Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau

Power for China's green Tech Megacity

Shenzhen is considered one of China’s leading technology and innovation hubs. The city is also a pioneer in electrification: buses, taxis and Sky Trains are operated entirely by electricity. This places particularly high demands on a powerful and reliable electricity supply. For more than 40 years, Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau has been responsible for supplying the metropolis with energy. It serves almost the entire city and provides electricity to more than three million households around the clock. To modernize the utility’s technical infrastructure, several control rooms, power distribution centers and conference rooms were to be made more user-friendly, quieter and more flexible.

The Challenge

Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau’s control room is staffed around the clock. In the main control room, around ten employees monitor and control an extensive computer infrastructure that must remain reliably available during continuous operation. 

One of the main challenges was to separate employees from the noisy technical environment. The required computing equipment therefore needed to be relocated securely without restricting immediate access to the systems. At the same time, the new KVM setup had to allow numerous computer sources to be switched in real time. 

The limited spacein the technical room placed additional demands on the design. A large number of racks had to be accommodated within a small installation area. Nevertheless, the new infrastructure needed to provide access to more servers than before while keeping the number of connections between racks as low as possible. 

An Experienced KVM Integration Partner

GuangZhou WeiDian Information Technology Co., Ltd., an experienced KVM systems integrator, was selected to modernize the existing KVM infrastructure.

The Solution – KVM Technology from G&D

The integrator designed a streamlined yet flexible KVM infrastructure for Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau using systems from G&D. The remotely located computing equipment consists of more than 500 high-performance computers. All servers were moved to a separate technical area and connected to around 20 G&D KVM matrix systems. A total of 500 extender links transmit the computer signals back to the control-room workplaces. 

With all computer sources connected to the G&D matrix switches, employees can access the required computing equipment from any controller workplace. A multilevel top-down cascade also makes it possible to integrate additional servers into the infrastructure. The implemented IP-Control API enables computer sources to be routed over the network to projection systems, mobile touch panels, large-screen systems and operator displays. Required content can therefore be displayed flexibly, independently of the user’s physical workplace. 

The TradeSwitch function was also integrated to simplify operation at workplaces equipped with multiple displays. It combines several workplace modules into one logical workplace. Employees can therefore operate different systems using only one keyboard and mouse and change the operating focus to the required computer source via hotkey.  The Push-Get function further supports teamwork. Employees can push the content of a target to another workplace display or a large-screen projection, or retrieve content from there. 

Technical Highlights

  • Around 20 G&D KVM matrix switchesfrom G&D

  • 500 extender links for more than 500 high-performance computers

  • Multilevel top-down cascadefor integrating additional servers

  • IP-Control API for flexible network-based routing of computer sources

  • TradeSwitch function for operating several workplace modules with one keyboard and mouse

  • Push-Get function for sharing and moving screen content

  • Access to the required computing equipment from any controller workplace 

The Result

With the new KVM infrastructure, Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau has established reliable and comfortable 24/7 operations. The high-performance computing equipment has been securely relocated outside the control room, allowing employees to work in a significantly quieter environment without giving up direct access to the systems they need.

Centralized access to the computer sources simplifies the controllers’ day-to-day work and enables the existing workstations and display systems to be used more flexibly. At the same time, the solution supports team collaboration by making it easy to share content with other workstations or display it on video walls.

The streamlined system architecture keeps both the space required and the number of connections between racks to a minimum. Its ability to accommodate additional servers also allows the infrastructure to grow in line with Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau’s future requirements.

The system was commissioned in spring 2020 and has delivered reliable performance in continuous operation ever since.

500
Relocated Computers
500
Extender Links
20
KVM Matrix Systems Used
Stanly Wu
YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON G&D
Stanly Wu , CEO GuangZhou WeiDian Information Technology Co., Ltd.

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