usage this enclosure reduces server noise by a perceived 90%, and, compared to a traditional IT dedicated 'white-space' reduces capital costs by up to 80%, floor space by up to 90% and ventilation operating costs by up to 98%.

The 'Server Room in a Box' is the perfect solution for deploying IT quickly, quietly and securely in an open space where people are working. It can replace the need for a traditional computer room or wiring closet and, using super efficient forced-air ventilation, is an important solution to the fast-growing problem of server cooling, which typically uses as much energy as powering the servers themselves. For more information, see www.kellsystems.co.uk.

27 Sep 2011 11:20:00

Imogen Heap Talks Technology and Sustainability with Kell Systems

Imogen Heap is a four-time Grammy nominated singer and musician on the cutting edge of music technology. She is also immensely passionate about sustainability and new technology.

The artist's strong artistic passion for the natural world made her the perfect headline act for the Kell Systems sponsored TEDxBristol last week, in a performance that saw her demonstrate the pioneering 'Musical Gloves' that Imogen has developed with Bristol's Tom Mitchell, Senior Lecturer in Music Systems at UWE Bristol.

In this exclusive interview for the Kell blog, Imogen gives us her views on sustainability, design, and the future of sustainable technology and manufacturing.

1. So TEDx - are we right in thinking that this isn't your first time?

This is actually my first TEDx event specifically but I am very well acquainted with the Global TED brand. I attended my first TED Global event in 2004 and that is where my life changed completely through the people that I met. At that time I was 24 and I can remember feeling very down on humanity. I was skimming through the newspapers every day and wondering how we were ever going to get out of the growing environmental and socio-economic problems that we face. When TED came along it was the first time I had ever been in a room full of people who all collectively represented optimism, and it was deeply inspiring to be surrounded by those who not only wanted to change things for the better but were actively creating the strategies and technologies to do it.

2. Here at Kell Systems we are very proud of the sustainability aspect of our products. Where does your passion for sustainability come from?

I had an experience in Tanzania which involved large African animals and a jeep and realised I was immensely disconnected from the planet in a nature way. I suppose it was the closet I have ever come to what people might call a 'God experience'. I felt very centred and rooted to the planet and suddenly became very aware of my connection to the natural world around me. After that I began to look differently at parks, lakes, any open spaces really, and that in turn caused me to assess everything from how I travelled, how much I drive, how much energy I consume on a day to day basis, and so on. I have since made a conscious decision to take more care with my carbon footprint and my energy output and if nothing else it is a way of feeling like you are actually making a positive difference to the world rather than being just another drain on the earth's resources.
3. And of course your 2010 crowdsourced film, 'Love the Earth' which you put together alongside the brilliant, Thomas Ermacora, was about just that. Was that film designed specifically to raise environmental awareness?

It was an attempt really to encourage people to take a moment to take a breath and appreciate the world around them, in the same way that I had experienced it in Tanzania - I wanted to share that feeling of connectivity with people. Equally however I think you have to be very careful not to shove your environmental wishes down people's throats. I think the way to approach these issues - because they do affect us all - is to introduce them to people and invite them to share, celebrate, collaborate, and you hope that positive action flows from there.

4. And finally, to what extent do you think the development of new, greener, technologies will be responsible for creating a more sustainable world?

Every single one of us, when asked would you like to live a more sustainably or a greener life, would undoubtedly answer 'yes'. But it is hard and progression takes time. You can talk about taking shorter showers, sharing tea-bags, walking to the shops etc., but all of that pails into insignificance when you take one cross-Atlantic flight. The technologies we use to get around and live our lives will ultimately be instrumental in creating a more sustainable future. However, again in the case of technology, I think it is about attaching green benefits to new products rather than leading with their green credentials. When I spot a new product for the first time, I focus on the innovation it brings in terms of adding fun or efficiency to my life. That is what we have done with the 'Music Gloves' invented by the University of Bristol's Tom Mitchell. All new technology is designed for a purpose and in these case the gloves allow me to move more freely, and be more expressive of the music on stage. What we really need is for manufacturers to come up with better designed products and then build greater green efficiency into those. New technologies must first be aesthetically and economically viable - and appealing enough to be adopted by people - and then their green assets can start to make a contribution towards sustainability.

21 Sep 2011 07:57:00

TEDxBristol: Sound Proof of aThriving South West Innovation Community

Last Thursday Kell Systems attended the first ever TEDx event to take place in Bristol, as a show sponsor. The event was a resounding success, receiving widespread media coverage. It even made the BBC's local evening news show, Points West, and a selection of the presentations featured at the event can now be accessed via the BBC iPlayer.

For those of you who are thus far unfamiliar with the TED brand, it stands for 'Technology, Design, and Innovation' and we would encourage all to take a look at the fantastic range of TED Talks that are available for free online on the TED Global website.

The conference's themes of Technology, Design, and Innovation made it the perfect place to demonstrate the awesome sound proofing and energy saving capabilities of the Kell Systems 'Server Room in a Box' solution - which allows for the deployment of office servers within the open office space.

This event held particular interest for Kell, as taking for its specific theme the idea of 'The World Around Us' the event was designed to celebrate artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs from Bristol and the surrounding South West areas. As a Frome based manufacturing company Kell Systems was delighted to have been asked to play our part in the proceedings, and it was pleasing to see so many innovative ideas from throughout the region gathered together in one place.

A Kell cabinet was placed in the lobby outside the auditorium, with the event taking place in the fantastic setting of the Bristol M-Shed building, overlooking the River Avon. We were also very proud to have been involved in the design and build of the stage - a real case in point of design in action as the set provided an impressive backdrop to the talks that took place.

The theme of design as a whole was central to the event, and the calibre of the collateral surrounding the show helped to create an awesome visual environment in which attendees could network. You can read an account of some of the key concepts behind the design, including exclusive images from the event, by the TEDxBristol Graphic Design Team Leader, Natalie Al-Tahhan, here in further detail.

Kell Systems Managing Director, David O'coimin was on hand to answer questions about the Kell Cabinet, or Netshelter CX as it is also known, and it was rewarding to see the familiar excited expressions on people's faces upon seeing the cabinet being and the server noise going away!

For those who have not yet had an opportunity to experience the sound proofing benefits of Kell's 'Server Room in a Box' solution first had you can hear it for yourself in this on our YouTube channel - existing clients look out for a familiar face!

We will also be uploading photos from the event over the coming week so please stay tuned to our Faebook page and Flickr Photostream for those. In the meantime we would like to thank everybody involved in TEDxBristol and look forward to keeping a close eye on the ideas and collaborations that look set to develop from the event over the coming months.

12 Sep 2011 10:28:00

Soundproofing for Noisy Servers

As we recently blogged, the Netshelter CX is the kind of thing that really benefits from being seen and heard to be fully-appreciated. To that end, we hope you enjoyed checking out this video demonstration which we have put together for you.

Noisy servers can be a pain. Typically, a Server Room or Wiring Closet would be built to contain that noise and manage the environment the IT equipment resides in. But what if there was an alternative to that?

For many years, a dedicated IT room was seen to be the only solution to noise dampening the servers. With the acoustic server housing features of the 'Server Room in a Box', you can now put your IT anywhere in the office, quickly and easily.

Take the corner-space in this video for example. Out of the way and not in use, it could quite literally be called 'a waste of space'. But with the introduction of a Kell Server Cabinet, this un-used area of the office instantly becomes a quiet corner in which to house your office ICT.

31 Aug 2011 08:21:00

Demonstration Day at Southampton Science Park

Hugely Successful Demonstration Day Highlights the Importance of Staying 'Social' in Social Media

The Kell Systems 'Server Room in a Box' has fast become a Globally recognised name in recent years, as demonstrated by our recent addition to the APC by Schneider family.

As a technical innovator in the ICT and sustainable technology sectors, we have natural been early-adopters in the uptake of social media and are big advocates of using case studies, online videos, client testimonials, infographics, and whitepapers to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of using the Kell Server Cabinet.

However, we also understand that nothing can beat coming along to meet the team and seeing our cabinets in action, so we were delighted to see such a hugely successful turn-out to our latest demonstration day which took place in Southampton Science Park recently.

Kell Systems had already held a presence within the Science Park for some time, when Kell client Mr. Mark Wallen of PT solutions declared that he had been so happy with his acquisition that he thought everybody in the complex ought to see it!

Never one to turn down an invitation our Director of Business Development, Mark Richards, ventured down to the Science Park to demonstrate the noise-reducing and space saving benefits of the Cabinet first hand - to EVERYBODY on the site!

It is always a thrill to witness people's reactions, particularly when they experience the sound-proofing benefits of the Cabinet for themselves first-hand. A noisy room can be utterly transformed within a matter of minutes through the deployment of the Kell Cabinet and the closing of the doors!

We are not sure if it was just the Cabinets themselves or the refreshments and the opportunity to witness the product directly in a relaxed, non-pressurised environment, but we have already received a number of enquiries from the attending businesses at the Science Park and have heard nothing but positive feedback about the day all round!

We believe that a lot of companies out there are getting social media wrong. The clue is in the title and while we have been very quick to embrace modern communications channels here at Kell there is undoubtedly still a place for face to face demonstrations as the success of Southampton Science Park proved.

A big thank you to everybody in attendance and we would encourage everybody else to keep your eyes peeled to the blog for details of further opportunities to come and experience the Kell 'Server Room in a Box' in action!

To request your own personal demonstration please contact Mark Richards directly on 07921 210629 or alternatively if you really must resort to video content, here is our very own Mark Richards in action demonstrating the noise reducing benefits of the Cabinets himself!

23 Aug 2011 11:21:00

Kell Systems Joins the Race for the London Olympics

With London 2012 fast approaching there is a growing air of optimism not only amongst British fans and athletes, but also amongst home-grown businesses - which are being encouraged to get involved with the games.

London Mayor Boris Johnson believes that the Games can boost the British and London economies, arguing that they are 'a great thing to stage during tough economic times', while John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, says that London 2012 will be a 'shop window' for UK businesses.

Here at Kell Systems we have embraced the growth opportunities that the Games potentially pose for the UK manufacturing industry. We recently joined Southeast business opportunities network, CompeteFor: a new digital platform that encourages local businesses to compete for contracts associated with the 2012 Olympic Games and other major contract opportunities.

The Kell 'Server Room in a Box' is a lockable, portable, fully-built, off-the-shelf, British innovation which effectively replaces the need for a Server Room, Wiring Closet or dedicated IT space. You just roll it into place, plug it in - no ducting, no plumbing - install your IT, close the doors and get on with other business.

As existing Kell clients will know, the self-contained, fast deployed, readily moved and re-used nature of this product makes it perfect for temporary events, especially vast ones on the scale of an Olympics, where IT is so key to tying the whole logistics and operation together.

Beyond the services that Kell provides, the general belief is that South East businesses are in an especially good position to provide added value to the proceedings because of their proximity to the London Games Park in Stratford, with low transport costs, local management and potentially local supply chains. We would go a step further than this to reference the obvious environmental benefits that using local businesses for the Olympic Games can have, in cutting down on CO2 emissions from shipping and transportation costs and so on.

This is an excellent channel that matches potential contractors up with individual projects requiring work, and can be used for free simply by registering at: https://www.competefor.com/business/login.jsp. For those who haven't already done so we would encourage you to go and register to take advantage of the networking opportunities this service provides.

It is a great initiative that we are delighted to be involved with and here is looking forward to an immensely successful 2012 London Olympics that provides a shop window not only for our athletes but also for the thousands of UK construction and manufacturing businesses that will be involved in the successful execution of the event.

08 Aug 2011 09:00:00

Economic and Environmental Sustainability

This article first appeared on the Jewson blog on Aug 3rd 2011.
Sustainability is a growing concern - a quick Google search reveals more than 20,000 news articles citing the subject on a Global basis in the last month alone. On Twitter too, sustainability is a continually trending topic, producing a now almost endless stream of tweets and re-tweets on the subject.

For UK businesses, tapping into this public consciousness can hold potentially lucrative results. Recent research conducted by the Carbon Trust highlighted that 56% of people are more concerned about businesses' actions to reduce their impact on climate change than they were five years ago.

This same report however also highlights an increasing scepticism on the part of consumers towards what is fast becoming known as 'Green Washing', in other words being seen to be 'going green for greens sake'. Couple this with the perceived costs involved in transitioning towards more environmentally friendly ways of doing and running businesses and it is easy to see why the corporate world has so far been slow to adopt and develop more 'sustainable' practices.

So just what will it take for UK and Global businesses to take environmental sustainability seriously?

Put simply, sustainable products and services must first show their economic sustainability if they are to enjoy widespread adoption throughout the business world.

Here at Kell Systems, our sustainability mantra is all about cost savings first, with environmental savings right behind, backing those up. Delivering cost savings is an integral part of our product benefit. For any business - but especially ones that do not have the funds, the time, or simply the space to build an old-fashioned server room - housing their IT in a soundproofed 'Server Room in a Box' from Kell can lead to huge reductions in both capital and running costs. And now is the time to shift your IT infrastructure towards a smarter, more flexible, secure and economically sustainable set-up, especially if you are considering a building project.

In typical usage, the Server Room in a Box reduces IT equipment noise to an imperceptible level in the office, and, when compared to a traditional server room or wiring closet, cuts Capital costs by up to 80%, space (and hence rent) by up to 90%, and cooling energy use (and hence CO2 emissions) by up to 97%. What this means is that through the integration of our environmentally friendly product, businesses are making huge cost savings. It is this economic incentive that makes the sustainability factors of the product appealing to businesses who our of course, by their very nature, need to be focussed on the bottom line.

Economic sustainability has become more and more valuable to investors on a Global basis too, nowhere more so than in the US.

In a recent survey amongst PriceWaterhouseCooper's staff, 72% of senior US private equity executives pinpointed environmental sustainability as a 'top of mind priority' for maximising future profits. One big reason was cost savings: 88% of senior PwC executives believe sustainability will become a more important factor in business decisions and investments in the next two years.

We are therefore beginning to see a shift in the mind-set of business towards sustainability, but crucially, going forward, it will be the ability of planet-friendly products and services to demonstrate their worth from an economic point of view that ultimately paves the way for a more environmentally sustainable future for us all.

05 Aug 2011 12:21:00

Network Solutions: How Kell Systems is Getting LinkedIn

The growing prominence of social media in brand and business communications cannot be overstated.

Here at Kell Systems, we have been quick to embrace these channels, recognising their ability to provide a quick and effective line of communication between ourselves and our customers, outside of a more formalised sales environment.

One channel that has been going from strength to strength of late is LinkedIn, which last month reportedly overtook MySpace in its number of Global monthly users (approximately 34 million) to become the world's second largest social networking site behind only Facebook.

We recently made some significant updates to our LinkedIn company profile which you can view here.


Now, customers will be able to read about Kell products, specifications, and benefits directly on the social networking site, and can click through directly to individual parts of our website for further information on specific designs.

It all helps us to expand our first class customer service across the web, and inform of product updates and answer your enquiries in real time without any lag - just like the swiftness involved in delivering your newly ordered Kell Cabinets, which take WEEKS to arrive in your offices rather than months!

We would encourage anybody interested in the Kell Server Cabinet to go and take a look at us on LinkedIn, and for further product and services updates give the company profile a 'follow' to be kept up to speed, and hopefully we can also connect with you on there individually.

14 Jul 2011 12:48:00

APC by Schneider Electric's welcoming of Kell Systems into the family attracts Global Interest

As reported on our blog, APC by Schneider Electric last week formerly announced that Kell Systems would become part of the APC by Schneider Electric brand.

The story received widespread interest from the UK press, with a variety of blogs and trade publications rushing to cover the story, including an in-depth interview with Kell Systems Joint Managing Director, David O'Coimin in Channel Pro magazine.

Of course the media is changing, and as this week's News of the World saga demonstrates in the world of social media, news travels fast! We've lost count of the number of tweets, re-tweets and congratulatory messages we have received over the past week with regard to the announcement, and many thanks to all of those who enjoyed sharing in our news.

Perhaps most interestingly of all, the US section of our website received its highest ever number of daily visitors as news of the acquisition swept across the Globe.

In the Netherlands, which is another European territory that we operate in, interest was also high as the news filtered its way through to people through numerous newswire services and blogs.

We are delighted that this deal has generated so much interest on a Global level, but of course the really exciting thing for us will be the enhanced range of products and services that we will be able to bring to our Global customer base.

APC by Schneider Electric is THE leading global brand in the supply of technology for protecting and optimising server management, and provide sophisticated IT infrastructure solutions. Having worked alongside them for a number of years we are confident that this relationship will have some fantastic positive effects in terms of the products, services, and levels of support we are able to give our customers going forward.

These are undoubtedly interesting times for Kell, and we would encourage you to give us a 'Like' on facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates, case studies, industry news, and hopefully conversation as well.

08 Jul 2011 11:53:00

APC by Schneider Electric brings Kell Systems into the family.

Kell Systems Ltd has formally announced that it is to become part of the APC by Schneider Electric brand, the leading global brand in the supply of technology for protecting and optimising datacentre management.

Since the formation of Kell Systems Ltd five years ago, the Marlow-based UK manufacturing company has quickly risen to become the leading global producer of what they call the 'Server Room in a box' - a soundproofed IT cabinet. This allows server and network deployment wherever and whenever it is needed, saving space, cost and deployment time.

The full range of Kell Server Cabinets, some of which are already available through APC as part of their unique Netshelter CX range, further enhances APC's existing datacentre product suite to include office server storage that can be operated independently of or in conjunction with traditional server rooms, greatly reducing capital and running costs.

The combination of APC by Schneider Electric and Kell Systems generates tremendous opportunities for the unified business, and for customers, existing and new. For APC, the addition of Kell Systems' office server enclosures will create an integrated portfolio of products and solutions to address the full spectrum of customer IT requirements.

'We are very excited to welcome the Kell Systems team to APC by Schneider Electric,' said Laurent Vernerey, President and CEO of APC by Schneider Electric. 'The addition of Kell Systems to our existing portfolio is an opportunity to give our combined business market leadership in the server and network room/closet environment, and to bring innovation in the rack market, that uniquely differentiates us in the small systems space.'

David O'Coimin, Jt Managing Director of Kell Systems Ltd, added, 'Kell Systems is delighted to be part of the APC by Schneider Electric brand. The Kell solutions sit at the forefront of an IT infrastructure revolution, driving new business capture while addressing every-day cost & eco-concerns. Together with the Schneider team, we now have the mandate, the reach and the power to engage, create and provide solutions on a sophisticated global scale. We're relishing the prospect.'

27 Jun 2011 14:32:00

Smart Gov Live and the Importance of Economic Sustainability

Many thanks to all those who came by the stand at Smart Gov 2011 this year, the Government IT procurement specialist show which was held at the London ExCel last week.

As we have mentioned here on our blog many times in the past, hearing really is believing when it comes to the noise reducing benefits of the Kell Server Cabinet, and it was rewarding to see so many smiling faces at the stand as we demonstrated the product to them first hand!

The show was packed full of interesting presentations and panel discussions, including a very informative discussion about public data transparency and open standards on the second day. David Wilde, chief information officer of the City of Westminster, Paul Davidson, chairman & CIO, E-Government Standards, Board and Sedgemoor District Council, and Simon Rogers, editor of The Guardian's Datablog, debated the changing face of Government data in an new age of openness amongst consumers.

Beyond this, it was fantastic to see so much of the program centred around economic sustainability and operating efficiency, during what is undoubtedly a time of economic thrift for the British Government.

Of course, one of the unique selling points of the Kell Systems quiet server enclosure is the sustainability benefits that it brings. We have mentioned many times on our blog that in order for IT to be environmentally sustainable it must first be economically sustainable to provide the incentive for its uptake.

At a time when the Government is very much focussed on both economic and environmental sustainability, we are proud to say that the Kell Cabinet is already providing them with both, having units installed across Government offices including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department of Finance, British Airports Authority, and across Local Government buildings.

Today's economic climate is undoubtedly tough, and we have spoken before about the detrimental impact that inefficient server maintenance is having on UK business on a national level, so it was extremely reassuring to see a show so focussed on economic enhancements and future sustainability.

Looking forward to next year's event and for those of you who missed it at the show simply click on the image of the Kell Server Cabinet above to "hear" it in action!

23 Jun 2011 11:58:00

New CO2 Absorption Study Released by Kell Systems

It Takes 3,416 Trees to Break Down the Annual CO2 Output of One Office Server Room

Kell Systems today released the results of a brand new CO2 absorption study into the environmental effects of operating office computer servers. The study revealed that it takes 3,416 trees to consume the annual CO2 output of just one average sized server room.

According to the Tufts University Office of Sustainability (4), a 25 year old forest of white or red pines can only absorb 9,826lbs of CO2 per acre. Given that just one server room requires 4.88 acres, or a total of 3,416 trees, to break down its annual CO2 output, this means that it will take one tree 4,101 years to break down the annual CO2 output of one office server room.

Businesses Becoming More Environmentally Aware
The way that businesses run and maintain computer servers has been called into question in recent years. The likes of Google, Microsoft, and Intel, have all committed to raising server room temperatures (5), in an attempt to expend less energy in the cooling process. Of course, eliminating the server room from offices altogether may not be a viable short term solution, but these changing attitudes do emphasise a will to re-evaluate the status quo and the need to adapt to new solutions.

For Kell Systems joint managing director, John MacDonald, the problem lies with a lack of education within UK and Global industry that is leading to the unnecessary waste of energy in maintaining office servers.

'Building an entire room to house the IT for a small company is an extremely inefficient way of doing things,' said MacDonald. 'It is the industry equivalent to building a whole pantry to house a pint of milk, when the refrigerator has been invented. It is no surprise that the likes of Google and Intel are calling for an easing of server room cooling, because as these figures show a tremendous amount of waste goes into the annual operation of the traditional server room. With energy costs rising this is not just an environmental but also an economic waste for businesses, and looking at slightly increasing server room temperature or seeking viable alternatives - such as external cabinets - will become increasingly important.'

Bibliography

1. For further information on Kell research please visit the Kell Systems Business Case, 2011.
2. DOE's Sector-Specific Issues and Reporting Methodologies Supporting the General Guidelines for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases under Sections 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
3. Cornhusker Public Power District, 2009.
4. Tufts University Office of Sustainability, based on research found in Forests and Global Change, Vol. 2, Forest Management Opportunities for Mitigation of Carbon Emissions. Neil Sampson and Dwight Hair, Washington, 1996.
5. For more information on this subject, please visit http://kellsystems.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-data-centre-temperature-guidelines_20.html.

13 Jun 2011 10:10:00

Kell Systems Exhibiting at SmartGov Live 2011

We are delighted to be attending this year's SmartGov Live 2011 event, which is being held at the ExCeL London on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

There is certainly a buzz around this year's show, with IT having been placed at the heart of cost savings across the public sector in recent months.

David O'Coimin, joint managing director for Kell Systems said, 'It is an exciting time for ICT in the public sector right now. With public sector cuts making the headlines, the challenge becomes one of reducing costs while simultaneously enabling your organisation to deliver services more efficiently. And of course, if you can add green energy efficiency to economic sustainability, you are really beginning to leverage new technology to work for the benefit of the department as a whole.'

The show will run across both days on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th June, and will include a combination of Government talks, seminars, and exhibitors. Registration for the event is free and to do so simply click the registration button included here!

Kell Systems will be based on Stand F4 during the event, and this provides an excellent opportunity to come along and witness our Kell Server Cabinet's first hand! Please stop by and say hello and we would be delighted to demonstrate the product to you.

We will also be making ourselves available for press enquiries at the event having now finalised our CO2 absorption study, which is due for public release next week. For those who can't wait, we will be tweeting various nuggets from the report in the run-up to the event, as well as further images and insights from the event program. The Twitter hashtag for the event is #smartuk.

For further enquiries about this study or any other questions you may have relating to the event please feel free to get in contact with Kell Systems directly on info@kellsystems.co.uk or 01628 474757.

10 Jun 2011 10:57:00