Dakota Carrier Network announces data center expansion in Bismarck, N.D.

BY KAYLA PRASEK

Dakota Carrier Network, headquartered in Fargo, N.D., is expanding its Bismarck data center. The 30,000-squarefoot expansion project will provide 12 times the current server floor space available at the center and will increase the center’s total space to 72,000 square feet.

DCN’s data center provides spaces companies may rent to store their servers and related equipment. DCN provides higher levels of security and more reliability than if a company was to keep its server onsite, says CEO Seth Arndorfer. The Bismarck data center is full, which prompted the company’s decision to expand. “There is a need for customers to have a reliable facility to store their data, but for most of them, it’s hard to justify building their own facility.

“DCN has existed for 20 years and has focused on businesses in North Dakota,” Arndorfer says. “With the expansion, we expect national and global companies to come to DCN for a couple reasons. Because of the climate we’re in, our cooling costs are among the lowest in the country. Geographically, we’re located in the center of the country, so companies with customers on both coasts will see better user experience. We also have fiber optic connectivity to Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Minneapolis.”

The expansion project, which is expected to be completed by early 2017, was designed by TL Stroh of Fargo, while Capital City Construction, Electric Systems Inc. and H.A. Thompson & Sons, all of Bismarck, are providing contracting services. DCN has budgeted $6 million for the project and will take advantage of sales tax exemptions for the purchase of equipment and software for the facility provided by a bill passed last year by the North Dakota Legislature.

The expanded facility will be built to withstand F4 tornado-force winds and will have fully redundant power and cooling systems. It will also feature private suites, which will each be leased exclusively to a single customer. State-of the-art security will be incorporated throughout the data center, including multiple levels of security, biometric fingerprint scanners, personalized combination locking cabinets and 24/7 monitoring with a closed caption TV video surveillance system.

DCN houses network infrastructure for many of North Dakota’s regional banks, all 54 critical care centers, all K-12 and higher education institutions, North Dakota National Guard, 911 dispatch centers, state radio, IT companies and commercial businesses.

“Every aspect of our lives has been virtualized but few people think about how it all happens,” Arndorfer says. “Behind all of the clouds, something has to be real. The DCN data center and fiber optic network make this all work for North Dakota citizens.” PB

Kayla Prasek Staff Writer, Prairie Business 701.780.1187

kprasek@prairiebusinessmagazine.com