Biometric fingerprint scans. Automatic fail-safes. Interconnected energy sources. Man traps. Combustion-arresting gasses. And yes, even liquid crystal windows. Whilst this may sound like something from the latest Jason Bourne movie, these highly sophisticated technologies are what safeguard the very essence of CoreLogic products and services: our massive data resources.
As the leading provider of financial, property and consumer information, analytics and business intelligence, CoreLogic understands better than anyone the importance of fast, reliable delivery of complex information. In order to fully support our customers, we have invested in not one, but two, massive, state-of-the-art data technology centers. Each center is strategically designed to support reliable, scalable operations today and well into the future.
Due to the critical importance of the buildings’ functions, the utilities are specially designed to safeguard the inevitable risk of a natural disaster. These features are designed so that not only does each facility survive such a disaster, but continues operating before, during and after the event without any interruption to service.
Engineered by industry leaders in seismic and data center construction, each venue is highly rated for reliability and resilience. For example, built of time-proven steel and concrete, the technology center’s foundation rests on 30 base isolators designed to move 24 inches in all lateral directions—a design that will help the building sustain even a “thousand-year” seismic event.
In terms of security, each technology center features a tri-level security system, including security guards that monitor the main entrance and perimeter at all times, card access control throughout, and—as an additional safeguard—biometric fingerprint scans in the most restricted areas. In addition, “mantraps,” or two-door holding areas designed to prevent unauthorized “tagalongs,” are strategically placed throughout the centers as well.
A state-of-the-art building management system monitors and controls all utility operations, ensuring automatic fail-over to back-up systems in the event of any kind of service interruption. With so much equipment to power, a clean and continuous source of electricity is particularly paramount. The power piped in from local electrical companies is conditioned by seven UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems – three UPS systems at the primary facility and four at our secondary facility.
Should power be disrupted, three rows of battery arrays ensure a seamless transition to onsite generators. In fact, the facilities have a total of five on-site diesel generators, storing enough fuel to restore full-capacity operations for three to four days. A fuel polishing system constantly filters and recycles the fuel, making sure it remains clean and reusable at any moment. The UPS systems, battery arrays and generators are all cross-connected for redundancy, meaning that if one source does not function properly, another will automatically pick up the load.
Another integral component of such high-tech data centers: water. Because water can be devastating to circuitry, each facility has an HFC 125 fire suppression system. In the event of a fire, the refrigerant gas inundates the data center instantly, interrupting the combustion process while preserving the hardware and data.
At the same time, water coolant systems play a critical role in controlling the climate in both facilities. In the event of an earthquake, tornado or other natural disaster, it is highly likely that the water supply will be disrupted or contaminated. As such, the data centers feature an auxiliary air-cooled system that uses very little water, and helps protect and preserve each center’s central water supply.
Optimum quality, speed and reliability of data transmission throughout the buildings are achieved through use of the latest hardware and software technologies. A fiber network supports a three-tiered distribution architecture that enables connectivity for disaster recovery and offshore services. The communications design exceeds CoreLogic security policies with clearly delineated security zones and firewalls supplied by prominent security vendors, all of which support the company’s goal of maintaining network uptime of 99.999%.
System hardware is organized in a hot aisle/cold aisle arrangement, providing optimum heat dissipation. CPCs distribute power to all equipment, and a static switch component provides even single corded devices redundant supply. The space beneath the floor of the primary facility contains a highly organized cable system, and allows efficient access for adding or maintaining equipment. In secondary facility, the cable system is contained in the ceiling. To accommodate future growth, both sites are expandable to 22,000 sq. ft. at the primary facility, and to 19,700 sq. ft. at the secondary facility.
At corporate headquarters, a state-of-the-art presentation room is equipped with three rear-projection glass screens, multimedia capabilities and tablet PCs for interactive demonstrations. Liquid crystal windows that use minimal electricity to alter transparency allow visibility into the operational support and data centers without compromising security. The building’s support systems, and all applications, are monitored on multiple rear projection screens 24/7.
