Rich Miller: Microsoft Data Center Battles Server Hugging

Microsoft has provided a look inside a new data center facility in Redmond, Washington where it is consolidating servers for its research unit and labs. The company says the consolidation, which physically separates Microsoft engineers from the servers running their test code, enables an important shift to remote computing. After all, if Microsoft expects its customers to run their apps remotely in the cloud, shouldn’t its employees do the same?

Microsoft says remote server management requires an internal culture shift. The need to be near one’s servers – a tendency known as “server hugging” – is deeply rooted and can play a large role in a company’s decisions on outsourcing and data center site location.

Data Center Knowledge article

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.