The Key to Selecting the Perfect Data Center Location

When deciding to upgrade an existing data center or when selecting a data center for a new business, the location of the premises is one factor that plays a pivotal role. Some of the common points to consider when making this decision are as follows:

• Proximity to electricity generating plants: Power is a necessity for the data center, and the more effective and easily available supply that there is, the bigger the advantage to the data center. In today’s environment and the consciousness on the use of natural energy sources, a data center next to a hydro-electric plant or a wind farm makes lots of economic and environmental sense.
• Relocation to a country that has cheap energy prices: Did you know that there are countries that are gifted with energy sources that lead to naturally cheaper power prices. For example, Gulf countries are rich in oil resources, Iceland has geothermal power generation and Norway is known for hydroelectricity.
• Cool climatic conditions: Cool outer air conditions are a boon for data centers as it lowers the cost and maintenance effort in cooling systems. Outer temperatures and humidity can adversely impact the data center, and a naturally cooler climate can empower the data center and increase its profitability considerably.
• Local and Political Security and Stability: It is always important to select a location that is immune from security and political issues, especially if moving to a country that is not your home country. The data center will need operational and management staff which will typically be locally sourced, and ensuring that the data center is in an area of high trust is a key decision maker.
• Laws and Regulations of the hosting country: It is imperative that the business is aware of the policies and laws to be followed in the host country as this could lead to severe penalties and judicial implications if not abided to. Even in the US, there are laws such as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act and the U.S. Patriot Act which organizations need to be aware of.

One of the surest ways of selecting an excellent location is to opt in for a collocation data center versus a proprietary data center. In this case, the logistics and impact of location, location and political environment have already been established, and statistics and benchmarks for comparison are readily available. We are known for our quality and service. For a free quote and to arrange for a site visit, do get in touch with us.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.