In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, data center operators around the world are reducing foot traffic to their facilities and postponing non-critical maintenance and construction projects.
As more people work remotely using digital communication tools and consume online entertainment while way from school or the office, demand on the global network and data center infrastructure is greater than ever — and so is the importance of ensuring this infrastructure doesn’t fail.
But data center operators themselves face many of the same challenges as other organizations. They want to keep their staff and customers safe, slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, comply with local restrictions, and, in some areas, manage disruptions caused by local quarantines, lockdowns, or restrictions on public transit.
Digital Realty Trust is the world’s second-largest data center operator by revenue, with more than 260 data centers in 44 metropolitan areas across 20 countries. As of Tuesday, no Digital Realty employees have tested positive for the virus and all its data centers are fully operational, said Gary Smith, the company’s VP of portfolio security.
“We operate facilities in locations across the globe, many of which are in locations impacted by COVID-19,” he told DCK.
