Priority Colo - COVID-19 response

News concerning Priority Colo, this includes network status updates, upgrades to services, new services, and general stuff you might be interested in knowing.

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porcupine
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Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 5:57 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario
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Priority Colo - COVID-19 response

Post by porcupine »

Hi Folks,

This notice is issued to provide information with regards to Priority Colo's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As I'm sure most customers are aware COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on 11-Mar-2020 by the World Health Organization. Priority Colo and its staff have been taking precautionary measures over the past several weeks in relation to concerns surrounding the virus impact on supply chains, vendor operations, staffing, mobility, and general resource availability.

Both of our facilities are quite low volume in terms of human activity/human occupancy levels, and are well designed to weather events such as this. We have [always] maintained appreciable supply of spare components, servers, networking equipment, along with excess capacity in terms of bandwidth, power, cooling, and fuel.

In an effort to provide clarity to all customers:
- Both of Priority Colo's facilities (Tor1/Tor2) are considered mission critical facilities, and will remain fully operational throughout these incidents.
- Landlords of both physical buildings have indicated buildings will remain fully accessible, there are no plans to limit access to either building for cardholders/customers/etc.
- Janitorial staff in both physical buildings have stepped up their disinfecting and cleaning regimens with regards to common touch surfaces (door handles, elevator buttons, readers/keypads/etc.), following common advice.
- PC staff, along with landlord/operations/related staff have all been practicing social distancing/partial isolation for several days at this point.
- PC staff have made efforts to maintain a suitable stock of necessary personal materials (food/fuel/etc.) to limit exposure to external forces & events, and ensure maximum personnel availability.
- Non-essential maintenance activity will be reduced/rescheduled as appropriate during the outbreak.

A number of customers have expressed capacity concerns with regards to many more users working remotely, etc., so it's worth noting:
- PC has literally tens of gigabits of spare network capacity both in the core, and edge of our network(s). Currently PC's daily bandwidth peak is below 15gbps, of 70gbps of peering/transit capacity (aggregated between the two facilities). Customers do not need to worry about network capacity on our end, and additional ports/services/etc. can be spun up to customers on a moments notice, should there be immediate need.
- PC will continue to build/deploy dedicated servers from our existing stock as required/requested.
- PC will continue to deploy new colocation accounts, expansions, DR, etc. as requested/required.
- PC backup facilities have ample space, for customers re-evaluating backup plans/configs/etc.
- PC will continue to provide remote hands/feet/installation services as requested/required.
- PC can also deploy secure KVM over IP [W/remote virtual media support], and secure Serial over IP connections to customers looking for Out Of Band access to their gear, whether dedicated, colocated (per rack unit), or colocated (unescorted cabinets).

Customers requiring physical access to the facility are asked to exercise common sense, as always. If customer staff are exhibiting any signs/symptoms of infection, or fall into a category recommended for self-isolation by any applicable government agency (IE: having travelled in the past 2 weeks), we ask that customers respect those directives and use remote hands/feet services accordingly. PC staff will work to make things as easy as possible for any impacted customers during these trying times.

Customers who have questions or concerns that are not addressed by this notice, should reach out to me directly at their leisure.
Myles Loosley-Millman
Priority Colo Inc.
myles@prioritycolo.com
http://www.prioritycolo.com
porcupine
Site Admin
Posts: 713
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 5:57 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Contact:

Re: Priority Colo - COVID-19 response

Post by porcupine »

Hi Folks,

In an update to this thread, we've received additional information/instructions from Allied REIT, the landlord of 151 Front St. West. (aka our tor1 facility). The following requirements impact entry and deliveries to the tor1 facility (and only the tor1 facility), as directly imposed by our landlord, quoting their communication directly:
Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to activate lock-down protocols at all Allied data centre facilities effective 12:01am Sunday, March 22, 2020. The lock-down will remain in effect until further notice. All essential services and access will remain uninterrupted during this period.

Below is a summary Allied’s lock-down protocol:

Access
- All tenants and their clients with card access will still have uninterrupted access to the facilities
- No visitors or non-essential contractors will be permitted entry

Deliveries
- The front desk and loading docks will continue to accept essential or emergency deliveries
- Allied should be notified of all essential or emergency deliveries in advance
- No non-essential deliveries will be permitted

Meet-Me-Rooms
- All Meet-Me-Rooms will remain fully accessible with strict hygiene protocol in place

Work Permits
- All essential or emergency work will be permitted
- No non-essential work permits will be issued
- All work with existing approved work permits will be allowed to proceed

Entrant Screening
- Upon entry, all users, including Allied staff, will undergo a health screening by a member of our security team
- The security officer will ask the following questions:
o Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms? Fever, Cough, Difficulty breathing or pronounced shortness of breath, Flu-like symptoms (sore throat, head ache, running nose, aches)
o Over the past fourteen days, have you been in contact with someone diagnosed as a carrier of the COVID-19 virus or someone showing flu-like symptoms?
o Over the past fourteen days, have you travelled outside of Canada?

- Once equipment is available, the security officer will also take the individual’s temperature using a touch-free infrared forehead thermometer
- Under the following scenarios, individuals will not be permitted access:
o They refuse to cooperate
o They answer yes to any of the questions above
o They answer no to the questions above, but are presenting symptoms
o They present a temperature in excess of 37.6°C (99.7°F)

- Allied will immediately notify the organization with which the individual denied entry is affiliated and appropriate disinfectant will be applied to all surfaces the individual came into contact with upon entry
- We will notify tenants once we’ve received the appropriate equipment to begin monitoring temperatures of those who enter the facility
Myles Loosley-Millman
Priority Colo Inc.
myles@prioritycolo.com
http://www.prioritycolo.com
porcupine
Site Admin
Posts: 713
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2002 5:57 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Contact:

Re: Priority Colo - COVID-19 response

Post by porcupine »

Hi Folks,

Updating this thread/subject. As most people should be aware at this point, as of Tuesday July 7th, 2020, the city of Toronto has passed a temporary bylaw (Bylaw 541-2020) requiring all adults [excluding those who are medically/otherwise unable], to wear masks or other suitable face coverings while indoors/inside businesses, or other enclosed publicly accessible spaces.

In an effort to provide clarity and direction on the matter, we are asking that all customers, visitors, contractors, and other people visiting our facilities wear a face mask or suitable covering while this bylaw is in effect. Both facilities already have directives to this effect clearly marked at the entry points to the buildings, and we ask that customers respect all posted rules, and continue to abide by them (and of course, ensure any of their guests do the same) while within either facility.

All other protocols within our facilities remain in effect.

For more information regarding use of face masks/coverings, please see the following documents:
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bylaws/2020/law0541.pdf
https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/co ... ing-bylaw/
https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/co ... -coverings
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/ ... rings.html

Customers who have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, should reach out using our normal support channels.
Myles Loosley-Millman
Priority Colo Inc.
myles@prioritycolo.com
http://www.prioritycolo.com
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