Data Center Design

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Embracing the Expanding Role of IT in Business
2007-12-17 20:35:00
I was recently asked by Processor Magazine to answer a few questions about IT’s role in business, and it occurred to me that now might be a perfect time to give a “shout out” to the IT folks out there. A sort of gift, if you will, in the spirit of the season.First, let me dispel an all too common myth – IT is not just a group of “geeks” typing code all day in the server closet down the hall. Far from it. As technology continues marching forward, IT’s role and its importance to the bottom line continues to grow. And don’t just take my word for it – according to the MIT Sloan Management Review, Information and Information Technology have become the fifth major resource available to executives for shaping an organization, alongside people, money, material and machines.[1] In fact, we’re witnessing all businesses, from large to small, expanding what was traditionally thought of as IT, to a broader corporate responsibility known as Information Systems (IS). This new I...
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Server Cabinet Organization Tips
2007-10-29 14:32:00
Just in time for Halloween, check out this classic server room cabling nightmare at Tech Republic. Scary stuff.Good data center design is a combination of high-level conceptual thinking and strategic planning, plus close attention to detail. Obviously, things like the cooling system and support infrastructure are critical to maintaining an always-available data center, but smaller things like well organized server cabinets can also contribute to the overall efficiency of a data center or computer room. That being said, I thought I’d share a few of our guidelines and best practices for organizing your cabinets.In no particular order: 1. Place heavier equipment on the bottom, lighter equipment towards the top 2. Use blanking plates to fill equipment gaps to prevent hot air from re-circulating back to the front 3. Use a cabinet deep enough to accommodate cable organization and airflow in the rear of the cabinet 4. Use perforated front and rear doors when using the room for air...
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The Role of Sprinklers in Computer Room Fire Protection
2007-10-24 15:18:00
A number of clients have asked us about the viability of replacing their ‘wet’ sprinkler systems with a dry-type fire suppressions system, such as FM-200. Not many IT personnel understand the role of water-based fire suppression systems, but all realize the potential for water in the data processing environment to be a “bad thing.” The short answer is that sprinkler systems protect the building and dry-type systems protect the equipment. In most cases a dry-type system cannot take the place of a sprinkler system, it can only be installed in addition to it. At the end of the day, the local fire inspection is the authority and has jurisdiction over what is permissible. This is the reason that pre-action sprinkler systems are primarily used for computer room fire protection. That being said, fire prevention provides more protection against damage than any type of detection or suppression equipment available. For Tier I and Tier II computer rooms, PTS often recommends ins...
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Blogging in Good Company…
2007-09-28 21:28:00
Happy Friday, everyone!A little over a year ago, Rich Miller at Data Center Knowledge put together a list of data center-related blogs, some of which have now become part of my regular reading habit. (Thanks, Rich, for including the PTS blog in that list.)Expanding on Data Center Knowledge’s list, here are a few blogs that I try to keep tabs on:* Cisco’s Data Center Networks* Virtual Graffiti’s APCGuard* John Rath’s Data Center Information* SearchDataCenter.com’s Server Specs* Matt Stansberry’s SearchDataCenter.com Editorial Blog* CEO Jonathan Schwartz’s Sun Microsystems Blog* DD’s Eco Notes (another Sun blog)* The Mainframe Blog* The Next Generation Data Center Blog* Various ITToolbox BlogsCheck them out when you have time.By the way, the PTS Data Center Design blog has joined the MyBlogLog community. It’s a great tool for connecting with readers and authors of sites you enjoy. If you’re a MyBlogLog member, leave a message for me – it’s always grea...
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It Isn’t Easy Being Green: Companies forgo eco-friendly solutions
2007-09-25 17:06:00
A number of major corporations in the past year, including News Corp and Citigroup, announced plans to launch significant environmental initiatives. These corporations are paying particular attention to sustainability and are taking steps to build green data centers, in addition to reducing their carbon footprint in other ways. To meet this demand, industry leaders such as Sun Microsystems, HP and IBM added energy-efficient servers and other eco-friendly technology solutions to their offerings. However, according to Going Green : Vendors Deliver Solutions to Save Money – the World: “[E]nd users won’t rush to replace their infrastructure with greener technology, says Blair Pleasant, president and principal analyst of research firm Commfusion LLC. For one thing, there are budgets to consider. Pleasant likens the principle to the car industry — many consumers might want to drive expensive hybrids but aren’t ready to replace their perfectly serviceable, gas-powered vehic...
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Plan Your Data Center Move (Part 2 of 2)
2007-08-24 15:38:00
A successful data center relocation starts with a good plan. By placing emphasis on pre-design and planning, you can achieve an optimal solution to meet the demands of your data center move. Here are some key points to address when developing your own data center relocation strategy:What equipment really needs to move?An equipment migration is the perfect time to make network and network security improvements, phase out old server and storage platforms, and undertake a virtualization project to minimize the number of servers.Is the new site’s support infrastructure prepared to accept the new load?Is there enough UPS, cooling, power distribution, floor weight capacity, etc.? Is the data cabling strategy the same or will you be making changes? It’s helpful to retain a computer room design consultant to verify the load capacity and redundancy constraints of the new site. If working with a pre-existing space, the new computer room should be re-commissioned.Establish corporate buy-in...
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Plan Your Data Center Move (Part 1 of 2)
2007-08-20 15:28:00
In my post “Tips for Handling Your Data Center Relocation,” I discussed some basic strategies for streamlining a data center move. Since then, I’ve received a few requests for more insight into handling the data center relocation process. In this post I’ll address whether it’s necessary to call in the pros and how to pick a data center moving company. While in some cases the in-house team can handle the move themselves, most enterprises need a little extra help. I liken it to attempting a plumbing project on your own. The tools you need to do the job most effectively are so specialized and you rarely have them – in most situations, it would take you three times the amount of effort to do the job versus the professional. With a data center relocation project, having the right packing materials, rigging equipment, trucks, and so forth are all necessary for a job well done. Here’s an overview of how to find and hire a company to help with the data center relocation proces...
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Reflections on the Data Center in a Box
2007-07-26 22:16:00
Recently Jack Lyne, Executive Editor at Site Selection magazine, contacted me regarding Sun Microsystems' new Project Blackbox, colloquially dubbed the “data center in a box.” (Check out his article: “Sun’s Blackbox: A Moveable Feast for Data Center s?”) Jack’s questions led me to reflect on the current rate of adoption I’ve observed for the mobile date center.While the energy-efficient technology offers the benefit of rapid deployment, for many companies the Blackbox does not provide a feasible alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar data center. Similar solutions have been equally ineffective. APC’s “data center on wheels” never seemed to produce the impact that was desired and it was a neutral processing environment.The limitation for most companies which would be in the market for this technology is not space as much as it is access to adequate power and cooling. Despite its all-in-one packaging, the Blackbox does not mitigate the need for power and/o...
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PTS Weighs in on Data Center Humidity Issues
2007-07-16 15:59:00
Mark Fontecchio’s recent article on data center humidity issues at SearchData Center .com not only created buzz in the data center blogs, but generated quite a discussion amongst our team at PTS Data Center Solutions.Data center humidity range too strict?While some data center professionals find the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)’s recommended relative humidity of 40% to 55% to be restrictive, I think the tight ASHRAE standards have to be adhered to until further research proves otherwise.PTS’s engineering manager, Dave Admirand, PE notes that the reason the telecommunications industry is able to operate within a wider humidity range of 35% to 65% is because of their very strict grounding regimen. In a well grounded system an electrical charge has no place build up and is more readily dissipated to ground. Mr. Admirand recalls his days at IBM when the ‘old timers’ would swear by wearing leather soled shoes (conductive enoug...
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Recommended Reading: “The New Data Center”
2007-06-08 19:58:00
There’s an interesting piece up at NetworkWorld.com on the leading trends in data center storage, titled “The New Style of Storage.” It touches on a variety of topics including e-discovery, eco-friendly storage technology, and virtualization.This is part 3 in a six-part series that examines the latest technologies and practices for building “the New Data Center.” Taken together, it’s a bit of a long-read, but well worth the time. Check it out when you have a chance.Be sure to take a look at parts 1 and 2, as well:Part 1, The New Data Center – Trends, Products & Practices for Next-Gen IT InfrastructurePart 2, Defending Your Net – Tools and Tactics for Enterprise IT SecurityWant to weigh in on what you’ve read? I’d love to hear it. Post your thoughts on the comments page for this entry.
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High Density Devices Strain Data Center Resources
2007-05-15 15:23:00
A few weeks back I commented on the current boom in data center development. Spurring this trend is the growing need for greater processing power and increased data storage capacity, as well as new Federal regulations which call for better handling and storage of data. In the scramble to keep up with these demands, the deployment of high density devices and blade servers has become an attractive option for many data center managers. However, a new report from the Aperture Research Institute indicates that “many facilities are not able to handle the associated demand for power and cooling.” The study, based on interviews with more than 100 data center professionals representing a broad spectrum of industries, reveals that the deployment of high density equipment is creating unforeseen challenges within many data centers. High lights of the report include: While the majority of data center managers are currently running blade servers in their facilities, traditional servers still c...
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NEW from PTS: Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Services
2007-04-24 15:15:00
Behind the scenes at PTS Data Center Solutions, we’re always working to enhance our products, services and solutions in order to provide our clients with designs that offer optimum manageability and performance. Our newest consulting service utilizes powerful 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software to facilitate the design, operational analysis and maintenance of our clients’ data centers and computer rooms. Here is an overview of the multiple applications of our CFD Services :CFD Modeling as a Design ToolBy building CFD models of a mission critical space, engineers can quickly and efficiently review multiple design options. This allows for early detection of potential problems with air flow and heat distribution, thus permitting designers to provide an optimum solution. CFD Operational Baseline ServiceAfter the data center’s IT infrastructure has been populated, PTS uses CFD modeling to map the site and analyze the data center cooling characteristics down to the equipme...
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Keeping It Clean in the Data Center
2007-04-11 19:42:00
Spring is here. It’s the time of year when people throw open the windows, pull out the dust rags and fire up their vacuums for a burst of Spring Clean ing. This annual household ritual serves as a good reminder of the importance of regular cleanings within the data center environment. Regularly scheduled site cleanings help to keep the data center environment free of dust, dirt and other particulates that can harm your operating systems and create health risks for employees. Particulates circulating within a data center can accumulate and interfere with electronics causing a variety of potential problems, including media errors and data loss. A good rule of thumb is to schedule data center cleanings on a quarterly basis, or when particulate counts exceed the standards set by ISO 14644-8 or ISO 14644-9. By sticking to this cleaning routine, companies optimize the performance of data center equipment while cutting down on the cost of repairs. When you compare the cost of reg...
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Data Center Cooling: Approaches to Avoid
2007-04-06 19:59:00
Data center cooling problems can compromise availability and increase costs. The ideal data center cooling system requires an adaptable, highly-available, maintainable, manageable, and cost effective design. When working to design an effective data center cooling system, there are a number of commonly deployed data center cooling techniques that should not be implemented. They are:Reducing the CRAC supply air temperature to compensate for hot spotsUsing cabinet and/or enclosures with either roof-mounted fans and/or under-cabinet floor cut-outs, without internal bafflesIsolating high-density RLUsReducing CRAC TemperaturesSimply making the air colder will not solve a data center cooling problem. The root of the problem is either a lack of cold air volume to the equipment inlet or it is lack of sufficient hot return air removal from the outlet of the equipment. All things equal, any piece of equipment with internal fans will cool it self. Typically, equipment manufactures do not even s...
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The New Data Center Boom
2007-03-22 19:47:00
Across the country, data center development is booming. Companies, including major players like Microsoft and Google, are buying up acres of land with the intent of building new data centers.This rapid growth is, at least in part, spurred by the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA), which call for better handling and storage of data. Companies are also responding to the nationwide push to establish energy efficient data centers. In order to accommodate the state-of-the-art, next generation data centers, companies simply need more space than their current facilities can provide. Data Center Site Selection For companies seeking to develop a new data center facility, high-quality site selection is of the utmost importance. By choosing a site location wisely, companies can save both time and money, while achieving scalability, flexibility and high availability. Choosing a site that minimizes the natural and ...
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Reducing Data Center Power Consumption
2007-02-22 16:29:00
When it comes to data center power, less is clearly more. By reducing the amount of energy their data centers consume, companies can take a burden off electricity suppliers, protect the environment and increase their profits. Many in the data center industry have already seen the light when it comes to reducing power usage. Technology companies are developing more efficient hardware, researchers are re-evaluating the possibility of converting to DC-power, electricity companies are offering financial incentives for data centers that significantly reduce their energy use, and corporations are revamping their data centers for maximum power efficiency. This past December, Congress lent further support to the movement to reduce data center power consumption when it passed H.R. 5646 into law. The legislation calls upon the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to analyze the consumption of data center power by the federal government and private enterprises. According to a repo...
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Computer Room Design Tips
2007-02-20 17:06:00
Computer rooms are an important component of the overall data center environment. Their purpose is to shelter network and server infrastructure as well as their related cabling, otherwise known as the computer room’s critical load. In creating a secure and efficient computer room design, special consideration must be given to good planning and the implementation of the right technologies. The success of your design is dependent on the long-term scalability, flexibility and availability of your facility. Here are some computer room design tips to help your business optimize network performance, achieve its long-term availability goals and avoid costly problems in your computer room:PowerIn any mission critical environment, it’s important to provide adequate, scalable power for the load. Comprehensive load studies can produce a reasonable estimate of your facility’s power requirements. Once you’ve assessed the power needs of your computer room, conceptual and detailed planning...
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Server Room Security Measures
2007-01-26 20:06:00
The other day I was reading a news story about hollow coins being used for espionage and it inadvertently got me thinking about server room security issues. While I’m still not 100% sure of the best way to protect your facility against Canadian spy coins, I am aware of a number of techniques for guarding against unauthorized server room access.To reduce downtime from accidents or sabotage due to the presence of unnecessary or malicious people, it’s important to implement server room security measures that account for a wide variety of potential threats. Whether building a new facility or renovating an old one, you’ll want to begin by mapping out your server room and identifying its most vulnerable areas. These may include access points, sensitive IT equipment and critical elements of the physical infrastructure.Controlling Access to the Serve r Room Server room security begins with controlling access to your facility. Security cards, biometrics and other auditable methods are co...

Data Center Power Solutions
2007-01-18 22:26:00
I receive a lot of questions from clients seeking solutions to their problems with data center power consumption. It seems that the higher energy costs rise, the more power the average data center needs. Overall costs for data center power may be skyrocketing, but there are ways to mitigate the expense. Here are some interesting suggestions I’ve come across lately:- Utilize virtualization softwareVirtualization technology is being trumpeted by many as a great way to get more bang for your data center buck. By means of virtualization you can reduce the number of servers that are required to run your applications, thereby increasing the operational efficiency of your data center.This has become such a hot option that many manufacturers, including Intel, are now building virtualization capabilities into their chips. Companies such as Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which provides electricity to northern California, are jumping on virtualization as an opportunity to cut energy usage by of...
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New Year’s Resolutions for Data Center Solutions
2006-12-26 15:56:00
Happy holidays, everyone!Each year, millions of people form New Year’s Resolution s in the hopes of making a change for the better. I encourage data center managers and other IT professionals to use this annual tradition as an opportunity to reflect on the data center solutions you want – or need – to adopt in order to keep your data center in top condition. Here are a few ideas to get you started:1. “Eat right/Quit smoking/Drink less”I’m not suggesting that you or your team members change your lifestyle habits. The idea behind this metaphoric resolution is to improve the overall health of your data center. Consider updating your key processes, tightening up security, keeping a more detailed record of network changes, or coming up with some other solution that will boost your data center’s availability.2. “Battle the bulge”Over time, data centers tend to get cluttered. Dirt and dust start to accumulate on mission critical equipment, and employees may try to use perc...
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Puzzling Over Effective Server Room Design
2006-12-20 15:20:00
Creating an effective server room design is a bit like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. Unless you’re a glutton for punishment (which, I admit, some of us probably are), you wouldn’t get started on a puzzle without making sure you had all the right pieces or without looking at the picture on the box to see how the finished puzzle is supposed to look. In order to get the project done as efficiently and effectively as possible, you need to assess the puzzle’s pieces, make a game plan, and then begin work in a systematic manner. When creating a server room design, not only do you need to take stock of all the elements of the server room, you also need to consider the way those components work together. It’s rare that you get a server room design right on the first try – throughout the design process, you’ll need to adjust for different design elements to make sure the systems work harmoniously. To make sure your team has all its piec...
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Data Center Construction Made Easier
2006-11-21 16:17:00
Based on first-hand experience, I can tell you that there’s plenty of stress involved and detail required in even a minor data center construction project. Compound this with a 24x7 availability requirement, and the quantity and complexity of systems required in today’s mission critical facilities and what you have is today’s typical data center construction project.Data center construction project managers often find themselves hard pressed to minimize the interruption to day-to-day operations, while still keeping costs in check. Many firms today simply don’t have the manpower, or the expertise to be able to effectively administer a construction project – especially a construction project as complex and crucial as a data center. If this sounds like your present situation, or perhaps is just one that you’d like to avoid, you may want to consider hiring a construction consultant to assist in the development of your facility.A data center construction consultant can guide ...
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Eco-Friendly Solutions: Build a Green Data Center
2006-11-09 16:47:00
Recycled goods, alternative power sources and energy-saving technology are becoming commonplace in many homes and businesses. It’s a sign of the times as energy costs continue to climb and public concern over environmental issues grows. Data centers are not immune to this eco-friendly trend and, in fact, are reaping great benefits from going green.For companies looking to build a data center, the traditional strategy focused on achieving maximum up-time. Little regard was paid to conserving energy or creating an environmentally conscious design. Only in the past decade have data center builders begun to realize that the higher upfront costs of creating a green facility are offset by the lower long-term operations and maintenance costs.If you build a data center with the environment in mind, you’re likely to find that the benefits go far beyond just helping our planet. Not only will you use less energy and save more money, many states offer tax incentives to companies that build ...
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The Pros and Cons of Data Center Colocation
2006-10-31 15:16:00
Data center colocation plays a strategic role in modern IT operations. For many companies, it presents an attractive alternative to building and maintaining a sizeable data center.Housing servers and network equipment off-site does offer companies a number of benefits, but the picture isn’t as simple as black and white. Before you commit to colocation, here are a few things to consider:Data center colocation allows you to…- Eliminate the up-front costs associated with building your own data center,- Deploy IT infrastructure based on your company’s current network requirements with less impact to your budget, and- Relocate the company without subjecting your network to downtime or other interruptions.Data center colocation becomes a less attractive option when…- The overall space and load requirements are substantial,- Your data center requires intensive management, and- Physical security is a major concern for your company.Data center colocation providers can charge based on...
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Datacenter Solution: Server Virtualization
2006-10-11 16:24:00
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Does this folksy wisdom hold true when it comes to server virtualization? Virtualization is an increasingly popular datacenter solution that divides the resources of your physical server into multiple isolated virtual environments. Instead of maintaining one application per physical server, virtualization enables dominant workloads to run simultaneously on the same server.Although conventional wisdom tells us that putting all your eggs in one basket is fool-hardy idea, carrying a bunch of baskets around doesn’t seem like a smart solution either. Should you consolidate many physical servers into fewer servers hosting virtual machines or would you be better off maintaining a 1:1 ratio of servers to applications? Deciding which solution is the best for your datacenter depends on a number of factors. To help you weigh your options, here are some pros and cons of server virtualization:Reasons to Keep You...
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Tips for Handling Your Data Center Relocation
2006-09-29 15:08:00
Nobody ever said data center relocation was easy. Although moving mission critical computer and communications equipment from one site to another is no simple task, it needn’t be an overwhelming one. With careful planning, any company can organize its people, manage the communications, implement a sophisticated design for the new site and move its data center equipment with confidence and ease.Months of planning typically go into planning the successful relocation of a data center. By placing an emphasis on pre-design and planning, data center managers and relocation consultants are able to achieve the optimal solution to meet the demands of even the most complex relocation.If your company is contemplating a data center relocation project, the following tips will help ensure that your IT move goes off without a hitch:- Invest in pre-planning.Identify your operational objectives and use them as a reference point in planning. Coordinate with vendors who will be working on the projec...
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