INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS INTELLIGENTLY INSTALLED CREATE ‘ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TRADING ROOMS IN THE CITY’

Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (MUSI) - part of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of the world’s largest financial institutions – has successfully completed the design and installation of a world-class multi-million pound refurbishment of the international trading floor at its London headquarters. In common with many investment banks, hedge funds, treasury, retail banks, energy traders and other multinational financial institutions, MUSI relies on advanced technologies to function effectively in continuously shifting market dynamics across global time zones. The strategic driver for the new trading floor and associated technology upgrades was the recognition of the need to continue its London expansion to meet global demands by utilising flexible computing, storage, networking resources and hardware.

The decision to adopt a solution combining APC leading edge technology, Dell Blade servers, Amulet KVM switching and driving technology and Matrox hardware would ensure all key objectives would be met, including the provision of always-on, secured and centralised computing for up to 400 traders. Other benefits would include a major improvement in the working environment and positive health and safety issues such as reduced clutter, noise and heat associated with individual-user PC operations.

However, the delivery of a dramatic, measurable improvement in efficiency and cost-effectiveness would also require a strategically sound, highly professional, phased installation of M&E engineering and technology works within a very short timescale to allow full business continuity. This critical element of the project was entrusted to OCS Engineering, a division of £600 million OCS property support services group, working with designers BDS.

The contract for OCS Engineering, valued at more than £5 million, covered the entire second floor of MUSI’s premises in Broadgate in the City of London. It required the building of dedicated computer rooms to house the Blade servers utilising in-row cooling, upgraded UPS support, network and cabling equipment; and the provision of a fire suppressant system and energy proficient cooling units necessitating a new roof-based chiller. The total refurbishment of the 51,000 square feet trading floor also included the installation of new hydraulic trading desks supplied via an underfloor busbar system from a dual fed PDU, incorporating the latest iPDU technology which, when added to the new control system, allowed MUSI full monitoring and control of their critical infrastructure. OCS was also responsible for building twelve new meeting and management rooms to support the trading floor activities.

Graham Yellowley, Director of Technology at MUSI said, “OCS Engineering has been magnificent. The project, which in terms of Blades is the largest single deployment that we are aware of in the City, has been a major success and this is principally down to the teamwork ethic demonstrated throughout the programme. The trading floor looks superb and the traders are extremely pleased with their new environment. But this is just the visible part of the works. OCS Engineering has also delivered on both the M&E engineering and the necessary associated building works to the highest standard; similarly they have worked hard to deliver the allied infrastructure works within a very tight timeframe. All credit to them for their tremendous efforts on this achievement.”

By centralising their computing assets into secure locations and freeing up valuable space on the trader desks, the PC Blade solution brings measurable improvements in the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of managing and supporting MUSI client PCs. In addition, using a management suite that enables an almost ‘touchless’ environment, IT analysts can remotely manage and control global business PC deployments without having to make any trips to the users’ desktops. At a time of considerable expansion requiring recruitment of new traders, MUSI’s centralised solution also helps reduce the considerable costs of moves, adds and changes (MAC) which, with conventional desktop PC configurations, require additional planning, coordination and resource costs. In this context, the new Blade solution was anticipated to bring an expected 80% reduction in support trips to desks and costs for MAC requirements. Another significant advantage came with the facility for ‘hot-swap’ switchover without having to interrupt the user in the event of hardware failure, as well as hot pluggable Blade solutions, power supplies, cooling fans, I/O modules and hard drives.

The in-row cooling approach took advantage of the APC High Density, fully enclosed, hot aisle solution (a cube). As Mark Smith of Cundalls explained, “This philosophy effectively reduced the load per desk from the usual 500W to 200W. The combined effect of this approach and locating the Blade centres within the new SER rooms also removed processing from each desk and allowed more traders to be accommodated on the floor. This is the largest single deployment of Blades supplied by Dell that we are aware of in the City.”

The programme of innovative engineering solutions was based around a robust strategic approach adopted by OCS who were involved in the project planning process from the outset. The strategy set out to build a state-of-the-art trading environment dovetailed with the objective of delivering cost savings, energy efficiency and improved response times for the busy traders.

OCS Engineering, through its specialist BES Projects division, has previously undertaken similar projects as well as ongoing comprehensive maintenance for MUSI and this contract builds upon this existing strong relationship. “The teamwork between us and OCS Engineering is much stronger than the usual ‘partnering’ relationship. This makes for clearer decision-making, understanding and sharing of risks”, said MUSI’s Graham Yellowley.

Commenting on the project completion, Richard Burl, managing director of OCS Engineering, said, “MUSI demonstrated trust in our strategic approach and in our disciplined and professional approach in developing and managing an extremely challenging and difficult programme of works. The on-site team are an exceptional group of quality engineers who committed enormous effort, energy and a steely determination to achieve the impossible - it would be very hard to find a more dedicated and professional unit. The project was achieved against extremely tight time constraints with all credit to both MUSI and OCS who combined to operate as one.”

Following the success of the Floor 2 project for MUSI at No 6 Broadgate, OCS Engineering is now working on a refurbishment of Floor 3 (24,000 sq ft) and will later commence work on the fourth floor (33,000 sq ft).

Congratulating the OCS Engineering team, OCS group chief executive Chris Cracknell said, “The design and installation of such a complex refurbishment programme utilising leading edge technologies required painstaking attention to detail and completion within a critical timescale. Our team has demonstrated not only that they are capable of such a project but that they can work seamlessly with the client to ensure that real value and professionalism is added.”