[LINK] ITnews: 'Damage from major data-centre power outage'

[Marghanita da Cruz]

Roger Clarke wrote:
> [Musings at the end]
> 
> Global Switch data centre suffers power outage
> 
> By Liz Tay
> Jul 14, 2011 12:36 PM (1 hour ago)
> http://www.itnews.com.au/News/263620,global-switch-data-centre-suffers-power-outage.aspx
> 
> Equipment in Sydney facility goes offline.
> 
> A power issue on level two of Global Switch's Sydney data centre sent 
> some customers offline for approximately half an hour this morning.
> 
> One of facility's two power distribution feeds ceased working for a 
> "limited number of clients" at about 10.20am. Sources identified this 
> as Phase 'B'.
> 
> Equipment that used two sources of power continued to function 
> throughout the outage; however, smaller servers and network equipment 
> that accessed a single power feed went offline.
<snip>
> [Does this reflect:
> (a)  no surge-protection on a major data-centre?
> (b)  lousy surge-protection on a major data-centre?
>       [My own experience with domestic products is woeful]
> (c)  a surge that exceeded the specs of generally-available
>       surge-protectors?
> (d)  ... ?
> 

It wasn't a power surge, just an outage. Those without an alternate power
supply failed. When servers crash, it doesn't hurt to bring the systems
back methodically.

I would expect alternate/backup power supplies are options on service
contracts.

One could be cynical and suggest it is a way to get customers to upgrade. 
Guess you have to do the risk analysis.

Marghanita
-- 
Marghanita da Cruz
http://ramin.com.au
Tel: 0414-869202