An interview with Phil Horstmann, Founder and President of Ascent Corporation

HostReview very recently had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Horstmann, and asked him a few questions pertaining to his insights, and relevant to where our industry appears to be headed.

Phil Horstmann is the Founder and President of Ascent Corporation, one of the premier data center developers in the United States.Ascent is responsible for various innovations throughout the last eleven years which has provided the web hosting industry with improved data center capabilities.Ascent continues to remain on the cutting edge fore-front of developing critical systems structures to deliver the latest in data center technologies.They are readily acknowledged as one amongst the most credible and knowledgeable authorities regarding the needs and development of data-centers designed and built specifically to house web hosting providers.Ascent Corp. gains insights from the needs and demands presented to them by many of the world’s leading hosting companies, and develops centers designed to accommodate with “next-generation” technologies and structure.

How do you see the growth of the data/hosting industry being affected in economically unstable times such as we are experiencing now?

Phil Horstmann: 1. Companies are conserving their capital and requiring more flexibility in data center delivery options, specifically from a powered shell and core up to build to suit to a fully constructed data center with outsourced operations.2. With companies trying to reduce costs, they are increasingly looking to outsource portions of their IT to quickly adapt to growth.3. With denser equipment requiring more power, the need for environments to meet the demands of next generation equipment is opening the door for purpose-built highly efficient and hyper-entitled data centers.

What do you mean when you say “hyper-entitled data center space?”

Phil Horstmann: When I refer to hyper-entitled data center space, I mean the data center site features significant utility entitlements, massive power capabilities, municipality and governmental approvals and heavy and diverse fiber capabilities that enable tenants to benefit from scalability and efficiency opportunities.

My understanding is Ascent developed CH1 which is one of the largest data-center facilities in the world.That’s a very impressive endeavor and achievement.Might this new CH2 center you are constructing in the Chicago area receive any special application of new technologies to make it more efficient or self-reliant pertaining to power supplies and/or backup systems …more "green" - or more environmentally friendly?How much of a concern is this for larger hosting companies and hosting services providers?

Phil Horstmann: Yes, CH2 Data Center will be powered with dual diverse connections to the transmission grid which minimizes the loss of distributed power.The Dynamic Data Center Suites model allows the customer to choose the level of efficiency that they want to build into their data center including free cooling, reduced water consumption and more.More and more customers recognize the costs advantages to utilizing green technologies and are driving the need for highly efficient and hyper-entitled data center space.

How relevant is the geographical location of a data center to the speed and efficiency hosting service customers might experience?Put another way - how much does the physical location of the servers impact speed and performance for the end users accessing websites and awaiting the completion of downloads and data transmissions?

Phil Horstmann: Ascent uses specific criteria to select sites for data center development and fiber optic capabilities of a site rank high on the list. Speed and performance efficiency of hosting services is affected by the proximity to fiber.

From the discussions you've had pertaining to demands regarding new technical specifications for a data center facility today, what might you perceive as a few key areas of newly developed interest and/or technology being incorporated today which was not available or in demand previously?

Phil Horstmann: Areas and technologies that we are seeing more of in data center requirements include non-shared infrastructure capabilities, power and cooling efficiencies, scalability and modularity, ultra high density, vastly reduced time to deployment and less capital intensive deployments.

Given the fact of many variables, if all else is equal like the individual server, processor speed, etc., with data-centers going up all over the world, for web hosting how relevant is an end-users physical proximity to the data-center as pertains to the speed and efficiency of service they receive?

Phil Horstmann: It varies for different industries, for instance many of the financial services and electronic trading systems are very time sensitive to the microsecond on fiber latency issues and their proximity to other financial institutions.

What are a few outstanding features in ASCENT-developed centers that offer superior function and/or service to the clients housed there?

Phil Horstmann: Ascent data centers offer flexibility withthe capability to have complete autonomy and dedicated infrastructure and flexibility in delivery models from powered shell and core to build to suit with financial capabilities and operational services (such as critical systems maintenance).

From insights of your industry, with the growing demand for internet use and hosting services, might you have any idea of how many data-centers are currently being constructed across the U.S.,the world, ...and the general capacity at each (in megawatts - or how else that might be represented)?

Phil Horstmann: There are several good reports out there from the EPA, Uptime Institute, and others that give metrics on data center power.You can see the referenced documents for a sample of the available reports and this recent article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/magazine/14search-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=data%20center%20overload&st=cse http://enterprise.amd.com/Downloads/Technology/Koomey_Estimating.pdfhttp://enterprise.amd.com/Downloads/svrpwrusecompletefinal.pdfhttp://www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/bto/pointofview/pdf/Revolutionizing_Data_Center_Efficiency.pdf

What should hosting companies look for when selecting a data-center in which to house their servers -- in addition to the usual concerns about security, backup power, environmental concerns, weather & disaster-proof physical structures?Any other good advice for hosting companies looking for a place to house their servers?

Phil Horstmann: Companies should also consider diverse fiber capabilities, scalability, sustainability (“greenness”), best in class facilities with the ability to accommodate next generation architecture and the creativity and flexibility in data center delivery models and operational services.Thank you for the interview.