Energy manager Schneider Electric said it has cracked a problem that has haunted the world over – the unforeseen differences between theoretical and practical potential for buildings.

The latest version of its StruxureWare data center infrastructure management (DCIM) system can now accept vital information from architectural blueprints.

This means previously unseen obstructions such as pipes, ducts, toilets, window frames and doors can now be catered for much more successfully in the planning stages of a data center.

By nipping these logistical problems in the bud, it said StruxureWare could save construction from many expensive logistical mistakes that cost hundreds of man hours to rectify.

StruxureWare Data Center Operation 7.4 will now be able to integrate information from computer aided design (CAD) systems, which are typically used to create the blueprints for buildings.

The incompatibility of the data from the two systems has led many data center builders to make false assumptions about the spatial arrangements of kit, explained Henrik Leerberg, Schneider Electric’s global product line director.

Retrospective repositioning of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which doesn’t fit the space that was mistakenly allocated to it, is a massively expensive and time consuming exercise, he said, which can now be avoided.

“Now you can important and export data from CAD and AUTOCAD you get a much better picture of building layouts,” Leerberg said.

“This is about improving the information and visibility of the system. These might be just extra layers of information, but they are very significant layers.”

Struxuware 7.4 promises to optimize colocation management, power monitoring and network management. The end game, said Leerberg, is to cut any company’s capital and operational expenses.

Another new feature is a ‘paired receptacle’ system that provides an overview of complete power redundancy at the cage or rack level, allowing facility and data center managers to simulate the impact of a failure and accurately display the failover load for each receptacle.

Schneider claimed it has improved its cage and rack-based power overview so they can display sold, measured and estimated power for black box environments, as well as accurate tenant billing, enhanced tenant data, and improved cage drawings.

All of these features, it said, will help bring more accuracy to the billing of tenants, calculations of leasable space and budget management.