Micron 21 Data Center -September Vocational Visit
WOW. Just WOW!
Our September vocational visit took us behind the scenes at Micron21 in Kilsyth — and what a fascinating experience! It felt like we stepped straight in to a sci-fi movie.
*** Remember - anyone in our community is welcome to join us on our monthly Vocational Visits!
Micron21 is 100% Australian owned and operated and is home to Australia’s first Tier IV data centre, providing secure cloud, data centre, networking and cybersecurity services to businesses, government and organisations across Australia and beyond.�
There were plenty of “I had no idea!” moments during our tour.
Some of our highlights included:
• Four times the backup: The backups had backups, which also had backups! Power is delivered through four independent circuits, with dual external 1MW generators providing additional redundancy. When you’re keeping critical data online 24/7, it pays to have a few backup plans!
• Serious security: The level of physical security throughout the facility was incredible, with multiple layers designed to protect both the facility and the data inside it.
• If you thought a rack of lamb was expensive… We learned that a single server rack consisting of five rows designed to host an AI platform can cost around $55 million!
• Redundancy upon redundancy: Critical systems have multiple layers of backup — often triplicated — so that if something goes wrong, another system is ready to take over.
• Clever cooling: Micron21 uses a refrigerated water cooling system. Once the pipes are filled, the system doesn’t require the constant water consumption associated with some traditional data centre cooling systems.
• The dust mat: One of our favourite little details when walking in to the server hosting rooms was the mat at the entrance that actually helps remove dust from your shoes as you walk across it — because even the smallest particles matter in a highly controlled environment!
• Built for resilience: Every room within the facility is designed to be bomb-resistant, and the site has been designed so staff could remain on-site for a long time if a serious threat or lockdown situation ever required it.
• Looking after their people: Micron21 puts a huge focus on its staff, with an in-office gym, professional chef preparing meals and a games and media area for staff to relax and enjoy. We were also told they haven’t lost a staff member in seven years - an impressive reflection of their workplace culture. Where do we apply?!
An Interesting Journey
We also loved hearing the story of James himself, whose fascination with technology started when he was young.
James was so interested in technology that he began wiring up his family home with data cables and multiple computers — even sending his sister under the house in a scuba suit to help run the lines!
His career has taken some fascinating turns, from helping with his father’s printing business, to completing a postgraduate Master’s medical degree at Monash University, running an international high-performance automotive modification and tuning business, and eventually into building Micron21.
His passion for technology, business and innovation was infectious — and we're pretty sure James could have talked to us all night!
A huge thank you to Managing Director James Braunegg and also Sheldon Dyer for giving us such an insightful and entertaining tour of this incredible facility and sharing their knowledge with us.
Our vocational visits are all about getting out into the world, discovering what businesses do, learning from the people behind them and seeing the many different paths a career can take.
We left with a much better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes to keep our digital world running — and a whole new appreciation for just how much planning, technology and redundancy goes into keeping the lights on!
And no… we definitely wouldn't like to pay their power bill!