CIO.com – Modular Data Centers: A Fast, Secretive Option Spreads

Containerized data centers solve many problems associated with changes in the data center. Affordable colocation (outsource data center space ) solves these problems and more:

• hardened data center facilities
• N+N redundant power feeds
• better access to telecommunications
• data center certifications

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Today’s containerized data centers, also known as modular data centers, are niche products often quietly chosen by customers in emergency situations. But they’re winning over more IT managers who face too much demand and too little data center expansion room.

When Australian firm WesTrac needed to expand its data center capacity quickly, the company bought the equivalent of a Band-Aid for its server needs: A containerized data center.

The company, which supplies Caterpillar (CAT) brand heavy-machinery to Australian customers and others, found itself with too little data center to meet the needs of its latest IT project. Because of space issues, WesTrac could not expand its current facility. Instead, the company decided to use a pre-packaged data center, housed and shipped in standard-sized cargo containers: one for the servers and one for the chillers and power infrastructure.

more of the CIO article from Robert Lemos

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.