If you’ve been hanging around the TurnKey data center for the past week, you’d be sure to hear a lot of “It’s here! It’s here! It’s here!” Why? Because TurnKey Internet has been receiving shipments of brand new servers and most importantly, the pieces to build Pod 2!

WAAAAY faster than expected, our data center will expand by over 20% and within the next 30 days we expect Pod 2 to be up and running. We’re using the same high-tech, green, environmentally conscious technology but on a larger scale. Trust us when we say- This is still just the beginning!

Not following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram yet? Well we got you covered (but you should still go do that!). Check out some photos below and get caught up.

Emily next to the truck!

Getting ready to bring ’em in.

Getting some help from the nice delivery guys!

Just a preview…

Racks on racks on racks!

Howdy do, TurnKey Lovers?

How long has it been? It feels like it has been a few years. I was actually supposed to write to you guys and ladies last week, but I wasn’t feeling inspired. I didn’t want to just write any ol’ thing for you, and have it not be the top-notch blogging that you’ve come to expect from me. Was that last one a little too much? Sorry, I’m still working out the blogging jitters.

So, as I already mentioned, I was having a bit of a hard time coming up with something to write about for you. Co-workers have made suggestions, with FTP being one of them, but sadly, none of this got me riled up to chat with ya for a bit. Well, the other night as I was about to fall asleep, the idea hit me: the environment and Parkour. You may be saying to yourself, “Huh? How does that have anything to do with TurnKey Internet?” Well my friends, I will explain it to you.

You see, about two and a half years ago, I started this EPIC journey called Parkour. Now, you may not be familiar with the word Parkour, as some refer to it as “freerunning”, “tricking”, or even just “jumping around”. I like to refer to it as a path to improving ones belief in one’s self through playful activities outside or in a gym. For a more straight-forward definition, Parkour is getting from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible. It can be learned by anyone and everyone, and you only need a pair of sneakers to start. Right now it sounds like I’m writing an article purely advocating Parkour, but stay with me. It will all tie in.

Around the same time I started Parkour, I started working at TurnKey Internet. When I think back, if it wasn’t for Parkour, I probably wouldn’t have even started at TurnKey Internet or progressed so far. Stop, Jeremy, you’re getting off-topic. Ah yes, when I first started Parkour and began working at TurnKey Internet, things were very different. I could barely do a pull-up outside and could barely understand all the inner nuances that make up a IT solutions provider. Well, just like with my training, things kept improving. Soon enough, I could do 8 pull-ups straight and could provision a server from start to finish with no outside assistance.

The team–TurnKey Internet–was still colocating with Time Warner when I came on board, but now we have our very own data center that we built from scratch. We progressed forward, gaining bits of knowledge along the way. We progressed so far that, as of recently, we are no longer using gas to help power the data center. We’re now 100% running off renewable resources. That’s a hugeeee accomplishment for a data center in this day and age. Not only are we helping to reduce our carbon footprint, but we’re also incorporating new technologies.

For someone who loves to play outside, I’m all for working somewhere that helps to ensure that we have a great place to live, work, and play in the future.

This is quite a fascinating time, to say the least. On top of everything else, we’re now ENERGY STAR certified. I can’t say I can name any other public data centers off the top of my head that can make that claim. Sure, they might exist, but as of right now, I personally only know of TurnKey. You see, I started this article mentioning my love for Parkour and how has been attached to my progress at TurnKey. The best thing that I have learned from Parkour, which helps me every day at TurnKey is that progress is progress. Whether it’s a small step today or a large step, progress is progress.

When I first started, TurnKey was co-locating and now we have our very own, very GREEN data center. Needless to say, I’m quite proud of that progress and it is no small feat.

Until next time, TurnKey lovers

More big news, more exciting news, more green news!

We are thrilled to announce that our green data center in Latham, NY has been named an ENERGY STAR® certified data center by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is no small feat, everyone. Since the day we opened our doors at this facility, we have been undergoing an energy efficiency audit. That’s 12 long months’ worth of reviews, inspections, assessments, etc.—I’m sure you get the idea. Finally, the process has reached its end, and we are officially an ENERGY STAR® certified data center!

There are several requirements for an ENERGY STAR® certification. A commercial facility must use an average of 35% less energy than traditional facilities, and release 35% less CO2 into the atmosphere. Not to toot our own horn, but—OK, to toot our own horn really loud and aggressively—with our zero carbon footprint, we’ve actually surpassed the EPA requirements to become an ENERGY STAR® certified data center… and pretty significantly, at that.

Another reason we are so excited about this accomplishment is that we are one of only two ENERGY STAR® certified data centers in the entirety of New York State! New York is ENORMOUS. There are loads of data centers in New York. We are also one of less than 50 in the entire US! 39 data centers are ENERGY STAR® certified, to be exact. That averages less than 1 ENERGY STAR® certified data center per state. This sets the bar pretty high… if we do say so ourselves (and we do).

Here’s what Adam, the man on top, had to say:

“We are delighted to have completed the ENERGY STAR® certification process. Through the ultra-efficient design of our data center and our use of green renewable energy, TurnKey has catapulted past the industry standard. We are one of only two data centers in the entire state of New York that has received this exclusive certification from the EPA. Since data centers are expected to be larger polluters than the airline industry by 2020, I can confidently say that TurnKey Internet is among the best of the best for energy efficiency in the data center space.”

This year has been packed full of exciting news like this, and it’s not even June yet! From our SSAE 16 Type 2 certification in February, to our ReCharge New York installation last month, across everything in between, our fingers are crossed in hopes that the trend continues!

Read the full press release on our company news page!

Remember when I told you that April is Earth Month at TurnKey Internet? Well, I’m back with some very exciting Earth Month news. Two different pieces of Earth Month news, actually–both green; both awesome.

First of all, we are now part of NYS Gov. Cuomo’s ReCharge New York program. Do you know what this means? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?! This means that TurnKey Internet is now powered by 100% renewable resources! Being awarded this system means a lot to us, and it should mean a lot to you too, because being nice to the Earth should mean a lot to everybody. This hydroelectric power system draws energy directly from Niagara Falls, and extends the portion of our power that we were already drawing from renewable sources to a full 100%.

We were selected for the ReCharge New York installation in recognition of the jobs we are creating in New York State as TurnKey Internet expands. Here’s a fun fact: We have more than doubled our staff in the past two years. Isn’t that crazy? Crazy in the best way possible, of course.

Do you know what else this ReCharge New York system means for us? I told you there were two pieces of Earth Month news, didn’t I? Get ready, I saved the best for last… If you haven’t yet heard, or are impartial to reading titles and/or press releases, our Latham, NY data center now has a zero carbon footprint! This accomplishment is all but unheard of in our industry, so we’re more than a little proud and excited. We feel, and hope you agree, that this accomplishment really sets us apart from the other guys.

If you’re interested in a little more light reading, you can find the press release in our Company News section.

Pssst… Between you and me, we are  running an OUTRAGEOUS sale right now. If you’re interested–and I would recommend being interested–jump on Live Sales Chat. Our Sales Department will tell you what’s up. *cough–HUGE DISCOUNT–cough* …excuse me.

First things first, I do not consider myself a “car guy” whatsoever. I don’t know if Porsche is really pronounced “porsh” or “porsh-a”, I have no idea where Lexuses are manufactured, and I couldn’t tell you what’s under the hood of my dear Subaru that I named “Seabiscuit.” In fact, now that I think about it, I may even be overdue for an oil change…

However, here at TurnKey Internet, we are all about speed and keeping things green and sustainable. That is why I’d like to share some electric cars that are not only stylish, but easy on the environment, crazy-fast, and make me think that the future has arrived!

Now, let’s start with something basic…

The Chevy Volt was officially released in 2011. It may not be the coolest-looking in this bunch, but it’s probably the most affordable. The first one was placed in the General Motors Heritage Center for display, but the second one was auctioned off for $250,000. This money went to help fund math and science programs for Detroit public schools, which is absolutely worth mentioning and very stylish in its own way! The 2013 model will be out this August, and priced at around $40,000.

This next one is pretty darn cool-looking, but probably not the most efficient… and you won’t be able to get your hands on one until 2014. Feast your eyes on the Infiniti Emerg-E Concept—0-60 MPH in 4 seconds, but after 30 miles, be ready to pull over for another charge.

Next, we have the Fisker! While, style-wise, it might be one of my favorites, word has it that they have been cutting some jobs lately, and are supposedly close to going bankrupt. Regardless, here is the Fisker Karma. I wonder what could have brought them to bankruptcy!

A prime competitor of Fisker (if they survive) is a company by the name of Tesla. After ending the Roadster’s production in 2012, Tesla released the Model S. This car can get you 180 miles to 300 miles per charge, depending on the battery. The starting price for one of these bad boys is right around $95,000, and can easily exceed $100,000—but, hey… it costs around $650 to charge it for an entire year!

While I like the old Roadster better, the Model S has a weird, generic car “look”. It’s kind of like a Nissan Altima, if it got with Aston Martin and made a 4-wheeled love-child. In other words, it’s definitely classy-looking, but I’m not quite convinced I like it yet. Don’t get me wrong, if someone wants to buy me one, I’ll drive it.

Check out the Tesla Model S:

I will admit that I enjoy some fairly odd styles. I like paisley ties, and shirts like this. I’d probably even wear them together!

That being said, the electric car at the top of my list is the Mercedes- Benz SLS AMG E-Cell. As far as I could find, it is still in its final stages, and doesn’t have a set release date yet. It can make it to almost 100 miles per charge, and will cost you a couple-hundred-thousand bucks to purchase, but I can just imagine riding alongside 2 Chainz, and “pullin’ up to the scene with”… the majority of the “ceiling missin’”, in this:

Now, like I said, I am not a car kind of dude, so let me know if you think of anything else I can add to my wish-list before I send it off to Santa this year!

Remember, Earth Day is coming up quickly, so please stay green, and, of course, stay classy!

As most of you reading our blog, and reading our news letters know – TurnKey purchased real estate in 2010, and made a multi million dollar investment into upgrading the facility to serve as our new Head Quarters and primary datacenter here in the heart of New York’s Tech Valley Region. Significant portions of that investment were made specifically towards GREEN technologies, some of which are unheard of in use prior in high capacity datacenters like ours.

In April, we will be sharing with everyone a full video tour, and additional information on these, and other GREEN technologies now behind one of the world’s most advanced, and now GREEN, datacenters!

The new cold containment pod system, as shown in the image to the top left provides the absolute most advanced and efficient cooling capacity for massive datacenters like TurnKey’s – very new technology, we have one of their first deployed solutions world wide direct from the manufacturer (Emerson). More efficient than hot aisle / cold aisle – more efficient than raised floors and forced air, Cold Containment Pods in parallel with our Emerson in-row ‘intelligent’ cooling systems allows spot cooling at a precision level never seen in the industry, lower power consumption and eliminating waste from the typical cooling process found in datacenters.

Here are a couple of photos of our on-premise power generation system, with our own Solar Array! Yes you read that right – we are actually powering racks of servers directly from the Solar Array (of course fed through un-interruptable battery systems, backed up by both hydro-electric based utility and on-site generators). The Sun is literally powering our hosting servers for clients! Unlike other hosting companies, or datacenters that may off-set carbon foot print buying ‘wind energy credits’ or something like that- we are actually producing our own clean energy right on site!

Solar Array View #2 for our New York Datacenter

Solar Array Power Controls

View Of the Solar Array

Stay tuned, for more photos and the video tour in April!

One of the most compelling and least talked about benefits of cloud computing is the potential it offers for a real positive impact on the environment. As computer usage continues to grow at an exponential rate, technology-related emissions grow right along with it. We hear all the time about how using less paper saves the environment, but the electricity it takes to access all that information digitally is rarely talked about or quantified. Office IT infrastructures are huge energy sinkholes. Businesses lose thousands of dollars each year paying to power their IT infrastructure when they could be saving a fortune by transitioning their business to the cloud.

Greenpeace predicts the global carbon emissions from computer use will double by 2020. That would be unsustainable and environmentally catastrophic. Greenpeace also states that datacenters that consolidate usage and power could conserve resources significantly. This may seem counterintuitive, since datacenters are huge energy consumers. But, when you consider the power saved by consolidating usage, it makes perfect sense.

In an office environment, servers typically stay online 24×7. This may be necessary for the business—if workers need access remotely or software needs to run constantly—but it is extremely wasteful. Those servers are running at full power even if they are only needed for a small amount of processing. In a datacenter, every piece of the computer’s processing power is used. Many offices can conduct their daily operations for the same amount of power one office was using in-house. It’s a basic consolidation equation but it’s one that business owners have yet to embrace.
Another aspect of the environmental friendliness of the datacenter is the power source. Most datacenters are equipped with extremely efficient energy infrastructures. For example, our new datacenter in Latham New York will be equipped with NYSERDA approved power. NYSERDA is the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. They conduct energy audits of commercial buildings and suggest best practices for equipping spaces with the most efficient technology possible. We can offer our clients a state-approved level of efficiency that we’re willing to bet their office parks probably don’t offer.

In addition to these green-friendly benefits of cloud computing, it is fairly easy to see how much cost savings there is here as well. Hosting and running applications from the cloud eliminates the cost of in-house hardware and IT staff while improving performance and reliability (more on that in the next article). Read more on Greenpeace’s take on cloud computing, renewable energy and the future here: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/publications/reports/make-it-green-cloud-computing/.