After nearly two years of careful planning and execution, the state government of Colorado has successfully completed its migration from the leased eFORT Data Center to the state-owned Lakewood Data Center. This monumental shift is expected to save the state up to $2 million annually in leasing costs, all while enhancing cloud capabilities and offering increased scalability.
The Migration Journey: A Two-Year Process
The project began in June 2022, with the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) at the helm, aiming to reduce technology debt and modernize the state’s IT infrastructure. Colorado’s move out of the eFORT Data Center, a facility used by the state since 2006 under a colocation lease, was no small task.
Around 26 state agencies had their IT systems hosted either physically or virtually within the eFORT Data Center, and transitioning these operations to Lakewood required meticulous planning and resource allocation. The project involved 300 OIT staff members who collectively dedicated 19,000 hours to the effort.
Disposal and Modernization: 1,000 Pieces of Obsolete Equipment Removed
As part of the migration, more than 1,000 pieces of obsolete IT equipment were disposed of, including 2,500 pounds of ethernet cabling and 145 racks previously used at eFORT. The state also upgraded its hardware and IT systems to ensure greater efficiency and reliability moving forward.
Dana Thorson, director of OIT’s data center and mainframe operations, highlighted the scale of the transition. “Exiting the costly leased eFORT Data Center was a colossal effort requiring close collaboration across multiple state agencies,” Thorson said. “The migration of 26 agencies and OIT in under three years paves the way for optimization, modernization, and innovation.”
Migration Results: State Gains Scalability and Cloud Capabilities
Approximately 12.6% of the IT equipment from eFORT was migrated to the Lakewood Data Center, while 9% was moved to the cloud. The remaining 40% of equipment was fully decommissioned as part of a broader effort to modernize the state’s data operations. The completion of this transition will not only optimize state IT systems but will also allow Colorado to leverage enhanced cloud solutions and scale its infrastructure as needed.
Thorson also shared that the state anticipates savings of over $1.8 million annually in leasing expenses, thanks to the shift to Lakewood. With the new data center’s increased capacity, cloud integration, and efficient design, Colorado is positioning itself for a future of technological innovation.
Lakewood Data Center Upgrade: Infrastructure and Design Improvements
The Lakewood Data Center, a 10,000 sq ft (929 sqm) facility, underwent significant upgrades during the transition. Howell Construction was responsible for modernizing the data center’s core infrastructure, including the electrical systems. These improvements included the replacement of the main electrical components, such as the Main Distribution Board, Automatic Transfer Switches, UPS systems, and transformers.
These upgrades ensure that the Lakewood Data Center can meet the growing needs of state agencies while supporting Colorado’s long-term technological goals.
A Step Toward Technological Innovation for Colorado
This migration represents a significant milestone for the state of Colorado, marking not only cost-saving benefits but also a step toward a more efficient, cloud-ready future. With the completion of the migration, Colorado is poised to embrace advanced technologies that will help streamline operations across multiple state agencies.
“We look forward to a bright future for our state data center operations,” said Thorson. The state government is confident that this move will serve as a model for other public sector agencies looking to modernize their IT infrastructures and adopt cloud-based solutions for greater agility and scalability.
FAQs:
1. Why did Colorado migrate to the Lakewood Data Center? The state migrated to Lakewood to reduce costs, optimize its IT infrastructure, and leverage better cloud capabilities and scalability.
2. How much money will Colorado save from this migration? Colorado is expected to save up to $2 million annually in leasing costs by exiting the eFORT Data Center and moving to the state-owned Lakewood facility.
3. What happened to the old IT equipment from the eFORT Data Center? Over 1,000 pieces of outdated IT equipment, including 145 racks and 2,500 pounds of ethernet cabling, were disposed of during the migration process.
4. What was upgraded in the Lakewood Data Center? The Lakewood Data Center underwent extensive upgrades, including new electrical systems, UPS units, and other infrastructure components to support the state’s growing IT needs.
5. How did the migration impact state agencies? The migration allowed 26 state agencies to modernize their IT systems, offering improved scalability, cloud capabilities, and cost savings.
