Groundbreaking Scheduled for Tuesday, June 21

June 16, 2011 (Westerville, OH) – The City of Westerville, in conjunction with Youngstown, OH-based technology firm DRS, LLC announces the groundbreaking event of the nation's first municipal community data center on Tuesday, June 21, 10 a.m. at 35 Collegeview Ave in Westerville. The center is the launching platform for WeConnect, a program of the City of Westerville.

As the first-ever city-owned data center, Westerville will be able to offer community partners and the business community access to data center space (co-location), affordable broadband and managed services and cloud-based services (delivery of hosted solutions via the internet).

"This is what we heard when we asked businesses what they needed in Westerville in order to be a world-class destination for business," said Todd Jackson, Chief Information Officer for the City. "A community data center centralizes the technology, security and infrastructure within a technology commons enabling businesses of all sizes in and around our community to reduce costs of doing business and compete on a global level."

The 16,000 square feet data center will provide expanded capacity for future data storage and network needs, and also provide technology solutions for businesses that enable them to deliver products and services electronically as well as access new workforce and social media technologies including virtualization, cloud computing (including a community cloud for Westerville business) and web 2.0 social computing.

"The DRS staff is excited and honored to be a partner in this new "Public Private Partnership" This is a great opportunity for the business community in North East and Central Ohio. We already have many business from the Valley and Central Ohio interested in utilizing the Data Centers and fiber connectivity in the adjoining areas for backup and disaster recovery services," said DRS CEO Mike Meloy.

What: WeConnect Community Data Center Groundbreaking 
Where: 35 Collegeview Ave, Westerville, OH (behind the Otterbein University Department of Communication building; access from Cleveland Ave off Main Street.) 
When: Tuesday June 21, 2011 10 a.m.

About WeConnect
WeConnect embodies all the bold technology commitments currently underway for the next generation of Westerville, featuring this community data center and also including commercial advanced metering, fiber infrastructure and technology-related energy efficiency programs. WeConnect brings the latest cutting edge technologies to the business community by providing both an advanced fiber optic network and unprecedented IT managed services to local companies. The services provided by WeConnect are the first of their kind and aim to deliver and secure economic strength and development in the area.

About DRS, LLC
DRS LLC is an information technology consulting firm and service provider specializing in Cloud services, Managed Services, data center operations, and network infrastructure deployment including local area networks, wide area networks, VoIP, and connectivity. For more information visit www.drsllc.net

About City of Westerville
Located in the northeast corner of Ohio's fastest growing region, Westerville is a vital city of 37,000 residents, a leader in job creation, and located just 10 miles from the airport and the state capital of Columbus. Westerville has been nationally recognized as one of "America's Best Places To Live" by Money Magazine. For more information visit www.westerville.org

For more information contact:

Mike Meloy, CEO DRS, LLC
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330-259-4901

Christa Dickey, Community Affairs Administrator, 
City of Westerville 
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614-901-6411