NATO Summit 2012: Lessons Learned.

We want to give public recognition and praise to the City of Chicago on how it handled this past weekend's NATO Summit with the respect and atmosphere of free speech it fostered. Before the summit there was concern in the air about the incoming protesters and how our city would handle the marches, sit-ins and gatherings. The last thing anyone wanted was violations of civil liberties or accusations of improper force. Likewise, there was concern that the protesters would elevate their activities beyond trying to get a point across and resort to violence or lawbreaking. We are so happy to see that none of those concerns came to fruition as there were plenty of protests with a visible, but peaceful police presence. What few incidents that arose were quickly handled and without any major flare-ups to report.

We also want to thank our customers for their patience throughout this process. The NATO Summit required very stringent, very specific security in and around our 350 E Cermak data center and it certainly caused inconveniences and delays for us all. That said everything went as smoothly as expected and no complaints have arose as a result. Our customers' security is paramount, but so is access to their equipment and we believe there was a perfect combination without too much lost from either side.

Lastly we wish to thank our staff for their efforts this past week. Adjusting to heightened security protocols and adherence to guidelines made life for Steadfast easy and relatively uninterrupted. Shifts moved, some people had to work from home on occasion but we all got through the week unscathed and in good spirits. Our staff is the lifeblood of the company as we believe Steadfast's human component sets it far above other companies in the industry. Our flexibility and understanding through the past week drives home the fact that our staff is adaptable and resilient, exactly what we want and what our customers need.

At Steadfast we support freedom of speech and are happy to see that NATO was able to gather in our grand city and have opposing viewpoints be heard without incident. It was truly a proud moment for Chicago and its citizens.