Small World of Data Centers and Our Dear Olivier Sanche

This last week was a day to catch up with old friends, many of which were connected to Olivier Sanche.  One of the small world stories a friend told me is their move to SF Bay Area has gone well and his son has taken up Polo.  When I hear polo, I think of water polo, not the equestrian sport of polo.  So, the first time I heard his story I missed the point.  

Traveling to a polo match his wife and son gave a ride to another family (mother and daughter).  Traveling in the car the small talk came up what does your husband do, he works on data centers.  The single mom said oh that’s what my husband did until he passed away.  Oh, so sorry to hear.  What was his name?  Olivier Sanche.  OMG, your husband was Olivier, my husband knew him and was shocked by the news.

This last week I caught up with Olivier Sanche’s widow, Karine.   Karine told her story of meeting the unnamed data center executive who knew Olivier, and I gave more background on him and how he was a good friend of Olivier and I know the two of them connected well. 

Asking about how her daughter is doing Emilie, she is doing so well in school and she is so tall.  How tall?  5’ 8 1/2” and she’ll be 13 in Sept one week away from my daughter who will also be 13 and is maybe 4’ 10”.  Olivier and I had talked about one of these days our girls meeting each other, and one of these days hopefully they will.

Here are some pictures of Emilie playing Polo.

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3rd Data Center Downtime Social, May 2014 - Friends Relaxing and Laughing

4 years ago thanks to Jim Grice’s sponsorship we had a dinner with some data center thought leaders.  The people were some of the top in the industry and any vendor would have paid big money to be at the table, but part of why the people went to the dinner is it was about friends being able to chat and meet new friends without any sales pressure.  Vendors were filtered out.  There was a bit of an exception for people who worked at companies that are considered vendors.  It worked so well, we thought what do we do next year?

In 2012, we decided to have another social, but invite more people and get away from the sit down dinner.  Vendors could come if they behaved and were considered thought leaders by others attending.  Let people mingle more yet sit down.  We took some ideas Steve Manos started with his Lee Tech on Tap events in Chicago and applied some new ones as well.

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Above is 2012

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Above is the event in 2014

No change in venue.  It works well.  7x24 Exchange has been a generous sponsor to host gathering of friends.

2013 we had people fly in from Seattle, Chicago, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Southern Ca, and Georgia to spend 3-4 hours drinking a few beers and talking to people who operate and build data centers.

For 2014 it was a smaller event, but still good.  Two people flew in and asked what else was to do.  I told them Uptime Symposium was going on and the two registered for the event as first time attendees.  

Will there be a Data Center Downtime Social in 2015.  Most likely.  Especially when I get comments like this.

I wanted to thank you for your hospitality last week. It's always good to get away from the masses and have more intimate dialogue with key people.

There will be data center social at 7x24 Exchange hosted by some friends.  There was the big data center social in LV last month.  A bunch of people are getting together for their annual fishing social in July.

The idea of a data center social where friends can hang out continues to build.

Google's VP of Data Centers Joe Kava shares Best Practices

Here is a collection of ideas Google’s VP of Data Centers Joe Kava has shared recently.

Some Tweets from Joe’s Keynote at Uptime.

  1.  May 22

    Joe Kava at : Data center build and maintain contracts are important but relationships you foster are more important.

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  2.  May 22

    At : 's Joe Kava on unified IT/DC: "We consider it a manaufacturing process. We manufacture data processing"

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  3.  May 22

    Joe Kava, VP of Data Centers, Google: bring DC Ops team on site 6 months before go-live of new build so they can learn the site.

Cover story from Facilities Net.

Cover Story: Joe Kava Profile

Part 1: As Google Grows, It's Up To Joe Kava To Ensure Data Centers Keep Pace

Part 2: To Keep Up With Demand For Data Centers, Google Focuses On Policies, Procedures

Part 3: Custom-built Servers, Onboard Batteries Help Google Meet Its IT Energy Efficiency Goals

Part 4: Google Shares Data Center Energy Efficiency Information To Help Push Industry Change

Part 5: Customized Training Helps Google Data Center Employees Get Up To Speed

 

 

As Google Grows, It's Up To Joe Kava To Ensure Data Centers Keep Pace

By Casey Laughman, Managing Editor - May 2014 - Data Centers

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joe kava, data center design, data center energy efficiency, data centers, google

 

Whether it's directions, email, or figuring out who played Goon No. 2 in that old movie the other night, the odds are pretty good that you have used Google recently. After all, a company name becoming a verb is a pretty good indication that it's become the de facto standard for its industry. In Google's industry, that kind of use demands some heavy-duty support from the data center. It's up to Joe Kava, vice president of data centers, to make sure that support is delivered in all aspects of the company's data centers, from design to operations.

Considering the growth spurt the company has been on, it isn't an easy task. In 2006, Google brought online its first owned and operated data center, a $1.2 billion facility in The Dalles, Ore. Since then, the company has brought or will soon be bringing online 11 more data centers spread across six countries and four continents. As the person responsible for Google's data centers since joining the company in 2008, Kava has been in charge of most of those projects.

And Joe has another presentation coming up on May 28th.

Joe KavaMasterclass
Beyond the PUE Plateau
Presented by Joe Kava, Vice President Data Center, Google

Monday, Mar 26, 2014 Memorial Day, Veterans + Data Centers -> Salute Inc

Most of you are looking forward to a three day weekend I am too. Monday is a Memorial Day to honor men and women who died serving in US Armed Forces. My first thought goes to my cousin who died in Vietnam so long ago.


Memorial Day is a US federal holiday wherein the men and women who died while serving in theUnited States Armed Forces are remembered.[1] The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May,[2] was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil Warto commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.[3]It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Thinking of the US Armed Services what also comes to mind is Salute Mission Critical.

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Salute Incorporated specializes in utilizing highly trained American military veterans for data center owners and operators of all sizes. Our personnel have the distinction of having honorably served their country with the skills they obtained through the rigorous training programs offered by our armed forces. The scope of our efforts is focused on data center project requirements that can be satisfied with disciplined labor. Our project experience includes sub-floor energy assessments/remediation, data center cleaning, containment installation, cage build outs and general logistics support.



  • OUR MISSION



    To provide the highest quality services for our customers while providing a gateway to the data center industry for those who have served our country.





Take a of bit time to remember those in the armed forces.