Data Center Detail

Maximum Security

Data center access is strictly regulated and restricted by key card and a 24/7 guard. In addition, closed-circuit cameras continuously monitor all access points. Entry to the production facility is not allowed. Where colocation is available, secure passage is further restricted by a mantrap, biometric hand scanner and key-lock cabinets or cages.

Core and Shell

Hostway provides premiere data center services for secure and reliable operations. Our core hub serves critical Internet protocol (IP) networks, Internet operations and emerging technology providers. Hostway is the industry leader for physical security, power availability, infrastructure flexibility and customer support. Our data centers are contained within fire-resistant walls and flooring with bombproof windows. The hosting environment conforms to the highest industry specifications with all energy, air conditioning, security and fire detection and suppression systems provided at N+1.

Network Operation Center

Our data centers are monitored by local and remote network operations centers (NOC). Each NOC is equipped with state-of-the-art systems to supervise and maintain network- and system-level health and performance. Our 24/7/365 staff is always available to provide world-class support and ensure that all customer issues are addressed.

Server Rooms

Hostway rack cabinets are equipped with the industry's best components and wired with redundant, high-quality cabling required for connection to our core backbone. The production area has fully redundant air-conditioning and an early fire detection system using the latest laser particle detectors. These detectors sense ionization and imminent flames incredibly fast.

State-of-the-Art Network

Our state-of-the-art network is comprised entirely of carrier-class, Cisco Systems and Foundry Networks hardware. Juniper Networks M40 Internet backbone routers and Cisco 12000 Series routers handle the routing, while the internal network is built using Gigabit Ethernet. Our networks support the high demands of mission-critical Web applications, including registry operations, Web hosting businesses and application service provider (ASP) applications. With redundancy at all layers, multiple routers and switches are configured in parallel with dynamic routing and switching to ensure automated failover during any failure. Our data centers directly access multiple diverse fiber rings and are redundantly connected to IP carriers by multiple local providers, including Level3, MCI and Time Warner. Our enterprise-class routing equipment is securely housed within the core routing room and is redundantly powered.

Electrical Power Distribution System

Continuous uptime of electrical power distribution systems is absolutely critical in ensuring the 99.99% uptime. A momentary power interruption can mean disaster. Hostway data centers are designed with dual busway structures for redundancy and scalability. Hostway also employs the current monitoring system to safeguard against usage overload.

Transformer Blocks

Today's data centers consume a huge amount of electrical power. The data centers typically have higher per-square-foot electricity consumption than any other industrial facility. Each of the Hostway data centers is designed with the highest grade of electrical equipment and according to the latest industry best-practice benchmarking. A critical piece within the electrical system is the transformer, which must have plenty of power-handling capacity. Due to the high availability requirements, Hostway has multiple utility feeds that supply separate transformers and thereby achieve redundancy.

Battery Banks

The battery banks are hooked into the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system to supply the necessary power in the event of the power failures. The power from the battery banks carry the electrical load of the entire data center for 30 minutes until the diesel generator system comes online. In reality the switch over happens in less than 15 seconds. In order to achieve this level of performance, Hostway maintains a room full of batteries that are constantly charged and tested to make sure they perform correctly when they are called into service.

Redundant Power Systems

Our data centers are designed with redundant power systems to allow uninterrupted service even in the unlikely event of a total power failure. The data center power is routed through conditioned N+1 redundant UPS power subsystems that will prevent interruption if utility power fails, along with instantaneous failover if the primary UPS fails. In the event of an extended power outage, on-site diesel generators supply the required electrical power to the entire facility, allowing the data center to operate indefinitely until main power is restored. Our diesel generators are pre-heated and tested weekly to ensure proper function and emergency readiness.

Uninterruptible Power Supply

No redundant power system would be complete without an industry-strength UPS. It protects against brown-outs and provides the split-second critical bridge between the power system and the generators during extended power black-outs. Hostway has purchased and installed the industry-leading three-phase UPS systems in multimodule configurations for maximum high-availability operations.

Redundant Cooling Systems

Hostway data centers are equipped with fully redundant cooling systems that ensure a constant optimal operating temperature is maintained for peak server performance. N+1 redundancy is built in so that a duplicate standby system is available even if the entire heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system fails. Our HVAC systems continuously circulate and filter air to remove dust and contaminants.

Fire Suppression

Our data centers incorporate resilient, state-of-the-art fire location and suppression systems, ensuring that any fire can be detected and extinguished before it takes hold through a combination of Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus (VESDA) and FM200 technology.

VESDA is an ultra-sensitive smoke detection system that measures extremely low concentrations of smoke to detect fires at their earliest stage. VESDA systems continuously sample the air and detect the invisible by-products of materials as they degrade during the pre-combustion stages of a fire.

In the event of a fire, the FM200 fire suppression system discharges gas to extinguish fires. Environmentally friendly and non-toxic, it poses no risk to human health and no significant reduction in oxygen levels. FM200 gas is effective within 10 seconds of discharge so that fires are rapidly extinguished. Each machine room is also fitted with a gas extraction system, which discharges the gas into the atmosphere.