The Data Center Group opts for partner that thinks along with them

EVERY SECOND COUNTS
One does not simply stroll into the data centers of The Datacenter Group. As a visitor, you must be registered in advance and you must be able to provide personal ID at the reception desk. Only then can you enter the building – and then only under the supervision of an employee. “That’s business as usual,” Kandelaar says. “We secure the data from hospitals, transport, and government institutions, among others. The reliability of IT systems is crucial in these sectors. In healthcare, even seconds count.”

IN SAFE HANDS
With The Datacenter Group, therefore, data is in safe hands. “Where the cloud used to be “scary”, the idea is gradually starting to land that data is better off – more flexible, scalable, and cheaper – in a data center than at the customer location,” says Kennedy. “According to research firm Gartner, 80 to 90% of companies still have their data at their own location. In the next few years, this will decrease to 10%. We see added value of The Datacenter Group through consulting in the field of the Hybrid Cloud, and by handling migrations.”

AS GREEN AS POSSIBLE
Along with safety, social responsibility also plays an enormous role within The Datacenter Group. “Data centers are negatively associated with power consumption. Nevertheless, you can no longer ignore data centers. That is why we operate on 100% green energy. We were the first fully green data center in the Netherlands, and we developed our own cooling system. With this cooling system, we can indirectly cool our customers’ IT equipment with outside air. Along with being highly sustainable, this also provides significant cost savings for our customers. But what really sets us apart from other data centers is the fact that we are 100% Dutch. This means that all data is stored in the Netherlands and is subject to Dutch legislation. That is very important for healthcare, education, and government institutions among others,” says Kennedy.

AMBITIOUS GROWTH GOALS
The Data Center Group has ambitious growth goals. “By 2025, we will have ten locations, strategically spread across the Netherlands,” Kennedy says. “Our data centers act as edge data centers: data processing close to the source. One of the benefits is the low latency, which is an important function of a regional data center.” In this way, customers outsource their data, but not too far from their physical location. “You can compare our ideas somewhat with the SkyTeam of a number of airlines. If, for example, KLM itself does not fly to a specific destination, they will still offer the destination – with the help of partners. We also want to implement that idea in the data center world and offer customers greater comfort. If the customer wants to work with us in a country where we are not located, we will make this happen through partners.”

TRENDS
Additionally, The Datacenter Group keeps a close eye on trends such as ContinuousNext and Digital Twin Organization. As Kennedy explains, “Companies are constantly looking for the next development (ContinuousNext). That is why they are increasingly setting up a second IT environment focused on innovation. This “agile” environment is separate from the “normal”, stable IT department that is bound by extensive rules. This means that there is room for experimentation. According to Gartner, this is the way to survive in these turbulent times. But you can imagine that such an agile environment also brings along challenges in terms of flexibility, security, computing, and storage capacity. We are happy to respond to those challenges.”

LOGICAL CHOICE
A market that is constantly subject to change also requires partners that think along with them. “Legrand Data Center Solutions is just such a partner for us! We can cooperate quickly thanks to our flat organizations. This enables adjustment to be made in no time; even specials can be provided easily. The flexibility in the portfolio is also admirable. You don’t see those configuration options at every supplier,” says Kandelaar. The data center in Amsterdam now has cold corridors, PDUs, and approximately 700 racks. “Around 300 racks will be added in a new room. So why did we choose Legrand Data Center Solutions again? We opt for safety, flexibility and reliability – from design to implementation. Bearing that in mind, Legrand Data Center Solutions is the logical choice for us.”