Swift Transportation

Phoenix, AZ

THE RESULTS: A Reliable Data Center Ready to Handle Growth

DSI worked with Swift’s IT team to establish a framework for a new data center that meets the company’s needs today and for years to come. DSI performed exhaustive testing of the system prior to placing the equipment online. The end result is a very modern data center that is aesthetically appealing and practical in its functionality. It delivers a level of redundancy that will enable mission-critical technology systems to stay online should any key system require maintenance or repairs. A sophisticated monitoring system enables the IT management team to track the data center’s operations from any location. And as a result of DSI's flawless implementation, the company’s IT team has regained the confidence of senior management.

Major Trucking Firm Turns to DSI to Design and Build Modular Data Center to Meet Current and Future Technology Needs

Swift Transportation is an award-winning, Phoenix, Arizona-based truckload motor shipping carrier. With over 16,000 trucks, it is the largest common carrier in the United States.

THE CHALLENGE: Need to Upgrade for the Long Haul

Over the years, Swift Transportation’s data center had been expanded to meet infrastructure needs. However, the lack of strategic planning left the data center with unstable flooring, a low ceiling that created cooling system problems, and poor rack layout, which caused further air circulation deficiencies. These challenges caused the data center site to experience unplanned outages and equipment failures that weakened senior management’s confidence in the company’s technology and IT staff – and halted plans for critical technology upgrades.

THE SOLUTION: Building a Scalable, Modular Data Center for Today and Tomorrow

Swift worked with Data Specialties Inc. (DSI) to define a new data center that would meet its current needs, build in important redundancies to mitigate technology failures, and establish a foundation for future technology needs. DSI helped Swift to design a scalable, modular data center that would address the challenges they currently faced, while ensuring the facility could handle added capacity in the future, all while meeting the company’s budgetary constraints.

The existing data center equipment was moved into temporary housing that was equipped with:

  • Redundant A/B PDU’s
  • Hot aisle containment
  • Redundant in-row cooling
  • Fire and life safety
  • New and existing racks
  • Fiber optic network backbone

DSI replaced the floor and installed a new ceiling to give the facility an open, architectural look. DSI also secured an area outside the building to place the generator and chiller cooling systems. To minimize the sound transfer to company’s administrative offices, DSI used sound absorption material to minimize noise and create a secure yard for this equipment.