Posted by:
Michael Johnson, Enterprise IT Architect, Information Technology Division
Many of you have been hearing about the second data center for years. That project, now known as the Springfield Data Center (SDC), is now officially underway. A ground breaking ceremony was held on June 22, as noted in the following excerpt from the press release:
The SDC will serve as a secure housing facility for the state's electronic records and data systems while also providing critical backup for the Commonwealth's existing primary data center. When complete, the $110 million facility will be a national model for green technology.
The 148,000-square-foot building is designed to drastically minimize energy use through efficiency measures and other design features. It will be constructed with the latest technologies in energy efficient data center infrastructure, sustainable building design and consolidated computer technology.
"The Springfield Data Center is a project with a multitude of benefits," said Governor Patrick. "In addition to securing critical data used by thousands of state workers, this facility will be a national model for environmentally-friendly data storage and an economic boost for the City of Springfield. I thank Congressman Neal, Mayor Sarno, the legislative delegation and the community for their support and dedication to making this project a reality."
The new data center is being designed with a host of state of the art efficient technologies, including fresh air cooling, EnergyStar servers and an advanced energy management system, which will make the new facility among the most energy efficient data centers in the country. The state's Division of Capital Asset Management and Information Technology Division have also been working with Western Mass Electric Co. to maximize potential rebates available through the utility to lower front end costs, while enhancing energy efficiency at the new facility.
In addition to the facilities work that is now moving full steam ahead, ITD technical architects are working hard to prepare for the consolidated, two data center vision that SDC will fulfill. SDC will be not just one of the most energy efficient data centers in the country, it will also be a model of state-of-the art, best practice technologies and operational efficiency. Construction is expected to be complete around May of 2012. Meanwhile, there is much work to be done.
Stay tuned for updates as this exciting project proceeds.
Comments