Mark Shlanta Technology Park by SDN Communications

MARK SHLANTA TECHNOLOGY PARK

— SDN Communications, an ICBSD Preferred Partner

In the case of SDN Communications, its data center site northwest of Sioux Falls will be named the Mark Shlanta Technology Park in honor of its late, longserving CEO.

“One of Mark’s favorite activities was dreaming and being progressive in technology and economic development,” SDN Board of Managers President Denny Law said. “In Mark’s head, he had the 66 acres of that site mapped out even before we turned the first shovel of soil for the data center.”

Shlanta left his CEO position at the end of 2021 to focus on his cancer fight. He had worked at the business-to-business broadband service provider for nearly a quarter century, most of that time as CEO. He died in February shortly after his 57th birthday.

In one of Shlanta’s last actions with the SDN Board, he persuaded members to double the size of the existing data center because the first 10,000 square feet of raised data floor space was filled and he believed there was a need for more hardened data center space in the market.

With 12-inch-thick concrete walls able to withstand an F4 tornado (200+ mph winds), SDN Communications built the data center northwest of Sioux Falls as an emergency backup facility for its 50,000-mile fiber network and the networks of the 17 independent broadband companies of South Dakota that own SDN.

Together, those networks support critical business, including many members of the Independent Community Bankers of South Dakota, as well as government data operations.

“It is the type of facility our customers expect SDN to have to ensure the constant connectivity services. That’s UPTIME,” said SDN CEO Ryan Punt.

The construction will add a 25,000-square-foot pod to the original structure. There’s room for another two pods of the same size.

Features of the hardened building that provide security and reliability include:

• 12-inch-thick concrete walls • No windows • Biometric security access • Stringent, multi-layered security control procedures • Dual authentication access control system • Diverse access to metro, statewide and regional fiber networks • Diverse power provider different from much of Sioux Falls

• 2MW generator • Temperature and humidity control • Monitored building management system • Specialized fire suppression and smoke detection • Dry agent fire suppression

Construction on the project is well underway and should be completed by fall, ready for new buildto-suit clients.

SDN has also created a preliminary master design for the rest of the site, but those developments will have to wait until city infrastructure, which is about a mile away, extends to the location.

However, signage honoring Shlanta will not wait. It will be completed yet this summer, CEO Punt said. “We’re excited to honor Mark and his family in naming this technology park after him,” Punt said.

BUILDING SECURITY FEATURES

• 12-INCH-THICK CONCRETE WALLS • NO WINDOWS • BIOMETRIC SECURITY ACCESS • STRINGENT, MULTI-LAYERED SECURITY CONTROL PROCEDURES • DUAL AUTHENTICATION ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM • DIVERSE ACCESS TO METRO, STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL FIBER NETWORKS • DIVERSE POWER PROVIDER DIFFERENT FROM MUCH OF SIOUX FALLS • 2MW GENERATOR • TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONTROL • MONITORED BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM • SPECIALIZED FIRE SUPPRESSION AND SMOKE DETECTION • DRY AGENT FIRE SUPPRESSION