Annoucement: our #datacenter is growing!

I’m pleased to announce a new 1000 sq ft expansion to our data center facilities at 22 Pearl St, Biddeford Maine! This new data center space will support our cloud computing services, as well as customer co-location services with energy saving green features.

Our 22 Pearl St locations include:

Full loading dock and freight elevator

3 phase power

Green 48VDC and 130VDC power

Free air cooling

600 lb/sq ft floor load capacity

Extensive data center security

Extensive building security

Close proximity to train and airport

Extremely reliable power, close proximity to 2 major generating stations

Only 1 1/2 hours from Boston

Partial and full cabinets to 42U available or co-locate your own.

Email or call me at 207-399-7108 for more information or visit our site at http://www.swiftwatertel.com to order!

Vern

Wednesday data center tidbits.

I’ve just been reading about data center carbon reporting issues today. The handwriting is on the wall. Co-location data center operators darned well better have a method in place to measure the customer’s power consumption and a clause in the colo contract allowing the data center operator to apportion any carbon taxes back to the data center customer, otherwise, it’s going to get ugly.

From the same article I see APC say ““If we can give data centre managers just 20-percent accuracy on measuring the units of energy used by each server or application, that’s pretty darn good…”. Leaving data center operators to eat the carbon taxes on 80% of their customers power consumption is pretty darn good? I guess it beats eating 100% of it.

Vern, SwiftWater Telecom

virtual private servers

Top 10 ways to make sure your servers make it to the data center …

Top 10 ways to make sure that your equipment survives its trip to the data center!

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and ship your equipment to a data center install for you. These tips will make sure everything arrives intact!

1. Whenever possible, use modern hard drives spec’d for high shock loads.

Far and away, most damage that occurrs to customer equipment in transit is mechanical shock to hard drives, usually from being dropped or tossed around.

2. Equip your package with a shock indicator.

Shock indicators are inexpensive devices available from many shipping supply companies that provide a permanent indication that the package has been dropped, thrown, or otherwise abused in transit. An indispensable aid for claiming insurance for damaged shipments!
3. Leave plenty of room in the box around your equipment.

Leaving room greatly decreases the odds that your equipment will be damaged by crushing of the package or impact from outside the package.

4. Use double-walled boxes.

Double-walled boxes are much stronger and more impact resistant.

5. Use anti-static packing material.

Many standard packing materials generate large amounts of static electricity that can damage your equipment. As a rule of thumb, anti-static materials are pink in color.

6. Avoid using loose packing peanuts.

Loose packing peanuts will allow your equipment to settle through them, eliminating the buffer zone between your equipment and the outside of the box.

7. Don’t skimp on the bubble wrap!!!!!!

Remember to wrap all accessories and cables included in the
package!

8. Double tape all seams!

Great packing material does no good if your equipment ends up
on the ground because the bottom tape of the box gives way!

9. Ship equipment assembled in its case rather than sending
individual components wherever possible.

10. Make sure sensitive equipment is marked “sensitive”, “fragile”, “handle with care”, “do not bend”, etc.

Warning the shipper of handling requirements for your equipment
is the easiest way to increase your odds of it reaching it’s destination intact! For best results, use preprinted warning stickers in bright, eye catching color patterns.

Double check these things before your server goes out the door and you and your data center will have a super smooth installation!

Vern, SwiftWater Telecom

data center server co-location

Top 10 ways to make sure your data center co-location goes right the first time!

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and take your server to a data center to install yourself or you’re packing it up to ship to a data
center to install for you. These tips will make sure things go right!

1. Make sure you have an appropriate mounting method and it meets what the data center expects.

Rule of thumb, 1U or 2U cases less than 20″ in depth or most 3U or 4U
cases can be mounted with fixed ears directly to a 2 post rack, 4
post rack, or a cabinet. Full length 1U or 2U servers 3U or 4U
servers that are balanced with most of the weight in the rear must have
slide rails to be supported correctly.

2. Make sure that your server case uses a front to back airflow path.

Some cases use a side to side, front to top, or even back to front
path. It’s best to avoid these odd cases and stick with the standard
front to back path.

3. If you intend to use an Ethernet switch and cable to a server with rear Ethernet ports, make sure you’ve planned on at least 1U of space
between to get the cables from front to back!

Or plan to mount the Ethernet switch on the back side of the 4 post
rack or cabinet.

4. Make sure you have the proper type of network connection available!

You’ll have an unpleasant surprise if you need a fiber Ethernet connection and you only have a Cat5 connection available!

5. Make sure your fiber connection matches the data centers!

Make sure that you have either single mode or multimode fiber jumpers as needed (single mode jumpers are orange, multimode jumpers are yellow). Make sure you have the right connector types (LC and SC are most common).

6. If you expect your data center to make serial port connections for you, make sure to not only include the proper size and gender cable but also a null modem adapter if required!

7. Make sure that you supply a PDU (power distribution unit) if the
data center is not supplying one.

Make sure your PDU is compatible with the voltage and format of power
your data center is supplying to you!

8. Make sure that you supply the proper format of power cord to attach to the PDU.

Typical PDUs use a 5-15, C13, or C19 line plug to attach. The data center power connection, if your supplying your own PDU, is typically a 5-15, 5-20, L5, L6, L14, or L15 twistlock.

9. Make sure that you have the BIOS of your server configured to support USB keyboards and not to halt booting on a missing keyboard error.

10. Make sure that you have the BIOS of your server configured to automatically restart after a power failure.

Double check these things before your server goes out the door and you and your data center will have a super smooth installation!

Vern, SwiftWater Telecom

server co-location, web hosting, data center services

Have you hugged a server today?

I’ve just been reading an article about Microsoft building a new data center . I was taken by the idea of what they call “server hugging”.

Server hugging is the phenomenon that people have the need to be physically close to their servers whether the work they’re doing on them requires it or not. Now, I don’t know if this is the geek version of Linus’ security blanket or what, but I’m imagining that this is the mysterious force that resists outsourcing, co-location, etc when those options are clearly far better economically.

So, how does one cure this malady? I feel like I need a couch and a picture of Dr Freud. It’s time to stop smothering your servers, folks!

Vern, SwiftWater Telecom
Data center, web hosting, Internet engineering