Adopt a Data Center Solution that Prepares You for Change

Every once in a while, a major website crash hits the news. Few can forget the launch of the highly anticipated Affordable Care Act, when hoards of Americans tried to sign up for health insurance. The system crashed at its most crucial period. Or how about when Best Buy’s site crashed in 2014 on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year? Of course, those are not isolated incidences. Over the past few years, major companies with extensive resources have experienced mega outages, including Yahoo!, Samsung, United Airlines and Google.

Adopt a Data Center Solution that Prepares You for ChangeWhile those types of crashes makes headlines, they’re not at all uncommon as most businesses will eventually realize. The key is keeping outages to a minimum and, if they should happen, as short as possible.

Keeping an eye on the potential demands on your data center is essential. Whether you’re anticipating an expansion, a surge in activity, new federal requirements, or aging equipment that needs replacing, you need to be prepared. It’s essential to the viability of your company. While it may be difficult to predict what your data center requirements may be six months to a year from now, it’s important to assess your data center capabilities against possible scenarios. Here are a few questions worth asking at regular intervals.

  1. How flexible is your data center? Is there room for growth? Does your business experience highs and lows in activity levels? The answers to these questions could determine whether you need to plan for solutions that will allow you more flexibility.
  1. What’s your backup plan? No matter where your business is located, chances are you’re susceptible to natural disasters. In the Midwest? Count on floods or tornadoes. West Coast? Earthquakes and forest fires may be Mother Nature’s special gift to you. Whatever the location, natural disasters are inevitable. Check your plan. It’s important to implement redundancies that can keep your system running in the event of a natural disaster that could keep you out of business for days, if not weeks.
  1. Could things be more efficient? The pressure is on for businesses to meet environmental initiatives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is urging businesses to increase their efficiency with data center operations, especially in light of White House goals to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent within the next 15 years. In addition to regulations, these initiatives can put pressure on businesses to update their equipment to fall within guidelines.

If the answers to these questions reveal the need for a data center solution that’s more flexible and adaptable, you can make plans to build out redundancies, invest in updated equipment, expand via the cloud or explore colocation centers that can provide your business the ability to expand and grow without the significant costs associated with many options.

Lifeline Data Centers, from its location in the Midwest, has years of experience helping numerous businesses navigate the best data center solutions for their operations. Contact us for a free quote and consultation about what makes sense for your business as you consider what the future may bring.

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Rich Banta

Rich Banta

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers
Rich is responsible for Compliance and Certifications, Data Center Operations, Information Technology, and Client Concierge Services. Rich has an extensive background in server and network management, large scale wide-area networks, storage, business continuity, and monitoring. Rich is a former CTO of a major health care system. Rich is hands-on every day in the data centers. He also holds many certifications, including: CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor CRISC – Certified in Risk & Information Systems Management CDCE – Certified Data Center Expert CDCDP – Certified Data Center Design Professional