Design of a Data center can be a time-consuming and challenging process. When built and maintained correctly, a data center facility can continue to house servers and other IT equipment for decades. Therefore, doing everything correctly is essential when planning for a small business or a vast, million-plus square foot cloud edge computing facility. To help enhance your data center infrastructure, best practices for design are outlined below:
Utility costs are a significant concern for nearly all modern data centers. Focus on keeping equipment up and running as long as possible since downtime due to power outages is unavoidable. Keep in mind that your servers are a significant power suck. The more powerful your servers are, the more power they will require to stay operational.
Don’t let a power outage cause you to be out of commission. Instead, make sure you have backup power solutions in place so that your systems can continue operating.
Another significant power draw is your cooling systems. We’ll get into free cooling requirements further below, but high-density racking typically necessitates additional cooling—which means more considerable energy usage. It’s critical to strike a balance between space efficiency and the impact the converged infrastructure may have on cooling and energy consumption costs.
Utilizing a customized exhaust system that significantly increases airflow while still allowing you to use your equipment is one way to reduce utility expenses while ensuring that it’s adequately cool. Place equipment that is most prone to overheat near air ducts. Make efficient use of paneling and barriers to direct airflow to sensitive equipment.
Consider using environmentally friendly and renewable energy sources in your infrastructure. For example, solar energy might be helpful in certain situations, and letting cool outdoor air into the environment may help cut cooling system usage.
Track your power usage and split it into IT (such as a server) and non-IT activities (lighting, cooling, etc.). Look for ways to cut power consumption from non-IT duties if your electricity requirements are constant for IT essential activities.
When it comes to the data center industry, it’s critical to ensure enough space available for future upgrades. To save money, data center planners may try to limit existing facility areas to the company’s current demands—but it can be a costly mistake in the long run. As your requirements expand over time, having space to expand facilities is increasingly important.
To house and stack equipment, invest in cabinets and racks. You may also wish to put up empty racks in your area, so they’re ready when you need them.
A well-structured cabling infrastructure is essential for any professional service organisation. By having a reliable and efficient cabling system in place, you can ensure that your staff have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively.
The wiring may be hung from the floor or from the rafters in a raftered ceiling system to clear walkways and keep cable clutter to a minimum.
When it comes to data security, there are no second chances. Therefore, it’s important to make physical security a top priority. It’s critical to think about the physical safety of a new facility and the security of your networks, as well as the data’s integrity when developing your data center:
Here are some things you can do to enhance the physical security of your property: Surveillance cameras, restricting entrances and exits, employing security guards, and limiting access to sensitive areas are just a few of the steps you can take to keep your property secure.
Increase your antivirus protection with firewalls, IDSs, and ACLs.
Sensitive data must be protected. After assessing the situation, determine what data needs to be protected and how. Ensure that all necessary information is encrypted, that users are supplied with usernames and passwords, and that backups are taken regularly to avoid data loss.
By following the design best practices outlined in this post, you can help ensure your data center infrastructure is as efficient and effective as possible. While every business’ needs may vary, these tips should provide a strong foundation for creating an optimal data center.
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