Reducing Data Center Damage Due to Earthquakes

Whether your data center is located in a high risk seismic activity area or not, earthquake damage can be devastating to an unprotected facility.  Somewhere in the world, earthquakes are always happening. Magnitude 2 or smaller earthquakes are taking place several hundred times a day across the globe.  According to the USGS , it is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt, and 100 of them cause damage with possibly more damage done by a resulting fire than by the earthquake itself.  Taking into account seismic activity should be a part of your organization’s business continuity and disaster recovery planning in the event of an earthquake. 

Edge Mission Critical Systems specializes in providing you with the best in class modular systems that form the backbone of data centers and critical backup infrastructure. We incorporate various proprietary processes to ensure our structures will endure the most vicious environmental conditions, anywhere in the world, without compromising structural integrity.  Our turnkey modular data solution product, Binary Bunker, is Seismic rated – Zone 4, UL752 Ballistic Rated (Level 8), 200+ MPH wind rating, Fire resistant – 2+ hour, Floor loading -250 lbs/sq. ft., Roof loading – 100 lbs/sq. ft. and Thermal – 0.08 Btu/F or less.   Contact us today for more information in mitigating data center damage from earthquakes or other natural disasters.

Data Centers Spearhead Renewable Energy

The utilization of renewable energy sources in the design of highly efficient data centers could be spearheading the progress made in this area for the globe.  Some of the big cloud players are leading the charge of greening up their data centers in support of renewable energy for the future versus fossil fuels. Others in the data center market could be influenced by doing the same and this could change the shape of the world when it comes to energy regulation and consumer access.

While 62% of the global energy supply still lies in gas, coal and oil; the cost of these resources is rising while the cost of renewable energy is going down. For example, the cost of solar power has dropped significantly since 2009 and even in some countries renewable energy costs are in line with fossil fuels. The challenge will be matching fossil fuels’ ability to produce steady baseline power; therefore, the creation of smart grids will be needed to make the transition easier over to renewable energy sources.  This is where the work that data centers are doing as consumers of renewable power in such an influential way will benefit all of us and pave the way for easier access to renewable energy sources. Good for planet earth, read full article here.

Data Center Preparedness for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season starts June 1st; is your data center facility ready should this or any other natural disaster occur in your area?  Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 7-13, 2017 bringing attention to all the things that need to be considered for a potential land-falling tropical storm or hurricane resulting in wide spread power outages.  Keeping the power on in your data center is critical and one of the first things to have in place is backup power resources that are functioning properly and ready to kick in should the lights go out.

Regular service and maintenance to your backup generator will reduce the risk of potential problems occurring when the time comes that the generator is called to duty to ensure all your systems are kept working properly.  Annual or semi-annual services recommended by the manufacturer should not be overlooked with respect to your cooling and fueling systems, engine monitors, control panels, etc in addition to the routine generator service call or scheduled maintenance.  Another good idea is to perform regular testing of the transfer switch; as well as, turning the generator on to check for any fault codes that may show up.  Be prepared so you can rest assured that your data center’s prime power stays on. Read full article here.