Verari Speeds Off With $20M

Blade server and SAN startup Verari continues to pull in the cash, picking up $20 million in funding earlier today as it attempts to make its technology more environmentally friendly. (See Verari Picks Up $20M.)

The C round was led by Carlyle Venture Partners, along with Voyager Capital, Sierra Ventures, and an unnamed strategic investor, bringing the startup's total funding to more than $50 million. (See Verari Bags $13M .)

Verari CTO David Driggers told Byte & Switch that the Series C could also swell to $25 million. (See Wright to Lead Verari.) "The main reason will be to allow room for a second strategic investor," he says, adding that the additional $5 million, along with the identity of the mysterious backer, will be made public within the next 30 days.

A sizeable chunk of the cash influx has already been earmarked for what Verari describes as "energy-saving technologies". Specifically, the startup is planning to overhaul the power module that fits into its blades and storage systems. "The current one supports high voltage A/C, [but] the follow-on product will support both high-voltage A/C and high-voltage D/C," says Driggers, adding that this could shave 10 to 15 percent off users' power consumption when launched early next year.

Blades have been a source of concern for many IT managers, with users citing power and heat issues associated with their high-density form factor. (See Blades Still Too Hot, Summer Storage Survival, Data Center Heat Wave, and Vegas Blade Warning.)