Company offers exclusive look inside its Bloomington data center
Pearl Technology provided 25News with a tour of its 30,000-square-foot data center in Bloomington, Illinois. The facility, which has a 2-megawatt capacity and uses a closed-loop cooling system consuming only 10 gallons of water annually, houses 260 racks for clients. Leaders emphasized the data center's role in providing secure and accessible critical infrastructure for local businesses.
Pearl Technology, an IT services and technology solutions provider in Central Illinois, recently offered 25News an exclusive tour of its 30,000-square-foot data center located in Downtown Bloomington. The facility has been in operation for 13 years, alongside another data center in Peoria, serving a diverse client base including local small businesses, banks, and hospitals by securing sensitive information around the clock.
The Bloomington data center, notable for its quiet exterior contrasting with the internal hum of machinery, boasts a maximum power capacity of 2 megawatts, comparable to a grocery store's peak energy consumption. It houses 260 racks, with 80 currently active, and has expansion room for an additional 200 racks. Account executive Pat Venditte explained the layered security approach, emphasizing the data center's role in ensuring critical infrastructure safety during disasters or power failures. Rob Judd, Director of Data Operations, detailed the sophisticated power distribution system and a closed-loop cooling system that consumes only 10 gallons of water annually, maintaining a consistent 70-degree Fahrenheit temperature. The facility also features significant redundancy with multiple cooling systems and over 3,500 pounds of batteries to prevent service disruptions.
Pearl Technology President Anthony Mini highlighted the growing demand for regional data centers like theirs, noting that companies increasingly seek direct control over their data, security, and technology, especially with the rise of AI adoption. Judd added that regional data centers offer the crucial advantage of low latency and high interactivity, essential for businesses requiring proximity between their offices and critical infrastructure. The company asserts that these regional facilities are vital for supporting local economies and protecting data.