Availability about Power

          In this post, we will continue with the discussion of power in the data center by specifically addressing aspects of power redundancy including availability, uninterruptible power supplies , system design configurations, dual-corded equipment, generators, and finally a summary.

          A key element relative to all data centers is the need for power. In most countries, the public power distribution system is fairly reliable. However, studies have shown that even the best utility systems are inadequate to meet the strict operating needs of critical nonstop data processing functions. Most companies, when faced with the likelihood of downtime, and data processing errors caused by faulty utility power choose to implement a back-up strategy for their mission-critical equipment.

          These strategies may involve the inclusion of additional hardware such as Uninterruptible Power Supplies (or UPSs) and generators, and system designs such as N+1 configurations, and dual-corded equipment. This course will address various strategies to consider when planning for redundancy in the data center. In our rapidly changing global marketplace, the demand for faster, more robust technologies in a smaller footprint is ever-increasing. In addition, there is a further requirement that these technologies be highly available as well.

           Availability is the primary goal of all data centers and networks. Five 9’s of availability of a data center is a standard most IT professionals strive to achieve.  Availability is the estimated percentage of time that electrical power will be online and functioning properly to support the critical load. It is of critical importance, and is the foundation upon which successful businesses rely. According to the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., 93% of businesses that have lost availability in their data center for 10 days or more have filed for bankruptcy within one year. The cost of one episode of downtime can cripple an organization. The availability of the public power distribution, while sufficient for many organizations, is ill-equipped to support mission-critical functions. Therefore, planning for redundancy, or the introduction of alternate or additional means of support is a necessity. Redundancy can be thought of as a safety-net or Plan B should power utility fail, or be inadequate. One of the ways in which to increase data center power availability is through a UPS.