Data Center Site Selection

Whether the data center will be a dedicated facility or part of a multipurpose building, the physical location is very important. Knowing the scope of the center is essential in making this decision, because many factors come into play. Flexibility is also key to the decision. All of the data center systems must be coordinated with the building systems for the overall support of operations.

The location of the center must be based on numerous criteria, including those discussed in the following sections.

Figure 5-1. Data Center Before the Walls, Raised Floor, and Equipment Are Installed

Retrofitting an Existing Site

Building to suit is not always an option. Locating the data center in an existing site could be very different than building a data center site to suit your needs. With an existing area, you must decide whether or not it meets the requirements of the company. Certain factors might make the area unacceptable, such as clumsy size , difficult access for large equipment or vehicles, the inability to control access, or overhead water pipes.

If you are faced with making a choice between locations or determining the viability of a site, you should consider the following questions:

• What is the general layout of the area?

• Is there enough room for required equipment?

• What is the proximity of the area to chillers and condenser units?

• Is there adequate access for moving in and rotating large equipment?

• Where will HVAC units be placed? Inside the area? Outside?

• What are the possibilities for controlling access?

• Is the area isolated from contaminants and liquid leaks?

• Is there room for future expansion?

• Can walls be removed without creating structural instability?

• Can walls be added?

• Can a raised floor be added?

• Is the floor-to-ceiling height adequate for a raised floor, ceiling plenum, and equipment height?

• Will the existing subfloor be able to handle the weight load?

• Is there space for a separate Command Center?

Security

Not all businesses have a need for high-level security, but most businesses must make sure their data centers are secure from vandalism, industrial espionage, and sabotage . Make sure the potential area is situated so that access can be controlled. In a pre-existing building, check for problem areas like ventilators, windows , and doorways that lead directly outside or into an uncontrolled area. Could these openings be a breach to security? Can they be blocked or can access be controlled in another way? Can motion detectors and alarm systems be placed to increase security?

Some siting considerations might include:

• A separate control room and remote access to the systems to minimize the traffic through the data center.

• Locate the data center inside the existing building so there are no exterior windows or doors.

• Avoid sites with windows leading to uncontrolled areas.

• Design the area to limit and control access.

• Make sure the design includes surveillance cameras , motion detectors, and alarms.

• In situations where you must share data center space with other companies, an effective means of segregating the space should be considered .

• Make sure the design includes fast-acting fire control such as FM200.

Also consider the possibility of vandalism by disgruntled employees and accidents that could be caused by the actions of untrained personnel.

Access

Aside from security access considerations, the potential site for the data center should be set up for the loading and unloading of large items such as HVAC units and computer racks. In the case where the data center is not in direct proximity to a loading dock, there must be a way to get bulky equipment to the site. It might also be necessary for small vehicles like forklifts and pallet jacks to have access.

Access considerations might include:

• Area for a loading dock

• Freight elevators

• Wide doorways

• Wide aisles

• Wide hallways

• Ramps at floor-level height changes

• Adequate turning radius space for racks and vehicles

• Adequate space at corner and column areas

• RLU design to ensure open pathways within the data center

Problem areas might include:

• Stairways

• Tight corners

• Low ceilings and overhangs

• Floors with poor load capacities

• Numerous changes in floor height

• Oddly shaped spaces

• No way to make the existing area secure

Raised Flooring

If the data center will have a raised floor, look at the space with some idea of what will be placed beneath it. Consider the following:

• How high can the floor be raised?

• Consider the amount of open plenum necessary to channel air for cooling. Too little space will cool inadequately, too much space will cool inefficiently.

• Are there structural items in place that might obstruct the free flow of air below the floor?

• How will wiring, cabling, and outlets be run?

• Is a raised floor a viable option for the available space?

• With the reduced space between floor and ceiling, is there enough space to get heated air from equipment back to the returns of the HVAC units?

Isolation From Contaminants

Isolate the data center from contaminants or contaminant -producing activities. Avoid locating the center near print rooms, machine shops, wood shops , loading docks, and areas that involve the use of chemicals or generate toxic vapors or dust. Make sure the exhaust from generators or other sources of exhaust do not enter the intakes of air handlers serving the data center. If the data center must be located near these hazardous locations, adequate filtering systems must be added to the design. Also, maintenance schedules for the filtering system should be more frequent.

Risk of Leaks

Liquids pose another serious hazard to data center equipment. Despite precautions , water pipes and water mains can leak or burst. If you plan to locate the data center at a pre-existing site, make sure you know where all water pipes, valves , pumps, and containments are located. If pipes with flowing liquids are running through the ceiling, you might want to consider a different site. Also, will the data center be under floors occupied by other tenants who might have facilities with the potential of creating leaks?

If you must locate the center where there is a risk of leaks, make sure you design in a way to move water out of the room. Consider troughs under the pipes that are adequate to handle the water from a pipe failure and will carry the water out of the room without overflowing. Also make sure there is an emergency water shut-off valve readily accessible in the event of a pipe failure.

Environmental Controls

The type of air conditioning system chosen for the data center, and the location of the units, might determine the viability of a location. Chilled water units must be connected to chillers located in the building or an adjoining support facility, and might require cooling towers . Due to noise and structural issues, chillers are usually located in a basement , separate wing of the building, on the roof, in a parking lot, or in a separate fenced-in area. Direct expansion air conditioners require condenser units located outside the building. Also, the roof or outside pads should be structurally adequate to support the condensers.

Room for Expansion

Anticipating future expansion needs can be a challenge since it is difficult to predict future trends in equipment. As technology advances, it tends to make hardware more space-efficient (though more power and cooling consumptive). Over time, you might fit more equipment into less space, avoiding the need for more floor space (though it might necessitate more power and HVAC capacity which would need floor space). Also, networking allows for expansion in a different place inside the building or in a nearby building. Another separate data center can be built, can be connected logically to the other networks, and therefore to machines in the original data center.

If the need for more space is anticipated, consider this in your plans. Try not to land-lock the center. If building an addition to the existing structure will eventually be necessary, consider how the new area might share the existing support equipment, like chilled water loops , security, etc. If expansion is likely and budget allows, consider putting in the addition with raised floors and using the space for temporary offices or storage.