Objective This introductory module is meant to introduce the basic concepts associated with data centers and data center design. After completing this section, students should be able to: Identify and distinguish the 3 primary types of data centers Identify the typical structures and systems that make up a data center Identify the 4 basic stages of data center design
Summary There are three basic types of data centers; Enterprise Data Centers, Internet Data Centers, and Collocation Data Centers. The data center design process comprises of the physical components and the infrastructure systems, such as the electrical systems, the cooling systems, the telecommunications systems, and the automation control systems. There are four essential steps in designing data centers, Risk Analysis, Problem Definition, Solution Development, and Implementation
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Module 2: Data Centers and the Design Process
Data Center Overview
Reference Slide 1 of 42 Data Centers contain mission critical computer systems. In addition to computer hardware, they typically include: Special environmental controls and cooling systems Special electrical systems and backup power supplies Redundant data communication connections Special high-security systems Building automation & control systems
Data Center Types
Reference Slide 2 of 42 There are three basic types of data centers: Enterprise Data Centers Internet Data Centers Collocation Data Centers
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Enterprise Data Centers
Reference Slide 3 of 42 Serve a single clients data processing and IT equipment storage needs and typically possess: Placement on the same physical site as a clients other business operations Less redundancy Cost management and time to market as primary design drivers More control over the applications and systems An example of an Enterprise data center is a bank that has commissioned the data center at the corporate office
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Internet Data Centers
Reference Slide 4-5 of 42 Or managed hosting facility manages IT systems and applications for off-site customers and hosting facilities typically encompass: Higher hardware densities to maximize potential revenue Greater redundancy Availability/uptime and Scalability as the primary design drivers Staff available 24/7 to provide maintenance and monitoring Many Internet Data Centers host e-Commerce applications which need high security and quick response The hosting facility and computer equipment are owned by the data center owner Shared hosting in which multiple websites/customers share the same server Dedicated servers in which a customer rents single/multiple servers Cloud hosting in which a customers applications operate on multiple servers providing computing power on demand
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Collocation Data Center
Reference Slide 6 of 42 Provides space, power, cooling, network connectivity, fire protection, and security for different customers IT equipment and typically possess: Larger floor areas than Enterprise and Internet data centers Customer equipment can be hosted in a dedicated private data room, a secure data cage, or a lockable cabinet or rack Lower equipment densities More centralized patch fields and distributed networks Security and spacing requirements as primary design drivers Scalability and growth for customers
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Data Center Design-Structures vs. Systems
Reference Slide 7 of 42 Data Center design involves not only building design and layout, but also the design and layout of infrastructure systems Figure 2.1 Component Structures and Infrastructure Systems
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Component Structures Reference Slide 8 of 42 The physical components of data centers include: The computer room The building support spaces The supporting off-site services and structures
Figure 2.2 Physical Components
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The Computer Room
Reference Slide 9-10 of 42 The heart of a data center is a computer room housing IT equipment racks, a main cabling distribution area, and often a special area for digital information storage (or Storage Area Network (SAN))
The computer room should be designed in a manner to
provide adequate space for current equipment, growth, circulation, and support equipment To determine the expected life of the facility, review past growth trends, and allow for a minimum of 20 to 40 percent above the trend growth for each 5 to 8 years of life expectancy
Figure 2.3 Computer Room
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The Computer Room Location Within a Building
Reference Slide 11 of 42 This needs to be designed with power, security, cabling, and cooling requirements foremost in mind The computer room should be located in close proximity to the communications distribution point (carrier entrance rooms) of the building
Figure 2.4 Conceptual Layout of data center
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The Building Support Spaces
Reference Slide 12 of 42 The spaces outside the computer room that are dedicated to supporting the data center facility include: Telecom Entrance Room Electrical Room / Battery Room Control Room Printing Room Emergency Response Room Tape/ Media Storage Room Mechanical/Chiller Room Secure Loading Dock Storage/Receiving Room IT Personnel Spaces
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Off-site Components Reference Slide 13 of 42 Power and Telecom Access Providers and Feeds External Generators External Thermal Storage / Water Tanks Data Storage/ Disaster Recovery Facilities
Figure 2.5 Off Site components
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Data Center Infrastructure
Reference Slide 14 of 42 In addition to the physical components, data center design encompasses infrastructure systems and their inter-relations. These systems include: The Electrical Systems The Heating and Cooling Systems The Telecommunications Systems The Automation Control Systems
Data Center Electrical Systems
Reference Slide 15 of 42 Data Centers require redundant electrical systems and generators to ensure continuous operations and must serve increasingly high electrical loads to higher density blade servers and other networking equipment.
Data Center Heating and Cooling Systems
Reference Slide 16 of 42 Most of the electrical load delivered to data center IT equipment will be converted to heat which must be removed to prevent the equipment from malfunctioning.
Data Center Telecommunications & Cabling
Reference Slide 17 of 42 The IT equipment in the data center will need to be connected with both internal and external computer networks, creating uniquely dense cabling requirements.
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Data Center Automation Control Systems
Reference Slide 18 of 42 Data Centers are increasingly designed with a lights out philosophy, minimizing access to equipment and creating the need for unique monitoring and control functions.
Data Center vs. Standard Facility Design
Reference Slide 19 of 42 As a mission-critical facility, Data Center design differs from standard facility design in many ways, including: Consume a lot more power than standard office space Comprise of greater equipment densities as compared standard office space Higher operating cost than standard office space Enhanced cooling/air conditioning needs than standard office space Security considerations may be more complex Physical security of assets Threat over Internet
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Traditional Technology Design Process vs. Data Center Design Process
Reference Slide 20 of 42 The traditional design process is focused on the people space and flow, but data center design process is focused on network and computer equipment space and flow The traditional technology design process often starts after the physical design of the facility has been completed and is sometimes done with little or no coordination with the architectural and engineering design teams. This may result in inadequate telecommunications spaces and pathway
Figure 2.6 Traditional A/E Design Process
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Traditional Technology Design Process vs. Data Center Design Process
Reference Slide 21 of 42 The data center design process starts with a thorough understanding of the technology (network, servers, connectivity) requirements and engineering requirements (power and cooling) This drives the need to start the technology design along with the facility design
Figure 2.7 Data Center A/E Design Process
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Integrated Design Reference Slide 22 of 42 The data center design process needs to reflect the different nature of data center requirements Data center design should be integrated rather than linear to ensure efficient use of IT, power, and cooling assets Maximum coordination is required during the earliest planning stages for efficient data center power usage, cooling, and cabling architectures Both user and application requirements tend to drive the reliability of the data center
Data Center Design
Reference Slide 23 of 42 There are 4 key considerations in data center design: Availability Scalability Security Efficiency/Cost
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Availability Reference Slide 24 of 42 The primary purpose of the data center is to ensure customer and employee access to data and computer applications whenever it is needed Table 2.1 Sample Downtime Costs Per Industry, per minute
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Scalability Reference Slide 25 of 42 The potential for growth must also be considered in the data centers design Large businesses typically experience 50% growth in data per year Power requirements for a data center may double over the course of 2 years IT equipment will often completely turnover over the course of 3 years
Security Reference Slide 26 of 42 In addition to ensuring reliable access, the data center designer must also protect against unauthorized access and loss of physical assets. Security questions data center designers need to address: How is the data center to be protected from criminal threat? How is the data center to be protected from natural disasters?
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Efficiency/Cost Reference Slide 27 of 42 Data center design must consider not only initial costs, but also the total cost of a facility over its lifetime. Considerations regarding efficiency that designers should address include: How much redundancy is it worth paying for to ensure availability? Are the power requirements being met efficiently? Is the increased cost of newer equipment justifiable, given its higher power and cooling requirements? Is the building space being utilized efficiently?
Client Communication and the Design Process
Reference Slide 28 of 42 The data center design process is driven more by unique client IT equipment needs rather than standard personnel spacing and flow requirements Because of this, the data center designer must gather as much information from the client as possible about their information technology needs, plans, and goals
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Data Centers and the Mission Critical Design Process
Reference Slide 29 of 42 There are four essential steps in designing mission critical facilities such as data centers: Risk Analysis Problem Definition Solution Development Implementation
Figure 2.8 Planning process for a mission-critical facility
The Design Process, Phase I: Risk Analysis
Reference Slide 30 of 42 Risk analysis is the process of balancing future costs of downtime with the present costs of prevention Data Center risk analysis addresses three key design features: Operational requirementsthe opportunity to suspend operations for maintenance Availability requirementsthe targeted uptime of the system during operations Impact of downtimethe impact of unplanned disruptions
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Risk Analysis & the High Nines of Reliability
Reference Slide 31 of 42 While customers and clients may seek 6 nines in terms of reliability, risk analysis is the process of balancing that desire against the high costs associated with insuring limited downtime Table 2.2 Availability and Disruption Time per Year Availability
Disruption Time per Year
99%
88 hours
99.9%
8.8 hours
99.99%
53 Minutes
99.999%
5.3 Minutes
99.9999%
32 seconds
The Design Process, Phase II: Problem Definition
Reference Slide 32 of 42 Risk-analysis establishes a target reliability level for a facility while problem definition concerns the task of meeting this target in terms of: Facility space IT assets Project location Project budget
The end result of the problem definition phase of design is the creation of the facility program.
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The Design Process, Phase III: Solution Development
Reference Slide 33 of 42 The third stage of Data Center design is the development of one (occasionally two) design solution(s) to be submitted to the client for approval The solution development phase usually involves: Capacity Planning Space Programming Cost Estimation Construction Documentation
Solution Development: Planning
Reference Slide 34 of 42 Planning typically involves coordination between technological consultants and architects regarding: Space Power Cooling Security Floor loading Grounding Electrical protection Telecommunication pathways
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Solution Development: Space Programming
Reference Slide 35 of 42 Space Programming requires estimating data center requirements at full capacity for: IT hardware & racks Electrical equipment HVAC equipment and airflow Space for personnel and airflow Telecommunications equipment and cabling
Solution Development: Cost Estimation
Reference Slide 36 of 42 One-time costs: Real estate Local tax incentives Bring utilities to site Demolition and site preparation Temporary services to support IT migration Equipment relocation Consultation
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Cost Estimation Reference Slide 37 of 42 Recurrent Costs Utility usage (power, water, sewer, gas) Telecommunication services Wages Lease Taxes Maintenance Intangible Costs Availability of alternate or multiple telecommunications access providers Availability of utility services Availability of transportation
The Design Process, Phase IV: Implementation
Reference Slide 38 of 42 After a design solution has been chosen, the final stage of data center design takes place which includes: Construction Commissioning
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Construction Reference Slide 39 of 42 The construction phase of design typically includes the coordination of Structural projects Mechanical projects Electrical projects Telecommunications projects
Commissioning Reference Slide 40 of 42 Commissioning includes: Testing the integrated systems Field testing equipment Development and implementation of operational and maintenance procedures
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Activity Reference Slide 41 of 42 Define the type of Data Center you would like to work for this course: Internet, Co-location, or Enterprise If Enterprise which type of industry are you involved with?
Define the logical floor plan of your DC (Draw a conceptual diagram)
Define space adjacencies keeping in mind security, access, and flow
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Activity Example Reference Slide 42 of 42 Figure 2.9 Activity Example (Conceptual Layout of Data Center)
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Review
1.
What are the 3 types of Data Centers?
2.
What are the physical components of a data center?
3.
List the infrastructure systems involved in designing data centers.
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Review
4.
What are the 4 key design criteria of data centers?
5.
What are the 4 stages of mission critical facility design?
6.
What are the three key design features of a Data Center that are addressed through risk analysis?
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Review
7.
What is the end result of the problem definition phase?
8.
What are the steps involved in the solution development phase?
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