Data Backup Digest

ViaWest has been a long-time provider of data center storage, compliance, cloud services and other IT solutions within the westernmost United States, particularly the states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Minnesota, Texas and Utah. With that in mind, they've recently announced plans for a brand new data storage center centered in Brookwood, Oregon, which will be their third location in the state thus far.

According to officials with ViaWest, this isn't just an ordinary data center. Capitalizing on their previous designs and learning from their mistakes, the team with ViaWest considers the newest facility as a "Generation 4" data center. As such, the electrical framework and system engineering of the data center is done so in a way that is far more efficient and reliable than past designs. Moreover, the newest generation of data center designs allows for greater scalability in the future, so systems can be easily expanded to accommodate new growth and development as needed.

This isn't the first time ViaWest has been in the news within the past year, however. In fact, the company made headlines midway through July 2014 when they were purchased by Shaw Communications, Inc., a Canadian telecommunications firm based out of Calgary, Alberta. Selling at a price of $1.2 billion, ViaWest remains a major player in IT solutions and managed services within the U.S.

As a matter of fact, as ViaWest's co-founder and CEO, Nancy Phillips, explained in an interview, the buyout presented them with new opportunities and increased business functionality. She was quoted as saying: This is an excellent strategic development for ViaWest, our employees and our customers. With Shaw’s long-term commitment, we will have the stability and shared entrepreneurial culture to enter into a new phase of growth and meet the expanding technology needs of mid-market enterprises, while maintaining our commitment to exceptional customer service."

If the announcement of their newest data center is any indication, Shaw Communications has certainly done their part to ensure the growth and development of ViaWest. The new data center, which will be located just outside of Portland, will feature 138,000 square feet of floor space with a total footprint of 200,000 square feet. The project officially marks the construction of ViaWest's third-largest data center since 2014. At the time of this writing, ViaWest oversees a total of 27 data centers with 320 full-time employees located throughout the United States.

But the newfound relationship between Shaw Communications and ViaWest is not one-sided by any means. Dave Leonard, chief data center officer with ViaWest, explained how the recent partnership is mutually beneficially. He was quoted as saying: "We fill such a specific need for Shaw. We expand their growth capability into data market, and they fill a need for us with permanent capital financing to support growth. Culturally, the two companies fit together like hand and glove."

For more information regarding ViaWest, including a comprehensive list of services, data center information, partnership opportunities and even employment inquiries, interested parties are welcome to visit their website at www.viawest.com. Additionally, a ViaWest representative can be contacted via telephone at 877-448-9378.