University of Winchester upgrades IT network for predictive maintenance
The solution will ensure the university always has visibility of health of its power supply
Winchester University has implemented Eaton's power management infrastructure solution to ensure students and staff are able to access the university's network 24/7.
The university decided to find a new solution to its power supply needs when its previous Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) failed, meaning students living in the university's student villages were unable to access the network. The outage also posed an environmental risk, with batteries in the UPS giving off fumes.
As as result, it opted for a supplier that could provide new hardware and diagnostic software too, so it could consistently monitor the condition of batteries and utilise other diagnostic tools. It also wanted a power management platform that could run on the company's existing VMware virtualised environment.
"The IT network is a really important part of a modern university; we provide a service to students and teaching staff and it's hugely important that the network gives guaranteed uptime for them to do online research and study whenever they require," said Sean Ashford, Network and Systems Manager at University of Winchester.
"We also need to ensure that there's no risk of data loss that could ultimately impact a student's grades. But we're not just a place of study, students live here and we need to ensure quality of service in the network in their downtime too."
Eaton installed 50 5PX single phase 3kVA units across the campus, each offering up to 20 minutes of standby power, which is enough time for the university's backup supply to come online and protect the network from data loss. The company also installed two 9SX 5000VA UPSs to support applications on the edge of the network and a 93PM UPS in the University of Winchester's data centre.
"Eaton has been a really important partner in helping to bring the university's IT infrastructure up to standard. The quality of service from the UPS systems was a critical factor in our choice of supplier, but more than that, it's the support that Eaton brings in enabling us to monitor and manage our systems so that we know exactly what is going on at any point in the network," Ashford concluded.
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives

Clare is the founder of Blue Cactus Digital, a digital marketing company that helps ethical and sustainability-focused businesses grow their customer base.
Prior to becoming a marketer, Clare was a journalist, working at a range of mobile device-focused outlets including Know Your Mobile before moving into freelance life.
As a freelance writer, she drew on her expertise in mobility to write features and guides for ITPro, as well as regularly writing news stories on a wide range of topics.
-
What does modern security success look like for financial services?Sponsored As financial institutions grapple with evolving cyber threats, intensifying regulations, and the limitations of ageing IT infrastructure, the need for a resilient and forward-thinking security strategy has never been greater
-
Yes, legal AI. But what can you actually do with it? Let’s take a look…Sponsored Legal AI is a knowledge multiplier that can accelerate research, sharpen insights, and organize information, provided legal teams have confidence in its transparent and auditable application
-
UK firms are pouring money into AI, but they won’t see a return on investment unless they address these key issuesNews An SAP report projects increased AI investment, but cautions that too many organizations are taking a fragmented approach
-
Intel makes high-level hires while factory workers are warned of layoffsNews The company is appointing four senior executives as part of efforts to refocus on engineering and customer relationships
-
UiPath names Simon Pettit as new AVP for UK and IrelandNews The seasoned leader will spearhead region-specific transformation projects as UiPath looks to drive operational growth and customer engagement
-
How to empower employees to accelerate emissions reductionin depth With ICT accounting for as much as 3% of global carbon emissions, the same as aviation, the industry needs to increase emissions reduction
-
Worldwide IT spending to grow 4.3% in 2023, with no significant AI impactNews Spending patterns have changed as companies take an inward focus
-
Report: Female tech workers disproportionately affected by industry layoffsNews Layoffs continue to strike companies throughout the tech industry, with data showing females in both the UK and US are bearing the brunt of them more so than males
-
How can small businesses cope with inflation?Tutorial With high inflation increasing the cost of doing business, how can small businesses weather the storm?
-
How to deal with inflation while undergoing digital transformationIn-depth How can organizations stave off inflation while attempting to grow by digitally transforming their businesses?