Author: Rob Carney

Smart, Scalable, and Secure: Modular Data Centres for Health, Education, Government & Defence

As the demand for fast, resilient, and secure digital infrastructure grows across sectors like communications, healthcare, education, government, utilities, finance and defence, the need for compact, high-performance data centre solutions has never been greater.

Cannon Technologies, a global leader in modular data centre innovation, offers an award-winning portfolio ideal for small to medium-scale deployments – delivering performance, flexibility, and rapid deployment where it matters most.

Why Modular for Critical Sectors?

Organisations operating in sensitive and dynamic environments require infrastructure that is:

• Secure and resilient to physical and cyber threats
• Scalable to grow with demand
• Deployable in hard-to-reach or mobile locations
• Rapid to install and ready for immediate service

Cannon Technologies’ Globe Trotter and Granular Modular Data Centre solutions meet all these demands, providing unparalleled value and operational confidence.

Globe Trotter: Transportable & Tactical

For mobile, relocatable, or rapidly deployable scenarios, especially in defence, disaster recovery, and remote healthcare – Cannon’s Globe Trotter series is unmatched.

These transportable modular data centres:

• Deploy 75% faster than traditional builds
• Feature plug-and-play infrastructure, pre-integrated, tested, and shock-protected
• Support global missions with Soft Ride™ shock attenuation, ideal for pre-commissioned systems
• Include Tier III-ready designs, robust cooling, and scalable power systems from a few kilowatts up to 100kW

Use cases:

• Campus Server Room, UPS and Network SMART building Modules
• Mobile field hospitals and command centres
• Secure educational deployments in temporary sites
• Tactical defence networks or classified data nodes in forward environments

Granular Modular: Precision-Built for Challenging Sites

Where traditional construction is impractical – urban campuses, legacy government buildings, or restricted sites – Cannon’s Granular Modular system offers a game-changing alternative:

• Assembled on-site from man-portable components—no cranes required
• Designed to fit through tight access points and built around obstructions
• Suitable examples include urban hospitals, schools, or municipal facilities with spatial or structural limitations
• Enables phased buildouts, minimizing CAPEX and reducing disruption

With pre-engineered pods available in sizes from 10 to 50 racks, and full data hall integration – including cooling, power, fire protection, and NGEN Estate – these solutions provide full-spectrum performance from day one

NGEN Estate: Real-Time Monitoring, Control, and Intelligence

Replacing and surpassing traditional DCIM systems, NGEN Estate is Cannon Technologies’ next generation monitoring platform.

Designed specifically for modular and mobile data centre environments, NGEN Estate offers:

• Real-time visualisation of the entire MDC infrastructure and equipment
• Remote access capabilities, enabling secure oversight from anywhere in the world
• Health monitoring and diagnostics of systems and subsystems
• Preventative maintenance planning, reducing downtime and costly repairs
• Resource management, allowing engineers to be deployed more efficiently
• Full audit trails, tracking equipment use, status, and configuration

By delivering all the features of DCIM – and significantly more – NGEN Estate empowers operators across sectors to maintain operational excellence, improve uptime, and ensure security and compliance at every level.

Total Lifecycle Support: Cannon + Level 6 Services

Cannon’s offering doesn’t stop at delivery. Through its Level 6 Services, Cannon ensures full life-cycle support:

• Concept design through to integration, testing, and on-site installation
• On-demand hardware installation, remote monitoring, maintenance, and upgrades
• Rapid deployment capabilities – powered and operational within months, not years

This comprehensive support is critical for sectors where uptime, compliance, and performance are non-negotiable.

Benefits Across Key Sectors

Healthcare

• Enable secure areas for digital record access, imaging data, and telehealth platforms on-site
• Compact MDCs reduce infrastructure footprint in crowded campuses
• Compliant with reliable and power resilience requirements

Education

• Provide scalable, secure infrastructure to support digital learning, Ai and research platforms
• Modular upgrades allow future expansion as tech requirements grow

Government & Municipal

• Rapid deployment in underserved or rural areas
• Meet strict procurement, energy efficiency, and compliance standards

Defence & Security

• Military-grade resilience, physical separation of networks, and rapid redeployment
• Integrated secure access, CCTV, fire suppression, and NGEN Estate monitoring

Conclusion: Ready for Today, Built for Tomorrow

Cannon Technologies delivers the ultimate modular data centre solution for small to medium-scale deployments in high-stakes environments.

Whether relocating to the field, retrofitting an existing structure, or planning for future growth, Cannon’s Globe Trotter and Granular Modular systems offer fast, secure, and cost-effective infrastructure – supported for life.

Discover how Cannon can future-proof your mission-critical data operations.
📞 +44 (0) 1425 632600
📧 sales@cannontech.co.uk

Speed, Strength, and Scalability: How Cannon’s EPIC-X and SMART-X Cabinets Are Powering the Digital Backbone

As digital infrastructure continues to grow exponentially, the pressure is on for data centres, telecom hubs, and IT facilities to deliver high-performance, secure environments fast.

Cannon Technologies, a long-standing leader in data centre and telecoms hardware, is addressing these demands head-on with their cutting-edge EPIC-X and SMART-X server cabinets.

Rapid Delivery, Ready to Deploy

In an industry where downtime is costly and speed to implementation is everything, Cannon’s 1–3 working day delivery service across the mainland offers a major competitive advantage.

Both EPIC-X and SMART-X cabinets arrive pre-built and factory-fitted, reducing on-site installation time significantly and enabling rapid deployment in critical infrastructure environments.

Whether you’re upgrading a single IT room or expanding a hyperscale data centre, the swift availability of these units ensures projects stay on schedule and budgets stay intact.

Your Emergency Partner: When Others Let You Down

Unexpected delivery failures or last-minute requirements can put infrastructure projects at risk. That’s where Cannon steps in.

With fully stocked models and rapid logistics, Cannon is the trusted fallback when your current supplier can’t deliver.

Many clients turn to Cannon in moments of urgency—whether it’s a same-week site launch or a critical comms room outage, because they know the products are in stock, ready to ship, and built to perform.

When reliability matters most, Cannon delivers.

Designed for High Load and High Performance

Modern digital infrastructure demands hardware that can handle high-density equipment and heavy static loads.

The EPIC-X range supports up to 1000kg, while the more robust SMART-X series boasts an impressive 1500kg load rating – ideal for demanding environments such as telecoms networks, enterprise data centres, and military or financial installations.

Both lines accommodate all standard 19-inch rack-mountable servers, with configurations designed to support mixed server depths and complex equipment layouts.

Conclusion

Both EPIC-X and SMART-X are top-tier choices from Cannon Technologies – designed to address the real-world demands of modern digital infrastructure.

If you’re under pressure from tight timelines, experiencing delivery failures from other suppliers, or facing last-minute project changes, Cannon’s rapid availability ensures you’re not left waiting.

Whether your priority is weight capacity, cabinet size, security, or sustainability, there’s a Cannon solution to fit your specific needs and it’s likely in stock and ready to ship today.

Scalable, Flexible, and Future-Proof

Cannon’s modular approach allows customers to scale infrastructure as requirements evolve.

The EPIC-X is available in heights from 25U to 47U, with widths from 600mm to 800mm and depths up to 1200mm. The SMART-X extends even further, with cabinet heights reaching 52U, catering to more expansive or high-density setups.

Smart modularity means these cabinets can be deployed as stand-alone units or seamlessly integrated into large-scale installations—future-proofing IT environments against ongoing growth and change.

Engineered for Ease and Efficiency

Rapid deployment isn’t just about delivery, it’s about ease of installation too. Cannon’s signature features include:

• Quick-release perforated doors for high airflow and fast access
• Multi-entry roof panels and large base cable access points
• Infinitely adjustable mounting posts for maximum equipment compatibility
• Vendor-agnostic mounting profiles (SMART-X) supporting a wide range of hardware

These features help technicians work faster and smarter, while ensuring optimal airflow and cable management, critical for performance and reliability.

Security and Sustainability

Security is baked into the design, with steel construction and 2-point locking doors in the SMART-X series providing robust protection.

In line with environmental concerns, SMART-X also features reduced plastic content, improving recyclability and minimising environmental impact, a growing priority for many corporate clients.

Built for IT, Datacentres, and Telecoms

Whether you’re outfitting a new data hall, retrofitting a comms room, or deploying equipment in mission-critical environments like defence or finance, Cannon’s EPIC-X and SMART-X solutions deliver the strength, speed, and scalability today’s infrastructure demands.

With rapid availability, outstanding load performance, and advanced modular design, Cannon’s server cabinets aren’t just built to spec; they’re built for the future. And when timing is critical, Cannon is the supplier you can depend on when others fall short.

When it comes to building or expanding critical infrastructure—whether in a data centre, IT room, or telecoms hub, selecting the right server cabinet can make all the difference.

Cannon Technologies offers two exceptional solutions:
EPIC-X and SMART-X.

While both deliver rapid availability, high performance, and secure housing for sensitive equipment, there are key differences that can help you determine which is best for your environment.

Shared Strengths

Before diving into the distinctions, it’s important to note the core features that both ranges share:

• 1–3 working day delivery across the mainland
• Factory-built for fast, clean on-site deployment
• Modular design for scalability and flexible configuration
• Secure steel construction
• Compatible with all standard 19” rack-mounted equipment
• Large cable access points, adjustable mounting posts, and easy access doors
• Full suite of accessories including PDUs, cable trays, and blanking panels

Both EPIC-X and SMART-X are engineered to support industries with high data demands such as telecoms, finance, electronic packaging, defence, and IT.

The Key Differences: EPIC-X vs. SMART-X

1. Load Capacity

• EPIC-X: Supports up to 1000kg static load
• SMART-X: Designed for heavier setups with a max load of 1500kg

If you’re working with high-density equipment or future-proofing for increased rack weight, SMART-X offers the extra durability.

2. Cabinet Size Range

• EPIC-X: Available in 25U to 47U heights
• SMART-X: Offers more vertical space, from 25U up to 52U

For projects that demand taller cabinets to maximize floor space, SMART-X provides the additional height options.

3. Depth Options

• EPIC-X: More size variety in depth (600mm, 800mm, 1000mm, 1200mm)
• SMART-X: Focused on deeper cabinets (1000mm, 1200mm only) for modern server and cooling systems

If cabinet depth flexibility is crucial – especially in smaller server rooms – EPIC-X might be the more versatile choice.

4. Finish and Colour Options

• EPIC-X: Comes in black (RAL 9005) powder-coated finish
• SMART-X: Standard in grey-white (RAL 9002), with black available on request

This subtle difference can matter for clients with aesthetic or branding preferences in high-visibility installations.

5. Sustainability

• SMART-X includes reduced plastic content in its design, enhancing recyclability
• EPIC-X offers a more traditional build, prioritizing rapid delivery and wide compatibility

For clients with sustainability mandates, SMART-X offers a greener footprint without sacrificing performance.

6. Security Features

• SMART-X includes 2-point locking on front and rear doors for added protection
• EPIC-X features robust construction but a single-point access system

In environments where equipment security is paramount – such as colocation facilities or defence sites SMART-X offers that extra peace of mind.

Requirement	Best Choice
Tight Delivery Timelines	Both
Maximum load capacity	SMART-X
Wider range of cabinet sizes	EPIC-X
Taller cabinet configurations	SMART-X
More compact/smaller depth use	EPIC-X
Sustainability priorities	SMART-X
Enhanced door locking/security	SMART-X
Broadest availability/stock	EPIC-X

Conclusion

Both EPIC-X and SMART-X are top-tier choices from Cannon Technologies – designed to address the real-world demands of modern digital infrastructure.

If you’re under pressure from tight timelines, experiencing delivery failures from other suppliers, or facing last-minute project changes, Cannon’s rapid availability ensures you’re not left waiting.

Whether your priority is weight capacity, cabinet size, security, or sustainability, there’s a Cannon solution to fit your specific needs and it’s likely in stock and ready to ship today.