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SIX QUICK TIPS

Picking AData Center SiteHow To Ensure You Find The Best LocationFor Your SME's Facility

by Robyn Weisman• • •

THERE HAS SEEN A LOT of fanciful talkabout relocating data centers in such heat'minimizing venues as Iceland. but thetypical small to medium-sized physicaldata renter site usually nets chosen formore than the local climate or a trendyaddress. " I t s a combination o f factors.Any one factor dots not make or break thedecision." says Lee Kirby. vice presidentand general manager at infrastructuresolution provider Lee Technolozies (www

teem,: hnolog icreamSo what criteria should IT and data cen-ter manazers at SMEs consider whenchoosing their data center sites? Here are afew tips to help you out

Keep Location Risks In Mind-Many IT managers believe that risks

are quite low when it comes to their datacenter becoming completely submerged inwater due to flooding or without powerfor an extended period o f time becauseof a hurricane, and on a grand level, theyare correct in their assumptions.- s a y sJohn Bennet t . wor ldw ide d i rector o fHP Data Center Transformat ion So-lutions. "However, very few realize thatdata center outages due to local floodingor power losses due to a local f i re arequite common."

Bennett says i t makes sense to avoidlocations with high natural disaster poten-tial. A t h e saine tir,me. try to avoid local

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sopotesSron system Such asetup shoukt ineudo the in-SbaTaart of chernical-holdingballoons or nitogen-pressuredcitinders

• Windevrs are great fornumans but potentially dis-astrous tot IT equipment.Elk raceetnerels that youavoid installing a data motor

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areas that are prone to seasonal flooding orhigher-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 alsobe avoided." Bennett says.

Lice Bl ik , president and CEO of net-work infrastructure technologies solutionsprovider NIT Connect m w , hitconnect

You don't want to have your SME's

1 - data center located in an area where pettytheft or other crime is an issue..nett. notes that i f you live in a flood zoneand need, fo r whatever reason, to haveyour data center in-house or nearby, donot install your data center on the eroundfloor o f your building. "Floods are oftenunprecedented and wi l l severely damagethe data center.' M k says. "A more ideallocation would be on the second, third, lothigher! floor."

Plan For Future GrowthSlake sure you consider where your orga-

nization wil l be during the nest l ive to It)years when selecting a physical lomtion foryour data center. recommends HI's Bennett

"As the business grows, the data centerincreasingly becomes a more strategicasset, helping to keep the business corn-peticive." Bennett says. -I T m a n a g e r sBONUS TIPS

in a room sorb Wodermsbecause rnanngmig tempera-ture and other arrei-mmentatcontrols becomes more pleb-lemate when you add wit- down to me inbt. Virockmemay alt./iv warm as to chutePiough From toe outsce. gen-eration 7PCIErpmftly usageand affecting pope, e i r e o wmonowneine no says

should align their data center strategiescv ith business goals and select a loca-tion that can support long-term businessgrowth from both a space perspective anda technological one.-Consider Security & Safety

Far ht i part. Lee Technologies' Kirbysays ies important to make sure that thephysical location that you choose for yourdat3 center is safe for your employees.Yots don•t w a nt t o h av e it l oc at ed in an

area where petty theft or other crime isan issue_

-Terrotism and earthquakes seem to be

the vogue thing people think of, but some-times people people forget about simple cr ime.-Kirby says.

Check OutLocal Incentives

Kirby also recommends checking outwhat incentives the local EDC (economicdevelopment coo nci I ) can offer your orga-

nization f o r choosing to locate a datacenter in its community. "A lot of IEDCs1have gotten really aggressive in trying toattract people into the area because anEDC is just l ike any other type of sales-person.- K i rb y s ay s. -They know if they

get one person in there. they" II get anotherbecause it ' l l attract and legitimize the factthat they're making this area attractive toFT organizations."

Marto lietrumstee, president at the SanAntonio Economic Development Pone-datton. says that San Antonio was able tolure a Microsoft data center, as well asseveral others through the incentives thecity offered. According to Hernandez_ hisorganization pmvided Microsoft a pack-age that included 55 mil l ion to help thecompany purchase specialized transform-ers that offset some of the starrup capitalcosts, alone wi th a tax abatement fromcity and county government propertytaxes lot y e a r s . In addition, the localuti l i ty company provided a mul t i yearcommitment to provide energy needs i tless than 5 cents per k i l owa t t -hour,Hernandez says.

-If companies can show the benefits to

communities. [through their] economicimpact from having a data center, thencorEntunities w i l l be inclined to providemeaningful assistance and incentives inthe areas most important to the data cen-ter.' tie notes.

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Ntoney-Sming Tip:

Shop Around ForThe Best Power Prices

Lee Kirby, vice president and general man'ager at infrestncture solubon presider LtmiTechnologies (wmyteeted•nologies_coreLsays that the price at power IS becoming amore important sCreenng oltencn. 'Youdon't even get ta the table to oWermine itthat area wotad have other aspects becausepeople are runnlna away horn the h4i tnewer grids.' Kirby szys

Kirby paints out that you hist want to Maltasure the power is evadable and then fondout what the local trtifty wOlcnarge ter it.While a small to medurosized enterpriseusuatly can't leverage a kinky companythe way 4 large enterprise can. It can stillshop around to see who is ceasing risebeat prices

'Power is one ot the most erper. Isye partsat the data center operatmg budget. Or ionyaa TV it bui l t 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 :

Ensure AccessibilityTo IT Talent & Vendors

11 power :asts were the only rreior cmenadetermining where to house pm next CLIt4center, you could Istakt it in Antarenca and bedery witn IL But Kstry warns that if you gettooter away holm the major metros, avalabk-ty ot resources gets toigh

'Thor costs go up because you're having totransport people in,' he szis. 'During die con-struction cycle, there are a iat of peopleentire tummy tbo data ceder. „as C gets intooperation. it's a tot less. arid you May be ableto find local talent b t charces are it you'reway out there. you may not find the type oftalent that you w a i l '

Staying dOSe to maim rnetmpoRan areasglees you agrea'ar filiefitmod at imitimg thetalent arm vendors you need to get your datacenter up arid running. Combine that wanpotential Incentives from local EOCs (eco-n o m i d d e v e l o p m e n t Cal l t le*S: t a r ExarrIP;e.

San Antonio has brought in midsized com-panies, along with Microsoft and Lowe'sthrough the incentras a otters), and youShould be able to find a good balance thatdoesn't drain your waPet

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