2012 Olympics are forcing datacentre rethink
By Chris Taylor
03/10/2011
Firms with datacentres in London are relocating their assets in advance of the 2012 Olympic Games amidst concerns that if costs are too high city-wide power loses are likely.
Computer Weekly reports that the double threat of power-failures and increasing rents are beginning to not only force firms out of the capital, but even the country itself.
Verizon Business is once such firm who opted to relocate its flagship European datacentre to Amsterdam, Netherlands, rather than be charged for the risk.
Hermann Oggel, president of European business at the recently Verizon acquired-firm Terremark, said although London was logistically adequate, his firm could just as easily operate outside of it using cheap remote systems management solutions instead.
"We spoke to utility companies in London and looked at premises, but found it economically better to manage from Amsterdam," he said on Comms-Express.com.
Similarly, Stefan Hasse, of cloud services provider InTechnology, said that he would not be renewing the company datacentre lease also due to increasing costs in the city which are around 30 per cent more expensive that "other parts of the country".
"The power costs in London are going up dramatically," he said. "We looked around London to see if we could find anything suitable once we realised the total cost increases but we couldn't find anything suitable. The power issue is going to get worse as the Olympics approach," he added.
