The Background
BMW of Minnetonka was outgrowing its existing facility and began a project to construct a brand new, state-of the-art dealership. The old data center was described by the BMW Facility Manager and IT Manager as a “spaghetti network of wiring”, which led to service disruptions and increased downtime. There was little room for growth and the cabling system had become very disorganized. This made it difficult to make changes and took a lot of time.
The Challenge
The new building design was created to offer customers the best dealership experience. This 250,000-square-foot structure was constructed with heavy brick and concrete. To add visual appeal, a two-story glass wall was added. BMW of Minnetonka wanted high-tech features throughout their new building to meet the needs of their clients. A heated and air-conditioned maintenance area with an attached indoor car ramp was a unique feature of this dealership. This meant that there was more space for concrete infrastructure, air ducts and heating panels and less room for housing cable. Each bay needs at least four data ports in order to connect to the BMW headquarters for vehicle history information and diagnostic checks. This project required tight installation, high-end visual appeal, hidden network connections, coordination among multiple contractors, and coordination during construction. Multiple integration points were required to ensure interoperability between security, wireless and RFID systems.
The Solution
Black Box Resale Services was contracted by BMW of Minnetonka to manage the installation. BMW was assisted by a Black Box Resale Services RCDD, (Registered Communications Distribution Designer). This allowed them to provide expert design advice and long-term planning for their data center growth. Black Box provided oversight for installation to ensure industry-standard deployment methods were followed. Reliability was a key factor. Black Box (r), equipment was used. It offers a lifetime guarantee on equipment and applications through its Double Diamond ™ warranty. More than 17 miles worth of data and voice cabling was installed. Over 300 jacks were also tested and turned on.
Satisfied Client
The voice and data cables have not been hampered since the dealership opened its doors in winter 2009. Black Box Resale Services was the only contractor to have no outstanding issues when the dealership opened. Their commitment to quality is evident in this. They gave me a well-organized network closet which makes it easier to maintain my network. They have been there for me every day and I still rely on their expertise.” Mark Spanagel is the Facility and IT Manager at BMW of Minnetonka.
