Archive for the 'Rants' Category

Tier 1 Data Center Requirements

November 13th, 2007 | Category: Rants

Maybe its just me, but I expect any tier 1 data center that I or my clients use to be able to handle a power outage, and I mean a full power outage. As you may or may not know, Rackspace experienced a severe outage yesterday. A truck collided with the main power transformer outside their building severing them from the grid. According to their statement, they switched over to their backup power feed, but the power company was turning that feed on and off in order to assist the first responders trying to rescue people from the accident scene - totally understandable. What’s not understandable is why Rackspace didn’t have enough generator capacity to run its chillers as well as the machines, or if they did, why they didn’t execute on that. Anyone who runs equipment rooms knows they must have proper cooling, or the machines located in that room will self destruct in very short order. So, it stands to reason that it does no good to have generator backup in case the power is cut if you can’t run your chillers off of that generator system as well. You’ll just be running your machines literally to death.

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