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?