Sustainable Energy is a good bid this Year? -also in Data Centers- / Es la Energía Sustentable una buena apuesta este año- inclusive en los CDs-

This year has been declared by UN  the "Sustainable Energy for All". With all those figures appointing Data centres as one of the most energy consumer building type, all of us have to take this fact to intend to be mor energy efficent -if not "green"- with our operations.

We have had heard or read a lot of ideas to reduce, recycle & reuse the energy generated inside a DC, well all of these are a very good ideas to save money, however the operator have to invest some to get the benefit.

The CoC from EU is one of the documents that give us a set of actions that can be done without a huge investment some of those actions are more in the way we do the day to day activities. Also the DoE in USA has deliver very good ideas to improve the energy efficiency. Why so much DC have not start with all these  simple tasks?

One issue that the common people is scared is regarding AVAILABILITY & OPERATIONS requirements; most of our customers would like to be more "green" but they are concern if those investments will hit the Operational Business Continuity,

Energy efficiency is not a matter -only- of equipment updating, the investor should understand that all the systems that are involved in the DCs operations have to be consider because the interrelationship among them. So the fact is that every plan can has an amount of uncertinity if it has been done with out an "holistic" approach -not only energy efficency- so what the DCs´ operators & project investors have to aware is to have a full team of specialists in the designing team, not only M&E, TI, pros, but those experts that can forsee all the interactions among cabling, fire detection, automation, and so on.

 At this time of the year the Euro weakness will hit all economies, so the DCs investors will be quite reluctant to spend money if we as DCs professionals -consulting/contractors/vendors- do not give them the best benefit - cost relationship in those new or refurbish project.

Then Sustainability -energy efficiency- is a very good token for offer in each project where the money -almost all- is the most concern.

Or what do you think?

roberto sanchez, RCDD
México

What defines a Data Center ?/ ¿Que define un CD?

Three main topics define the Data Centre´s  operation/construction/design

Governace, Risk, Compliance    these concepts give to us the guide for every kind of mission critical buildings called Data Centres.

Governance gives the guidelines of how the organization will "behave" in the market/industry/ society;  how the board of directors, employees, suppliers, distributors and so, are expected to conduct thirselves and the organization´s business, around the local, regional, national and global locations where it operates. Its relationship with the law, codes and best practices that any organization has to understand, follow and respect. 

Risk    shows the organization´s resiliancy y tolerance afterwards the possiblity of any treats could harmful the organization´s business and how it will respond to the increasing probability of any operational downtime and how it will mantain the business continuity in case of a natural or human disaster.

Compliance  conforms a set of regulatory rules, specifications, standards or laws.  Conforming to mandated laws or standards to meet federal or international and commercial regulations requires a considerable investment in, infrastructure, personnel and services.

Now other two issues have to be taken in consideration Sustainability  /  Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency can be achieve with several technics from sealing cooling leaks in raised flooring to variable fan, busways, modular UPS and a lot of new trends 

The main point is to decrease the DC´s Carbon footprint -that can be one of the largest in commercial buildings-.  These two concepts has to been balanced Vs. the investment amount needed for get a better PUE 

But for those that wonder if Sustainability / Energy efficency if it is worth to implement and grant availability & Business Continuity  or how much investment it is necesary. It can be said that 

CAPEX  +  OPEX = TCO; so if you can balance the operational cost vs the capital investment you will have the lower Total Cost of Ownership.

 

CERTIFICATION is not COMPLIANCE 

You ougth to choose which compliance (audit/programm)  will enhace your operation / construction / design process. Because exist several "certification or classification" schemes for Data Centres that are not useful -depending on business focus-.

As always exist such solutions, programs, products, that are just a GREENWASHING  this mean that they claim waht they do not can achieve. So you have to keep an open eye on such fake solutions.

Or what do you think?

 

Moving a DC / Moviendo un centro de datos

As designer customers ask if I can take in consideration the DC moving stage

Well in any professional DC design this stage MUST be consider as an important one in the full chain of decisions, why?

The DC design is envisioned as a integral solution to assure the Business Continuity operation, so the "moving" is part of this Continuity.

The BASIC steps are
• Full inventory & tagging
• Check each SLA contract to find out any equipment moving restrictions
• Proper data storage (for recovery)
• Proper turn off (as vendors best practices set)
• Check building access (physical, security, crane-lift operation,...)
• Proper shipment (packing/moving/delivering,moving,unpacking)
• Safe routing (main/alternative, schedule,security escort)
• Plan "B, C,..."
• Prepare with vendors the turn On, and production starting stage until everything is running

you MUST

•Plan, Plan, Plan every detail
•Allocate Needed resources
•Hire professional & experienced people/companies
•Make drafts with your staff & vendors
•Check timing, schedule, routes, security
•Make reunions as EVERYbody understand Their responsabilities, functions, actions in normal/emergency situations
•DOUBLE Check every detail

then you are prepare for this "once in Life task"

What is your opinion?

•DOUBLE Check
•Make plan "B,..."