High-performance data processing, management and storage integrator, OCF, announces that it is now accredited to supply and integrate IBM server and storage hardware to UK academia through the IT purchasing framework agreement, National Server and Storage Agreement (NSSA)^.  NSSA, an IT purchasing framework agreement, enables all universities, higher education and further education colleges to purchase equipment without the need to go through individual EU tenders. This reduces procurement costs and time. OCF also recruits Simon Spencer to help drive the programme into UK academia.

OCF has over 15 years experience of successfully designing and integrating high performance server and storage clusters into UK academia. It’s customers include: the University of Central Lancashire; the University of Salford; King’s College London, Durham University and The University of Edinburgh.

OCF is responsible for the first worldwide deployment of IBM DCS3700 storage technology and the first UK deployment of Intel’s Westmere E5620 Quad Core processors in IBM iDataPlex servers. It has successfully integrated more high performance server clusters using the industry-leading IBM iDataPlex server than any other UK integrator and the most IBM GPFS file management system integrations in the UK, more than IBM itself. 

“The NSSA accreditation is further reassurance to our current and prospective customers that OCF understands the requirements and intricacies of UK academia,” says Steve Reynolds, Sales Director, OCF. “NSSA members will continue to benefit from the most competitive pricing on IBM hardware in the education and research sector, plus this will now be supported with our integration expertise.  OCF is committed to this programme and the appointment of Simon Spencer to help drive the programme into UK academia is testament to that.”

Steve Cliff, Sales Manager, Public Sector IBM Systems and Technology Group comments: “In the UK’s academic and research based community, OCF has consistently demonstrated its understanding of high performance computing and storage solutions. Universities, higher education and further education colleges purchasing IBM server and storage cluster hardware through the agreement will now benefit from its proven skills, knowledge and experience.”

NSSA consists of six key UK geographical regions: The Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC); the Universities Colleges and Information Systems Association (UCISA); the Higher Education Purchasing Consortium for Wales (HEPCW); London Universities Purchasing Consortium (LUPC), North West Universities Purchasing Consortium (NWUPC), North Eastern Universities Purchasing Group (NEUPG), Proc-SNI (Procurement Scotland &NI) and Research Councils. All members of these regional consortia benefit from:

•   Consistently low pricing on IBM servers and storage technologies

•   Ability to purchase under a pre-tendered framework agreement

•   Exclusive product offers and promotions

•   Experienced technical pre and post-sales consultancy

•   Fully comprehensive support and installation services