The Pros and Cons of Data Center Colocation

Data center colocation plays a strategic role in modern IT operations. For many companies, it presents an attractive alternative to building and maintaining a sizeable data center. Housing servers and network equipment off-site does offer companies a number of benefits, but the picture isn’t as simple as black and white. Before you commit to colocation, here are a few things to consider: Data center...

Datacenter Solution: Server Virtualization

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Does this folksy wisdom hold true when it comes to server virtualization? Virtualization is an increasingly popular datacenter solution that divides the resources of your physical server into multiple isolated virtual environments. Instead of maintaining one application per physical server, virtualization enables dominant workloads...

Tips for Handling Your Data Center Relocation

Nobody ever said data center relocation was easy. Although moving mission critical computer and communications equipment from one site to another is no simple task, it needn’t be an overwhelming one. With careful planning, any company can organize its people, manage the communications, implement a sophisticated design for the new site and move its data center equipment with confidence and ease.Months...

DC-power Sparks Interest among Data Center Designers

Rising data center power and cooling costs have renewed industry interest in DC-power, but is DC really a cure-all or just more snake oil?Up until this point, DC-power hasn’t been very attractive for a number of reasons. The large amount of copper wiring required for DC-power distribution is expensive and takes up valuable space in the data center. DC-engineered facilities are also more complicated...

Data Centers vs. Computer Rooms: What’s the Difference?

The differences between data center and computer room design don’t amount to a hill of beans for most people. The terms are often used interchangeably, but using them correctly makes a big difference if you’re trying to communicate with a data center design firm or an IT expert. If you want to sound like a pro, it’s important to know what sets data centers and computer rooms apart. Data centers are...

Dark Data Centers: Dream or Reality?

I was just contacted by Processor.com for my thoughts on this topic and thought it might be useful to share some information about it with you all here.If data center operators had only one wish, it would be this: build me a dark data center.Many of the daily problems that affect data centers have less to do with the design of a facility and more to do with variables introduced by human involvement....

Data Centers Go to Washington

Data center power and cooling issues are creating quite a buzz on Capitol Hill.In recent years, the power and cooling costs of the average data center have gone through the roof. Data centers rack up more than $3-billion in energy costs each year. That number is expected to rise dramatically within the next decade as more data centers are built. Adding to the energy drain are factors such as inefficient...

Data Center Solutions to Beat the Summer Heat

This summer, data center managers are sweating – and it’s not just because of the heat. As temperatures hit record highs this year, the increased demands placed on US energy grids have lead to brownouts and occasional blackouts. Between the soaring temperatures and the power outages, data center cooling systems and backup generators are getting a real work-out.The situation isn’t likely to improve...

Raised Floors - Still Relevant?

With the widespread use of serves installed in racks instead of legacy mainframe configurations, the use of ethernet cable in cable trays located above server racks instead of legacy wiring types beetween mainframe boxes, and finally the use of in-line cooling equipment and/or overhead cooling with ducted returns for cold aisle/hot aisle configurations, is the installation of an access floor a wise...

Data Center Planning is Critical to a Successful Project

Network downtime means lost revenue – and lost jobsImagine a scenario where you are coming under fire because your data center project is over budget and months late. Even worse, your management team pushed you to accept the architect’s idea of your computer room that today won’t even deliver the most basic needs - enough space, adequate security & fire protection, ample power, and sufficient...