Geist, Opengate Data Announce Alliance

Power distribution vendor Geist has made a financial investment in Opengate Data Systems, which specializes in cooling technology and enclosures, the companies said this week. As part of the agreement, Geist will begin offering and promoting Opengate’s line of data center airflow management solutions to its customer base. Geist and Opengate have been working together since 2007, when Opengate contracted Geist to develop and integrate web-based communication functions into a variety of Opengate solutions.

"We’ve seen this company grow, and feel their intelligent containment products are the best in the industry," said Sam Featherston, CEO of Geist’s parent company, Plastic Companies Enterprises. "As a result, we jumped at the chance to further our relationship with Opengate. We are very excited to be able to offer their technology to our customers."

OpenGate Data has focused on cabinet-level containment systems that effectively eliminate the hot aisle by removing waste heat from servers through a chimney system that brings the air directly into an overhead plenum (air chamber) that returns the hot air to the air handlers or CRACs (computer room air conditioners). The company was founded in May 2007 by Mark Germagian, formerly with APC and Wright Line.

"Opengate solutions adapt to server and other IT equipment demands," said Germagian. "With deployment of intelligent containment and precise cooling control systems, customers are able to optimize performance and significantly reduce data center energy consumption. Safely raising the cooling supply air temperature to the upper ASHRAE limit is how we enable these efficiencies."

Geist manufactures cabinet power distribution systems, ranging from basic offerings to full function PDU’s that allow outlet level monitoring and control, as well as Environet data center monitoring software. The company is based in Lincoln, Nebraska, and was founded in 1948.