Posts Tagged ‘meet me cage’
08 - 18 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
I came across this article on CNN the other day about power blackouts increasing at an alarming rate. When you are in the data center business, that is not a comforting thought, unless of course your role in the industry is selling generators. As data centers continue to grow, demand more power, and increase strain on electric utilities, some data centers (and their customers as well) are likely to be facing uneasy times. When deciding where to build data centers, it is easy to focus primarily on price. If you are going to be utilizing a lot of power, a low cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) rate is important to the bottom line. At the same time, it is important not to focus exclusively on cost. Instead, it is important to balance risk tolerance with economics and match electric utility costs with both reliability and the ability to scale for future demand.
Organizations that do not build data centers and instead opt for colocation are not off the hook with regard to this either. These are essentially pass through criteria to customers of data centers and can have a profound impact on a company’s uptime, growth, and operational expenses. Fortunately, 1102 GRAND is fortunate enough to have Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) as our electric utility. Not only do they provide competitive rates, but we also have a low risk of black outs thanks to efficient and well designed energy delivery infrastructure systems. In fact, KCP&L is routinely named the most reliable electric utility in the region, and in 2008 they were even named the most reliable electric utility in the nation. Not all data centers can boast that they are fed by such a reliable and cost effective electric utility, and for that we are certainly thankful.
U.S. electricity blackouts skyrocketing
08 - 09 - 10
Posted by: Greg Elliott
A big thanks to processor.com for interviewing Darren Bonawitz, co-owner of 1102 GRAND, about the importance of local electric utility companies when choosing a location for a new data center, or in repairing an existing one.
According to the article, “The power entering the data center is, obviously, critically important to steady uptime. An unreliable source of power can cripple data center operations by introducing an unexpected variable that’s completely out of administrator control. Administrators engaged in data center design and construction must carefully analyze power considerations.
A primary power-related consideration is the need to ensure that the local utility is able to provide plenty of power reliably and consistently. Darren Bonawitz, co-owner of 1102 GRAND (www.1102grand.com), a data center in Kansas City, Mo., says administrators should talk with the electric utility company to ensure that the location they are looking at has adequate access to power not only for today’s needs but also to support future growth. A planned data center expansion can quickly get derailed if a local utility cannot supply the additional power required for expansion.”
07 - 30 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
One of the often overlooked issues in colocation cabinets is cabling. When a company is hurrying to move equipment into a facility, cable management is not usually at the top of its list for concerns. IT staff members are more worried about just getting their infrastructure operational rather than focusing on the aesthetics of the cabling in their cabinet(s). Even if the cabling is managed effectively day one, it is very common to see a gradual “rats nest” develop over time as equipment is added or replaced.
Cable management is more than about cosmetics though, and a lot of IT professionals have come to appreciate the value of clearly labeled and organized cabling. What a lot of people fail to consider is the effect cabling can have on proper equipment cooling. That may sound odd, but visualize for a moment a tangled web of cables at the back of a cabinet. What happens is the cables each take up a certain volume of space and effectively reduce the path for hot air rejected from equipment to properly exhaust out the back of the cabinet.
Hot air that should have been easily transferred to the hot aisle now becomes trapped within the cabinet and then recirculates. This causes in-cabinet ambient temperatures to rise and can lead to equipment temperature increases and possibly even unnecessary failure.
07 - 23 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
Many companies are turning to renewable energy to power their facilities and decrease their carbon footprints. With data centers being one of the largest users of energy, turning to renewable energy may be in the near future. But is this plausible? Renewable energy must first scale to accommodate data centers to meet their power requirements. Secondly, renewable energy must be cost-effective solution for data centers because even one center per kilowatt hour (kWhr) higher in a data center is a considerable strain on profits. Finally in order to rely solely on renewable energy it has to be a reliable option.
We won’t get there without research and baby steps in the right direction, coupled with innovation incentives to entrepreneurs and researchers to keep driving them towards creating better solutions.
To learn more about data centers and renewable energy visit datacenterknowledge.com
07 - 16 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
Here is a special feature about Umzuzu, detailing who its clients are, how it is associated with 1102 GRAND and why it does business in Kansas City.
Company Description: Umzuzu – We are Cloud Brokers specializing in Google Apps and the Google Solutions Marketplace. We help companies eliminate on premise hardware.
Who are its clients: Any business currently using email. Commonly we help people migrate off legacy platforms like Exchange 2010.
How it is associated with 1102 GRAND: We use the flexible bandwidth resources of 1102 GRAND to migrate large volumes of data to the cloud. When faced with a client that has low bandwidth to their offices, we copy the data locally, then “sneaker-net” it over to 1102 GRAND where it can be liberated to the cloud.
Why Kansas City: Cost of living. Entrepreneurial hotbed of activity.
Best Part of Doing Business in Kansas City: The community isn’t so large that you get lost. You can grow your reputation and live on it. The same names often come up, you get to know the people in town that can get a job done.
Benefits of Working in Kansas City: BBQ. Interesting diversity of culture and food in the KC area. The professional landscape is diverse as well, from manufacturing to professional services, it is hard to pigeonhole KC into a particular market (like aviation for Wichita.)
07 - 09 - 10
07 - 02 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
With the first hurricane of the season already here and gone, 1102 GRAND, Kansas City’s Data Center and Midwestern Internet hub, reviewed disaster recovery tips for companies at risk for earthquakes, hurricanes, blackouts, wildfires, tornados, ice storms, or the most common disaster risk of them all – people themselves.
Here are tips for disaster recovery.
1. Ensure you disaster recovery plan is flexible and scalable
2. Right size the solution to meet requirements and budget
3. Don’t assume – establish requirements with management
4. Prioritize recovery initiatives to meet company objectives
5. Document, document and document some more
6. Do not forget about redundancy with passwords – store them offsite too
7. Schedule semi-annual or annual requirement reviews
8. Disaster recovery is not “set it and forget it” – test regularly
9. Disaster recovery is more than just data – think through all facets of operations
10. Ensure at least two team members know each recovery procedure
06 - 18 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
1102 GRAND, Kansas City’s Data Center and Midwestern Internet Hub, hosted its 5th Annual Technology Golf Tournament at Deer Creek Country Club Tuesday, June 8, 2010 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. The event was organized for technology companies and IT professionals who wanted to reconnect with colleagues and network.
Bill Cameron, Director of Engineering Services at ATNI, and one of many participants said, “”We enjoy the trip from Denver to Kansas City for the golf tournament. We like networking with new people who are leaders in the technology business and who want the industry to grow. The core community we have done business with through 1102 Grand have always be reputable and reliable.”
Rex Schick, owner of K&W Underground, has sponsored many of 1102 GRAND’s events over the years and said, “1102 GRAND does an excellent job connecting the technology community and other related businesses. It helps us stay connected to our current customers and meet new potential customers. We like to show our support by sponsoring events important to this group.”
1102 GRAND is a Midwestern carrier hotel and network neutral collocation facility specifically enhanced with the infrastructure to host and provide services to an array of global network operators including carriers, service providers and enterprise customers who demand highly secure and connected, customized solutions for their core networking equipment. 1102 GRAND offers a wide array of collocation options including cabinets, cage space, suites and space for private data centers, all of which are connected to a carrier neutral Meet Me Room, housing carriers and service providers including AT&T, Level (3), Verizon Business, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communication, and Qwest.
06 - 10 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. Here is a special feature on Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. about who it is, who it serves, how it’s associated with 1102 Grand, and why Kansas City!
Company Description: Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. (MHM) is a national independent CPA firm – 3rd largest in Kansas City and 8th largest in the country – that is dedicated to providing high quality audit and attest services including: Financial Statement Audits, SAS 70 Audits, Employee Benefit Plan Audits, Reviews and Agreed Upon Procedures. They are guided by their core values of competence, integrity, respect and value, and with more than 30 locations nationwide, they are a nationally recognized alternative to the Big Four.
Who it Serves: While MHM provides services to a variety of industries and companies, their primary focus includes mid-sized and growing companies (public and private) in the construction, nonprofit, life sciences, manufacturing, financial institutions and other professional services industries.
How it is Associated with 1102 GRAND: We provide SAS 70 services to 1102 GRAND.
Why Kansas City: MHM’s roots in Kansas City can be traced back to 1954 when Ernest D. Mayer opened a small accounting practice. After years of steady growth, Mayer Hoffman McCann’s tax practice merged with CBIZ, Inc. in 1998 while MHM began to focus strictly on audit and attest services, and continued to acquire other independent CPA firms across the country. Even though MHM quickly became one of the Top Ten accounting firms in the nation, they recognized Kansas City as both a strategic location and strong foundation for the company, so remained in the area and established it as their national headquarters.
The Best Part of Doing Business in Kansas City: There is such a vast amount of different businesses and industries in the Kansas City area, that as a Consultant, we learn so much about how these businesses operate, what their target market is, where they can improve, etc. We can then help them by applying the services our company provides or introducing them to others that can assist.
The Benefits of Working in Kansas City: I have lived in Kansas my entire life so helping small, medium and large sized businesses locally is very rewarding.
The Economic Incentives to Living in Kansas City or the Metro Area: There are a lot of areas you can reside in Kansas City that are safe and have great schools and not have to pay a premium to live there. I think convenience is also a big factor as you can get around the city without having to wait in traffic for the most part.
06 - 03 - 10
By: Darren Bonawitz
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday it predicts an “active” to “extremely active” hurricane season this year. Coastal companies would be wise to turn to, or at least seriously consider, the Midwest for their data center disaster recovery solutions. Unfortunately, memories fade as time passes, and that means that the destruction from events such as Hurricane Katrina often are overshadowed by more recent events such as the economic turbulence which caused jobs and budgets to be slashed at many companies. Those companies and people directly affected by Katrina may find it more difficult to forget, but it is easier for those not directly impacted last time even though they are still at risk for future hurricane disasters. So whether your company has never had a disaster recovery plan or you started to develop a plan but shelved it due to budget cuts, now is the time to revisit the discussion and act. If NOAA’s prediction is correct, you will be glad you made the investment.
According to www.usatoday.com , “federal forecasters predict anywhere from 14 to 23 named storms to form in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.” This is the highest prediction made by federal forecasters since 1998 when they began to issue hurricane forecasts.
(READ MORE)
