By Candace Renalls, Duluth News Tribune
“Twelve-inch-thick concrete walls. Fifty-one security cameras. Multiple backup generators and cooling systems to keep operations going, no matter what.
They’re some of the disaster-proof features of the new first-class Involta data center on Technology Drive in Duluth, which has its grand opening celebration at 3 p.m. today.”
by Dan Kraker, Minnesota Public Radio
“Duluth, Minn. — On the sixth floor of a Duluth office building, rows of black computer servers store huge amounts of information. One of two data centers for the big regional health system, Essentia Health, the site stores thousands of medical documents like MRI images and digital mammograms.
But the computers generate so much heat that the air conditioners are running, even on a frigid December day. This week an Iowa company begins construction on a $12 million data center in Duluth, a high-tech computer warehouse where area companies can store their data.”
Via News Release
“CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, June 27, 2011 — Involta, LLC announces plans to build and operate a 20,000 square foot hardened enterprise data center in Duluth, Minnesota. While final approvals from local agencies are still pending, design of the facility is currently underway.
The high-security colocation data center will house mission critical computer systems and related components for healthcare organizations, businesses, government and educational institutions. The $10.5 million facility will be a stable, predictable, high-performance data center complete with environmental systems and controls, redundant back-up power, specialized fire suppression, and reinforced concrete building construction. The 24,000 square foot facility will feature 10,000 square feet of conditioned data center space that will utilize the naturally cooler climate of Duluth to increase efficiency. The building is being designed to be LEED certified.”
Earlier this spring, it was reported that the firm was in conversation with the Duluth Economic Development Authority.
By Candace Renalls, Duluth News Tribune
“Involta, an Iowa-based data storage company ranked 40th on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies, is eyeing Duluth’s
Technology Park for expansion.Local economic development experts say it would be a plum for Duluth, making the city more attractive to businesses. “What data centers do is create an incredibly valuable infrastructure that draws other businesses that need data centers,” said Rob West, CEO of Area Partnership for Economic Expansion, which worked with Involta. “And it also positions us as a player.”
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