ViaWest, a large hybrid colocation provider in North America, has announced that Grand Canyon University (GCU) has selected ViaWest’s Arizona data center to support its IT environment and to augment curriculum options for its computer science department.
As one of two primary GCU data centers, ViaWest designed a data center solution that serves as a production environment, as well as a backup to their other data center. The ViaWest data center solution will support the campus’ online classes, student-facing portal, all email and chat functions, along with its CRM software.Â
Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon University is a private, Christian university located in Phoenix, Arizona. GCU’s significant growth in its student body is expected to continue in the coming years and the University needs a way to grow efficiently, while also minimizing its carbon footprint. Colocation provider ViaWest worked in conjunction with one of its global real estate channel partners, Colliers International and its Technology Solutions Practice group on this project.Â
“The ViaWest team’s preparation and deep understanding of what we needed was a huge factor in selecting their Arizona data center,” said Mike Lacrosse, Sr. Director of Technology for Grand Canyon University. “They are not only providing the foundation for our data center solution, but also willing to fully commit themselves as a partner on Grand Canyon University’s core needs. Their team came up with innovative ideas to support the university and prepare students for work life, while gaining real-world experience in how technology impacts businesses today.”
ViaWest’s Arizona data center has 42,500 square feet of raised floor capacity and features:
- 2(N+1) redundancy
- 5,400 kW UPS system capacity
- 250+ Watts/SF high density capability
- 100% Customer Satisfaction Commitment
- HIPAA and PCI compliant solutions
- Direct access to secures services including cloud hosting, managed, security and hybrid configurations
As part of the GCU curriculum enhancements, ViaWest will offer internships to students working on advanced degree programs in computer science and will provide GCU the ability to offer tours of the facility showcasing a “day in the life of a data center,” all aimed at positively impacting their students and faculty.
