Schneider and Compass partner to streamline modular data center deployments

Schneider Electric and Compass Datacenters have announced a partnership that’s aimed at expanding the two companies’ production capabilities for modular data centers. They’re building a 110,000 square-foot facility where they’ll integrate Schneider’s power management equipment with Compass’s prefabricated data center modules in an effort to speed deployments across the US.

It’s an ideal match. Schneider makes the infrastructure that runs data centers, such as power generators and HVAC systems, and Compass designs and builds data centers for hyperscalars and cloud service providers worldwide. Compass builds standard-design data centers as well as the newer modular type, which is gaining in popularity.

“This modern approach we’re pursuing supports both organizations’ goals and serves as a guidepost for vendor and industry partnerships others can follow,” said Aamir Paul, North America President of Schneider Electric, in a statement.

The new facility, which is adjacent to Compass’ Red Oak, Texas campus, will enable the two companies to integrate their supply chain networks and streamline the delivery of pre-engineered, prefabricated IT infrastructure.

Modular data centers can be thought of as an extension of containerized data centers from 20 years ago, when Sun Microsystems first introduced a shipping container packed with hardware and ready to deploy. Modular data centers take this concept one step further and prioritize scalability, so you can start small and increase capacity by adding on ready-to-deploy modules as your needs increase. 

Compass primarily serves cloud service providers, however the companies are seeing demand for more on-prem data centers from the enterprise side as well, according to Phanney Brevard, head of business strategy and transformation data center systems business at Schneider Electric.

“When you think about the predictability that prefabricated modular data centers provide, the speed, and also the consistency and quality that has been proven over the past few years, we’re finding that more and more of our cloud service provider and market customers are really benefiting from the speed that they gain” when taking the modular approach, Brevard said.

The speed of deployment depends on the complexity of the modular solution; however, generally speaking, the companies can produce a modular solution 50% faster than traditionally built solutions, Brevard said.

“The reason Schneider Electric can do that is because of the dedicated expertise behind the tender, design, and fabrication stages, utilizing the most efficient methodology throughout. It also helps that we already produce 90% of the hardware that goes into a data center,” she said.