web hosting

Digital Realty Trust Honored by Datacenter Dynamics

Digital Realty Trust Inc. took home the “Innovation in an Outsourced Environment” award at the Datacentre Leader’s 2008 Awards.  The firm received the honor for the Turn-Key Datacentre it recently delivered to IBM to support the expansion of the company’s web hosting business in France.   Digital Realty Trust was presented with the honor on December 17, 2008 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.  The annual award ceremony is hosted by Datacenter Dynamics which also hosts a number of educational conferences for experts involved in mission-critical IT facilities.

Benared Geoghegan, Digital Realty Trust Senior Vice President, expressed what an honor it was to receive the award and aid in the project with IBM.  The completion of the new Turn-Key Datacentre in Paris, France provided IBM with the ability to eliminate a large capital investment and meet the financial and technical requirements for the project.  The award further proved Digital Realty Trust’s expertise in data center design and commitment to its partners.  Geoghegan says the firm was able to make it a successful project by utilizing environmentally sustainable development techniques as well as its industry-leading approach to optimizing energy efficiency.

Originally launched in 2007, the Datacentre Leader’s Awards were created to recognize technological innovation and reward excellence to organizations who specialize in facility design.  The award recognizes entities in London and throughout the entire continent of Europe.  The Datacentre Leader’s Awards provide organizations with the opportunity to showcase their ingenuity and professionalism in the essential data center industry.  Datacenter Dynamics launched the program to not only highlight teams, but individuals who make this vital sector what it is today, proving that it’s much more than sophisticated products and technologies.  Other than offering peer recognition, the Datacentre Leader’s Award also provide the opportunity to display the data center industry at its very best.

Located across Europe and North America,. Digital Realty Trust Turn-Key Datacentre facilities offer state of the art environments to support mission-critical infrastructures.  They are equipped with advanced power and cooling systems, multiple redundancy and sustainable elements to ensure that crucial applications are available and energy sources are optimized.  Each facility is physically secure, equipped with sophisticated power systems and environmental architectures that provide for efficient, eco-friendly operations.  All Digital Realty Trust Turn-Key Datacentre facilities are designed on the firm’s proprietary POD Architecture and utilizes metered energy to ensure that clients only pay for the power they consume.

The recent honor was fitting for Digital Realty Trust as the company is one of the most respected names in the data center industry.  The company is dedicated to providing its Turn-Key Datacentre facilities and Powered Base Building solutions for global clients across a wide range of industries.  Some of its partners include organizations in manufacturing, financial services, Information Technology and internet-based enterprises among other sectors.  This respected firm owns 74 facilities in 27 major markets throughout Europe and North America, each of which provide an infrastructure critical to the operations of its technology partners and corporate enterprise data center tenants.

The Emergence of Green Web Hosting

Few ever believed the internet would explode into its current state of popularity.  Everyone from young to old is signing online to surf the web – communicating, shopping and seeking out entertainment.  At the same time, millions of people are creating websites in attempt to meet the needs of visitors across the globe.  A webmaster can’t reach their niche market without servers and the associated hardware found in today’s data centers.  In order to keep the web thriving, providers must use tons of electricity, contributing to the environmental concerns plaguing the earth today.  Data centers are located throughout the world, most of them allowing CO2 among other harmful emissions to pollute the atmosphere.  To reduce data center emissions and help preserve the earth, a number of web hosing companies have opted to go green.

The Power Behind Green Hosting

Green web hosting was scarce a few years ago, however, recently this type of web hosting has come into the limelight.  There are a handful of companies who started off 100% green while others have gradually converted.  Even some of the most widely known providers have made the switch to offer a more eco-friendly web hosting product.  Many begin in the office by recycling waste paper and utilizing bio-fuel for heating purposes.  This leads to the data centers where servers thrive off alternative sources such as wind, solar and geothermal energy.  Some have went out and purchased RECs (Renewable Energy Credits), a certification which assures the company is using alternatives forms of power.

Slowly but surely, the web hosting industry is making the transition to more efficient operations.  There are a few companies that go far and beyond to make sure they deliver green hosting.  For example, Green Web Hosting is one host that encourages its employees to telecommute in attempt to reduce pollutants caused by everyday transportation.  Some run an entirely paperless service to cut back on the unnecessary usage of trees.  Others will actually plant a new tree for each new customer they sign up.  Many of them will also offer discounts to customers who aid in environmental causes with their websites.  Green web hosting emerged from nowhere to become the preferred choice for an increasing amount of people.

Reliability and Performance

There are some who question the performance and overall reliability you receive with a green web hosting platform.  In actuality, renewable energy is proven to be just as reliable and effective as conventional electricity.  Green hosts are successfully running their businesses just as everyone else is.  Like the traditional provider is equipped with electrical backup sources, these companies are prepared to produce renewable energy to keep the operation flourishing.

Is Green Web Hosting for You?

Green hosting is great for obvious reasons but not everyone is ready to convert.  Some are turned off because the price varies and can be more than traditional hosting.  Cost aside, you want to find a company that is reliable and provides a quality service most importantly.  With the backing of a respectable green web host, you can feel good about your role in saving the earth.