10
NEWS IN BRIEF
Rail researchers select liquid
cooled computing for Big Data risk
analysis at their facility
The Institute of Railway Research
(IRR) at the University of Huddersfield
has selected a pioneering highperformance computing system from
Iceotope, the liquid cooling technology
company, to run railway safety big
data risk analysis outside of the data
centre.
The IRR is engaged across a broad
range of big data activities. The big
data risk analysis research programme
is performed in conjunction with RSSB,
which represents the interests of 70
train operators, rolling stock owners,
infrastructure providers and suppliers
in the UK. Projects include vehicle and
track monitoring, analysis of safety
databases, risk identification and
safety operation investigations.
Following a comprehensive
market evaluation, the IRR decided
to deploy Iceotope’s PetaGen 1C
high-performance computing system,
in which Intel server electronics are
immersed in a safe, non-flammable
liquid coolant, to provide a dedicated
computing resource for these activities.
By using liquid cooling, Iceotope’s
portable computer system operates
in virtual silence and can deliver up
to 7.5kW of computing power using
blades housed in a cabinet occupying
less than one square meter of floor
space, without any requirement
for bulky air conditioning units or
acoustic hoods. The implementation
supports the IRR’s computing
strategy, enabling high-performance
computers to be located in the same
facility as its railway research team
for the first time.
Dr Coen van Gulijk, Professor
in Railway Safety and Risk at the
Institute of Railway Research,
comments: “Big data analysis has huge
potential to improve railway safety,
but it requires significant computing
resources. With its small footprint, low
power consumption and silent liquid
cooling, we can locate Iceotope’s
computing system alongside the
research team in the laboratory,
providing a dedicated, highly efficient
high-performance resource.” n
Updated NaviTEK NT
The NaviTEK NT Plus and Pro network
testers from IDEAL Networks have
received a number of time-saving updates
to help technicians carry out network
troubleshooting and maintenance on both
copper and fibre cable more efficiently.
Compact and handheld, NaviTEK NT
network testers are designed to help
technicians quickly pinpoint and solve
issues and offer fast detection of link and IP
information, as well as the ability to detect
services like ISDN, POTS and Power over
Ethernet.
“While the NaviTEK NT series was already a convenient
and effective network troubleshooter, we listened
closely to feedback to see how we could further increase
efficiency and usability,” says Tim Widdershoven, Global
Marketing Manager for IDEAL Networks. “There has been
a software update and we have improved the graphical
user interface, measurement times, fibre testing and
switch testing to give some significant time savings for
technicians.” n
£100m data
centre investment
to generate 400
new