Data Center Insights
Columbus Business First magazine conducted a roundtable discussion on all things data centers with area leaders in the field, including Expedient’s own Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Bryan Smith, as well as Phil Smith of Racksquared, Kim Gerhart of Cologix, Jason Harris of CeraNet and Michael Minnich of NetGain Information Systems. The discussion was informative and offered an interesting view of different perspectives from those who work in the industry every day.
Here are some of the notable takeaways from Bryan:
When asked about getting customers on board with outsourcing to a colocation provider, Bryan had this to say: “The key word you used is ‘trust.’ … No one will move forward with any of us without having that trust. The other driving factor is they have to have a business need and a problem they’re trying to solve. They get to the point where they realize their business can be better served by them focusing on their core strengths and what drives their business forward.”
The myth that customers come to data centers only after having a major disaster was dispelled by numerous commentators; Bryan included: “The more common things are the power outage inside their building, the flood that comes from the kitchen two floors above their server or just human error.… Many more companies are prepared now than what they use to be.”
Data centers have to rely on outside providers to service clients. Here is how Bryan describes that relationship: “From Expedient’s perspective, we have long-term relationships with our different partners, some 10-plus years. We standardize on the same systems and process in all of our facilities. … We also have those kind of long-term relationships with hardware providers. They are really helpful to us in managing up the food chain to make sure we can weather (disaster-type events).”
To read the full discussion, download the article here. It offers a lot of useful information for those considering a data center move. Thank you to Columbus Business First for conducting the thought leader data center roundtable and including Expedient.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Rosenson is responsible for overseeing organizational functions that drive growth at Expedient. Jon additionally acts as an external spokesperson conveying the Expedient story. Follow him on Twitter.
