This 180,000-square-foot structure contains a 107,000-square-foot command-and-control operations center for a large, regional corporation. The remaining 73,000 square feet are utilized for a new corporate data center.
The guiding principle for the design of this facility was to eliminate all single points of failure for mission-critical systems. The supporting infrastructure for both data processing and system control and data acquisition functions is designed using a “concurrently maintainable” model for redundancy, meaning that the design includes the ability to maintain fully redundant infrastructure services during maintenance activities without sacrificing backup system availability during unplanned failures of the primary systems.
The building has layered security from site-to-building, and from noncritical to critical areas within the building. Secure areas utilize biometric readers in addition to more conventional access-control devices. The design also incorporates vehicular barriers at points of entry and crash-resistant site perimeter fencing. Glazing for windows serving sensitive areas is ballistic-resistant.
The building is storm-hardened to protect against hurricanes, flooding, and other natural and man-made events and shielded for protection from electromagnetic events. The structure itself is designed to resist 150-mph winds, but at the same time blend in aesthetically with the surrounding community as a good neighbor.
Support features for the operations center include kitchens, showers, offices, and other support features that enable 24x7 occupancy, self-dependency and continuous communications with outside corporate facilities and data-generating equipment during emergencies, natural disasters, or other major disruptions. The corporate data center will mirror other corporate data centers, providing backup capabilities and rapid recovery for any loss in the corporation’s regional network.
