Interview: Roland Broch, eco e.V.

Cologne, 30.06.2010 – Cloud computing and Green IT have raised the standards for ICT outsourcing firms and data center operators. The Internet association eco has responded to this by relaunching its certification program.

Pironet NDH Datacenter is the first company to be awarded the highest quality rating with the new eco Datacenter Star Audit.

The data center of the outsourcing specialist and provider of cloud computing services received five stars and fulfilled all of the criteria with regard to quality, performance, service, efficiency and security.

Higher power spectrum at data centers

“Performance benchmarks for the operation of data centers have raised considerably in the last five years, since we first conducted the eco Datacenter Star Audit“, explains Roland Broch, Certification Program Manager at the Internet association eco. “The common market capacity rates around 50 percent are no longer up to date. Increasing cost pressure, customer request for demand-oriented IT resources and ecological, sustainable operation methods are forcing professional cloud vendors and data center operators to intelligently apply their resources“, comments Broch. The result is more densely structured IT services, so data centers are now producing a lot more waste heat. Operators must invest in better climate control in order to prevent their high-performance computers from overheating.

Cloud computing is a driver of innovation

Customer-oriented reference models like cloud computing are also increasing the expectations of management and service processes. eco auditors seek to discover whether or not operators have implemented processes which conform to ITIL, ensuring consistently high service quality, even at peak times. “Cloud computing is currently the key driver of innovation in the data center market”, concludes Roland Broch, “to provide IT resources and software services according to customer needs via Internet, vendors must utilise substantially more complex technologies and service processes. We have based the highest rating category of five stars on these new requirements.“

The data center infrastructure of Pironet NDH Datacenter has achieved the highest eco Datacenter Star Audit rating for the second time since 2005. According to a current market comparison study by the Experton Group, the provider of ICT services is one of the leading vendors of cloud services for small- and medium-sized companies. Dr. Clemens Plieth, Managing Director Service Delivery, responsible for all Pironet NDH Datacenter operational services, views the eco testing criteria, which is oriented around the practical needs of companies, as a major strength to his company: “Auditors look very closely at how architecture concepts and processes affect actual use and customer processes. The eco Datacenter Star Audit reflects real market demand.“