Computer and Server Ventilation in the Office

I was reading a white paper the other day about Cooling Strategies for IT environments by Neil Rasmussen and Brian Standley, which focuses on these strategies in office environments. The article reminded me of an issue that we had run into in the past. We added a building to our fiber ring and, of course, we …

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PODCAST: What is CentOS?

Transcript Hi, this is Eddie from NetStream Communications. CentOS (or the Community Enterprise Operating System) is a stable and secure, free version of the Linux-based RedHat Enterprise Server OS. It has become the operating system of choice for many, due to the fact that it’s open source, very easy to work with, and it’s also …

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The Critical Importance of Network Cabling Decisions

Many companies tend to overlook the need to make solid cable network decisions, since the cost of cabling only represents about 2.5% of the overall network budget. They tend to spend more time focusing on the “Hardware” like Routers, Switches, Firewalls, etc. not understanding how critical the cabling decision is to a successful network infrastructure …

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Relocating servers at an Atlanta Colocation Data Center

At Capital Internet, our data center colocation space is split into two sections. We have recently begun consolidating many of our colocation customers into the section that has more racks that have better cable management. Having room for cable management, as many of you probably know, is often necessary if you don’t want the dreaded …

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Atlanta Colocation Answers Part 2

Hello, again, I’m Karl Labrecque with Capital Internet. Previously, we talked about some of the questions some of our clients asked most often. Well, some of you must’ve enjoyed the last set of questions, because you’ve asked us to answer a few more for you. Thank you for the questions. Now, let’s take a look …

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Computer and Server Ventilation in the OfficePODCAST: What is CentOS?The Critical Importance of Network Cabling DecisionsRelocating servers at an Atlanta Colocation Data CenterAtlanta Colocation Answers Part 2

Dec
16

Computer and Server Ventilation in the Office

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I was reading a white paper the other day about Cooling Strategies for IT environments by Neil Rasmussen and Brian Standley, which focuses on these strategies in office environments.

The article reminded me of an issue that we had run into in the past. We added a building to our fiber ring and, of course, we had to put our equipment in a closet where everything terminated. When we installed the equipment, the closet seemed to be cool enough. What we learned very quickly was that with the routers and switch in the closet, along with the small size of the room, the closet was getting too hot. We ended up having to replace a couple of routers, which is not a cheap fix. Eventually, we had to talk to the property manager about the ventilation, since there are no HVAC vents in most closets. The property manager agreed that it was too hot in the closet for the equipment to work effectively, and they installed an A/C unit which solved our problems.

In the article, they discuss a similar problem to the one we were having. The reason this was interesting is that cooling for computers and equipment is often one of the most overlooked factor in office settings.

As a data center, the cooling of equipment is a vital part of everyday life. In a data center environment, cooling is one of the most important factors. Insufficient or ineffective cooling can be responsible for big losses in productivity and costly problems when equipment fails. The temperature that most computer equipment loves is the mid to high 60s (Fahrenheit), but it will be fine up to the mid 70s. When you get into the upper 70s or low 80s, you’re asking for trouble. Many servers have safety precautions that will shut down the hardware when the temperature gets too high, but that isn’t a guarantee that there won’t be damage. Routers and switches do not shut down automatically with high temperatures so they are the equipment most likely to be damaged. Hopefully, after reading this, you will reconsider putting your IT equipment in a closet without ventilation.

 

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Nov
16

PODCAST: What is CentOS?

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Transcript

Hi, this is Eddie from NetStream Communications. CentOS (or the Community Enterprise Operating System) is a stable and secure, free version of the Linux-based RedHat Enterprise Server OS. It has become the operating system of choice for many, due to the fact that it’s open source, very easy to work with, and it’s also compatible with most other software and applications available. CentOS is an alternative operating system to Windows, which we use regularly here at Capital Internet. CentOS was, initially, developed by a small group that is now supported by a much larger and more active user group. It was created to provide an enterprise-level competing platform at no cost to those who use it. The current user group includes system administrators, network administrators, managers, and many other Linux-contributing enthusiasts. CentOS has been developed for people who need the stability of an enterprise operating system, but not the nuisance of certification and support. We rely on CentOS here at Capital Internet, because of its stability, reliability, and security for our clients using our dedicated servers. We support other operating systems, but in our experience, we found that when our clients want a Windows alternative, CentOS is a system that will provide them with the most value.

Click Here to Download the Podcast MP3

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Nov
02

The Critical Importance of Network Cabling Decisions

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Many companies tend to overlook the need to make solid cable network decisions, since the cost of cabling only represents about 2.5% of the overall network budget. They tend to spend more time focusing on the “Hardware” like Routers, Switches, Firewalls, etc. not understanding how critical the cabling decision is to a successful network infrastructure that can pay years of dividends, or end up costing more in the long run. Cabling is arguably the most labor intensive part of a network and is often the most disruptive and difficult to manage. Realizing that the lifespan of installed cable is 10 years, or more in some cases, it is important to pay more attention to the structure, stability, and scalability of the cable instead of just the initial cost of material and installation. What will you be asking this same cable to support in the future?

The demand for better performance has gone up significantly over the years. Where we once measured bandwidth and speeds based on 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 Mbps we are now moving to the need to measure from 1Gbps to 10Gbps as the need to run larger applications that transmit more data grows. So, how important is your cable infrastructure strategy as we move into the network future? The need to understand not just the initial installation costs, but also the ongoing lifespan costs of the cable of your network can be critical. What are the industry trends in your market? What demands will the future bring to your enterprise servers and network?

The main considerations, at the time of purchase, for most network infrastructure cable is the current needs of the company and current industry standards. Spending some time evaluating your future needs is just as important, if not more so, as needs will continue to require greater data transmission and throughput. Software companies are creating larger and more robust programs that your network will have to support. Will you be ready?

In short, anyone who is responsible for making the best cabling system infrastructure for their company for the next 5 to 10 years needs to spend some valuable time evaluating the needs of the company in the future and not just the needs of today. Consider the initial cost of installation along with cable life expectancy, structure, stability and scalability of the network cable system to be installed. Remember, the cable will most likely outlive much, if not all, of the equipment components of the network and it is far more difficult to replace than the equipment. Don’t make a bad network investment by “saving” on cable that will have reduced life expectancy due to increased demands that will force the need to replace it mush sooner than you would normally expect to.

The Netstream Communications Data Centers (Capital Internet and 470 Exchange) are continually evaluating, and updating when necessary, our cable infrastructures to meet the needs and demands of our clients not just for today, but for all the tomorrows to come.

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Oct
14

Relocating servers at an Atlanta Colocation Data Center

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At Capital Internet, our data center colocation space is split into two sections. We have recently begun consolidating many of our colocation customers into the section that has more racks that have better cable management. Having room for cable management, as many of you probably know, is often necessary if you don’t want the dreaded “cable spaghetti”. The reason for this consolidation is to make room for one of our newer services to expand. Our dedicated server business is expanding creating a great opportunity for us to consolidate many of our colocation customers and create a setup for our dedicated servers.

Since we have colocation clients from 1 U to full racks, the first step is to gather as much information as possible, to find the most suitable customers for the move; the smaller the customers colocation space is, the easier the move is for the data center and the client, and the client will have less down time. If the data center asks you to move, one thing to remember is that the move will take place at your convenience and the data center will, at least in our case, move the equipment for you if you’d like. So you let the colocation center know when you are willing to move, and that dictates the time and date the move will happen. Remember, if you are asked by the data center to move and would be more comfortable moving your equipment yourself, that can always be arranged with the data center. Another option is to have the data center staff move the equipment for you, but to be present while the move takes place. In any of these situations, the data center staff will be available to help troubleshoot any issues that may arise, and make sure your servers get back online as quickly as possible.

From our side, in the data center, once the move is approved by the customer, it is handled very similarly to a new installation. Power requirements, data drops and rack space needed are all provided at the new rack location and a port is set up to mirror the customer port with the same IP addresses.
Moving your servers from one location to another in a data center may sound like a bit of a hassle. In this case, our customers that are moving will have their servers in a situation where there are more benefits. If your colocation data center asks to move your servers, just remember they are going to make it as fast and worry-free as possible, and any costs associated with the move will be the responsibility of the data center.

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Sep
22

Atlanta Colocation Answers Part 2

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Hello, again, I’m Karl Labrecque with Capital Internet. Previously, we talked about some of the questions some of our clients asked most often. Well, some of you must’ve enjoyed the last set of questions, because you’ve asked us to answer a few more for you. Thank you for the questions. Now, let’s take a look at the first one.

What are the advantages of colocation?

Well, colocation can offer you a number of advantages, regarding time and money. As your business grows, you can add more space as you need it, instead of sinking re-occurring capital costs in your office space. You can save time, trouble, and expense from hiring your own staff to operate and maintain your system. Our center will benefit your business by delivering lower cost and better performance than having the network in-house. If you have a need to upgrade and your system is in-house, you will incur additional cost, either by training employees or by bringing-in outside consultants to help.

What’s the difference between colocation and dedicated servers?

Great question. With colocation, a customer will house their equipment in one of our data centers, where we will provide them a safe, secure, and reliable environment for their equipment and a stable connection to our Internet backbone. Now, with dedicated servers, which is a great option for new and smaller companies, we at Capital Internet will actually build servers to our clients’ specifications, and then deliver or lease them to clients on a 12-month basis. This enables many of our clients to defer the cost of the equipment and investment, as they focus-on the core compentencies of their business and leave the data infrastructure to us.

Should I be using a colocation data center?

Any company whose business needs or depends on access to reliable and a smooth flow of data and the thought of having any downtime is unacceptable, then you need the services of a data center like Capital Internet. We have many different types of businesses that use our data centers; everything from eCommerce or Web-based companies to consulting groups, medical companies, financial companies, and a number of different types of development companies.

Give us a call or drop us an e-mail if you have any other questions. Again, thank you for the questions and let us know what we can do.

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Sep
14

Video: Atlanta Colocation Answers Part 1

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Hi, I’m Karl LaBrecque with Capital Internet. We get many questions from our clients, I want to go over a few of the most frequently asked questions today.

What is a Colocation Facility?

Well, a colocation facility, which is also known as a data center, is a facility that provides a safe and secure environment for a company’s servers and other computing equipment. The colocation center should be equipped with clean, reliable and redundant power and cooling for the equipment. A colocation center will also deliver greater connectivity to the Internet through its backbone for your business needs. The facility should be designed and built to deliver virtually no concern about downtime due to weather concerns to you and your business. All of this is designed to give your business better continuity at all times.

What is a “U”?

In the colocation world or data center world a “U”, sometimes referred to as a rack unit, is actually a unit of measurement that we use to figure out how much space in a cabinet, or rack, is needed for your equipment. A “U” is equal to just under two inches, so a full rack, or cabinet, here at Capital Internet data center contains 42 “U”.

How Much Power Do I Need?

The power, or many times referred to as the amperage, that you need is determined by the load, or amount of power your equipment will need to function properly. You can do this by first deciding what equipment you’re going to need to connect at the data center. Then figure out the amperage rating for each piece of equipment; you can do that by looking on the back, the ratings are usually shown on the back of the equipment and you can compile this information. If you need help, our people are here to help you.

I hope this helps you to go down your path of discovery. If not, contact us with any additional questions, we’re always here to help you.

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Aug
25

Is your data center “Natural Disaster Resistant” ?

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With a rare earthquake that was felt by many on the East coast earlier this week, and hurricanes that could effect the East coast, it seems particularly relevant to think about the location of your data center. There are many options for you to consider when choosing a data center, location being one of them. The physical location of your data center can be important, not just where in the city its located, but also its geographic location. Mother Nature doesn’t get along with servers and computers in general. While there is no 100% protected, choosing a data center in a geographic location that has the lowest possibility for natural disasters can mean the difference between your business going down or remaining active in those times. Remember, just because you aren’t located in a geographic are that meets this criteria, doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of a data center that is. Many data centers will accept shipments of your equipment, usually after a contract is signed, and install it in the data center for you. With dedicated servers and virtual private servers (or cloud servers), you don’t even need to do that, just find a data center that provides those services in an area that you determine is optimal and the data center will provide and setup the servers for you.

We all hope that Mother Nature takes it easy on us, but its always better to be prepared and when it comes to your servers, the best way to be prepared is to try to stay out of the way.

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Aug
11

Support Services at a Data Center

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At Capital Internet, there are two main types of assistance we can give customers with regard to their servers, Remote Hands and Consulting Services.

The first is Remote Hands, which is essentially anything that we can do with the server, that doesn’t make any changes to the software or hardware for the customer. The most common Remote Hands service is the rebooting of a customer’s server, however hooking up a KVM, plugging in a crash cart, or configuring and reconfiguring your Remote Power Unit (RPU) are also services that can be accomplished with Remote Hands.

The second type of assistance is Consulting services. Consulting services encompasses pretty much anything not covered by Remote Hands, including making changes to the software or hardware on the server(s). Often, with Consulting services, the customers are not interested in coming to the data center personally, whether they are from out of town or don’t have the time, and so employ the data center staff to make changes for them. Some customers will purchase additional equipment and have it shipped to us, requesting that we install it for them. We even have some customers that have not ever been in our facility and they rely on the data center staff to install and upgrade their equipment. Memory upgrades and Hard Drive upgrades are the most common Consulting services we perform. Some Consulting services are provided on a more emergency basis, including if a server has a failure and needs to be fixed or even rebuilt from start to finish.

Hopefully, this has given you a better idea of the support services that a data center can offer and the difference between two different kinds of assistance.  Knowing what kind of assistance your data center can offer you can be a very good idea, especially if you know before you need it.

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Jul
27

Customer Service at Capital Internet

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At Capital Internet, we’re always striving to improve our customer’s experience. We are also a customer, as well as a provider, and we understand the positives and negatives that come with vendors. We try to use our experience as a customer to improve the way our team deals with our customers. Our number one concern is giving every customer the best customer service experience they have ever had. Some places, if the problem isn’t on the provider end, they are less willing to help, but at Capital if you have a problem, we want to help fix it; whether its a problem on our end or not.

We have monthly meetings to improve our processes, thereby improving your experience as a customer. We are always happy to get feedback, whether it’s positive or negative, so that we can fix what needs to be fixed as quickly as possible.

We understand that customer service is important not only to keep customers happy. In this competitive industry, we want to take customer happiness and turn it into happy surprise at our proactive approach, trying to prevent problems rather than fix them. As you may know, the industry is constantly changing and new things are coming out all of the time. At Capital, we want to do our best to have the answer before it’s needed, so we can answer your question and there is no delay in helping you.

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Jul
26

Video: Why the Geographic Location of a Data Center Matters

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Transcript:

Hi, I’m Michael Jordan from Capital Internet. A question frequently asked about data center services is: does the physical location of the data center matter? There are two factors that come into play with respect to the location of the data center: network latency and environmental factors.

Network latency can refer to any of several kinds of delays associated with the processing and transmission of data over the Internet. Although latency can be the result of slow hardware at the local level, network latency due to the distance between your servers and your customers can be minimized by data center location. So, let’s take a look at the situation where the location of the data center significantly affects the performance of your applications.

Say you’re hosting bandwidth-intensive applications, such as media streaming or file backup applications, that send large amounts of data to customers. If your data center is located on the West Coast and you have customers on the East Coast, then these customers will experience increased latency as the data travels. The longer the distance, the more latency that will accumulate. In this case, it would make more sense to set-up a presence within a data center on the East Coast, which would virtually eliminate latency to customers in that region.

Environmental factors can, also, greatly affect transmission speeds. Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and forest fires, can significantly disrupt the local network infrastructure, which may produce a network blackout or long transmission times. Recently, manmade disasters, including power grid failure among others, have become a larger concern, as well.

In summary, you will want to set-up a presence in one or more data centers located in areas that will reduce overall latency and minimize the potential for environmental disruptions.

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