CHICAGO -- Chicago's windy climate, growing tech scene, access to fiber optics and support from the city's authorities is making it a hot real estate location for data centers.
These are some of the reasons Server Farm Realty (SFR) gave for opening its 443,446 square foot facility, Chicago's 29th active data center, just south of the Loop. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel cut the ribbon on the new data digs earlier this summer. (See Data Center Owners Doubt SDN.)
Light Reading was on hand to snap some sexy server shots. Click on the image below to launch a short slide show of the grand opening.

Big Data, big concerns
Interestingly, SFR opened its doors about the same time that social media feeds went ballistic with the leaked news that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is keeping an eye on all online data through its Prism Surveillance System.
Regarding the situation from the perspective of a company that houses tons of data, SFR CEO Avner Popuchado wasn't surprised to hear about Prism: rather, he was borderline impressed. (See Prism in a Big Data World.)
"I was encouraged the government was that good," he joked, adding that it's important this has become a topic of conversation. Popuchado said it brings to mind the quote, "having the illusion of controlling everything is worse than the knowledge that you control nothing."
— Sarah Reedy, Senior Editor, Light Reading
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