On the prospects of pre-assembled data centers

Likbez: what are pre-assembled solutions for data centers, what are their advantages and why they are gaining popularity.

Big data, cloud computing, the Internet of things have become familiar technologies. The need for continuous processing of huge amounts of information encourages more investment in the creation of data processing centers (DPC) and expand the range of their services.

According to the Synergy Research Group, in 2018 the number of large data centers in the world increased by 11% compared with the 2017 level. Over the past year, most of the new data centers appeared in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and EMEA. But the leader is still the United States, where about 40% of large centers work.

Why changes have matured, or what is wrong with traditional data centers

The logical response to the growth of data is the acceleration of the construction of new data centers and the improvement of the quality of services provided. But traditional data centers are already struggling to cope with the ever-increasing demands of modern times.

• Long construction and lack of flexibility. The construction of a traditional data center takes 1–1.5 years, and if changes are made to the project during the process, the construction may be delayed. As a result, the data center starts to make a profit late, during which time the market is making a big step forward and there is no need to talk about competitiveness. It is very difficult to increase the capacity of such a data center to keep up with the growing needs of the market.
• Difficult to increase power density. In the era of big data, the volume of transmitted data grows exponentially, and these are not just symbols and words, but graphic, audio and video files. In the near future, a smart car will generate up to 4 TB of data per day, and a smart factory will generate up to 1 PB. This suggests that the data density in the data center should be increased. But when using cold corridors or the RoomCool cooling system, this is quite difficult.
• High investment. Already at the start of the construction of the data center requires large investments. In the future, incomplete loading of the data center reduces efficiency at consistently high power consumption. Construction and maintenance costs and indirect costs due to late commissioning significantly increase the total cost of ownership.
• The complexity of management. It is difficult to maintain a data center due to incompatibility of interfaces and protocols when using equipment from different manufacturers.

The described shortcomings became the basis for the revision of the data center infrastructure and the impetus for the creation of pre-assembled modular centers.

What are pre-assembled data centers and what are their advantages?

Pre-assembled data center is a modular center, the infrastructure elements of which are created in the factory and quickly assembled in place. The main advantages are standardization and high level of integration. A data center consists of independent modules with the desired functionality, and these modules are compatible and interchangeable.

A typical example of a pre-assembled solution is a container data center , whose infrastructure is located in a standard shipping container of 20 or 40 feet. Such a data center is quickly mounted and, if necessary, can be easily transferred to another location. This is a convenient solution for military bases, ships, mining facilities, seismically active zones. Container data centers are 6 times more productive than traditional ones, and their construction costs 2 times less.

Modular data centers are a type of container, but they are installed indoors. Retain all the benefits, but do not have a container shell.

Container and modular data centers are typical, but not the only types of pre-assembled solutions. This group includes other complexes with pre-configured infrastructure. The advantages of such solutions are indisputable:

• Simplicity of a design and economy of space. Traditional data centers are divided into functional areas. In pre-assembled server blocks, power systems and cooling systems are located within one module. These data centers take up less space and are easier to maintain.
• Mass production is a guarantee of quality. The entire infrastructure of pre-assembled data centers and all interconnecting terminals are manufactured in factories with a rigid quality control system, which ensures their reliable operation.
• Quick installation. Modules are installed on site in strict accordance with standard installation procedures. This reduces the cost of work and requirements for staff qualifications. Installation of the pre-assembled data center takes only 1-2 months.
• Flexibility and ability to increase capacity. Modules can be added as needed, increasing the power of the data center. Global investment is not required at the start, which has a positive effect on performance.
• High power density at lower cost. Inter-row air-conditioning in areas with high temperatures and, if necessary, the use of a system of hot and cold corridors increase cooling efficiency in racks. Due to this, it is possible to achieve a power density of 20 kW and more per rack. The result: saving space and reducing energy costs.
• Comprehensive service . Intelligent Management System allows administrators to control the work of the data center. The necessary maintenance is carried out by the service department of one manufacturer. Do not have to spend money to call specialists from different companies.

The issue of relevance

In all countries, the construction of a data center is carried out in priority areas and, increasingly, the choice is made on pre-assembled solutions. Most of these data centers are implemented by giant companies: Microsoft, IBM, Google.

Great attention was attracted by the new pre-assembled Google data center deployed in the state of Oregon. It includes 45 containers for 1,160 servers and has a power of 100 MW with an energy utilization ratio (PUE) of no more than 1.25.

We switched to pre-assembled data centers and Chinese Internet companies, such as Alibaba, Tecent, Baidu. Even very low winter temperatures did not prevent the construction of the Alibaba data center in Zhangbei: two large centers were built in just one year thanks to the choice of a pre-assembled modular solution.

Modular solutions allow you to create container, small, medium and large data centers for different applications: Internet projects, commercial enterprises, telecom stations, military facilities, field development and the oil and gas area, etc.

The main plus of the data center from Delta is a flexible configuration of power systems, cost-effective cooling, intelligent monitoring and control systems. All these elements and other vital components of the system are assembled on a single platform.

The relevance of pre-assembled modular data centers is indisputable, since the traditional can no longer cope with the ever-growing market needs in the era of big data. IT giants are massively switching to modular solutions, and experts predict that in the future, the pace of construction of pre-assembled data centers will only increase.