1. Page 22 P r o c e s s e r . c o m
SIX QUICK TIPS
Picking A
DataCenter Site
How To Ensure You Find The Best Location
For Your SME's Facility
by Robyn Weisman
• • •
THERE HAS SEEN A LOT of fanciful talk
about relocating data centers in such heat'
minimizing venues as Iceland. but the
typical small to medium-sized physical
data renter site usually nets chosen for
more than the local climate or a trendy
address. " I t s a combination of factors.
Any one factor dots not make or break the
decision." says Lee Kirby. vice president
and general manager at infrastructure
solution provider Lee Technolozies (www
teem,: hnolog icreamSowhatcriteriashould IT and data cen-
ter manazers at SMEs consider when
choosing their data center sites? Here are a
few tips to help you out
KeepLocation Risks In Mind
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are quite low when it comes to their data
center becoming completely submerged in
water due to flooding or without power
for an extended period of time because
of a hurricane, and on a grand level, they
are correct in their assumptions.
- s a y sJohn Bennett. worldwide director o f
HP Data Center Transformation So-
lutions. "However, very few realize that
data center outages due to local flooding
or power losses due to a local fire are
quite common."
Bennett says it makes sense to avoid
locations with high natural disaster poten-
tial. A t h e saine tir,me. try to avoid local
ConsiderThe
OatsCenter Ilse!!
• Allocate additional space
for fire systems. Lint El.,
presidou and CEO of riatorark
fraStard:lara t e c h o o l c c e s
sicker:its provider NIT Oen-
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•otr,menl5s allocating additional
data motet' spars for a t;ne
sopotesSron system Such a
setup shoukt ineudo the in-
SbaTaart of chernical-holding
balloons or nitogen-pressured
citinders
• Windevrs are great for
numans but potentially dis-
astrous tot IT equipment.
Elk raceetnerels that you
avoid installing a data motor
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areas that are prone to seasonal flooding or
higher-than-averaze fire risks. -
I n a d d i t i o n .locations close to ports, chemical plants.
highways, or other arms that could be sub-
ject to a local disastrous event should also
be avoided." Bennett says.
Lice Blik, president and CEO of net-
work infrastructure technologies solutions
provider NIT Connect m w , hitconnect
Youdon't wanttohaveyourSME's
1-data center located inanareawherepettytheft orothercrime isanissue.
.nett. notes that if you live in a flood zone
and need, for whatever reason, to have
your data center in-house or nearby, do
not install your data center on the eround
floor of your building. "Floods are often
unprecedented and will severely damage
the data center.' M k says. "A more ideal
location would be on the second, third, lot
higher! floor."
PlanFor Future Growth
Slake sure you consider where your orga-
nization will be during the nest live to It)
years when selecting a physical lomtion for
your data center. recommends HI's Bennett
"As the business grows, the data center
increasingly becomes a more strategic
asset, helping to keep the business corn-
peticive." Bennett says. -
I T m a n a g e r s
BONUS TIPS
in a room sorb Woderms
because rnanngmig tempera-
ture and other arrei-mmentat
controls becomes more pleb-
lemate when you add wit-
down to me inbt. Virockme
may alt./iv warm as to chute
Piough Fromtoe outsce. gen-
eration 7PCIErpmftlyusage
and affecting pope
, e i r e o wmonowneinenosays
should align their data center strategies
cvith business goals and select a loca-
tion that can support long-term business
growth from both a space perspective and
atechnological one.
-
Consider Security & Safety
Far hti part. Lee Technologies' Kirby
says ies important to make sure that the
physical location that you choose for your
dat3 center is safe for your employees.
Yots don
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v e
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c a
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area where petty theft or other crime is
anissue_
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the vogue thing people think of, but some-
times peoplepeopleforget about simple crime.
-Kirby says.
CheckOut
LocalIncentives
Kirby also recommends checking out
what incentives the local EDC (economic
development coo nciI) can offer your orga-
nization for choosing to locate a data
center in its community. "A lot of IEDCs1
have gotten really aggressive in trying to
attract people into the area because an
EDC is just like any other type of sales-
person.
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get one person in there. they" II get another
because it'll attract and legitimize the fact
that they're making this area attractive to
FTorganizations."
Marto lietrumstee, president at the San
Antonio Economic Development Pone-
datton. says that San Antonio was able to
lure a Microsoft data center, as well as
several others through the incentives the
city offered. According to Hernandez_ his
organization pmvided Microsoft a pack-
age that included 55 million to help the
company purchase specialized transform-
ers that offset some of the starrup capital
costs, alone with a tax abatement from
city and county government property
taxes lot y e a r s . In addition, the local
utility company provided a multiyear
commitment to provide energy needs i t
less than 5 cents per kilowatt-hour,
Hernandez says.
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communities. [through their] economic
impact from having a data center, then
corEntunities will be inclined to provide
meaningful assistance and incentives in
the areas most important to the data cen-
ter.' tie notes.
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February 6, 2009 •
Ntoney-Sming Tip:
ShopAroundFor
TheBestPowerPrices
Lee Kirby, vice president and general man'
ager at infrestncture solubon presider Ltmi
Technologies (wmyteeted•nologies_coreL
says that the price at power IS becoming a
more important sCreenng oltencn. 'You
don't even get ta the table to oWermine it
that area wotad have other aspects because
people are runnlna away horn the h4it
newer grids.' Kirby szys
Kirby paints out that you hist want to Malta
sure the power is evadable and then fond
out what the local trtifty wOlcnarge ter it.
While a small to medurosized enterprise
usuatly can't leverage a kinky company
the way 4 large enterprise can. It can still
shop around to see who is ceasingrise
beat prices
'Power is one ot the most erper. Isye parts
at the data center operatmg budget. Orio
nyaa TV it built yoti•ve get to keep it pow-
ered and cooled„ and ' j u s t a mtrrvtir-ond-
Ing K i r b y says.
Best Tip:
EnsureAccessibility
ToITTalent&Vendors
11power :asts were the only rreior cmena
determining where to house pm nextCLIt4
center, you couldIstakt it inAntarenca and be
dery witn IL But Kstry warns that if you get
tooter away holm the major metros, avalabk-
ty ot resources gets toigh
'Thor costs go up because you're having to
transport people in,' he szis. 'During die con-
struction cycle, there are a iat of people
entire tummy tbo data ceder. „as C gets into
operation. it's a tot less. arid you May be able
to find local talent b t charces are it you're
way out there. you may not find the type of
talent that you w a i l '
Staying dOSe to maim rnetmpoRan areas
glees you agrea'ar filiefitmod at imitimg the
talent arm vendors you need to get your data
center up arid running. Combine that wan
potential Incentives from local EOCs (eco-
n o m i d d e v e l o p m e n t Calltle*S: t a r ExarrIP;e.
San Antonio has brought in midsized com-
panies, along with Microsoft and Lowe's
through the incentras a otters), and you
Should be able to find a good balance that
doesn't drain your waPet
Sunoutos TodaA
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