In 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to consolidate its Washington-area data centers at BYTEGRID’s facility in Silver Spring, Maryland. Lockheed Martin was reported to have won the transition and relocation work. The move was part of a broader federal consolidation effort, not evidence that every DOL system moved to BYTEGRID or that the department completed a shift to cloud computing.
What was announced in 2013?
On July 8, 2013, Data Center Knowledge reported that DOL planned to consolidate its metropolitan Washington, DC data centers at BYTEGRID’s Silver Spring facility. It said Lockheed Martin would manage the transition and relocation under a seven-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. An IDIQ contract sets up an arrangement for work to be ordered over time rather than describing a single, fully specified delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Data Center Dynamics also reported that six Washington-area data centers were in scope and described the contract as worth US$59 million over seven years. Those facility-count and contract-value figures are contemporaneous industry reporting; they are not presented here as independently verified award-record details. The reporting described shared resources across several DOL agencies, with migration taking place over time.
Why did DOL consolidate its facilities?
The consolidation was presented in the context of the federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative (FDCCI), which aimed to close or consolidate federal data centers. DOL also faced an immediate operational disruption: the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recorded that a fire at DOL headquarters in May 2013 made several data centers there inoperable, after which the department moved those centers to an outsourced facility.
#1 Best Overall
- Save valuable floor space: 6U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 13.78" H x21.65" W x17.72" D.Maximum mounting depth is 14.2"
- Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access. Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
- Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punch-out panels for easy cable access
- Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
- PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant
GAO said Labor officials identified improved disaster-recovery capability as a non-monetary benefit and described enterprise-wide cloud computing as a possibility for the future. Those aims help explain the rationale for relocating infrastructure, but they are not proof that the BYTEGRID project itself completed an agency-wide cloud transition.
What is known about savings?
The available evidence does not establish an audited, project-wide savings total for the BYTEGRID move. GAO documented one specific Labor consolidation example: a data center was reduced from 43 server racks to 27 before relocation, avoiding about 37 percent of the previously planned floor space and associated rental costs. That percentage applies to that example’s planned space and rental costs—not to the total cost or savings of the BYTEGRID project.
Rank #2
- Save valuable floor space: 12U wall mount server cabinet Dimensions: 24.25" H x21.65" W x17.72" D. MAXIMUM MOUNTING DEPTH is 14.2".
- Keep critical network equipment secure: glass door and side panels are lockable to prevent unauthorized access; Front door can be installed on either side of the front of the cabinet to satisfy your door swing orientation preference
- Easy equipment configuration: Fully adjustable mounting rails and numbered U positions, with square holes for easy equipment mounting with top and bottom punchout panels for easy cable access
- Durability: Made of high quality cold rolled steel holds up to 110lb (50kg) (Easy Assembly Required)
- PCI & HIPPA and EIA/ECA-310-E compliant
GAO also noted challenges for Labor in setting cost baselines. Updating physical hardware and consolidating operations and maintenance contracts affected the realization of savings. Without a project-wide verified baseline and outcome, a single overall savings figure should not be inferred from the rack-reduction example.
What did DOL later say about the consolidation?
In a later presidential-transition document, DOL stated that it had met 100% of federal milestones for moving its local Washington, DC data centers to one commercial BYTEGRID data center. The same document said the department had closed 24 data centers nationwide. These are DOL’s retrospective statements about milestones and closures; they do not independently establish the financial results or service outcomes of the BYTEGRID relocation.
Rank #3
- Sturdy:4u server rack is construct from cold rolled steel, with a weight capacity of 110lbs(50kg); Electrostatic powder coat prevents rust and corrosion,quality finish
- Direct use:Open and use, not having to assemble it.Network rack can be placed flat or mounted on the wall,also can be installed vertically under the table
- Design Features:maximum mounting depth of 14 in,cables can be fixed on the side panel;Open frame server rack achieves effortless inspection, replacement and assemble
- Installation:wall mount network rack is easy to install,with instructions or videos for reference;Equipped with multiple accessories, suitable for different needs
- Application:EIA/ECA-310-E Compliant;wall mounted 4u rack fits all 19" racks and cabinets to hold various IT, network, and AV equipment;wall mount rack available in 4U, 6U, and 8U to choose
How did DOL’s infrastructure plans evolve?
The BYTEGRID consolidation was one stage in a longer modernization effort. In its FY2025 budget justification, DOL described a cloud-first approach intended to reduce its on-premises footprint while maintaining operations. It also said the department would continue modernizing its primary and secondary data centers and consider a future cloud transition or move for the secondary center.
DOL’s FY2024 budget justification separately reported that it had moved its disaster-recovery Data Center West from St. Louis to a location geographically separate from the primary data center in Ashburn, Virginia. That document also described further application migrations to cloud and virtual desktop modernization. These later projects are distinct from the 2013 Washington-area BYTEGRID consolidation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems
