In today's business landscape, data has become an incredibly valuable asset. Therefore, it's crucial for business professionals to prioritize the efficient and secure management, processing, and preservation of data. One of the best solutions offering an optimal approach to this goal is through data center construction. But how exactly can you build an efficient data center?
In this article, we'll address this question and provide a comprehensive guide.
Requirements for Building a Data Center
Before initiating the data center construction process, there are several prerequisites to consider. Understanding these requirements will help ensure that the constructed data center is efficient and minimizes disruptions to company operations. Here are some key requirements to note:
- Strategic Location Selection
Choosing the data center location requires careful consideration. It's essential to ensure that the location is safe from potential natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, or fires. Additionally, the location should have easy access to critical infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water sources to ensure data center safety and stability.
- Stable Power Supply
A stable power supply is crucial for optimal data center operations. Even minor power outages can cause significant downtime and financial losses for the company. Therefore, it's important to build the data center close to primary power sources and provide backup solutions such as generators or UPS batteries to address power outages.
- Connectivity with Other Facilities
Ideally, the data center should be located near other essential facilities such as headquarters to facilitate technology integration and communication among teams. Additionally, proximity to these facilities can enhance data transfer speeds between the data center and other locations, thereby supporting smoother operations.
- Environmental Conditions Consideration
The environmental conditions where the data center is built also need to be considered, especially regarding temperature. Electronic devices in the data center are susceptible to heat due to continuous operation. Therefore, the ideal data center location should have a cool climate. If not, the use of cooling or heating systems should be considered to maintain device temperatures stable.
- Scalability
Scalability is an optional but important requirement, especially if the company anticipates significant growth in the future. Choosing a spacious location will allow the company to expand without disrupting current operations.
Data Center Tiers: Assessing Reliability
In the context of data centers, tiers refer to the reliability and availability levels of the infrastructure. The higher the tier, the better and more reliable the data center infrastructure. There are four tier levels in data centers:
- Tier 1 - Basic Site Infrastructure
Tier 1 is typically found in companies with internal data centers, featuring standard infrastructure that meets basic data center requirements. IT devices are connected through a single non-redundant distribution path or one uplink per server. Availability reaches 99.671%, meaning maximum downtime of 28.8 hours per year. The primary focus is to maintain operations during working hours with the help of UPS and generators. Facilities like gensets, raised floors, and UPS are optional. Maintenance preventive measures involve shutting down the entire system. Security against planned or unplanned disruptions can be categorized as vulnerable. Construction of these facilities typically takes a short time, usually no more than 3 months.
- Tier 2 - Redundant Site Infrastructure Capacity Components
Tier 2 is similar to Tier 1 but with additional redundant components. In addition to UPS, Tier 2 data centers must be equipped with backup generators to handle power outages from the utility company. Raised floors are a necessity. Availability reaches 99.741%, with maximum downtime of 22 hours per year. N+1 redundant components are present, along with backup resources to reduce downtime. Security against planned or unplanned disruptions is somewhat vulnerable. Maintenance preventive measures involve shutting down power lines and infrastructure requiring maintenance. Construction of these facilities typically takes a maximum of 3-6 months.
- Tier 3 - Concurrently Maintainable Site Infrastructure
Tier 3 is an international standard in terms of infrastructure, facilities, and data center security. Availability reaches 99.982%, with maximum downtime of 1.6 hours per year. More than one power source and network are required to ensure continuous operation without shutdowns. Raised floors, UPS, and backup generators are prerequisites, along with air conditioning systems and N+1 redundant components. High security is ensured thanks to 24/7 security systems and disaster resilience. Maintenance preventive measures involve switching to backup systems during maintenance. Construction of these facilities typically takes a maximum of 15-20 months.
- Tier 4 - Fault Tolerant Site Infrastructure
Tier 4 is almost identical to Tier 3, but with a downtime tolerance of only 30 minutes per year, and availability reaching 99.995%. Raised floors, UPS, backup generators, and fixed air conditioning systems are still required. Security is extremely high, with no vulnerability to planned or unplanned disruptions. Construction of these facilities typically takes a maximum of 15-20 months. The decision on the selected tier will affect the reliability level and the costs of constructing and maintaining the data center. The decision regarding the selected tier will impact the reliability level and the costs of data center construction and maintenance.
Steps in Building a Data Center
After understanding the requirements and tiers in building a data center, here are the steps to follow:
- Determining Needs and Objectives
Define the company's objectives before building a data center. Does the company need a high-reliability data center for long-term needs, or is a lower reliability level sufficient for short-term needs?
- Selecting the Right Location
Choose a location that meets the established criteria, including proximity to critical infrastructure and minimal risk of natural disasters.
- Designing Infrastructure According to the Chosen Tier
Design the data center infrastructure according to the chosen tier. Be sure to consider redundancy aspects for each critical component to ensure system reliability.
- Procuring Equipment and Resources
Select and purchase equipment that aligns with the data center's design and requirements. Involve the IT team in the equipment procurement process to ensure suitability and quality of the purchased equipment.
- Construction and Installation
Begin the physical construction of the data center according to the agreed-upon design. Ensure to test all equipment to ensure that everything functions properly.
- Optimization and Maintenance
Continuously monitor the performance of the data center and perform optimization as needed. Additionally, conduct routine maintenance according to the selected tier standards to ensure smooth operational of the data center.
Understanding the steps to build a data center is not just about gathering technical equipment but also about ensuring sustainable reliability, security, and data availability. Paying attention to the necessary requirements and selecting the appropriate tier are crucial elements in the effective and long-lasting data center construction process.
However, it's advisable to seek direct advice from experts in building data centers. Therefore, for business professionals serious about learning how to build data centers and enhancing the IT team's capabilities in this field, Cyber Network Indonesia is ready to assist as a consultant, construction, and tier certification with expert personnel certified as Certified Data Centre Expert (CDCE), Certified Data Centre Specialist (CDCS), Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP), Certified Data Centre Facilities Operation Manager (CDFOM), Certified TIA-942 Design Consultant (CTDC), Certified TIA-942 Internal Auditor (CTIA), Accredited Tier Designer (ATD), Accredited Tier Specialist (ATS), and Accredited Operations Specialist (AOS).
The role of data centers in businesses is indeed crucial, so design the best data center construction to maximize your business. Start building your business better with Cyber Network Indonesia. If you want to learn more about building your business's data center, please contact us at [email protected]
