08/29/2008 , by Billie Moreland
The Fernwell Building is a historic gem in the heart of the Terabyte Triangle, designed by architect Hermann Preusse and built in 1891. The building is wrapped around a huge skylit central atrium which, adorned by old carved oak and elaborately wrought metalwork, descends vertically to illuminate the entire Fernwell interior. The Fernwell building pioneered the Terabyte Triangle in 1997 and soon became the epicenter of specialized high volume web traffic in downtown. This summer, the Fernwell expanded its bandwidth capability to exceed the needs of its current business tenants. “We consider this to be a boutique building due to its antique beauty,” says Allyson Shoshana, Fernwell Executive Suites Manager. “However, underneath the antiquity is a superbly connected building with a total communications system that really works for the tenant.”
For more than ten years, the Fernwell management has worked with building tenant RealResume to first install, then maintain, the buildings high speed connectivity. RealResume manages the building’s technology and functions as the building’s Internet Service Provider (ISP). Anytime a new tenant comes on board, or there is a problem with the network, one call brings the service needed.
Recently with the increase in the use of VPN’s (virtual private networks) and growing business, the buildings network was suffering occasional bottlenecks. The Fernwell’s Tom Power and Shoshana sat down with Roy Messena and Richard Hartman of RealResume to plan the bandwidth upgrade needed. Today with the ambitious plan executed, the Fernwell has multiple backbones coming in, and floor-to-floor connectivity that allows 1Gbps of data to flow everywhere. They upgraded all of the Ethernet switches and routers; used Cat6-E wiring from the equipment closets, and used quality connectors that “never fail”. “We believe in quality in – quality out,” says Hartman. “Now we have sufficient bandwidth for future growth.”
When all of the new parts were in place, the change was made seamlessly. They had planned a layered architecture so that the change was made with no downtime. All the clients could notice was that after a few seconds of manipulation, their bandwidth speed was a lot faster.
Along with the upgrade in bandwidth, Hartman installed better monitoring equipment – and they monitor 24x7. “We only monitor the bits, not the content,” says Hartman, “and it helps us to know when a problem may occur even before anyone experiences a difficulty.”
Fernwell Executive Suites tenants receive a “full service” package that includes the broadband-high speed Internet connection. Because the “technical management” is on site, executive suite offices are essentially ‘plug & go.’
The remainder of the Fernwell Building tenants have a flexible package and can specify connectivity at superior bandwidth on their own network. When that happens, it still requires no more than a day to get the office wired and ready. “Most times, it will require only about an hour,” says Hartman.
“In the Fernwell, every tenant now can have the bandwidth they need,” says Shoshana. “We believe we have the best space for the best tenants.”
The Fernwell building has space available. To learn more about either the Fernwell Building or the Fernwell Executive Suites, visit www.fernwell.com. Or, contact Allyson Shoshana, Fernwell Executive Suites, Fernwell Building, www.fernwell.com, 509-252-5000.
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