Data Centre
Services

Ticketed data centre access

An access card and an access ticket are required to enter a Spark data centre. The ticket number will need to be quoted when you arrive on-site.

To request ticket access, log a request with the Data Centre Service Desk by completing the following request form. Download Spark Datacentre Request form

If required, a Spark host will supervise the site visit. All visitors will need to produce photo identification to the Spark host, who will ensure it matches the request raised with the Service Desk.

See below for response times.

Requesting access when emergency or urgent work is required

Emergency or urgent access requests must be called into the Data Centre Service Desk. They will arrange access with the Spark data centre on-site personnel.

See below for response times.

Priority access - Ticketless access

Your trusted staff members may have access to the data centre without requesting prior authorisation from the Data Centre Service Desk.

This access is designed for work that doesn’t involve adding or removing rack equipment. Work of this type must use ticketed data centre access.

See below for response times.

Response times for all access types

Response times for all access and service requests are within the timeframe below:

Ordering an access card

At most of our data centres, you’ll have access to your equipment with an access card. The access card is unique to each individual and is loaded with your unique access type.

To obtain an access card, log a request with our Service Desk by providing a photo and the following completed forms:

1. Passport size photo of the applicant
2. Download Datacentre Request form
3. Download Access Card Application form

Access cards are usually delivered within seven business days.

Renewing an access card

Access cards are valid for two years from the date they were created.
To renew an access card, log a request with our Service Desk by completing the following forms. We will send out new access cards to replace your existing ones.

1. Download Datacentre Request form
2. Download Access Card Application form

New cards are usually delivered within seven business days. To avoid any inconvenience please log your request as early as possible.

Change of authorisation for access

To change authorised access for any of your access card holders, or to request a list of current authorised people for your organisation complete and submit the following form. Select 'Other' in the Type of Work field. Download Spark Datacentre Request form

Adding or removing equipment from a rack must first be approved by the Spark Power Committee. This is to ensure power and cooling capacity are available. The standard turnaround time for power requests is up to seven business days. To avoid any inconvenience, please log your request as early as possible.

Please ensure the Rack Design template is fully completed detailing all existing equipment. If you are unsure of the equipment in your rack, we recommend you complete a self-audit or we can complete one on your behalf.

To request adding or removing equipment, please log a request with the Data Centre Service Desk by providing the following completed forms:

1. Download Datacentre Request form
2. Download Equipment Change form

Note: Be sure to complete the Rack Design tab.

To request cabling to a new circuit, please log a request with the Data Centre Service Desk by completing the forms below. Following receipt of your request, a quote will be provided within three business days. Once you have accepted the quote, cabling should be complete within seven working days.

1. Download Datacentre Request form
   
2. Download Cabling Request form

Note: Cabling requests must come from the Data Centre customer, not the network provider.

Remote Hands requests may be made to carry out a simple activity by a Spark Field Engineer on your behalf.  

Simple activities include: visual inspections of equipment, power cycling devices, disconnecting and reconnecting cables, acceptance and storage of courier delivered equipment.

Complex requests such as replacing a server, device, or hot swapping a hard drive cannot be performed by the Remote Hands service.

Remote Hands may be requested via the Data Centre Service Centre. Download Datacentre Request form

If urgent Remote Hands work is required, contact the Service Desk directly.

The tape handling service is available to add or remove tapes from tape devices or libraries in a customer rack, to an agreed schedule. The service also extends to swapping tapes to be stored offsite with an offsite storage provider, for tapes to be inserted into the tape devices.

Tape handling service may be requested via the Data Centre Service Centre. Download Datacentre Request form

To request an audit of your equipment complete the following form. Select 'Other' in the Type of Work field, and complete the details of the rack you would like to be audited. Download Datacentre Request form

Audit requests are generally completed within five working days. There is a charge for this service and we’ll provide pricing information when we respond to your request.

Available data centre facilities vary between locations. We'll respond to request for information about specific data centres by the next business day. Send an email to datacentre@spark.co.nz

Spark has other data centre related services that are available upon request. Full service descriptions and associated fees can be found within the Data Centre Service Catalogue. All services can be requested by contacting the Data Centre Service Desk directly.

A summary of these services is shown below:

• Build rooms (where available on-site):
  • Unpacking of equipment before install
  • Build-up of new equipment
• Auto Transfer Switch - An Auto Transfer Switch (ATS) can be used to deliver dual power to a single powered device, thereby protecting it from an outage to the A or B power feeds
• Data centre service report – Monthly report summarising the data centre performance over the month
• Access report – Detailing who has accessed the data centre on behalf of the customer
• Key safe - Storage of data centre keys (rack, end of row and cage keys) in a wall mounted safe, securely located within the data centre
• Key management - Keys required at the data centre (rack, end of row and cage keys) can be stored securely at the data centre and managed by the on-site security team
• Supervised access - The Data Centre Operations team can provide supervised access for staff members or third-party suppliers who don’t have access to the data centre
• Thermal imagery - Thermal photos of a rack can be taken to show the heat distribution within a rack. A thermal photo can identify:
  • Equipment temperatures and potential faults within equipment
  • Hot spots
  • Airflow problems
• Tape handling - Adding and removing tapes from tape devices or libraries in a customer rack to an agreed schedule. Swapping tapes to be stored offsite with an offsite storage provider, for tapes to be inserted into the tape devices.
•  Blanking installation - To maximise cooling efficiency, empty spaces in a rack need to be blocked using blanks. Blanks are used to control airflow and maintain separation between the hot and cold aisles.
• Cabling services - Provides pre-cabled rack infrastructure environments and patching services. Fibre and copper options available.
• Data centre migration service - Standardised approach to moving a customer into a Spark data centre. The objective of the service is to make migration into the data centre as efficient as possible.
• Storage cages - Lockable steel storage cages located in a secured area controlled via Cardax

We'll respond to general information requests by the next business day. Send an email to datacentre@spark.co.nz