Data Center Design
4 core components to optimize, and protect your data.
By the end of this posts ‘Data Center Designs’, you will obtain ideas on how to secure and optimize your Data Center. From rack-layouts, real-estate equipment allocation, environmental prerequisites, PDU distribution, accessibility, and more.
When I was a Project Engineer, I was responsible for providing best practices in designing, and implementing telecommunication and data equipment to clients. One of these practices was the Data Center overview, or design recommendations. The customer is the one making the decision of approving your recommendations and ideas; therefore, you must take into account every element.
I have created these 4 steps to help you elaborate a simple Data Center Design
- 1.- Site Survey
- 2.- Tools Required
- 3.- Environmental
- 4.- Documents and permits
1.- Site Survey
The site survey is the first step for a successful deployment. When conducting the site survey, you must take copious notes of every element associated with the equipment to be installed.
There are a variety of components and aspects to develop a good site survey. Some of these components consists of: attendees, tools, and documents.
Who should attend?
Site Contact
When walking into a new building or existing Data Center to be remodeled, it is vital to have the customer with you. This will help both of you develop quick solutions and plan designs.
General Contractor (GC)
Having the GC with you will help with designing and allocating the rack, electric, and other components. Remember that if you are not responsible for other contractors, you still need them to help you with the Data Center design.
2.- Tools Required
For the site survey, you will need a measuring tape, a tone generator with probe, CAT5 tester, buttset, voltmeter, stud-finder, flash light, and a step-ladder.
Measuring Tape – Depending in the State that you are in, you will have some State regulations that you will need to follow. For example, the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) Standard 569 Telecommunication Pathways Spaces, recommends to install the data/voice racks 3 feet away from the wall. See the references for more.
Tone Generator / Probe – Mainly used to identify the wiring and compare the labeling between the wall-jacks and patch panels.
Cat-5 Tester – Once you have the wiring identified, you will need to test it by utilizing a CAT5 tester. When performing the cabling test, see which TIA/EIA standards were used when each terminal was terminated. Nowadays, the prolific standard is the EIA/TIA-568B.
Length is another factor when testing the wiring. 100 meters or around 300 feet is the maximum allowed before installing a repeater.
Buttset – For business continuity, it is a good idea to backup trunks installed. For small and mid-markets that can’t afford SIP/ISDN-PRI failover, POTS lines might be a good fit. Use the buttset to test the trunk group at the MDF.
Voltmeter – To test the electric sockets. They are also important to understand which battery backups will be required.
Stud-finder – For those buildings with metal and wooden studs.
Flashlights – Always needed for those dark corners.
Step-ladder – For those high to reach places.
3.- Environmental
HVAC – Having a dedicated source of ventilation and cooling for the Data Center is a must. 70 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity around 43 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for proper ventilation of the Data Center.
I experienced some rooms getting their HVAC from the building’s central ventilation and heating systems. In most cases, the building will cut-off the ventilation after hours and on weekends.
The more equipment in the room, the more heat will dissipate.
Electric Power Sources – Always think of the worse case scenario, when designing the Data Center. Implementing redundancy by utilizing different power generators or power sources.
4 Post and 2 Post Racks – For security and stability use 4 Post Racks for Servers, Network and Voice Switches. 2 Post Racks are mainly used to install patch panels and wiring infrastructure.
PDUs and Electric Boxes – These should be mounted at the bottom or lower end of the racks, leaving enough length to connect the battery backup power cord. Measure the cord for better results. For mid-mounted PDUs, have the electric boxes installed at the top of the rack.
Grounding – Based on the TIA-607-B standard, it is required for telecommunication systems to provide a grounding and bonding system. To protect both networks, and voice switches from lightning, Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), other power surges, etc.
Consult with the electrician to verify that each panel has been grounded.
Racks, Surge Protectors, Avaya Equipment are some of the elements that need to be grounded.
Wall-field – Always install it in the opposite wall from the data center racks, not behind it (them). Plywood painted black, or blended with the room color. Each component should be allocated from right to left or closest to the wall, then out.
Electric sockets or outlets should be installed to power the alarm panels, and other equipment.
Ground Bus Bar – have the electrician install a ground distribution bar.
Measure and mark where each component should be installed. 66 Blocks or NICs from the Central Office, fiber boxes, should be marked.
IDFs and MDFs – Depending on how big of an implementation this is, multiple IDFs are going to be terminated back to the MDF. Mark where each demarcation point is designated.
Raised Access Floors – Cable management and air ventilation (chiller) are the two main reasons why to consider installing it.
4.- Documentation and permits
CAD or Visio Drawings – When you put together a drawing that shows room dimensions, rack locations, electric sockets, ventilation, etc.
Rack Drawings – Another good idea is developing a drawing of the Data and Voice racks, showing where each component will be staged in the racks.
From Network Switches, Avaya Servers and Gateways, Power Distribution Units, Power Supplies, Wire-management, and more.
Permits and access-keys – If this is a building, you might need to engage the Building Management team to obtain permits, and work schedule, as well as access keys to telecom rooms. Also, keep in mind that each building might have different building codes and rules that you must follow.
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