FAQ

How long does it take to get my account setup?: All shared and reseller accounts are setup instantly upon payment! VPS and dedicated server’s normally take 24-48 hours or less for provisioning and setup, upon approval from our billing department.
What forms of payment do you accept?: We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover card and Paypal
Where are your server’s located?: Our servers are housed in the Quasar Data Center facility located at 1001 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas
Do you offer 24/7 support?: Quasar Data Center is manned 24/7 and all Phone, Email, and support ticket inquiries are forwarded immediately to our Network Operations Center.
Has the data center facility been certified by a Third-Party certification process?: Yes, a SAS70, Type II Audit was completed in 2010 and 2011 and a SSAE16, Type II Audit completed in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
In reference to The Uptime Institute definition of “Industry Standards Tier Classifications”, which Tier level is most reflective of the current data center’s construction and operating practices?: Tier III capable per the TIA-942 standards based on Quasar’s redundant capabilities.
How is access to the data center logged? (example, electronically, physical sign-in): Data Center login is conducted both electronically per the Lakota Standard Operating Procedures and physical sign-in. Quasar security includes continuous video surveilance from the NOC, key card access, cabinet key, and combination locks, plus cage space and 24-hour manned building security.
How often are the logs reviewed for un-authorized physical access to the data center facility?: No unauthorized entry is allowed. Access is physically controlled 24 hrs/day, 365 days/year. Review of logs is made every shift changeover.
How often are audits or reviews performed on the data center processes and procedures?Please show evidence of the audits performed.: Data Center processes and procedures are conducted monthly with the VP of Operations, Network Operations Center Manager, and General Manager.
Describe the scalability of the Power systems and how this is reviewed and managed.: The Building itself is on two redundant CenterPoint grids with a total available footprint of 13MW of power. All Data Center power is conditioned after it comes into the facility. Additional UPS machines are added as needed to support customer growth. B-string UPS power is fed by an Eaton 9355 UPS which will be run in parallel with another device as our needs expand. All power is monitored constantly through metered PDU strips and we restrict total AMP usage to 80% of UPS capacity. This is monitored continuously by our in-house software system.
Are there redundant UPS devices in place to handle failed UPS devices?: Each UPS supplies power to its own distribution panel and is equipped with a maintenance bypass, which allows continuous power to customers in the event of a UPS failure or planned maintenance requiring the UPS to be taken off-line. Customers with “A” and “B” string power are supplied from completely separate UPS devices for their respective circuits.
Describe the alerting mechanism for UPS devices and how UPS alerts are managed.: Each UPS is monitored via the xslot communication card with SNMP traps to monitor conditions. If a threshold is breached a ticket is generated and a course of action to remedy the problem is put into effect.
How much up-time do the UPS devices have in case of full power outage?: Separate battery strings exist to support each UPS. Uptime varies between 15 and 30 minutes depending upon the load demand. The automatic transfer switch (ATS) transfers load from utility to generator. The generator requires approximately 30 sec. to achieve load demand capability. In addition, we have a second generator that feeds the UPS.
What is the process to test the UPS system, and how often is this performed?: Batteries are self-tested every month. Power conditioning is evaluated during loss of power tests which are conducted at random intervals by a third party without our prior notification.
When was the last full power outage simulation, and what were the results?: July 19th 2010, performed at random by EnerNOC. This test evaluates our transfer switch and our ability to run completely off-grid. We had no issues.
Do the air-conditioning systems have adequate excess capacity to permit failure of certain air conditioning components such as a compressor?: Yes. Quasar has both a primary and independent backup thermal system.
Describe the scalability of the cooling devices, and how this is reviewed and managed?: Main data center floor is cooled by a total of 88 tons of capacity. Four downflow air handlers have dual loops and compressors in each to maintain the climate. The facility has an independent backup thermal system and is capable of operating on just a fraction of the available cooling, and the existing cooling infrastructure in place allows us to fill out the rest of the remaining data center.
Describe the redundancy built into the fire suppressant devices.: The primary fire alarm reports to the main building alarm system on a dedicated circuit. If a trouble condition appears on the primary panel, the building panel will send its own alert for the zone. If the primary panel fails completely, a trouble condition will appear on the building panel and staff will be notified immediately by building engineering and the security detail on premises. Data Center fire suppressant system is a dry pipe pre-action system. Private suites are gas suppression systems.
Describe the alerting mechanism for the fire suppressant devices and how alerts are managed.: The facility is monitored by two separate alarm systems. Each with its own strobe and sound system. If a condition appears in the zone, both alarms will activate simultaneously. The facility panel is in the NOC which is staffed 24/7. For any condition outside normal operations, a ticket is generated in the facilities internal ticketing system.
Are there water sensors in the computer room ceiling and floor?: Only in the sub-floor, we are in the process of evaluating water detection systems for the ceiling and to supplement existing moisture sensors in the sub-floor.
Describe your testing procedures for fire suppressant discharges.: Fire system is dry-pipe pre-action. We have semi-annual inspections and annual functionality inspections.
What is the Seismic rating of the building?: The building reismic status is rated at “R6”