MeshBlox Micro Data Centres

DataBlox is a complete high-availability - self contained server room, small data centre or advanced telecommunications room. In each application of equipment housing, availability is one of the primary goals. Measuring high availability is often a subjective and seldom proven feature. Fortunately the Uptime Institute provides the IT & telecommunications industries with a suitable baseline for determining the physical and operational features required for a facility to claim high availability. The following extract highlights the use of DataBlox within a Tier II and Tier III context.

  Being able to determine the reliability of a Data Centre is very important and the most widely accepted way of doing this, is the Tiering methodology devised by Uptime Institute. The scoring system is from Tier 1 being the most basic data centre to Tier 4 being the most reliable and robust. However, the scoring methodology does not just cover the facilities; it also covers the equipment operating within a data centre. Below is a summary of the Tiering system requirements:

• Tier 1 = Non-redundant capacity components. (99.671% availability)
• Tier 2 = Tier 1 + Redundant capacity components. (99.741% availability)
• Tier 3 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Dual-powered equipment and multiple uplinks. (99.982% availability)
• Tier 4 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Tier 3 + all components are fully fault-tolerant including uplinks, storage, chillers, HVAC systems, servers etc. Everything is dual-powered (99.995% availability)

DataBlox10 and DataBlox 20 both offer a modular and scalable entry into industry recognised ratings of TierII and TierIII redundancy. DataBlox provides the ultimate in flexibility by modularising the electrical and mechanical components that are required to deliver different levels of availability.

Modular and scalable cooling ensures that sufficient cooling capacity is able to be delivered in extreme environmental conditions and when power or mechanical failure is experienced.

Full redundant power distribution with the ability to take diverse power feeds ensures  when combined with reliable power sources that equipment is provided the highest power availability. Internal power distribution flexibility gives up to two 32A circuits to each rack, three UPS placement options and full remote access real-time power monitoring and switching.

Minimising the risk of accidental outages caused by staff the DataBlox is a facility that rarely needs entry by staff.  By using the fully managed PDUs and adding out of band management components (ie. OpenGear console servers) your staff can perform 99% of the functions required without having to be on-site or entering the DataBlox.

To provide the required components to meet a Tier II or III rating, DataBlox provides these in a modular package that enables customers to use those components that suit their specific requirements. For example power distribution is configured to provide complete circuit diversity to the rack from two different external power sources. Alternatively there may only be one external power source and an automatic transfer switch used to deliver power to the second distribution circuit, or a paralleling switchboard be used to deliver power to both distribution circuits at the same time. Many different options provide the ultimate in flexibility.

Key DataBlox redundancy and availability features:

1. 2 x diverse 3ph input power feeds for equipment load
2. 2 x diverse input power feeds for air conditioning load
3. 2 x diverse data feeds
4. Suitably sized UPS
   • External – two options (Tier III)
     • Capacity for equipment load (Tier II)
     • Extra capacity to handle Air conditioning load (Tier III)
   • In-Container – centralised UPS within container (equipment load only) (Tier II)
   • In-Rack – rack specific UPS for each PDU (Tier II)
5. Backup power supply
   • N, N+1, N+2 Generator configurations
   • Automatic Transfer Switch options
   • Power parallel switching options

Unlike co-location data centers and the majority of server rooms the ability to regularly asses the performance of the redundant systems is poor. Despite many facilities claiming TierII or III compliance this is rarely independently compliance tested. Self testing at time of facility commissioning is of little use 5 years later. With DataBlox either individual elements or whole systems can be shutdown simulating failures of key components, at any stage. Now your organisation can prove compliance and practical delivery of high availability. No longer will you have to suffer catastrophic loss of services due to the failure or non-working of components in a co-located facility that boasts Tier II or Tier III levels of availability.

Tier II - DataBlox configurations

DataBlox is able to deliver the necessary configuration to achieve Tier II classification. Together with the appropriate operational processes a high availability solution can be built for the fraction of the cost of a major facility. Importantly the features can be delivered as a single box design ensuring deployments to remote or regional sites can achieve high levels of availability in the fraction of time normally required.

 

Tier III - DataBlox configurations

As an extension of  functionality DataBlox is also able to deliver the necessary configuration to achieve Tier III classification. Although more on-site preparation is required to meet this level of availability the key features can be still delivered as a single box design ensuring that minimal design and installation cost is required.