Over the last 10 years or so, public and private companies, both enterprise and SMB, have needed to migrate business critical applications to data centre and cloud environments in order to ensure continuity. The ramping up of the digital economy, coupled with ever-increasing power and data capacity requirements, has caused a massive surge in demand and widespread data centre construction. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has displaced the workforce, creating a more distributed demand for cloud and data centre based applications and consequently created the need for more infrastructure. Employees, still needing to engage with colleagues, customers and partners, use a range of collaborative tools to allow them to communicate, share content and to develop products to preserve and drive revenue in these extraordinary times. Constructing data centres and deploying infrastructure requires significant investment and today, scrutinising return on capital has never been more intense. A crucial component in data centre design and construction relates to power and data cabling. When executed well, it provides for improved facility operations and a much more reliable customer service. However, a cabling project delivered without all the care and experience required presents the risk of an unending stream of system failures that can be extraordinarily expensive to resolve and manage. Datalec Precision Installations (DPI) has carved a niche for itself by delivering an end-to-end infrastructure design, build, installation and support capability for data centres throughout Europe, the United States and Far East. The company’s network infrastructure specialists have a wealth of experience in providing an extensive range of tailored cabling solutions including high and low voltage power, voice, data, and powered fibre. DPI undertakes work in both new and refurbished facilities and can support significant migration projects.
Operating in a fiercely competitive space, currently witnessing extraordinary growth, there is a very significant requirement for companies like Datalec to deliver robust solutions in a compressed time frame. To this end, the company has heavily invested in its staff, facilities, and resources to turn the principle of self-delivery into practical application. “Customers appreciate our off-site manufacturing capabilities and end-to-end solutions provided through a single self delivery model,” explains Lee Eiffert, COO at DPI. Whether it’s testing and certification of structured cabling networks, network migration or a complete new build data centre, DPI’s in-house design and delivery teams work together, covered by professional indemnity insurance, to give their clients every assurance in the design and construction phases.
To control quality and availability, DPI relies heavily on its manufacturing plant which provides the added benefit of greater control over time to deliver. This is crucial in the data centre space. Further benefits include the ability to develop and innovate, many clients are constantly looking for advanced technical solutions within the whitespace. DPI also takes advantage of state-of-the-art technologies, including BIM and 3D modelling to create construction drawings for total integrity and accuracy.
This reduces risks and cost while increasing efficiency and flexibility in design, ensuring high-quality project implementations within client timescales and budget
As part of the service the company’s project management team prepares and delivers progress reports to all clients, which provide essential visibility of key activities, risks, interdependencies and challenges as they relate to other site contracted workers. Furthermore, its highly experienced, and CNet trained and CNCI, CNIDP certified data team offer support to clients providing expert guidance throughout the project lifecycle from initial planning to operations on-site. “This reduces risks and costs while increasing efficiency and flexibility in design, ensuring high-quality project implementations on time and on budget. Every time,” adds Eiffert.
Established in 2012 by professionals who believed they could build a business with quality and diversity at its core, DPI has developed a world-class team of cable technicians with vast experience in data centre construction and whitespace fit-out. Over the years, as their business and reputation has grown, the company has engaged some of the most significant data centre operators and cloud providers in the world. Fast- forward to the present, DPI still hasn’t forgotten its roots. Renowned for focusing on the smallest detail and successfully implementing substantial data suite builds, the company is constantly focusing on delivering a proactive and personal service that provides agility, flexibility and adaptability. DPI takes pride in being seen by its customers as a partner and relies on referrals and repeat work for almost all of its new business development. The company’s expansion strategy outside of the UK has helped its customer base to grow from London and the Home Counties in the UK, across Europe, to the United States and beyond.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, border closures, lockdowns, and social distancing measures led to unprecedented disruptions in the supply chain and the closure of supplier manufacturing and assembling units. During these testing times, DPI’s own fabrication and construction facility has supported its clients on projects where the more typical supply chain has struggled to cope. In an endless pursuit for quality and excellence, DPI intends to continue heavily investing its manufacturing resources and its technicians’ knowledge base and skill-set. Separately, the company has recently added general construction and MEP services to support its core data centre services portfolio and has effectively bridged the gap between the construction and operating environments. “We aim to meet the connectivity requirements of a client today with the capacity to evolve and scale with their business tomorrow,” concludes Eiffert.