Datapro

The installation of new client equipment, such as servers, network devices, and cabling, often results in a significant amount of packaging waste. In most Russian data centers, clients are responsible for removing this waste themselves or arranging for its disposal through specialized services.

Having personally experienced this inconvenience, my initial action was to establish a designated unpacking area equipped with dedicated waste containers. This allowed clients to dispose of packaging materials easily, without the burden of further waste management, as the data center assumed responsibility for its proper disposal.

Data centers walk a fine line: keeping equipment secure by limiting access while ensuring authorized users can easily get in when needed. The original system was a bureaucratic nightmare, requiring formal requests days in advance, complete with company letterhead and CEO sign-off. This simply didn't work when equipment failed or urgent maintenance was necessary. Every minute of delay due to inaccessible infrastructure meant financial losses.

To solve this, I introduced a ticket-based system through a dedicated customer service portal. Now, access requests are efficiently coordinated and approved within hours, all while maintaining strict security protocols.

Previously, client access within the data center lacked structure and control, raising security concerns and hindering operational efficiency. Clients could freely roam the facility, requiring constant engineer escorts and manual door unlocking.

To address these challenges, I meticulously analyzed and redesigned the client journey within the data center. This involved installing additional partitions with secure doors, creating designated pathways that guided clients directly to their authorized machine rooms. Furthermore, I implemented a comprehensive access control system using magnetic keys. Upon arrival and identity verification, clients receive a personalized key that grants access only to their designated areas, ensuring a secure and independent experience. This system, coupled with continuous video surveillance, optimized resource allocation, enhanced client convenience, and maintained the highest levels of security within the data center.

Imagine Elon Musk without Starlink – that's how limited our customers were when they needed network connections between floors. Each connection required individual patch cords, leading to frustrating wait times of days or even weeks.

I knew we could do better. By pre-provisioning the cabling infrastructure between machine rooms, we could use standardized, off-the-shelf patch cords for the final 5% of connections. This simple change slashed deployment times dramatically. Now, instead of waiting days or weeks, cross-connects are up and running in a matter of hours.

A final obstacle emerged due to discrepancies in output connector configurations between the APC and Delta ATS units. To address this, I designed a custom splitter device and collaborated with the power engineering team to develop and implement this solution, which we internally referred to as the "Kraken."

Mail.ru expressed their satisfaction with our unwavering dedication to resolving these challenges, and this successful engagement ultimately led to an opportunity for me to join VK as Deputy Vice President for Technological Development in 2021.

With customer service and internal IT operations stabilized within the data center, the owner envisioned expanding service offerings to include cloud solutions as an additional revenue stream. I successfully identified and engaged a contractor to develop the technical aspects of the cloud platform. However, Datapro's sales team, lacking experience with cloud services, encountered challenges in effectively marketing and selling the new product.

As the cloud solution struggled to gain market traction, I proposed a strategic shift towards hosting services. Leveraging existing equipment, I implemented a standard hosting platform based on ISP System products, developed a dedicated website, initiated targeted marketing campaigns, and recruited an additional team member with specialized hosting expertise.

The hosting project rapidly gained momentum, reaching full capacity within six months. Despite the evident potential for scaling and growth, the owner opted to discontinue the initiative, citing concerns regarding the customer profile typically associated with entry-level hosting services.

The hosting project was subsequently divested, and I transitioned to a role at Gcore, where I spearheaded the development of a global hosting project with strategically positioned points of presence around the world.