There’s so much to like about modular information facilities (MDCs), which provide advantages like decrease building prices (usually, no less than) and the flexibility to broaden information heart capability granularly by including MDCs one-by-one.
However the complete worth {that a} modular information heart brings will depend on precisely the way it’s constructed and the way you handle it. Some approaches to modular information heart design, building and deployment ship higher general advantages than others.
With that finish, we have ready this information to modular information heart finest practices to assist optimize the way in which organizations purchase and use MDCs. Preserve studying for tips about learn how to get essentially the most out of MDCs.
What’s a Modular Information Heart?
Earlier than diving in, let’s briefly outline what modular information facilities are and why organizations sometimes use them.
A modular information heart is a conveyable facility for internet hosting IT gear. Most modular information facilities are prefabricated inside a manufacturing facility, then shipped to the situation the place a enterprise desires to function a knowledge heart. There, the MDC is solely plugged in and able to go.
In comparison with standard information facilities, that are constructed on-site, modular information facilities provide a easy, versatile, extensible method to implement information heart amenities. Companies can deploy them shortly and simply wherever they should host IT gear.
Extra organizations are turning to modular builds to satisfy their wants. Latest Omdia analysis reveals that the marketplace for prefabricated modular and micro information facilities will attain $11.7 billion by 2027, fueled partly by the necessity to speed-up information heart builds within the wake of the AI increase.
Ideas for Getting the Most From Modular Information Facilities
To make use of modular information facilities to most impact, think about the next finest practices.
1. Assume past delivery containers
Many modular information facilities are constructed inside delivery containers – which is sensible, because the containers are prefabricated and straightforward to maneuver.
However this does not imply all MDCs must take the type of delivery containers. If you’d like a bigger or smaller MDC – which you will relying on precisely how a lot information heart capability you want, or primarily based on particular necessities like the flexibility to optimize vitality effectivity – you possibly can construct one.
2. Plan for vitality effectivity
Talking of vitality effectivity, one of many challenges of modular information facilities is that they do not at all times eat vitality as effectively as standard amenities – particularly if every MDC has its personal energy and HVAC system, and due to this fact cannot profit from the economic system of scale {that a} bigger, centralized system gives. Lack of insulation and restricted air area can also impede vitality effectivity.
These are challenges that may be managed, nonetheless – and it is vital to take action if you wish to function MDCs in a sustainable method. Contemplate including insulation as a part of the construct course of, for example, or designing modular information facilities in order that they tie right into a central HVAC system.
3. Tackle bodily safety dangers
As a result of MDCs are sometimes inbuilt to be light-weight and moveable, they are usually extra susceptible to bodily safety threats than standard information facilities. For instance, a decided attacker may probably reduce by way of the metal shell of a delivery container that hosts an MDC, however breaking down the concrete wall of a traditional information heart can be a lot tougher.
For that reason, it is a finest apply to make sure that you deploy satisfactory bodily safety controls when working modular information facilities – both by hardening the MDC itself, or by guaranteeing that bodily safety protections (like fences and distant monitoring units) are current within the atmosphere surrounding the MDC.
4. Guarantee that you could construct extra of the identical modular information facilities sooner or later
One of many key advantages that MDCs provide is the flexibility so as to add information heart capability granularly. To make the growth course of as environment friendly as potential, it is vital to have the ability to buy extra of the identical kind of MDC that you just initially obtained. In any other case, it turns into tougher to broaden your facility as a result of you need to combine several types of MDCs collectively.
For that reason, work together with your modular information heart builder to make sure that you’ll receive extra MDCs of the identical kind sooner or later. Utilizing a standardized MDC design may also assist to future-proof your MDC growth plans.
5. Unfold workloads throughout modular information facilities
The self-contained nature of MDCs could make it tempting to dedicate every MDC to a selected goal or enterprise want. From a resilience perspective, nonetheless, it is higher to unfold workloads throughout MDCs with some redundancy in place in order that if one modular builds fails, your workloads will stay operational.
6. Make a modular information heart decommissioning plan
Most companies spend lots of time planning the deployment of modular information centerss, however much less time determining how they’re going to decommission modular information facilities after they now not want them (or after they improve to new forms of MDCs).
To make sure that you could take MDCs out of service when obligatory, plan forward. Reply questions like how you may disconnect your MDC from energy and HVAC programs, whether or not you’ll resell the power and, if not, how you may eliminate it.
Conclusion
Modular information facilities may be an effective way so as to add flexibility and modularity to a knowledge heart technique. However for those who really need to optimize your MDCs, you’ll want to plan proactively and suppose creatively about questions like how small or massive you need every MDC to be, how you may join MDCs to centralized programs and the way you may decommission your modular information facilities when the time comes.
