Transformed a basic facility into a fully operational data center with optimized customer experience and operational excellence.
When I joined Datapro, the situation was unique and challenging. The data center had the fundamental infrastructure—cooling and power—but lacked the comprehensive services and operational excellence needed to compete in the market. My mission was clear: transform this facility into a fully operational, customer-centric data center.
The Starting Point: A facility with infrastructure but without the processes, services, and customer experience frameworks that make a data center truly valuable to its clients.
The challenge wasn't just technical—it was about understanding the entire customer journey, identifying pain points, and building systems that would deliver exceptional service at every touchpoint.
A customer's journey with a data center involves various touchpoints, from equipment installation and maintenance to removal and other service requests. To create a seamless customer experience, I systematically analyzed and optimized each critical interaction point.
Problem: Equipment installation generated significant packaging waste. Clients were responsible for disposal, creating inconvenience and delays.
Solution: Established a designated unpacking area with dedicated waste containers, allowing clients to dispose of packaging materials immediately and conveniently.
Problem: The original access system was bureaucratic, requiring formal letters signed by CEOs and waiting several days for approval.
Solution: Introduced a ticket-based system through a dedicated customer portal. Access requests now coordinated and approved within hours while maintaining strict security.
Problem: Client access lacked structure and control. Clients could freely roam, requiring constant employee escorts and raising security concerns.
Solution: Redesigned the client journey by installing additional partitions with secure doors, creating designated pathways, and implementing controlled access zones.
Challenge: "A network without uplink is like Musk without Starlink" - Customers needed connections between floors, each requiring individual patch cords.
Solution: Pre-provisioned cabling infrastructure between machine rooms, using standardized off-the-shelf patch cords for final connections. Simple change, dramatic impact.
I'd like to specifically highlight a complex case involving Mail.ru that demonstrates the depth of problem-solving required in data center operations.
The combination of single power supply servers, non-standard hot aisle containment, and temperature-sensitive ATS units created a perfect storm of operational challenges.
Mail.ru's utilization of servers with single power supplies necessitated the use of ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) units to provide redundancy.
Datapro's unique hot aisle isolation approach, while effective in theory, resulted in elevated temperatures within the contained area.
The ATS units installed within server racks malfunctioned at temperatures above 35°C, falling into protection mode and causing outages.
After extensive research and collaboration, we identified that only Eltek's hardware could be modified to withstand higher temperatures. This wasn't a simple procurement—it required:
The successful resolution of this complex issue solidified our relationship with Mail.ru and demonstrated our ability to solve unprecedented technical challenges.
A year after I left, Datapro decided to launch a hosting service, capitalizing on the improvements I had implemented. The service was an immediate success—reaching full capacity within six months.
Key Achievement: The operational excellence and customer-centric processes I established became the foundation for Datapro's successful expansion into new service areas.
The success of the Mail.ru challenge opened doors to new opportunities:
This experience taught me that successful data center operations require more than just cooling and power. They demand:
Whether you're optimizing existing operations or building from scratch, let's discuss how to create exceptional infrastructure experiences.