Best Practices For Data Center Builds and Knowing When to Integrate a Generator Into the Build
Your data center is the lifeblood of your company.
In fact, as we move forward in time, it is my contention that each computer in the office or at home will become a virtual data center.
When the data center goes down, your company immediately begins to lose money.
Whether your data center goes down and services are no longer available, or if your data center goes down and your business is no longer able to access customer information, a data center power outage can be very costly.
Therefore, it's critical that you proactively plan for a data center power outage.
A formal plan should be created, documented and be immediately accessible on-site and remotely.
Not having a formal plan in place could prove costly to your business and ongoing operations.
Every minute your data center is down, vast sums of money are lost as business is lost.
In this day and age, virtually no business can have its data center down for any extended period of time.
Furthermore, communication channels need to be accessible throughout the chain of command.
While it is not recommend to immediately communicate a disruption of service to your customers, all employees should be aware of proper communication protocol to external customers in the event of a power outage.
No matter how self-sufficient your data center is, it is still dependent upon the nation's power grid.
The power grid is, in turn, dependent upon many electrical wires running above and underground.
Theses wires, at different nodes, are always susceptible to power outages.
For example, a car accident five miles away could cause your data center to lose power for hours, costing your business a significant amount of money.
With careful planning there are strategies you can implement during the design phase of your data center build that can minimize downtime and effectively deal with unforeseen power outages.
Data center design should always consider the optional backup power supply in the event of a power outage.
Whether your power outage plan includes battery systems or on-site power generation, these options should be considered during the initial planning and design of the data center.
Backup power sources give the data center operator peace of mind in knowing that in the event of a power outage, a temporary and independent power source is available to keep the data center running while the utility company scrambles to get power back to your business.
Deciding which backup power solution is right for your business depends upon individual data center power requirements, local laws and your company budget for the expense.
Each alternative power choice has its benefits and runtime limitations.
To make the right decision, you must weigh the cost of added redundancy against the cost of downtime in your data center.
Also, because emerging technologies continue to progress at an accelerated rate, the data center design should be scalable and adaptable to both current and future growth requirements.
Also, local business zoning laws may determine which type of generator you're allowed to install on your property.
For example, many localities have laws not allowing the installation of diesel-powered generators.
Be sure to check into local regulations first before moving forward.
On the other hand, many localities encourage businesses to conserve power through alternative resources.
At sites not allowed to install a gas or diesel generator, it may be permitted to install a wind turbine or solar cell to provide the backup power your company needs to stay up and running for a short time period.
Inevitably, your data center will demand increased power requirements.
It will not have the same power requirements today as five years from now.
It would be costly to install an alternative power solution today only to replace it in a few years.
That's why long-term planning is critical.
The first thing to consider when deciding what type of backup systems you need to install for your data center lies in the probability of a power outage at your business location(s).
With generators and many battery systems, interruptions occur when the utility power first becomes unavailable.
Power may temporarily (for a few seconds) be unavailable to servers and computers on the network.
Generators do, after all, need to be powered on when needed.
Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) systems do not have this problem.
They constantly recharge their batteries from the utility provider when power is available and then instantly provide DC power, accomplished with an Auto-Transfer Switch (ATS), to your data center when utility power goes out.
UPS battery backups and other battery-powered backup systems are inherently temporary; however, if your data center is located in an area prone to power outages, or if you require large amounts of temporary power, a generator may be appropriate.
Generators usually consist of diesel, gasoline or natural gas engines that provide power as long as there is fuel.
Data centers located in areas prone to hurricanes (like Florida) or any prolonged severe weather do well to install generators.
If your business would be better served with UPS systems or battery backups as a temporary measure, you need to consider how large you wish your UPS system to be.
UPS systems take up precious data center space.
The more battery capacity of a UPS system, the larger amount of space it requires.
UPS systems can be designed to be located outside, but this adds a level of susceptibility to the elements, as well as increases the price.
UPS systems designed for outside placements must have measures added to fight against the elements.
Deciding which type of power backup system depends on your data center's runtime needs.
If your data center is large (a Tier 2, 3 or 4 data center) and requires a prolonged amount of backup power in case of an outage, or if your data center is located in a hurricane- or power-outage-prone area, it would be wise to consider getting a generator.
If you rarely encounter outages of extended length, or if you only need enough time to properly shut down equipment in case of a power outage, a UPS system or a basic battery backup system may be required.
UPS systems are perfect for small data centers that cannot afford any interrupted service.
No matter what system you choose, remember to plan for the future accordingly.
As your business grows, so, too, will your data center.
Battery backup systems used in conjunction with a generator provide scalability.
The battery backup system provides temporary backup power with a generator available if the power outage stretches beyond the batteries' capacities.
To best determine the most favorable solution for the business decision-maker, ask yourself these simple questions: 1.
What is the current communications process in place that addresses our course of action and chain of command? 2.
How does my business communicate with both internal personnel and external customers in the event of a catastrophic power outage? 3.
Are there any local laws that prevent our company from installing a gasoline, diesel fuel or natural gas generator on our property? 4.
Do we have a formal, written procedure that addresses what to do in the event of a minor or major catastrophic power outage? 5.
Is it more cost effective to install a larger UPS that has a longer runtime or to install a power generator to minimize downtime? 6.
In the event of a power outage, how much power, in terms of kilovolts, do we need to sustain business operations, and for what pre-determined period of time? Most importantly, it is imperative that a documented plan is in place that provides direction on how to effectively deal with a power outage.
Taking the time to make smart decisions now could save your company millions of dollars and infinite frustration.
About the Author: Michael G.
Perry is a Las Vegas based Systems Integration Specialist more than 20 years' experience in management and IT consulting.
Need help? To learn more visit http://sisnv.
net/
In fact, as we move forward in time, it is my contention that each computer in the office or at home will become a virtual data center.
When the data center goes down, your company immediately begins to lose money.
Whether your data center goes down and services are no longer available, or if your data center goes down and your business is no longer able to access customer information, a data center power outage can be very costly.
Therefore, it's critical that you proactively plan for a data center power outage.
A formal plan should be created, documented and be immediately accessible on-site and remotely.
Not having a formal plan in place could prove costly to your business and ongoing operations.
Every minute your data center is down, vast sums of money are lost as business is lost.
In this day and age, virtually no business can have its data center down for any extended period of time.
Furthermore, communication channels need to be accessible throughout the chain of command.
While it is not recommend to immediately communicate a disruption of service to your customers, all employees should be aware of proper communication protocol to external customers in the event of a power outage.
No matter how self-sufficient your data center is, it is still dependent upon the nation's power grid.
The power grid is, in turn, dependent upon many electrical wires running above and underground.
Theses wires, at different nodes, are always susceptible to power outages.
For example, a car accident five miles away could cause your data center to lose power for hours, costing your business a significant amount of money.
With careful planning there are strategies you can implement during the design phase of your data center build that can minimize downtime and effectively deal with unforeseen power outages.
Data center design should always consider the optional backup power supply in the event of a power outage.
Whether your power outage plan includes battery systems or on-site power generation, these options should be considered during the initial planning and design of the data center.
Backup power sources give the data center operator peace of mind in knowing that in the event of a power outage, a temporary and independent power source is available to keep the data center running while the utility company scrambles to get power back to your business.
Deciding which backup power solution is right for your business depends upon individual data center power requirements, local laws and your company budget for the expense.
Each alternative power choice has its benefits and runtime limitations.
To make the right decision, you must weigh the cost of added redundancy against the cost of downtime in your data center.
Also, because emerging technologies continue to progress at an accelerated rate, the data center design should be scalable and adaptable to both current and future growth requirements.
Also, local business zoning laws may determine which type of generator you're allowed to install on your property.
For example, many localities have laws not allowing the installation of diesel-powered generators.
Be sure to check into local regulations first before moving forward.
On the other hand, many localities encourage businesses to conserve power through alternative resources.
At sites not allowed to install a gas or diesel generator, it may be permitted to install a wind turbine or solar cell to provide the backup power your company needs to stay up and running for a short time period.
Inevitably, your data center will demand increased power requirements.
It will not have the same power requirements today as five years from now.
It would be costly to install an alternative power solution today only to replace it in a few years.
That's why long-term planning is critical.
The first thing to consider when deciding what type of backup systems you need to install for your data center lies in the probability of a power outage at your business location(s).
With generators and many battery systems, interruptions occur when the utility power first becomes unavailable.
Power may temporarily (for a few seconds) be unavailable to servers and computers on the network.
Generators do, after all, need to be powered on when needed.
Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) systems do not have this problem.
They constantly recharge their batteries from the utility provider when power is available and then instantly provide DC power, accomplished with an Auto-Transfer Switch (ATS), to your data center when utility power goes out.
UPS battery backups and other battery-powered backup systems are inherently temporary; however, if your data center is located in an area prone to power outages, or if you require large amounts of temporary power, a generator may be appropriate.
Generators usually consist of diesel, gasoline or natural gas engines that provide power as long as there is fuel.
Data centers located in areas prone to hurricanes (like Florida) or any prolonged severe weather do well to install generators.
If your business would be better served with UPS systems or battery backups as a temporary measure, you need to consider how large you wish your UPS system to be.
UPS systems take up precious data center space.
The more battery capacity of a UPS system, the larger amount of space it requires.
UPS systems can be designed to be located outside, but this adds a level of susceptibility to the elements, as well as increases the price.
UPS systems designed for outside placements must have measures added to fight against the elements.
Deciding which type of power backup system depends on your data center's runtime needs.
If your data center is large (a Tier 2, 3 or 4 data center) and requires a prolonged amount of backup power in case of an outage, or if your data center is located in a hurricane- or power-outage-prone area, it would be wise to consider getting a generator.
If you rarely encounter outages of extended length, or if you only need enough time to properly shut down equipment in case of a power outage, a UPS system or a basic battery backup system may be required.
UPS systems are perfect for small data centers that cannot afford any interrupted service.
No matter what system you choose, remember to plan for the future accordingly.
As your business grows, so, too, will your data center.
Battery backup systems used in conjunction with a generator provide scalability.
The battery backup system provides temporary backup power with a generator available if the power outage stretches beyond the batteries' capacities.
To best determine the most favorable solution for the business decision-maker, ask yourself these simple questions: 1.
What is the current communications process in place that addresses our course of action and chain of command? 2.
How does my business communicate with both internal personnel and external customers in the event of a catastrophic power outage? 3.
Are there any local laws that prevent our company from installing a gasoline, diesel fuel or natural gas generator on our property? 4.
Do we have a formal, written procedure that addresses what to do in the event of a minor or major catastrophic power outage? 5.
Is it more cost effective to install a larger UPS that has a longer runtime or to install a power generator to minimize downtime? 6.
In the event of a power outage, how much power, in terms of kilovolts, do we need to sustain business operations, and for what pre-determined period of time? Most importantly, it is imperative that a documented plan is in place that provides direction on how to effectively deal with a power outage.
Taking the time to make smart decisions now could save your company millions of dollars and infinite frustration.
About the Author: Michael G.
Perry is a Las Vegas based Systems Integration Specialist more than 20 years' experience in management and IT consulting.
Need help? To learn more visit http://sisnv.
net/
