COLO@ today announced that they will begin the second phase of expansion at their ATL2 datacenter at 34 Peachtree St. in Atlanta, GA. While the facility already boasts fully redundant power, network, and cooling capabilities, this expansion will enhance all of these areas.
As part of this infrastructure expansion, COLO@ will be installing an additional 500kW generator capacity to bolster their current 350kW capacity. This will bring total generator capacity to 850 kW. By keeping generator capacity well in excess of demand allows for seamless future expansion when increasing UPS capacity. High generator capacities also allows the COLO@ facility to better weather any natural disaster or disruption of the local power grid.
In addition to this significant increase in generator capacity, COLO@ will install another 300kVA of UPS battery backup capacity. This will double the available UPS capacity bringing the total to 600kVA. UPS capacity is critical as it is the first line of defense against irregularities in utility line power feeds.
Substantial UPS capacity allows all critical systems and customer equipment to continue functioning in the event of utility power loss and provides a buffer between when an outside power event occurs and when the backup generator systems come on-online. In both the case of the generator and the UPS, COLO@ has more capacity than is required with existing equipment loads. This not only allows for future customer expansion, but ensures that the redundant power equipment does not see 100% usage. Longevity & safe operation of power equipment is critical to maintaining the uptime levels that COLO@ has become known for.
The upgrades at ATL2 COLO@ facility entail further power upgrades. Another 1200A 480V utility power feed will provide another layer of power diversity to the facility. Gary Simat, CEO of COLO@ states “The additional power upgrades of generator, UPS, and additional grid power increase both our redundancy as well as our capacity.”
Cooling the data center is another area being addressed within this latest round of upgrades to the facility. At present, the ATL2 facility has 94 tons of cooling capacity. This upgrade will result in an additional 140 tons of air conditioning capacity. A unique feature of this cooling upgrade is the use of Liebert CRV in-row air-conditioning units. These units slot directly into rows of cabinets inside the data center and provide focused, directed cooling precisely where needed. These unique cooling units increase efficiency by incorporating sensors into surrounding racks to monitor temperature and airflow. When the CRV senses increased or decreased cooling requirements, it responds to match heat loads appropriately. Due to the unique compressor design of the CRV units, output can be automatically scaled from as little as 20% up to 100% capacity instantly. What’s more, the Liebert CRV units communicate with each other and work together to maintain proper cooling. If one unit has an issue, other units in the data center will adjust cooling output to compensate.
Cooling is delivered when it’s needed and where it’s needed. This on-demand functionality increases efficiency, cooling effectiveness, and decreases power consumption. By increasing overall efficiency, these upgrades provide a stable environment while benefitting customers by keeping costs down.
Gary Simat goes on to state; “With more focused in-row cooling options we can increase the density of equipment in our facility. In-row cooling also allows for more effective cold-aisle containment which further increases the overall efficiency of our 34 Peachtree facility.” Due to their unique design, the CRV cooling units allow easier implementation of cold-aisle containment. Cool air is directed precisely where it is needed from the front of the unit while hot exhaust air produced by servers & equipment is handled at the back of the unit. The Liebert CRV units that have been specced for this expansion allow COLO@ to increase cooling efficiency while maximizing available space. Mr. Simat goes on to say; “The provision of improved power and cooling capacity is key to meeting the needs of our customers. They demand the best uptime in the industry and it’s our goal to meet that demand.”
All of the upgrades at the 34 Peachtree COLO@ facility provide significant increases in redundancy, facility stability, efficiency, and tolerance to external factors. Eric Gregory, Director of Marketing states; “COLO@ is focused on maintaining complete reliability across all of our facilities. These upgrades at our Atlanta HQ are key to ensuring our customers stay on-line, no matter what.”
