Data Center Building Design

Environmental Features

• Most colocation facilities are packed with environmental systems to keep your equipment and data safe and secure at all times.
• Fire protection systems, including passive and active design elements, as well as implementation of fire prevention programmes in operations. Smoke detectors are usually installed to provide early warning of a developing fire by detecting particles generated by smoldering components prior to the development of flame.
• 19-inch racks for data equipment and servers, 23-inch racks for telecom equipment.
• Cabinets and cages for physical access control over tenants’ equipment.
• Overhead cable rack (tray) and fibreguide, power cables usually on separate rack from data.
• Air conditioning is used to control the temperature and humidity in the space. ASHRAE recommends a temperature range of 20–25 °C and humidity range of 40–60% as optimal for electronic equipment.
• Low-impedance electrical ground.
• Few, if any, windows.

Security Features

• Most colocation centres have high levels of physical security, and may be guarded continuously. They may employ CCTV.
• Some colocation facilities require that employees escort customers, especially if there are not individual locked cages/cabinets for each customer. In other facilities, a PIN code or proximity card access system may allow customers access into the building, and individual cages/cabinets have locks. Biometric security measures, such as fingerprint recognition, voice recognition and “weight matching”, are also becoming more commonplace in modern facilities.

Energy Features

• Most Colocation facilities generally have generators, usually running on diesel fuel,  that start automatically when utility power fails. These generators may have varying levels of redundancy, depending on how the facility is built.
• Generators do not start instantaneously, so colocation facilities usually have battery backup systems. In many facilities, the operator of the facility provides large inverters to provide AC power from the batteries. In other cases, the customers may install smaller UPS’s in their racks.
• Some customers choose to use equipment that is powered directly by 48VDC (nominal) battery banks. This may provide better energy efficiency, and may reduce the number of parts that can fail.
• An alternative to batteries is a motor generator connected to a flywheel and diesel engine. Many colocation facilities can provide A and B power feeds to customer equipment, and high end servers and telecommunications equipment often can have two power supplies installed.
• Colocation facilities are sometimes connected to multiple sections of the utility power grid for additional reliability.

Cooling & Other Features

• The operator of a colocation facility generally provides air conditioning for the computer and telecommunications equipment in the building. The cooling system generally includes some degree of redundancy.
• In older facilities, the cooling system capacity often limits the amount of equipment that can operate in the building, more so than the available square footage.
• Colocation facility owners have differing rules regarding cross connects between their customers. These rules may allow customers to run such connections at no charge, or allow customers to order such connections for a significant monthly fee. They may allow customers to order cross connects to carriers, but not to other customers.
• Some colocation centres feature a “meet-me-room” where the different carriers housed in the center can efficiently exchange data. Most peering points sit in colocation centers. Because of the high concentration of servers inside larger colocation centers, most carriers will be interested in bringing direct connections to such buildings.
• In many cases there will be a larger Internet Exchange hosted inside a colocation centre, where customers can connect for peering.

If you are interested in changing carriers, adding a location, or would just like a more secure facility, please contact us.