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It's not easy being 'green', but Toronto Hydro Telecom helps lighten the load

    New data centre provides friendly approach to data storage

    TORONTO, Oct. 10 /CNW/ - Toronto Hydro Telecom today announced the
opening of its new data centre that provides Canadian organizations with a
secure hosting environment for mission critical data and operations. This
latest addition to the portfolio of enterprise offerings from Toronto Hydro
Telecom is designed to support the growing needs for managed network services.
    "We are committed to delivering on our promise of providing a powerhouse
of enterprise network solutions for our customers," said Dave Dobbin,
President, Toronto Hydro Telecom. "The opening of our data centre in Toronto
is another step forward in offering businesses with an industry leading
solution that will ensure peace of mind that all their corporate data is
secure."

    Ultimate security
    "Keeping data secure is the ultimate concern within a collocation
facility and Toronto Hydro Telecom has equipped its site with world-leading
safety precautions, to effectively guard against all forms of cybercrime and
minimize the impact of any natural disasters," says Iain Grant, Seaboard
Group.
    The data centre includes biometric access control, a multi-stage dry pipe
fire suppression system, advanced environmental controls, and a redundant UPS
power and generator backup system to ensure the site is always up and running
and protected against physical threats.
    Toronto Hydro Telecom is the only network service provider in Toronto
that can provide collocation supported by a 100 per cent 10 GigE Native
Ethernet Network. The all-optical, multi-redundant network delivers to
customers unparalleled network reliability, security and scalability. This
wholly-owned fibre-based network feeds into the data centre through two
separate and physically diverse fibre entry points which ensures absolute
security.
    The end-to-end network and data security provide Canadian medium to large
organizations with reliable and scalable network and data security. For
example, Christie Lites, a Toronto-based stage lighting business, experienced
disruptions to its business due to repeated server downtime and data circuit
instability. Christie Lites determined that in order to improve reliability
and the security of its critical business and customer data, their hardware
and network systems needed to be located in a facility with adequate space,
enhanced security features, and more sophisticated back-up power support.
    "With our high focus on our core business expertise - and not on
server-friendly infrastructure, it was obvious that in order for our data and
communications to be secure and reliable we needed to outsource to an
organization that could provide us with the necessary support," said Paul
Dhingra, Head of Information Management, Christie Lites. "Toronto Hydro
Telecom's superior network management offerings and industry leading Service
Level Agreements that ensure high level core network availability made them
the natural choice for us."

    Reducing the carbon footprint
    In addition to this unique and secure environment, Toronto Hydro
Telecom's collocation facility is the only one of its kind in Toronto that
utilizes an interstitial raised floor. These multiple layers underneath the
raised floor allow for the separation of power and communications cabling from
air transmission space. Creating a far more efficient air flow allows Toronto
Hydro Telecom to reduce the traditional number of air conditioning units with
the associated reduction in energy consumption, and in turn provides a more
environmentally friendly approach.
    "Global warming is of serious concern to corporate Canada, yet
organizations are unsure of how to minimize their carbon footprint. With CO2
emissions a key offender, reduction of electricity usage is an obvious area
corporations can improve their 'green' standing. Toronto Hydro Telecom's data
centre will help organizations take a step in the right direction towards
becoming a more environmentally friendly enterprise," said Dobbin.

    Vital Statistics
    Toronto Hydro Telecom's Data Centre has a total hosting floor space of
20,000 square feet, residing in a 39,500 square foot building. Currently 4,907
square feet has been developed. Some of the features of the Data Centre
include:-  24x7x365 proactive monitoring, support and onsite security
    -  Industry leading SLA: 99.999% core network availability
    -  Speeds of 10Mbps to 1Gbps and beyond
    -  Enhanced physical security including biometric identification and
       security card access
    -  N+1 Redundancy on Back up generation, HVAC and UPS systems
    -  Multi-homed upstream Internet connectivity
    -  Customized, scalable options for space leasing
    -  All cabling done by Toronto Hydro Telecom staff to ensure consistency
       across data centre
    -  Remote assistance (on-demand)About Toronto Hydro Telecom
    Toronto Hydro Telecom Inc. is a data communications provider offering
customers a suite of managed network services from connectivity, including
Private Line and Ethernet MetroLAN, to value added services like Security and
Storage. The company also offers its One Zone WiFi subscription services. With
its fibre optic network and operations throughout Toronto, Toronto Hydro
Telecom connects 490 commercial buildings within the city's downtown core and
counts many of Canada's leading businesses and institutions among its clients.
For more information about Toronto Hydro Telecom, the telecom subsidiary of
Toronto Hydro Corporation, see www.thtelecom.ca and www.onezone.ca.

    About Christie Lites
    Christie Lites is a stage lighting business focused on rentals and
production. The company offers its specific product mix to six different
market segments (theatre, concert, trade show, TV & film, industrial, and
special event). The company has become an industry leader in operating a
multi-office network of stage lighting shops across North America. With
standardization being one of the principal strategies, customers can expect
the same technical support and product offering in each location. For more
information on Christie Lites, see www.christielites.com

    Forward-Looking Information
    Certain portions of this press release may constitute forward-looking
information. Forward-looking information means disclosure regarding possible
events, conditions or results that is based on assumptions about future
economic conditions and courses of action or attributable to third parties. In
some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such
as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate",
"predict", "potential", "continue", "plan" and similar expressions or the
negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Although the
Corporation believes that it has a reasonable basis for the forward-looking
information included in the press release, such information is subject to a
number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, that may cause actual events,
conditions or results to differ materially from those contemplated by the
forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause such
differences include legislative or regulatory developments; financial market
conditions, general economic conditions and the ratings assigned to the
corporation or its affiliates or their debt securities by rating agencies. The
corporation has no obligation nor any intention to update publicly or to
revise any of the forward-looking information included in the press release
after the date thereof, whether as a result of new information, future events
or circumstances or otherwise.