Elements To Consider When You Design a Data Center

There are many things to consider when designing any building, and this is especially true when constructing a new data center. Designers and contractors face many unique challenges when planning this type of structure. Here are some key elements to consider when you design a data center to have a successful layout and build.

Creating Safety Measures for Data Centers

One of the most crucial elements to consider while planning a data center is safety. Data centers utilize thousands of electrical cables, machines, and accessories, and these parts put buildings at a high risk of electrical fires. Always consider fire suppression systems and measures during your design and planning phases—safety should never come as an afterthought. Electrical fires are unique in that using water to fight them can cause even more damage. Because of this, data centers must employ gas suppression systems and other electrical-safe methods. Engineers and contractors may also recommend fire-resistant coatings such as intumescent paints for building materials. Considering safety during the planning process is just one way to prevent downtime at your data center in the future.

Maximizing Performance

Your data center’s infrastructure has a direct impact on its performance and efficiency. There are many design elements that can impact performance, such as cable management, building size and materials, power distribution, and more. Consider critical building systems such as local distribution lines, these lines’ locations, and how you will connect to your UPS and PDU equipment.

While most data centers rely on wired internet connection, if you plan to utilize wireless connections, the building’s construction materials can have an impact on connectivity. Many metal construction materials are known to cause disruptions in wireless service inside buildings. Remember this as you oversee building selections; you should also keep in mind how to compensate for outages.

Using Data Center Space and Layout

Not all data centers are sprawling buildings with large amounts of square footage. Depending on your budget and design capacity, you may need to get creative with your available space. PDU racks are ideal for using vertical space more efficiently in this setting. By using space-saving vertical fixtures such as racks and other mounted systems, you can power more equipment in a smaller area.

Designing a data center can be tricky for contractors and planners, but knowing these elements to consider in advance will help your design process go smoothly.