Bluebird Network, a communications infrastructure provider and underground data center owner, recently announced that it has successfully completed its expansion of the Bluebird Underground Data Center. Initially announced in November 2019, this $11.5 million project delivers more than 11,500 square feet of additional white space. Also bringing increased power capacity and additional efficiencies to the facility, this expansion offers current and future tenants enhanced value, reliability and capabilities to meet expanding requirements for data and bandwidth-hungry applications.
Located 85 feet below ground and surrounded by solid limestone rock, Bluebird Underground is highly secure and offers a stable year-round environment, ensuring mission-critical IT is thoroughly protected, adequately cooled and always on. Since 2003, Bluebird Underground has delivered the operational advantages of a purpose-built data center with the added security and reliability that is inherent to an underground facility. Tenants enjoy measured power usage for cooling and hardware, hot/cold aisle containment, private colocation suites, Level 1 Technical support and attractive wholesale kW power rates for larger customers.
“Our customers now and in the future will reap the benefits of a world-class data center with unparalleled security,” said Michael Morey, President and CEO of Bluebird Network. “Bluebird’s strengths and communications infrastructure offerings underpin the success of a digital world. We thrive on helping businesses, hospitals, governments and other operations run lightning fast every day while offering them a way to flexibly grow.”
Some of the exciting features of this expansion include upgraded underground generating capabilities totaling 6MW, the latest lithium-ion Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), a new primary metered electrical grid connection – the facility now delivers three diversified power utility feeds – and new intelligent management systems. As part of this transformation, the Bluebird Underground Data Center fully implemented a Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) platform. This allows the facility, as well as its customers, to enjoy enhanced, continuous operations monitoring. While the data center is already powered by 40 percent renewable energy, this DCIM platform offers thorough insights into how even greater optimization, efficiency and reliability can be achieved.
After this expansion’s completion, the data center now offers a total of 29,000 square feet of white space and significantly increased mechanical, electrical and power generation capabilities. Today, the facility operates at full Tier 3 data center standards.
“Being 85 feet below ground, a unique data center like Bluebird Underground requires a unique expansion strategy to empower dynamic and growing requirements, and that’s exactly what this addition has accomplished for our customers,” said Morey. “Our tenants have everything they need, including colocation services, remote hands, high-bandwidth internet access, and multiple data transport options—all from the highly secure and highly reliable location that is the Bluebird Underground. We’re thrilled to bring these enhanced capabilities to market, building on our trusted partnerships with our customers and further establishing ourselves as a major provider in the Midwest.”
Bluebird also recently unveiled the Springfield Internet Exchange (SpringIX) – the first exchange of its kind to support the region. Hosted in Bluebird Underground, this IX further underscores the company’s dedication to delivering the communications infrastructure required for commercial success in a digital world. Members of the SpringIX will be empowered to offload local traffic and virtually peer with other content providers. In this way, Bluebird continues to offer quality, continuity and performance across the Midwest through reliable, high-bandwidth communications services.
To learn more about Bluebird Network, please visit bluebirdnetwork.com.
