(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — Data center operator Digital Realty Trust (www.digitalrealtytrust.com) announced on Tuesday it has completed its first POD Architecture Services customer agreement.
In the press release, Digital Realty Trust does not disclose the name of the company but specifies that it is a “Fortune 100 financial services company.”
Digital Realty Trust unveiled the service last August to provide design and construction services to companies that are seeking DRT’s data center expertise and resources while retaining ownership of their data center facility.
In this agreement, DRT is managing the construction process and schedule and providing other support services for development of the data center, which will be owned and operated by the customer.
The first phase of the project will feature 3375kW of IT load and about 30,000 square feet of raised floor space.
The project is currently underway and is projected to be completed this summer.
“The value proposition for customers is clear,” says Chris Crosby, senior VP of corporate development at Digital Realty Trust, “by using our POD Architecture Services the customer is able to complete large datacenter projects, faster, more cost effectively and with lower risk than if they take a purely do-it-yourself approach. When companies collaborate with us on their datacenter projects, they can save as much as tens of millions of dollars and months or even years by utilizing our supply chain, design and construction expertise, and other proprietary resources. We are continuing to receive a very positive response from the market for this service. It has a strong value proposition for companies that want to reduce the complexity and cost of their data center projects.”
Companies that use Digital Realty Trust’s POD Architecture Services are able to license DRT’s turn-key data center design package, use the company’s air flow modeling methodology to determine the most energy-efficient floor layout, access its supply chain for procurement of data center components, use its proprietary Gating Process, consult with DRT’s to overcome specific challenges related to data center development and project management, participate in DRT’s green data center and energy efficiency program and expertise, and move into DRT’s fully commissioned facility.
