Reliability – Data center uptime is not just for the Fortune 500

For many companies, computer systems reliability is important. Downtime can mean lost credibility, lost revenues, or worse, lost clients. Downtime is usually expensive when companies depend on computers for Internet sales, customer service, delivery of services, and manufacturing. Many companies calculate and assign costs to their computer system downtime. I recently talked to a manufacturing company who puts the cost of downtime at $360,000 per hour.

How does a company build reliability into their mission critical computer systems? One of the easiest ways is to improve the data center (computer room) facilities. Power and cooling problems are huge threats to computer system reliability.

How does a company improve data center facilities? The company can build their own, or use outsource data center facilities like Lifeline Data Centers. There are a few features to look for in outsource data centers in order to get the maximum uptime for the money:

• 99.995% uptime – 27 minutes of downtime per year or less
• Hardened data centers – buildings sturdy enough to withstand tornadoes and other disasters
• Affordable colocation – find a company with a sensible data center pricing model
• Data center power redundancy – multiple utility power feeds (ask!), multiple generators, multiple UPS and HVAC systems
• Carrier neutral data center – Mulitiple telecom carriers available for options on your best price/value combination
• No cross-connect fees – no monthly add-on fees for the right to connect to other telecom carriers
• Data center certifications and compliance – the more certifications and compliance points, the lower the risk of future problems

Lifeline offers 99.995% uptime data center facilities. That’s a promise of 27 minutes of downtime per year or less. Lifeline’s affordable colocation facilities make it easy for companies to improve their computer systems reliability by minimizing data center downtime.

Does your company need more reliability? Contact Lifeline 317.423.2591.

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.