Cable operator BendBroadband is expanding into the data center business, with the launch of a new subsidiary BendBroadband Vault that will provide colocation, disaster recovery, cloud computing and other data services from a new 30,000 square foot data center in Bend, Oregon.
As part of the launch of the new data center, BendBroadband is also partnering with Logicalis, a prominent IT solutions and managed services provider, to offer a full range of managed services.
The Northwestern part of the U.S. has become an increasingly important location for data centers in recent years, with the establishment of Facebook, Dell, Google and Amazon data centers in Oregon and Washington.
BendBroadband's move into data center operations builds on a long involvement with high speed data and fiber. It was the first Oregon operator and one of the first cable operators in the country to launch high-speed Internet in 1997, a move that has helped attract high-tech companies to the area, and in the mid-2000s it used fiber connectivity to bring HD signals to Bend Oregon.
The Vault currently has two anchor tenants, including St. Charles Health System, based in Bend. Five major network carriers provide broadband services to the facility, allowing tenants a choice of provider and a variety of data paths.
BendBroadband will also house key elements of its own network operations center at the facility, providing data and transport services to the region's commercial and residential customers.
"Our goal is to provide best-in-class colocation space and services to both small and large enterprises alike," said Leonard Weitman, VP of technical operations at the Vault. "Our facility meets the highest security credentials and offers the power densities and peering opportunities demanded by businesses today."
The Vault is also being pitched as a green alternative, with KyotoCooling systems that use outside air to cool the building 75% of the time. It will also rely on solar panels that generate 152kW of power - the largest photo-voltaic arrays in the region and electricity purchased from the local utility, PP&L comes from their Blue Sky renewable power program.
