Tuesday 27 November ,2018
Tier ratings established by Uptime Institute is the most established classification for data centers, defining who does a better job in the most crucial fields of operations. Ηere is what you should know about it.
Just recently, Lamda Hellix helped Khazna secure Uptime Tier III certification in record time. Khazna Data Centers is the only dedicated commercial wholesale data center provider in the UAE and one of the largest data center infrastructure operators in the Middle East and North Africa region. During the consulting project, Lamda Hellix handled the preparation and review of the design documentation, full liaison with Uptime Institute, the guidance of the project’s contractors and all of the comprehensive and revised reviews during the certification procedure. The certification recognizes that all existing Khazna Data Centers, fulfill the Tier III Concurrently Maintainable criteria without disrupting operations and that there are no shortfalls or weak links in its data center infrastructure.
Let’s discuss this system of standards
Data center standards have been created to evaluate the quality and reliability of the facility’s hosting ability. Uptime Institute determines the reliability of a data center following a proprietary four-tier ranking system.
To make this certification system happen, Uptime Institute has created a solid progressive framework, where each Tier includes the requirements of all the prior Tiers, plus select more attributes. Here is a breakdown of the certification:
Tier 1 - Basic Capacity: This is for data centers providing “dedicated infrastructure to support operational needs which extend beyond the typical office requirements.
Tier II - Redundant Capacity Components: Adding to Tier I, data centers which include critical power and cooling components to “provide select maintenance opportunities and an increased margin of safety against IT process disruptions that would result from site infrastructure equipment failures”. The components mentioned include UPS modules, chillers, pumps, and engine generators.
Tier III - Concurrently Maintainable: A Tier III data center incorporates all the above and additionally it requires zero shutdowns for the replacement of equipment and for maintenance. This is due to previously installed redundancy systems.
Tier IV - Fault Tolerance: The concept of Fault Tolerance is referring to the instance when “individual equipment failures or distribution path interruptions occur; the effects of the events are stopped short of the IT operations”.
A few “million” parameters involved
It is clear that the above-mentioned standards coupled with the relevant certification process include a significant number of different parameters to be considered by data center managers. With respect to saving money and time and avoiding mistakes, it is crucial for managers to work closely with experienced consultants, like our people at Lamda Hellix.
