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Modular Data Center Due Diligence: A DCK Guide
Modular solutions can benefit a variety of businesses and requirements — but not all. Similar to any data center project, proper planning is paramount.
Bill Kleyman
April 18, 2013
3 Min Read
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Modular solutions can benefit a variety of businesses and requirements — but not all. Similar to any data center project, proper planning for modular data centers is paramount.
While predicting future IT requirements can be more guessing than science, it is still a vital part of the larger strategy. Investigating a modular approach means optimizing your research and making that perfect fit for realizing your objectives. Here are some items to consider when investigating modular products or providers.
Modular Products
Is the product UL and/or CE certified? What local or state codes may be applicable to bringing this type of device to your site?
Will you need additional protection for the module? While many of the modular solutions are able to withstand a great deal of outside conditions, there are security factors to consider as well as how to optimally fit the modules into the structure or site you have.
On-site integration — can your facility/site accommodate modules and the overall power requirements?
What voltage distribution is required to the module and how will you provide it?
Do you require true mobility in a modular solution?
Does disaster recovery play a major role within your organization?
Integrated modular data center or separate power and cooling modules?
Modular Providers
Where do you need the modular solution provided? On-site, dedicated site or colocated with the provider?
What integration options are available to manage and automate IT and infrastructure within the module?
What type of monitoring and security is required?
What data needs to be collected and reported?
Are you providing some type of distributed cloud solution?
Does the modular solution have a solid DCIM or DCOS option capable of spanning multiple data center modules?
Are there provisions for future management technologies such as DCOS?
In both approaches, the foundational data for evaluation is power. Match the IT needs and forecasts for power consumption with the right-sized modular implementation in 100 – 500kW increments. Additionally, any energy efficiency or environmental guidelines for the organization should be followed. Invite facilities, IT, and all pertinent parties to the table to select the best fit for a holistic, optimized data center strategy.
Although modular data center solutions are relatively new, cloud computing and the power of distributed technologies have made this type of platform a viable option. Managers are able to quickly understand the cost of a solution and deploy a data center which can directly integrate with the needs of the organization. Second generation modular designs are purpose built around today’s IT 2.0 environment.
While modular solutions are increasingly taking market share, they are still not a perfect fit for every need. Like all other aspects of a data center strategy, it requires knowing what IT needs are now and in the future, and what the specific requirements are for efficiently optimizing the supporting data center infrastructure. In many cases the modular product or provider are a perfect fit for a retrofit, expansion or new data center project. Finding the right modular solution means knowing which one will benefit your needs the best. Taking a modular approach toward data center design is an innovative way to tightly integrate IT and facilities, and deliver it with extreme agility.
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