The volume of data that organizations manage and maintain is growing at an astronomical rate. Data centers are at the epicenter of housing the ever-growing volume of data, generated through cloud computing, 5G Edge computing, artificial intelligence – and whatever the next iteration of data technology brings.
Nearly 60% of the data centers in the US are housed in Northern Virginia alone, home to JK Technology Services. Through those 12 million square feet of data center space some 70% of the world’s internet traffic. And, despite business interruptions brought about by COVID, commercial developer CBRE expects data center inventory will grow by nearly 14% this year, most of that happening in Northern Virginia. As local experts with global reach, JK Technology Services is ideally situated to be a critical partner to data center operations.
The logistical challenge
The growth of data and the need for greater data center capacity present challenging logistical issues.
Relocating, consolidating, or refreshing critical environments requires intense project planning and risk mitigation strategy, along with ground support that understands the sensitivity of the subject matter. It requires the right partner, one with the people, products, and services, to ensure that IT and facilities teams can sleep well at night, no surprises, no hiccups, just peace of mind.
In our 40 years of commercial moves, JK Moving has built an impressive track record for excellence in data center logistics. Whether your company is looking to consolidate data centers, relocate, deploy new centers, or decommission critical IT assets, JK Moving’s data center services protect your mission-critical data infrastructure while ensuring the business continuity and security you need.
5 ways JK supports data center logistics
Risk mitigation
Data downtime isn’t just an annoyance. A power outage in a Delta Airlines operation center created a $150 million loss for the airline in 2016. In 2019, Facebook incurred an estimated $90 million in losses from a 14-hour outage. Even a brief data disruption can be costly; Gartner estimates the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute.
When you consider that the number one cause of data center failure is human error, the stakes for partnering with a qualified, experienced data center mover are obvious.
Removing that human error risk is why JK Moving begins every data center engagement with a risk mitigation plan and business continuity strategy. By relying on experts who do this work daily, and have for decades, our clients’ key personnel can stay focused on their core job during a data center consolidation or relocation.
As importantly, we have the processes and infrastructure in place to ensure a disruption-free migration. Our trucks provide a critical power supply so that when we unplug your server, you plug into our power supply – no interruptions.
Asset tracking and management
As Mission Critical magazine recently noted, “Modern IT structures are becoming increasingly difficult to control due to the disparate locations of IT assets and their components. The majority of the time, asset locations are not properly documented due to time and cost pressures. To stay in control, it’s necessary to maintain up-to-date and accurate information on current resources, their relationships, and available capacities.”
In a data center move, the challenge of tracking and managing those assets throughout the process is compounded. Companies need to know where their “stuff” is, and when it will be delivered. Our real-time digital image inventory allows customers to view assets and even schedule time to deliver within a two-hour window. Our proprietary inventory management system and customer portal give the IT and facilities management team real-time, 24/7 visibility into the location and delivery status of each IT asset.
Warehousing of mission-critical assets
One challenge many companies face when attempting a data center move on their own is what to do with mission-critical assets such as servers and other network infrastructure until the new location is ready to accept delivery. Locating a suitable, convenient, temporary warehouse can be time-consuming and costly.
JK Moving’s 5.7 million cubic feet of climate-controlled warehouses can help reduce those distribution costs. We manage storage and delivery for each project with 24/7 access. And because we are located within 20-30 minutes of Northern Virginia’s “Data Alley”, we can move your equipment from the warehouse to your facility in less than two hours.
Sustainable, green moving practices
At JK Moving Services, we are committed to sustainable, green moving practices that ensure your assets are decommissioned and repurposed securely and safely. We ensure that used computer equipment is disposed of in compliance with federal data security laws. Our services include data wiping, degaussing, hard drive shredding, and recycling of hard drive peripherals.
Our integrated re-purposing program prevents usable items from going to landfills. We place excess assets arriving at our facility in a Triage Area, where they are available to charities and nonprofit organizations. In 2020, we diverted 4.5 million pounds of materials away from area landfills through our recycling programs and eco-friendly initiatives.
Secure recycling is not only good for business—it’s also good for the planet. Through our many green moving initiatives, JK reduces carbon emissions and protects the environment through our reusable services.
Customer portal for easy move tracking
Given the mission-critical nature of a data center move, we place a high priority on customer communication. Our crew members collect and share real-time details with the JK Customer Portal, a mobile platform that integrates both our moving services and our IT disconnect/reconnect services, to give you up-to-the-minute details of your move.
If you are looking for a data center logistics partner with the experience and resources to efficiently and securely manage your data center needs, contact us. From project planning through relocation execution, JK Moving’s trusted solutions help move companies into the future with relocation, reconfiguration, and decommissioning services for your mission-critical assets and data centers.