Criteria
Building
- Access control and site security
- Protected zones and fire protection
- Raised floors
- Location within the building
- Building paths
- Scalability
- Building structure
- Tidiness
Technology
- Transformers/ MV/LV distributions
- Electric utilities
- AC/DC supplies
- Emergency power supply, emergency shut-down for lightning protection
- Climatisation and air filtering
- Temperature and humidity
- Carriers
Processes
- ITIL conformity
- Continuity management
- Existing certifications
- Access process
- Data security
Personnel
- Number of personnel
- Multilingualism
- Availability
- Qualification
- Quality assurance
(Source: eco – Verband der deutschen Internetwirtschaft e.V.)
Requirements for a prototypic 5-star data center
- Climatisation (n+2) + UPS connection (n+1)
- redundant power supply (n+2) and 2 building feeds (n+2 can be implemented with regard to interconnections by proven Service Level Agreements)
- 2 x diesel generators
- UPS (evened quality current, surge modifier etc.) with (n+1) minimum
- 20 min bridging time for shutting down operating systems
- Provisions for detecting (smoke detectors) and fighting fire (fire extinguishers), Vesda device
- Structural separation of the server rooms from other rooms by at least F60/T60
- Several fire areas are necessary
- Heat dissipation >=1500 W/m²
- Process of user-related authentication (biometrics or intellectual identification feature)
- Data center access by at least 2 door systems
- Single access entry control (customer entries) or lock systems
- ITIL process maturity 4 (fully documented and based on the ITIL model)
- Process documentation (e.g. by ISO 27001, ISO 20000, ISO 9001 or other certificates)
- Physical access protection with logging (steal doors, security locks, windowless room or secured windows) and alarm/burglary protection
- Certified personnel for server operations (network technology/operating system)
- Stable network connection (5 providers, 2 independent network feeds)
- Supply channels double
(Copyright: 2009 eco – Verband der deutschen Internetwirtschaft e.V.)
TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS
datadock has a total connected load of 8 MW. This is sufficient for connecting about 50,000 servers, which can be housed on 4,200 sqm floor space. On this page you can get some information about datadock's technical highlights.
Cooling
An unrivaled cooling system has been installed at datadock. This system makes use of the area's extensive ground water sources, which are extracted by means of specially built wells. Normally, cooling is one of the most important power and cost factors in a data center. But since the ground water is only 12° C cold when it's taken out of the ground, its temperature doesn't have to be further decreased in order to use it in the data center. This has great impact on the energy balance. The ground water itself never gets into the data center's inner cooling cycle. It is only used for taking the heat from the inner cooling cycle at the heat exchangers. It is neither polluted in this process nor is any water wasted.
Heat exchange between the inner and outer cooling cycles.
The complete amount of used water is finally oxygenated and led into the Rhine. That way, the Rhine's water quality and oxygen concentration in the data center's vicinity increase remarkably. In addition, cold aisle containment within the server rooms ensures perfect cooling circuits. In the cold aisles, the air that has been cooled by the air conditioning units is absorbed directly at the servers' front. On the back sides of the server racks there are so called hot aisles, where the air heated by the servers is emitted and absorbed by the air conditioners.
Due to this cost-saving and efficient cooling method the European top PUE value (Power Usage Efficiency) of 1.21 is achieved. (see Environment).
Power
Next to network connection and air conditioning, power supply is one of the three major factors regarding data center operations. Therefore, much attention was paid to developing a fail-proof power supply concept.
- Two separate, independent power circuits supply each server rack. In addition, every rack is secured by 2 x 16 Ampere.
- If the external supply by electric companies should fail nevertheless, the UPSs (uninterruptible power supply) come into action. And because the UPSs have been installed redundantly, the power supply will remain undisturbed even if a UPS device should fail.
- State-of-the-art low-emission diesel generators ensure constant power supply in case the external supply should fail. Two diesel tanks with 26,000 l capacity each are available to energize the generators, and they can even be refueled during operation.
- The low-voltage main distribution boards regulate the complete power supply of the data center. It takes care that the diesel generators are started early enough when they are needed.
- Single components can be removed from the power circuits for maintenance without any interruption.
Redundancies
Much value was set on the highest availability when datadock was planned:
- Power supply: n+1 or 2n+1 redundancy
- All transformers, low-voltage main distribution boards, UPS components (uninterruptible power supply) and generators are installed with at least n+1 redundancy.
- Cooling: well systems, pumps and cooling circuits are laid out redundantly. If one component fails, another one can take over. Thus, constant cooling is guaranteed.
Like all other important components of the data center the wells are laid out with redundancy.
Eco-friendly Components
CyberAir 2 – Innovation for maximum energy-efficiency
The precision air-conditioning system CyberAir 2 with DFC from the manufacturer Stulz is used at datadock. It conditions the air in large computer and equipment rooms with a heat load of over 20 kilowatts up to 60% more economically than conventional compressor cooling systems.
CyberAir 2 is the world's first precision air-conditioning system that considers heat load in computer rooms and seasonally varying ambient temperatures. It automatically selects the optimal operation mode for each case. In cool weather, the integrated DFC automatic air-conditioning technology makes use of thrifty dynamic free cooling with outside air. Energy-intensive compressor cooling (DX) is only switched on when absolutely necessary. For this purpose, all units are equipped with speed-controlled EC fans and electronic expansion valves.
Green Power UPS Devices
The high efficiency of the Green Power UPS reduces energy loss and requirement of air conditioning systems. The Green Power range gives the highest efficiency performance on the market: up to 96% over a wide range of uses. The graph shows the annual savings with 96% efficiency as against 93% and 94%, based on the average kWh cost within the European Community under typical load conditions, including the lower air conditioning costs.
The excellent power factor and harmonic content avoid over rating the supply system: i.e. switches, generator sets and protection devices.
Annual saving with 96% efficiency as against ...
With an upstream constant power factor of 0.99 and extremely low harmonic distortion (< 3%), the SOCOMEC range of Green Power UPS systems significantly optimises the upstream infrastructure:
- no over-sizing of gen-sets (up to 3 times, in certain cases),
- the distribution control boards and upstream cables are also reduced in size,
- the overall installation output power is noticeably improved.
Low-emission diesel generators
The diesel generators from the German manufacturer Aggretech, which are used at datadock for emergency power supply, have the best pollutant class. That means that these generators produce considerably less emissions than comparable devices. Hence, they actively protect our environment.
| Manufacturer | MTU |
|---|---|
| Type | 12V1600 |
| Number of cylinders / arrangement | 12/V |
| Capacity per cylinder / total | 1.75l / 21.0l |
| Aggregation | 17.5:1 |
| Type | 2 turbos with intake charge cooling |
| Type of cooling | water |
| Speed controller | electronic |
| Engine speed | 1,500 min-1 |
| Motor power LTP | 558kW |
| Motor power PRP | 506kW |
| Fuel consumption (electronic) 50%: 75%: 100% | 67,0l/h / 210,0g/kWh 99,0l/h / 208,0g/kWh 132,0l/h / 208,0g/kWh |
| Heat quantity of cooling water | ca. 225kW |
| Heat quantity exhaust gas | - |
| Heat quantity charge air | ca. 121kW |
| Heat quantity radiation | ca. 24kW |
| Exhaust gas temperature | 466°C |
| Exhaust gas certificates | TA-Luft 1/2 (of 1986) |
| Battery charger | 24V |
| Cooling air volume flow | ca. 40,320m³/h |
| Exhaust gas volume flow | 5,760m³/h |
| Combustion air volume flow | 2,160m³/h |
| Surface noise | 109dB(A) |
| Sound pressure LP (with acoustic hood) | ca. 70dB(A) |
Connection
The data center datadock is directly connected to the European IP network of PlusServer AG. In a fully redundant MPLS ring structure with a total capacity of 100 GBit, this backbone connects the data center on one path directly to Frankfurt and also on another redundant path over Paris and Brussels. Thus, it is ensured all the time that all data is transferred to the Internet with the highest performance and availability.
PlusServer IP Network
The global PlusServer IP Network is defined as Autonomous System (AS) Numbers 34088 and 8972. These AS include all national and international connections to PlusServer. The IP Network is based on an optical carrier network that has a capacity of several hundred GBit per second.
The connection to important IXPs (Internet Exchange Points) in Europe, Asia and America allows PlusServer, together with other partners, to operate public peerings with all important IP carriers, ISPs and content suppliers, as well as many other private peering points.
Our connections in detail:
- Deutsche Telekom: 4 x 10 GBit
- Level 3: 4 x 10 GBit
- Global Crossing: 2 x 10 GBit
- cogent: 2 x 10 GBit
- interoute: 2 x 10 GBit
- DE-CIX: 4 x 10 GBit
- ECIX: 2 x 10 GBit
Awards & Certificates
eco Internet Award 2010 – Data Center
On June 10th, 2010 Internet related companies were granted the eco Internet Award for the tenth time. The award donated by "eco", the German association of Internet business, could be won in a total of nine categories. Due to its outstanding characteristics, datadock won the award in the category Data Center.
A panel of experts identifies the respective winner in each category. In the category Data Center they particularly judge the following criteria:
- Power efficiency (best Power Efficiency Usage value)
- Hardware redundancies (power supply, cooling and network connection)
- Security
- Certification (Datacenter Star Audit etc.)
Due to its outstanding PUE value of 1.21, the redundant structure in all areas, its security concept and the best possible Datacenter Star Audit certification of five stars, datadock was able to score in all criteria.
Its operator PlusServer AG was very happy about this award as it proved the concept of an especially eco-friendly and forward-looking data center to be right.
Datacenter Star Audit (DCSA)
The data center datadock achieved the highest possible rating of five stars at the Datacenter Star Audit. The DCSA constitutes a quality standard for data centers and is carried out by the "eco" association of German Internet business.
A Guide for Inspection (GfI) that was developed by eco builds the basis for judging the audited criteria. It is defined therein which points are donated to what attainment. According to the achieved number of points, a data center is sorted into one of the five DC Star compliance groups.
The datadock matches all requirements for a 5-star data center. The ratings were made based on an extensive questionnaire in the four categories building, personnel, technology and processes and on a comprehensive inspection by authorized auditors.
As this audit is carried out by an independent authority, it is a good reference for the high reliability, security and power efficiency of datadock.
In my opinion, the eco association's Datacenter Star Audit has become one of the most important certificates for data centers in Europe. It considers the topics that are really crucial for operating a professional data center; therefore it provides an independent and reliable reference for our customers.
Based on deep expert knowledge, eco has developed an evaluation schedule that completely comprehends all demands on modern data centers.
Hence, the certificate is a very important quality distinction for data centers, and we are very proud to have achieved the highest possible rating of five stars with our datadock.
Best regards
Andreas Niehaus
Head of IT Operations PlusServer AG