// Geo connects UK Grid datacentre ON-NET
Synergy House is located on the Manchester Science Park, the main Internet hub in Manchester

/ Well connected to the Geo dark fibre backbone
Geo has installed dark fibre to connect UK Grid’s main data centre facility in Manchester, Synergy House, into the nationwide Geo network. The move will enable UK Grid to provide customers with assurances over network diversity as well as deliver a nationwide service via the Geo network.

UK Grid provides data centre space, IP transit and business continuity services to customers such as the Arts Council, AQA, Click & Buy and Cogent.

The new Geo dark fibre connects UK Grid’s Synergy House data centre, situated on the Manchester Science Park (MSP), into the 3,000km Geo nationwide network.

The Geo network is a next generation fibre network that runs along the gas pipeline and within the sewer network in London. Most communication networks follow the road network and are therefore much more susceptible to physical damage during maintenance and construction work.

The dark fibre network link that Geo has installed for UK Grid is part of a bold investment plan that seeks to position UK Grid as a leading data continuity business in the North West and a top ten player nationwide.

UK Grid is currently building a third data centre in the Piccadilly area of central Manchester and is planning to build out fibre connections from its network to Tier 1 Points of Presence (PoPs), the main access points onto the internet in the UK.

"Manchester is second only to London as a hot spot for data centres and data continuity provision. The attraction of the North West for businesses seeking to buy data continuity services is that the costs are typically half the price of those in the capital. Connecting into the Geo network enables UK Grid to deliver its services nationwide,” said Rob Garbutt, Managing Director, UK Grid.

"The Geo network is the UK’s newest nationwide next generation fibre network. Data continuity providers, such as UK Grid, recognise the benefit that this brings to their customers in terms of bandwidth capacity, diversity and physical security,” said Chris Smedley, Chief Executive Officer, Geo.

// UK Grid brings 120 racks online in Synergy House

UK Grid’s expansion into the first floor of Synergy House is now complete to release a further 120 racks.

Adding to UK Grid’s commitment for a carbon balanced environmentally conscious data centre, the latest chloride UPS technology has been employed. Chloride’s next generation of 80-NET UPS systems give near unity power factor and paves the way for a low PUE within the facility.

UK Grid’s operations director John Sweeney quoted "The ground floor of Synergy House was a remarkable success in delivering 130 racks with a PUE of <1.4. This was achieved by implementing cold aisle containment, blanking plate technologies and an inverter driven cooling solution. The first floor of Synergy House has a similar design, however, we anticipate a PUE of between 1.2 and 1.3 and this is partly due to Chlorides new UPS design."

The first floor of Synergy House is already 50% pre-sold and has already attracted customers such as AQA, Arts Council England and Where are you now?.

For enquires on availability on the first floor of Synergy House, please speak to Rob Garbutt on 0161 850 0934, rob@ukgrid.net