The DataRoom London selects Geo Networks as connectivity provider to new media data centre
New Media and Broadcast-specific data centre, The DataRoom London, opts for a 10 year contract with Geo to provide high-speed, scalable connectivity to its Woolwich Arsenal home
LONDON, May 7 2013: As part of its continued penetration of the media and broadcast sector, leading provider of bespoke private networks, Geo Networks (Geo), today announced a 10 year contract with new media data centre, The DataRoom London (DataRoom). Geo is to provide dark fibre to south London-based DataRoom, linking it to Geo’s 3,000km network to facilitate connectivity to over 100 data centres and media hubs such as Chiswick Park, MediaCityUK and Dublin’s The Digital Hub.
DataRoom, a brand new media-specific data centre in the Royal Woolwich Arsenal, is a collaboration between existing storage facility Stockroom London and digital media service provider ChilliBean. Whilst StockRoom London will continue to provide ultra-secure space for the archiving and storage of film, tapes, data drives, documents and related items, DataRoom has been constructed to provide a central access point for post-production and special effects companies to render content, alongside staple data centre services such as disaster recovery, server virtualisation and co-location.
Director at DataRoom, Peter Godden, believes that DataRoom will fulfil a niche in the market: “We have allocated an initial 10,000 square feet with the necessary power and connectivity for VFX and post companies to locate and engineer their render farm and storage infrastructure served by SLAs and tariffs designed to meet their specific needs. Having archive storage facilities and space for other technical operations alongside will complement the DataRoom service”.
Both Stockroom London and DataRoom are on the site of the former British Library book repository in Woolwich’s Royal Arsenal. Geo has extended its network from Greenwich a further 3km to new Crossrail hotspot Woolwich, using its agreement with Thames Water to deploy the fibre through the sewers. As well as providing complete diversity from other networks, the depth and security of the fibre virtually eliminates disruption from street works. It has also provided DataRoom with a direct point-to-point connection to TeleHouse West data centre in Docklands.
“We chose Geo for two reasons: firstly because of its innovative fibre location in the sewers which affords it excellent up-time records; and secondly because it could give us dark fibre to manage ourselves. This means that we can light additional bandwidth as and when our data centre customer base grows,” continued Godden. “A traditional managed service, on a fibre-by-fibre cost basis, would have restricted our ability to offer our customers a cost-effective solution and space outside of the city. Now we can be a truly competitive alternative.”
Geo’s Media Sales Director, Will Pitt, knows that scalable, secure fibre is critical to the success of DataRoom: “By using Geo’s fibre, customers of DataRoom will have access to the UK & Ireland’s newest optic fibre network and have the freedom to buy dark fibre or managed services from any location. That will enable up to multi-terabit scalability, which is perfect for the demands being placed on those companies involved in the sector, who need to do what they do faster, with a focus on optimal quality and reliability”.
About Geo Networks
Geo is the only company in the UK to focus solely on the design, build and operation of bespoke dedicated fibre network solutions. Geo’s revolutionary and flexible approach means that for the first time, organisations can own and control their networks, ensuring that security, high bandwidth and resilience are guaranteed. By allowing its customers to directly own and control the underlying optical fibre that is at the heart of their data network, Geo is the only truly open access network provider in the UK. It provides an extensive range of solutions including fully managed networks, dark fibre and co-location services. Geo enables network solutions in the London area and throughout the UK with onward connectivity to Ireland through the newest diverse optical fibre subsea system, the East-West Ring. Customers include media companies, service providers, major banks, carriers, data centres and gaming organisations. Geo won ‘IT Vendor of the Year’ in the 2012 eGR B2B Awards, was a finalist in the 2011 UK Customer Experience Awards, listed in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 list for 2011 and Geo was also shortlisted for the 2010 Sunday Times Tech Track 100: Barclays Corporate Performance Excellence Award.
About DataRoom
DataRoom is the latest enterprise to be established by David Pacy, a long-standing media industry entrepreneur. With the rapid migration from film and tape originated media to digital film and data based media, Stockroom London has set aside a 20,000 square feet wing of Cannon House to house a new data centre tailored to meet the specific needs of media and cloud computing industries. Unlike traditional ‘computer room’ data centres and their one-size-fits-all services, the design of the DataRoom Data Centre takes into account customers’ diverse needs by offering a range of optional add-ons so clients can purchase exactly what they need in terms of diverse connectivity, power consumption and power back up. Cannon House is located close to Woolwich Royal Arsenal DLR and British Rail train station with fast and reliable links to Docklands and Central London and with Woolwich Arsenal Crossrail link opening in 2017 its accessibility will be further enhanced.
About Stockroom London
Stockroom London is an archive management company specialising in media archival, film and tape storage and documentation with warehouses in London SE18 and Hythe, Kent. Established over twenty years ago storage of a wide range of assets is provided for a variety of media-focussed clients including boxed items, film, tape, disc, artwork, accounts and contractual paperwork as well as props and furniture. All items are stored in secured conditions and each item is databased and located in client-dedicated areas. The 120,000 sqft warehouse in SE18, the former British Library Book Repository, offers a guaranteed two-hour retrieval service to Central London. A further three acre site in Hythe offers a 48-hour retrieval service for lower priority items.
About ChilliBean
A media focussed content management and digital delivery service company, ChilliBean was established by a group of industry professionals to develop a proprietary content management platform, ChilliVault, enabling users to store, manage and share rich media content in a simple and effective way. ChilliBean also provides a global digital delivery service for ready-to-air TV spots working closely with ad agencies, post houses, brand owners and broadcasters. Our global delivery platform gives agencies and advertisers speedy access to broadcasters around the world, with 24-hour tracking and proof of delivery, ensuring campaigns will always arrive on time. ChilliVault also powers SohoSoHo, the international Showreel Directory, content management and promotional tool designed specifically for the advertising production community.
