A data center is a facility that stores computer machines and their hardware equipment. This place is where organizations keep their IT operations and store all their websites, applications, and data. Components of data center include: 

• Servers 
• Networking Equipment
• Storage Systems 
• Power Infrastructure 
• Cooling Systems 
• Security Systems 
• Environmental Monitoring  
• Cabling Infrastructure 

What are the data center tiers? 

Data center tiers are a system used to categorize different types of data center infrastructure. They are divided into 4 tiers according to their reliability. Choosing the appropriate data center tier depends on an organization’s IT requirements, budget, and tolerance for downtime. 

Tier 1 Data Centers

A tier 1 data center is usually used by smaller businesses, or organizations that don’t rely too much on technology. It offers basic services and has the simplest infrastructure, with non-redundant capacity components. Moreover, tier 1 data centers only have a single path for power and cooling and offer an uptime of 99.67%. This means that the potential downtime each year is around 28.8 hours. This tier of data center also needs to be shut down completely during maintenance.  

Tier 2 Data Centers

Tier 2 data center is a bit more reliable than tier 1. It also has a single path for power and cooling and needs the system to shut down when there is maintenance to the power path and other infrastructure. However, tier 2 centers come with redundant capacity components. This helps lower the chance of the data center operations not working if a component fails. They also offer an uptime of 99.74%, which means their potential downtime is around 22 hours each year. This makes tier 2 data center a good fit for small businesses who need more reliability than tier 1. 

Tier 3 Data Centers

Tier 3 data centers are a big step up in reliability. They have extra systems that can keep things running even when they do maintenance. Tier 3 centers are available about 99.982% of the time, which means they might not work for about 1.6 hours each year. They’re great for businesses that need things to keep going without big disruptions. 

Tier 3 data centers have multiple paths for power and cooling, with backup redundancies and outage protection. They also can go through maintenance without disturbing their operations, making them a more reliable option compared to tier 1 and tier 2. The uptime they offer is 99.98%, which means their potential downtime per year is around 1.6 hours. 

Tier 4 Data Centers

Tier 4 data centers are the best solution for large corporations that have a high traffic and need their technology to run smoothly at all times. This is because tier 4 centers have redundancy for every component, ensuring that they can work at all times. They have many extra systems and different paths for power, cooling, and connecting to networks. Tier 4 data centers have an uptime of 99.99%, which means their potential downtime is 26.3 minutes per year. They are also designed to be able to maintain their operations even in the event of downtime. 

Why are data centers important? 

Companies use data centers because managing all their computing equipment, which can be in different branches, on their own can be challenging. Thanks to these facilities, companies can bring all their equipment to a centralized location and manage it conveniently. This is because data center facilities are designed to provide a safe environment to keep all the computers running smoothly. Moreover, data centers also need to comply with several regulations to make sure that their data is securely stored. Simply put, a data center is like the main control center for a company’s digital activities. Companies also have the option of having an on-premises data center or using a third-party data center. You can learn more about the benefits of using a data center here. 

History of Data Centers 

The Early Days (1940s) 

The world’s first data center was built in the 1940s at the University of Pennsylvania. It was to house the first computer ever created, which was the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC). The one who built this was the US Army for military purposes at that time. 

These early computers were very complex to operate, and data centers were also just very simple facilities to house these computers. Most of the centers at that time also had no windows and only one secure door.  

Development of Personal Computers (1960s-1980s) 

During the 1960s-1970s, companies like IBM and Intel began to develop advanced, yet easy-to-use computers for everyone. Because of these innovations, more users deploy computers in the 1980s.  

As the number of computer users began to grow, organizations started to realize that they need to have a facility where they can put all their company servers there in order to manage them easier. These needs made data centers a popular solution for lots of companies. 

Data Center and Internet Boom (1990s) 

In the 1990s, the internet became a thing and wireless internet technologies were also introduced. Personal Computers have also become famous among people. In this period of time, companies also started to rely on the Internet for their business processes. This eventually caused the demand for data centers to increase even more. 

IT Trends and Outsourcing (2000s) 

There was an increase in spending on IT in the 2000s as more people began using PCs and the internet. However, the financial crisis in 2008 caused companies to look for ways for cost-cutting measures. This is when ‘outsourcing’ started to become famous, as it is cheaper than trying to handle everything on their own. Many companies started to work together with third-party vendors (or other companies) to handle some of their business processes. This includes handling their data centers, as it helps them to focus on their business, and the experts can take care of their computing equipment. 

Scalability Focus (2010s) 

On the 2010s, more companies rely on the internet and technology for their business processes. E-commerce and online transactions have also grown at this period of time. Due to these increased workloads, companies realized the need for data centers that can keep up with the growing amount of work without slowing down, or in other words, a scalable data center. 

However, environmental concerns regarding these data centers are also starting to rise. A report published by Greenpeace in 2012 highlighted how these data centers are consuming lots of energy to operate. 

Era of Efficiency (2020s) 

These days, people are continuing to improve the quality of data centers. Data center providers are implementing ways to make their data centers sustainable and environmentally friendly. This is done by using more renewable energy sources (like solar energy or wind energy) as it can reduce the carbon footprint of data centers.  

Moreover, data center providers also have started to virtualize data centers. This is done to create a more scalable, secure, and reliable data center for companies. Virtualization reduces he number of servers needed, which eventually reduces energy consumption and resource usage. Virtualized data centers also allow the automation of backup processes for a company’s virtual resources. This helps companies minimize downtime and ensures business continuity. 

Future Trends and Conclusion 

We can expect that data centers will become even more advanced in the future. As more companies digitalize their business processes, data centers will continue to play an important role in helping lots of companies to run their business efficiently and smoothly.  

Data centers started simply as rooms that are filled with lots of computers, and now they have grown to become a facility that makes digital business processes possible, with more and more companies depending on them. We can also expect them to continue growing more in the future. 

The post History of Data Centers appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

One of our founders, Erward Osckar, expressed his excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new office in Surabaya, Indonesia! This momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in our journey as we expand our presence and further strengthen our commitment to serving our global clients and partners.” 

He continued, “The new office houses our 24x7x365 Network Operation Center and Security Operation Center (SOC). It also accommodates our Engineering support team, Research and Development team, and the Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing team. With cutting-edge technology and modern amenities, the ISO 27001 audited facility embodies our vision for the future. It has been carefully crafted to optimize productivity, foster creativity, and enhance the overall experience for both our employees and visitors.” 

Our founders, Rudy Setiawan and Erward Osckar, along with Sherly Pandra representing her brother Jimmy Pandra, officially inaugurated our headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They expressed their gratitude to our guests and team for their support to Wowrack throughout the years. 

Rudy shared in his speech that he is “thankful for such a long journey, and now we finally have a place that we can call our new home for all of us, including our customers”. He also added that he “hopes Wowrack can continue to support everyone, including its employees, by providing the best IT services”.  

Erward also thanked our staff, clients, and partners. He also said in his speech that he “started Wowrack in the US in 2001, and 22 years have passed and Wowrack has grown into a big team now” and that he is “very happy, and very proud, and very glad with this achievement”. 

During the event, our guests had the opportunity to explore our facility through guided room tours. Also, they could have a chat with our team of engineers in unique ‘speed dating’-like sessions. We were delighted to receive positive feedback from our guests, as these sessions provided them with face-to-face interactions, a refreshing change from their usual online communication with our engineers. 

The grand opening of Wowrack‘s Southeast Asia Headquarters in Surabaya marks a remarkable milestone in our journey. We are hopeful that this new home will enable us to continue providing the best IT solutions to our customers.  

The post Wowrack Indo Celebrates Opening of New Southeast Asia Headquarters appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

A KVM can be a lifesaver for you and your company as it will streamline and assist in making daily operations simple and easy to manage.

What is a KVM?

A keyboard video monitor (KVM) is a device that allows a user to control multiple computers using a single keyboard, video monitor, and mouse. The KVM switch connects to the keyboard, video monitor, and mouse, and then connects to the computers using cables. The user can then switch between the computers by pressing a button or using a software program, allowing the user to control multiple computers with a single set of input devices, saving space and reducing clutter.

It is also referred as KVM switch ( Keyboard Video Mouse Switch) which is a hardware device that allows multiple computers to share a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse. It is commonly used in data centers, server rooms, and other environments where multiple computers need to be controlled from a single location.

How is a KVM useful?

A KVM switch allows a user to control multiple computers with a single set of input devices, which can save space and reduce clutter. This can be particularly useful in data centers, server rooms, and other environments where multiple computers need to be controlled from a single location.

Additionally, it can also be useful in situations where multiple people need to access different computers, but only have one set of input devices available. This can be the case in a testing lab, classroom or training facilities, where multiple computers need to be accessed in a short amount of time.

KVMs can also be useful for remote management, as it allows a user to control multiple computers from a remote location, eliminating the need to physically access each computer. This can save time and increase efficiency for IT professionals who need to manage multiple computers remotely.

Benefits of a Keyboard Video Monitor

There are several benefits to implementing a KVM including:

1. Space-saving: KVMs allow multiple computers to be controlled from a single set of input devices, which can save space and reduce clutter. This can be particularly useful in small office environments where space is limited.
2. Increased efficiency: KVMs allow multiple computers to be controlled from a single location, which can increase efficiency and productivity. This can be particularly useful in data centers, server rooms, and other environments where multiple computers need to be controlled from a single location.
3. Remote management: KVMs can be useful for remote management, as it allows a user to control multiple computers from a remote location, eliminating the need to physically access each computer. This can save time and increase efficiency for IT professionals who need to manage multiple computers remotely.
4. Multiple users: KVMs can also be useful in situations where multiple people need to access different computers, but only have one set of input devices available. This can be the case in a testing lab, classroom or training facilities, where multiple computers need to be accessed in a short amount of time.
5. Cost-effective: KVMs are a cost-effective solution for consolidating multiple computers into a single, manageable system, which makes it easier to control, monitor and manage multiple computers from a single location, which can increase productivity and efficiency.

Overall, KVMs are a cost-effective solution for consolidating multiple computers into a single, manageable system, which makes it easier to control, monitor and manage multiple computers from a single location, which can increase productivity and efficiency.

If you are interested in learning more about a KVM and how it can benefit you and your company, contact us today! We would love to discuss how we can help you improve your business operations.

The post Significance of having KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

As governments and health agencies around the world begin considering to and/or easing quarantines, starting Wednesday, June 10^th, Wowrack will start requiring everyone that visits Wowrack’s office or data center to wear facial coverings within all common areas of Wowrack facilities.  

Regarding the protocols, you must:

• Wear any face coverings that fit snugly and cover one’s nose and mouth. Cloth-based face coverings are permitted (it does not have to be surgical grade or N95-rated masks).
• Wear the face coverings at all times within the common and near entry/exit areas.
• Bring your own facial coverings for Wowrack will be unable to provide those to visitors due to limited supplies globally.

During your visitation, we also suggest you to:

• Maintain proper social distancing guidelines.
• Limit your time in the common areas as well as site visits and onsite personnel to a minimum or critical activities only. Work activities requiring 3^rd party vendors, onsite auditors or non-essential staff should be deferred.
• Help keep the number of occupants per elevator to a maximum of 2.
• Immediately report onsite positive cases of COVID-19 to Wowrack Management at management@wowrack.com should you find any.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding pertaining to these guidelines and protocols. Should there be any future changes or adjustments, we will keep you updated promptly.

Regards,

Wowrack Management

The post Site Visit to Wowrack – Facial Covering Requirement appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

SOC 2 engagements are based on the AICPA’s Trust Services Criteria. SOC 2 service auditor reports focus on a service organization’s non-financial reporting controls as they relate to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of a system. KirkpatrickPrice’s service auditor report verifies the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of Wowrack’s controls to meet the standards for these criteria.

“The SOC2 Type II certification is a crucial achievement for Wowrack as it demonstrates our commitment to Uptime, Security and protecting our customer’s data and Privacy,” said Erward Osckar, Managing Partner at Wowrack. “We treat data very seriously at Wowrack. The SOC2 Type II shows that Wowrack is competent and serious about securing its customers’ data.”

“The SOC 2 audit is based on the Trust Services Criteria. Wowrack has selected the security, availability, and confidentiality categories for the basis of their audit,” said Joseph Kirkpatrick, President of KirkpatrickPrice. “Wowrack delivers trust-based services to their clients, and by communicating the results of this audit, their clients can be assured of their reliance on Wowrack’s controls.”

About Wowrack
Wow Technologies, Inc. (Wowrack) was founded in 2001 as a customer-centric cloud service provider offering various IT services, including Hosting services, Colocation, Cloud Backup, Managed Services, Disaster Recovery Solutions, and more. Our competency includes infrastructure design, provision, implementation, management, as well as compliance and high traffic web application monitoring that require scalability, fast performing, and secure infrastructure.

Also follow Wowrack on Social Media :
Facebook page, Instagram (@wowrack),  LinkedIn, and Twitter 

About KirkpatrickPrice
KirkpatrickPrice is a licensed CPA firm, PCI QSA, and a HITRUST CSF Assessor, registered with the PCAOB, providing assurance services to 1,000 clients in more than 48 states, Canada, Asia, and Europe. The firm has more than a decade of experience in information security and compliance assurance by performing assessments, audits, and tests that strengthen information security and internal controls. KirkpatrickPrice most commonly provides advice on SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, HITRUST CSF, GDPR, ISO 27001, FISMA, and CFPB frameworks. For more information, visit www.kirkpatrickprice.com, follow KirkpatrickPrice on Twitter (@KPAudit), or connect with KirkpatrickPrice on LinkedIn.

The post Wowrack Completes SOC 2 Type II / SSAE 18 Audit appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Here’s why:

Expand Your Business

Choosing a cloud hosting option that’s scalable gives you the best opportunity to have your network grow with your business in the future. Many companies hold off on moving to the cloud because they feel as though they aren’t quite ready to do so. Perhaps they don’t yet have the funds or the client-base to make that kind of change. However, making the move to the cloud in the beginning stages will not only make your business more accessible to more people, but it will also allow you to save money in the long run. This is because most MSPs offer scalable solutions, so you don’t need to pay for what you aren’t using right now — you can always make the necessary upgrades later on.

Take More Time for What Matters

Turning to an MSP means that in addition to gifting your company a brand new infrastructure set-up next year, you will also have the support of a professional provider. This means they will manage everything, while you continue doing the many jobs you need to do as a company leader. If you have a lot of projects you’re hoping to get done next year, managing your network shouldn’t get in the way. Make it your resolution to work on what you need to do, while an MSP stays on top of the rest. After all, why risk losing all the hard work you’ve done when your MSP can provide amazing backup and disaster recovery solutions?

Wowrack wants you to be on the right track for next year. Contact us to learn more.

Keep the Important Jobs in the Hand of Professionals

Is not knowing who to trust holding you back from making some changes for next year? That’s understandable, and exactly why we stress the importance of making sure you can trust your MSP. This is why Wowrack offers data center tours to ensure you’re getting a good look at the services you’ll be receiving. Therefore, you can feel confident knowing that this important job lies in the hands of a  dedicated team of experts. There will always be someone available that can solve the problem your network may be presenting, but ultimately, the team will help recognize any problems well before they occur.

Also, it helps to know that if something does happen — for instance, a data breach — you won’t necessarily be the one held completely responsible.

Provide Consistent Customer Satisfaction

Lastly, a major goal you should have for the upcoming year is to continue growing that trust between you and your clients. One of the ways to achieve this is by maximizing your security standards, thereby ensuring your customers that you’re doing everything in your power to mitigate risks that could have the potential to leak their information. This is why, depending on the industry you’re in, it’s so important to practice compliance laws. Opting for the services of an MSP as one of your New Year’s resolutions will help you bring in more customers, and improve your CRM overall. Additionally, it will keep you safe from problems like shut-downs, delays, data disasters, breaches, and visits from auditors. A strong approach to this means happy customers.

So, what’s the hold up? Let us help you achieve the New Year’s resolutions you have for your company.

The post Turning to Managed Services Should be Your Company’s New Year Resolution appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Here at Wowrack, not only do we take you on a tour of a data center, but we also host open houses every so often to welcome large groups of those who just want to come by and check it out.

The next data center tour is January 10th. After all, what better way to start the New Year and gift your company’s network a new home?

Why Going on a Data Center Tour is Important

Since the data center is the selected location of where your server will be stored, it’s super important to know what this is going to look like. And, in general (but not always) seeing one data center will give you a good sense of what the other MSP’s data centers look like, too.

Seeing a data center for yourself can, for one, show you the obvious things. For instance, you can see if the data center is physically secured, if there is a cooling system in place, and overall, how the machinery looks. If it seems dusty, cluttered, and there are loose wires sticking out every which way, you may want to take a look at some other data centers, too. It also gives you a chance to learn more about how it all works, as well ask any questions that come to mind or haven’t already been answered.

Which, brings us to our next point…

What Questions You Should Ask

When it comes to as something as big as this, you want to make sure you’re absolutely certain before making the time and monetary investment. This is another way to get a good read on your prospective MSP. If they seem hesitant to answer your questions or are making you feel uncomfortable by asking them in the first place, then you might get a good sense of how your experience will be in the long term.

And, if you can’t think of any questions, here are some examples to get the juices flowing:

• Security – Who has access to the building? Have there have been break-ins?
• Electrical Infrastructure – How is this place getting power? How many distribution, backup systems, and generators are there?
• Troubleshooting – What happens if there is a problem with my equipment?

If you’d like to attend our Data Center Tour, Contact us today to make an appointment.

Registration for Wowrack’s Data Center Tour

Here at Wowrack, we believe there shouldn’t be any mystery. We pride ourselves on being transparent, so what you see is what you get.

In just a few weeks our Data Center Tour will take place on January 10th, 2018 from 9 AM to 3:30 PM, in Tukwila, Washington. Come and see for yourself the quality of the servers we maintain.

What to Do if you Can’t Make it This Time

If you can’t make it to this Data Center Tour, no worries! Wowrack always has our doors open (of course, not the doors to our secured data center) so you can make an appointment for a time that works best for you.

The post Are You Ready for Wowrack’s Data Center Tour? appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

It’s no surprise being in the Pacific Northwest that Seattle rains and howls each Fall Season. To the City resident’s great inconvenience, this time high winds caused a power outage lasting 40 hours and 30 minutes covering 150,000+ homes in Western Washington, including our office building and the Tukwila Data Center.

So what happened?
The blackout started approximately 5:07 p.m. on Nov 13th and our backup infrastructure systems in place seamlessly transferred power from our Utility Feed to the Generator Feed, resulting in continuous operation at full capacity.

Approximately 6 poles fell just west of our property, along Military Road, and several trees were down which hampered Seattle City Light’s (SCL) efforts to restore power sooner:

(Above picture was taken on Nov 13 2017. Not showing clearly on the picture are several poles down behind the trees)

We received updates about the power restoration efforts underway, however, due to the massive trees that needed to be cleared out in order to reach some of the poles, the resolve time projected continuously got pushed back.  In efforts of preparing for the worst case scenario, we monitored our generator closely in order to ensure we replenished fuel well ahead of time.

After 2 days of power outage at our data center, we are happy to report that we are finally back with power as of November 15 2017!

Our team worked tirelessly around the clock to guarantee our data center was continually powered on, in addition to frequently updating our customers base with any and all status insight of note, as they were made available to us.

Stay dry and enjoy Thanksgiving!

The post Outage – Two Business Days Without Power appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

That’s why you should consider doing a tour of your prospective data center, before signing a contract.

Why Visit the Data Center

Even though your data is going to soon be managed in the cloud, that cloud still has to exist in a physical space somewhere. A data center is a place where a network of servers is kept. These servers handle a lot of data (in this case, your company’s data) and keep it safe, secure, and accessible for whenever you need it. Of course, some data centers are better at doing this job than others.

By visiting the actual data center, you can have a first-hand look at these servers. Just like the same way you would check out a building before signing a lease or scoping out a restaurant before choosing to sit down, it’s very similar.

What You Should Be Looking Out For

When you go on a tour of the data center, there are a few things you want to be paying attention to. One is you want to see the overall conditions of the center. If it looks pretty dusty, there are wires all over the place, and you can feel the intense heat coming off the machines, then those are all big red flags.

You want to make sure this data center is secure, has a cooling system that you can feel, and that it seems to be organized and well maintained. If this is where your data is going to be stored, it’s important that things are in a good place.

Wowrack offers potential clients tours of our data centers, so you can feel certain about signing on with us. Contact us today to schedule a visit.

What You Should Ask and Think About During and After Your Visit

While you’re visiting your prospective data center, you’re going to want to ask some questions about the place, so you can know information beyond what you can just see with your eyes.

• What’s this data center’s network capacity?
• Is the location of the data center in a place that’s prone to storms natural disasters?
• Does it have a generator or some other kind of backup solution if the power goes out?
• What were some challenges this data center has faced and how did they recover?
• How’s the physical security of the building?
• In addition to 24/7 management, is there in-house support in case something goes wrong?
• Is the data center facility free of any law-suits/financially secure?

When inquiring about the services of a managed hosting provider, ask them if you can take a tour of their data centers. If that’s not something they offer, move on to the next candidate.

The post Why You Should Consider Doing a Tour of Your Prospective Data Center appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Doesn’t your company deserve the same protection? After all, how do you plan on keeping business moving when the unexpected happens?

The Cost of a Disaster on Your Business

It goes without saying that even the smallest of IT disruptions can wreak havoc on your business. According to research done by Information Week, out of the 200 companies surveyed, the total cost of any IT downtime was over 26 billion. That translates to $150,000 lost annually by each company.

Not only is it a financial loss, but it’s also a long-term catastrophe. Companies who experience any type of IT shut-down, whether it’s due to a hack or a power-outage, can leave a bad taste with their clients. Their clients are going to be less likely to trust this company in the future, and may go with a competitor instead. Ultimately, the effects are long term.

Therefore, it’s no question that having a plan when disaster strikes is imperative. Just choosing the right provider with a solid approach is a major step in the right direction.

What is DRaas and How It Can Specifically Help YOU

Disaster Recovery as a Service, or DRaas, is a unique solution to disaster recovery designed by an expert provider catered specifically to your company’s needs. No two businesses are the same, whether it’s the size of their clientele, the type of industry they’re in, or the profits made. This means that your DRaas solution will be quite different from the next guy’s.

Your provider will help plan and design, architect, and deploy your disaster recovery solution from start to finish. This way, you’re fully prepared if and when a problem occurs. It will be your very own, fully managed, custom environment, that you can rely on. And, it doesn’t need to be expensive, either, as your provider can help you find a solution that fits your budget just as well as everything else.

Wowrack offers budget-friendly and high-quality DRaas packages that will fit your company’s’ needs. Contact us today to learn more.

How Your Provider Keeps Business Continuity

The most important thing any DRaas does is allow your business to keep moving if you get stalled by an IT interruption, whatever that may be. Sometimes, these interruptions can take some time to discover and solve, and you don’t want to have to keep your business waiting around in the meantime. As mentioned before, that can result in huge loss for your business.

Wouldn’t it be better to pay a little more to have that peace of mind? Knowing that you’ll be okay even if disaster strikes is a huge weight lifted off your shoulders.

With the right DRaas solution, you provider goes through a series of steps to make sure your business continues running in the event of a disaster.

After your provider audits you in order to understand what your current IT situation stands, they’ll engineer a plan using their own internal procedures and tools that will be very similar to the infrastructure you’re already using. Once that’s taken care of, your provider will get ready to deploy that solution any time, anywhere, and will test it first to make sure it’s ready to go. Finally, your provider will constantly monitor your systems to make sure your data stays safe and your disaster recovery solution is ready to go at any moment.

With a DRaas, there’s no need to worry anymore. If something happens, your data will be protected and easy to retrieve in an instant. Meanwhile, your provider handles everything behind the scenes, so you can keep business going without IT interruptions getting in the way.

The post How Your Provider Can Help You When Disaster Strikes appeared first on Wowrack Blog.