No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www. PTSdcs. com Data Center Function The functional requirements of any data center space are fourfold: 1.
To provide a safe and secure place to locate mission critical equipment 2. To provide sufficient power protection to maintain the critical load 3. To provide adequate environmental controls, including cooling and fire safety, to operate the space within the critical loads operating parameters 4.To provide communications connectivity both inside and outside the space Data Center Philosophy The goal of any data center is to provide continuous availability of all network services. Therefore, whether discussing the network design strategy or the facility design strategy the overall philosophy remains the same: Keep it as simple as possible Design for scalability Utilize modularity wherever possible Be flexible and adaptable to change Data Center Description The term ‘data center’ is used ubiquitously to describe the space(s) serving as the operating theatre for the enterprise’s network service delivery.It has also been described by many other names including computer room, datacenter (spelled incorrectly), data centre (European), server room, network room, network closet, telecommunications room and so on.
The most common differentiator between describing your space as a data center and calling it a computer room tends to be scale. However, the official delineator is how the space’s functional pieces are put together. The term ‘data center’ is the description given when the entire site and building shell are utilized exclusively as a data center site.Therefore, a data center can be described as a larger space composed of smaller spaces including: Computer Room(s) Telecommunications Room(s) Entrance Room(s) Network Operations Center Electrical Room(s) Figure 1: Relationship of spaces in a data center. TIA-942, April 2004 Mechanical Room(s) War Room / Conference Room(s) Staging Area, Storage, and Loading Dock People Spaces - Common Areas & General Office Spaces Typically, the ratio of IT space to support space has declined to about 1:1 as compaction has emerged and developed as a trend in the industry.
From this description it is obvious that a ‘computer room’ is a functional space within a ‘data center’. Interestingly enough, both spaces are described as places to secure information systems, technology data, and infrastructure. 3 ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www. PTSdcs. com Typical Data Center TopologyThe typical data center includes a single entrance room, one or more telecommunications rooms, one main distribution area, and several horizontal distribution areas. Figure 2: Example of a basic data center topology TIA-942, April 2004 Data Center Systems and Sub-Systems The following are just some of the major systems and sub-systems that make up any data center location: Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure Network & Network Security Equipment Voice & Data Communications Equipment Server & Data Storage Equipment Structured CablingBackbone Cabling Horizontal Cabling Main Cross-connect (MC) Horizontal Cross-connect (HC) Zone ports or consolidation points Equipment ports Station ports Support Infrastructure Switchgear & Power Distribution Generator / ATS Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) & Energy Storage Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRAC) Heat Exchangers Fire Detection Fire Suppression Lighting Leak detection Architectural Elements Raised Floor Suspended Ceiling Surface Treatments Vapor Barrier Doors and Hardware Cabinets & Racks 4 ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions.All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or stored in Rev 2006-0 any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www. PTSdcs. com Computer Room Description The best description for a Computer Room however is a Collapsed Data Center where the entrance room is contained within the computer room space. The computer room is the space that serves the purpose of providing a secure environment for the equipment and cabling directly related to the critical load.Since this is the principle location for network and server infrastructure special considerations must be given to: Power protection Power distribution Cooling Humidity control Air distribution Fire Safety Floor layout Floor loading Service clearances Cable pathway Physical security Signage Figure 3: Example of a collapsed data center topology TIA-942, April 2004 Data Center Design Criteria Rob Sneevely, in his book, Enterprise Data Center Design and Methodology, correctly defines the criterion for a data center design as, “…the requirement that must be met to provide the system capacities and availability necessary to run the business.
However, the design criterion for a data center project differs slightly from that of a computer room project. In either case, data center design and/or computer room design are accomplished by identifying the key design criteria for the two (2) main areas of the project focus, the Technology Infrastructure & Services (IT) and the Support Infrastructure & Services (the Facility). The key design criteria are: Business Objectives (Scope) Availability Requirement Power & Cooling Density Since a data center project typically involves base-building design, Site Selection, must also be included as a criterion placed on the overall design. ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
www. PTSdcs. com A computer room project, on the other hand, can be as involved as a project within a bigger basebuilding project or as simple as a relocation and/or upgrade of an existing computer room within an established building space.Additionally, the space requirements for a computer room project are, unfortunately, often previously dictated by Management and/or the project architect.
This complicates the design by restricting the power & cooling density strategy utilized as a criterion. Inevitably, this also increases the overall cost of the project. Establishing the design criteria to be utilized within the project will lead to the determination of: Space requirements Budget requirement Time requirements ConclusionUnderstanding the proper nomenclature is only one small step in the road to delivering a successful data center and/or computer room project. A computer room is just one of the components that make up a data center environment whose goal is to provide continuous availability of network services. Ultimately, both spaces rely on the integration of the IT and facility infrastructure necessary to deliver a space that meets the company’s business objectives.
6 ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www.
PTSdcs. com About the Author: Pete Sacco is the founder and President of PTS Data Center Solutions, Inc. (PTS). Pete has a BSEE and has been involved in the data center / computer room for over 10 years. About PTS Data Center Solutions: PTS Data Center Solutions is a data center consulting services firm and turnkey solutions provider. We offer a broad range of project expertise.
We specialize in planning, designing, constructing, monitoring, and maintaining computer rooms that integrate, ‘best-of-breed’, critical infrastructure technologies. The result is an in always available, scalable, redundant, fault-tolerant, manageable, and maintainable data center environment. In today's hyper-competitive markets, where you measure network downtime in lost profits, PTS protects against of some of the leading causes of downtime, hardware damage, data loss and decreased productivity. PTS sets the standard for ‘always available’ olutions for data centers, computer rooms, server room, network closets, telecommunications rooms, network operations centers, and other mission critical facilities.
From our corporate headquarters in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, and our office in Orange County, California, PTS works to fulfill our mission of creating satisfied customers by emphasizing pre-design ; planning services to provide the optimal solution to meet our clients’ needs. This results in an early ; accurate alignment between scope, schedule and budget. 7 ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner. www.
PTSdcs. com Experts for Your Always Available Data Center 568 Commerce Street Franklin Lakes, NJ 07442 (201) 337-3833 (201) 337-4722 fax www. PTSdcs. com 8 ©2006 PTS Data Center Solutions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used, reproduced, photocopied, transmitted, or Rev 2006-0 stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
www. PTSdcs. com
