CityNAP makes the case for DC power

I have done enough corporate communications work to know that the almighty customer case study or testimonial is one of the hardest things to nail, mainly because lawyer-ly types get all agitated when it comes to revealing their company's competitive edge when it comes to technology. So I always sit up and take notice when someone IS willing to talk, as was the case recently with CityNAP, which just invested in a whole boatload of data center technologies from Extreme Networks.

Here are the quick facts: CityNAP is using Extreme Networks aggregation switches -- including the BlackDiamond 20802, BlackDiamond 8800 and Summit X350 -- to create a PCI-compliant environment in its Tier 1 Network Access Point (NAP) in San Antonio, Texas. On the face of it, there isn't such a green story here, but when I actually spoke with CityNAP CEO Don Douglas about why he chose Extreme, energy efficiency and green considerations were absolutely part of the decision.

That's because all of the equipment is DC-powered, which Douglas says is helping the facility save roughly 20 percent of the ongoing operational costs as similar platforms relying on AC power. "DC power, to us,  has inherent benefits," he says. The management framework for the switches was also a significant motivator, he adds.

That isn't the only thing green about this particular colocation facility. CityNAP says that the facility runs off wind energy, and Douglas notes the company is evaluating solar technology as a potential backup source of renewable energy for periods of peak demand.