Facilities
All of microNERD's servers are housed at The Planet in Dallas, TX.

With multiple state-of-the art data centers located in Dallas and Houston, Texas, The Planet provides On Demand IT Infrastructure backed by complete redundancy in power, HVAC, fire suppression, network connectivity, and security. So if any of our data centers experiences a disruption for any reason, your eggs (or servers) are never in one basket.

Currently managing 147,000 square feet of data center space in six facilities, we have an additional 30,000 square feet of data center space under construction. Each facility is wholly owned, managed and operated by The Planet and is equipped to handle any challenge based on these unique advantages:

Power systems at The Planet’s data centers are designed to run uninterrupted - even in the unlikely event of a total power outage. We have, for example, a state-of-the-art N+1 power generator architecture. In the event of any generator failure, back up power systems provide ample capacity to keep servers running.
In an extended power outage, on-site diesel generators at our data centers can run indefinitely. Power generators receive regular preventative maintenance to ensure the will continue to function in any emergency.
Every server is fed with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that assures service in the event of a power failure. Our UPS power is N+1 redundant with instant failover coverage should the primary UPS fail.
Our data center HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems are N+1 redundant to ensure that in the unlikely event of an entire HVAC system failure, there is a duplicate system ready to assume the load.
The Planet data centers feature advanced fire suppression systems to keep any fires localized and prevent them from spreading..
Preventative maintenance at our data centers is performed regularly by our own highly trained personnel to meet or exceed manufacturers recommended practices. These include quarterly generator maintenance, quarterly UPS maintenance and battery testing, and monthly HVAC maintenance.
The Planet is a member of The Uptime Network, a prestigious knowledge consortium where global standards and best practices are created and delivered to maintain system uptime.
We own and manage highly secure, state-of-the-art data centers which are devoted exclusively to our customers.

Why Chicago?
More long haul fiber goes through Chicago than any other city in the United States. Most of the fiber connecting the East and West coasts of the United States goes through Chicago, giving Chicago ample network capacity as well as routes that offer low latency to both the East and West coasts. Chicago also has an extremely low occurrence of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, floods, and earthquakes compared to most of the rest of the United States, meaning there is a reduced risk of outages due to natural disasters. In addition, Chicago has a much lower average cost of living compared to other major markets such as New York, San Francisco, and Washington DC. The lower cost of living reduces the expenses we incur as a whole and allows us to pass those savings on to you.

Power
Our datacenter is powered by two separate electrical substations: the Jefferson street and LaSalle street substations. These electrical substations have the capability to back each other up in the event of a power failure. The facility is also on the same electrical grid as the SBC/ATT tandem switch and the main AT&T switching stations. As such, the property is on a critical power grid, which is closely monitored by Com Ed. In the rare event of a grid power failure, the entire facility is backed by Uninterruptible Power Supply units and diesel generators which can power the facility indefinitely.

Security
Multiple layers of physical security ensure that your data remains safe. The building itself has a 24-hour attended lobby and security staff with integrated multiplex closed-circuit television (CCTV) and access systems. The perimeter and sensitive areas of the building are monitored 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Monitoring is done from the security station located on the first floor as well as by patrolling security guards.

Fire Suppression
Fire suppression in the facility is provided by a state-of-the-art FM-200 waterless fire protection system. Unlike the water-based systems used at most datacenters, FM-200 is non-conductive and non-corrosive so it is safe to use around all types of electronics and electrical equipment. FM-200 does not leave any oily residues, particulates or corrosive material after discharge. With some other fire protection systems such as water, foam, or dry chemicals, the extinguishing can be as damaging as the fire. The associated clean up, repair, and disaster recovery processes often result in extensive delays and downtime.

No other commercially available fire suppression system extinguishes fires faster than FM-200. The FM-200 system rapidly detects and suppresses ordinary combustible, electrical, flammable liquid and gas fires in just seconds.

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