Data Centre Tier class - facts and myths.
Due to numerous questions, we would like to introduce the topic and dispel doubts about the meaning and distinction of Tier classes of Data Centers. The following form of questions and answers will provide concrete answers in the simplest way.
Q: What is the Tier Class of a Data Center ?
A: Tier class of a data center means that the data center in question meets the requirements of the standards in that class of data center. Unlike the ISO27001-2013 cenrtyfication, it refers to physical and technical requirements rather than procedural requirements as in the case of ISO.
Q: Whose standards are used to determine the Tier class of a Data Center?
A: In principle, the basic standard for determining the Tier class is the American standard ANSI/TIA-942. However, standards from organizations such as the Uptime Institute (which is a non-profit organization of industry professionals based in Santa Fe, New Mexico) have been developed on its basis. And in Germany, the "Star" program (which, unlike the American standard, has 5 degrees, not 4 as in the American standard) was introduced.
Q: Which Tier class classification is correct ?
A: Each as long as the citing authority adds information according to which classification it claims to meet the requirements. Meeting the requirements of e.g. Tier 3 of the ANSI/ITU-942 standard is not tantamount to Tier 3 of the Uptime institute and not at all tantamount to the 3 stars of the German standard. DataHouse.pl relies on the ANSI/TIA-942 standard to present the results of meeting the requirements in the form of tables for individual departments.
Q: DataHouse.pl is a data centre of which Tier ?
A: DataHouse.pl meets all Tier 3 ANSI/ITU-942 requirements and, in the newest part of the data centre, Tier 4.
Q: Are there certifications for data centres certifying their respective Tier class?
A: For Uptime Institute standards, the organisation issues certificates according to its standard. Such certificates are issued for each division of the standard separately. Thus, in order for a centre to be fully cetified, it should have certificates for each section of the Uptime Institute standard. In Poland, due to the cost, the Uptime Institute has so far only issued two such certificates in one section on building construction for the centres in Katowice and Toruń. There is also certification of the German standard "according to stars". As of today, it only applies to German territory.
Q: Is it possible to meet the requirements for a Tier 4 data centre in the reality of our country?
A: In Poland, the ANSI/ITU-942 standard can be met, but the Uptime Institute's standard, especially in the section on power supply, seems unfulfillable, especially with the requirement for connection from 2 separate energy areas (power grids understood as a separate backhaul system). Similar requirements are found in the German "4 star" standard, except that in this case there is a strong emphasis on backhaul from renewable sources.
ANSI/TIA-942 Data Centre Reference Table for Tier 1-4 (Telecommunications)
| |
TIER1 |
TIER2 |
TIER3 |
TIER4 |
| TELECOMMUNICATION |
|
|
|
|
| General |
|
|
|
|
| Telecommunications cabling and cabinets, brackets and cable pathways in accordance with TIA specifications. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Distribution of cable feed-throughs of external operators diversified and at least 20 metres apart. |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Redundant and diversified links of telecom operators. |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Spare entry room (for cable ways) |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Spare distribution room (for cable ways) |
No |
No |
No |
Option |
| Redundant backbone cabling routes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Redundant horizontal cabling |
No |
No |
No |
Option |
| Routers and network switches equipped with redundant power supplies and processors. |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Multiple network routers and switches for redundancy. |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cable panels, outlets, cabling marked in accordance with ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A Annex B. Network equipment cabinets and support structures labelled on the front and back. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cables and connectors marked on both ends with the name of the connection. |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| The panels and cabling are documented according to ANSI/TIA/EIA-606-A with annex B of the standard |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Green colour indicates compliance with the requirement at DataHouse.pl
ANSI/TIA-942 Data Centre Reference Table for Tier 1-4 (mechanical aspects)
| |
TIER 1 |
TIER 2 |
TIER 3 |
TIER 4 |
| Mechanical aspects |
|
|
|
|
| General |
|
|
|
|
| Access to water or sewerage not related to the equipment located at the co-location centre |
Allowed but not recommended |
Allowed but not recommended |
Not allowed |
Not allowed |
| Pressure values in the co-location room and associated rooms consistent with the pressure outside and non-colocation rooms. |
No requirements |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Floor drains installed in rooms for condensate from humidifiers and condensing units. |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mechanical systems connected to the backup generator. |
No requirements |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Liquid cooling |
|
|
|
|
| Internal cooling systems |
No redundant air conditioners |
One reduntant air conditioner cooling the most important areas. |
The necessary number of air conditioners required to cool the entire important area even after the loss of a single power source. |
The necessary number of air conditioners required to cool the entire important area even after the loss of a single power source. |
| Control of room humidity |
Humidification available |
Humidification available |
Humidification available |
Humidification available |
| Power supply for devices |
One power path for devices. |
One power path for devices. |
Multiple power paths for devices. Connected in such a way as to achieve the best possible reduntant cooling performance. |
Multiple power paths for devices. Connected in such a way as to achieve the best possible reduntant cooling performance. |
| Heat dissipation |
|
|
|
|
| Dry coolers (if applicable) |
None |
One dry cooler per system |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
| Closed-circuit coolers (if applicable) |
None |
One dry cooler per system |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
| Circulation pumps |
None |
One pump per system |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
Number of pumps to serve an important area during the loss of a single voltage source. |
| System piping |
One path |
One path |
Two paths |
Two paths
|
| |
TIER 1 |
TIER 2 |
TIER 3 |
TIER 4 |
| Water cooling |
|
|
|
|
| Indoor air conditioners |
No redundant air conditioners |
Jeden klimatyzator na miejsca krytyczne. |
Ilość klimatyzatorów konieczna do zapewnienia odpowiedniej temperatury dla całego krytycznego obszaru podczas wystąpienia awarii jednego źródła zasilania. |
Ilość klimatyzatorów konieczna do zapewnienia odpowiedniej temperatury dla całego krytycznego obszaru podczas wystąpienia awarii jednego źródła zasilania. |
| Humidity control for co-location rooms |
Provided. |
Provided. |
Provided. |
Provided. |
| Power supply for devices |
One path |
One path |
Multiple paths |
Multiple paths |
| Heat dissipation |
|
|
|
|
| Water piping |
Single path |
Single path |
Double path |
Double path |
| Water pumps |
Brak |
One pump per system. |
Number of pumps required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of pumps required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Air-cooled chillers |
Brak |
One redundant aggregate |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Water-cooled chillers |
Brak |
One redundant aggregate |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Cooling towers |
Brak |
Jedna reduntantna wieża |
Number of towers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of towers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Water condensing pumps |
Brak |
One redundant tower |
Number of pumps required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of pumps required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Condensing system piping |
Single path |
Single path |
Double path |
Double path
|
| |
TIER 1 |
TIER 2 |
TIER 3 |
TIER 4 |
| Air cooling systems |
|
|
|
|
| Internal air-cooling unit. |
No redundant air conditioning units |
One redundant aggregate. |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
Number of chillers required to provide adequate temperature for the entire critical area during a single power source failure. |
| Power supply for devices. |
Single path. |
Single path. |
Multiple paths. |
Multiple paths. |
| Humidity management in the room. |
Available |
Available |
Available |
Available |
| HVAC control systems |
|
|
|
|
| HVAC control system |
A system error will cause cooling failures. |
A system error will cause cooling failures. |
A system error will not cause a cooling failure. |
A system error will not cause a cooling failure. |
| Zasilanie systemu kontroli HVAC. |
Single path |
Redundant UPS |
Redundant UPS |
Redundant UPS |
| Drains for heat removal systems |
|
|
|
|
| Dual water source. |
Single source with no backup. |
Dual source, or one + backup. |
Dual source, or one + backup. |
Dual source, or one + backup. |
| Points of connection to the water resource. |
One point. |
One point. |
Two points. |
Two points. |
| Oil fuel system |
|
|
|
|
| Reservoirs |
One |
Multiple |
Multiple |
Multiple |
| Pumps and pipework for receptacles. |
One pump and one piping path. |
Many pumps, many paths. |
Many pumps, many paths. |
Many pumps, many paths. |
| Fire protection |
|
|
|
|
| Fire detection system |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Sprinkler system |
when necessary |
automatic |
automatic |
automatic |
| Gas extinguishing system |
No |
No |
Yes, compliant with NFPA 2001 |
Yes, compliant with NFPA 2001 |
| Smoke detection |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Water leakage detection |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |