Excursion to SuperNAP 8 – new manufacturability Switch

I must say that the Russian market data centers can be proud of. According to the classification Uptime Institute, in our country 10 data centers TIER III level and one – TIER IV, the highest level in terms of the certifying organization. Moreover, Russia has its own unit and representative Uptime Institute, which in itself speaks not only of trust, but also increased the need for certification of national projects.

The fact that Russia has built the highest level of data center reliability, we have already mentioned , having a small tour of the facility. And today we have an excursion to one of the most technologically advanced and large data centers today. This new project SuperNAP 8 from the company Switch. This company, as you know, always gets in the news reports in connection with some unimaginable projects. A CEO and founder Rob Roy (Rob Roy) is famous because of patented inventions for 218 data centers, including in the field of cooling solutions, high-density data centers, network equipment, dealing with the consequences for the environment.

In 2009, settled Switch market by building the first SuperNAP – tech data center with nearly 40 thousand square meters of usable space. He still rented the world’s largest technology companies and more than 40 cloud providers. And today we are talking about SuperNAP 8 because this is another unique project by, stuffed with all sorts of technological innovations and also received a certificate level TIER IV of Uptime Institute. Needless to say, it’s a mark of distinction, in fact allows us to consider every such separate data centers?

SuperNAP 8 – is the culmination of all the research findings, inventions and Rob Roy’s attempts to rethink the data center itself. The project is designed so that data centers can operate in any climate: it is, of course, a claim of global expansion. This was the company’s intention is the fact that Switch did from his new kind of efficient data center template for the construction and dissemination of data centers.

“We were seriously focused on how to create the world’s best data center – says Rob Roy. – SuperNAP 8 – is the end point of our efforts. I just wanted to see if we can develop a global standard for our data centers. “

As I have said, we do have reason to be proud, because not every region on the map can note the presence of DPC highest level of reliability and so many centers level TIER III. And the statistics that only emphasizes, as the U.S. market has traditionally been considered developed, only four data center TIER IV. But all of them, like ours, are tailored to the needs of a single customer – and, accordingly, are located there only one power company. It should be noted that SuperNAP 8 became the first Uptime Institute TsODom who got the proverbial “fourth level”, being bell-center. That is, it will have a lot of clients with their preferences and demands, but they keep within the scope of the requirements TIER IV.

SuperNAP 8 built using modular components made of the same Switch. Main unit, known as MacroMOD, accommodates two corridors with columns: here will be placed client servers. Switch for their own use provided another of the same unit. MacroMOD allowed to make significant progress in the sense of a very important parameter for the data center PUE (energy efficiency), which have SuperNAP 8 is 1.18, while the average efficiency of data centers Google hovers around 1.12. Despite the fact that Google uses its data centers alone, not renting. A bell-centers are less flexible in energy consumption, so this level of PUE says a lot. SuperNAP 8 operates at a temperature of +69 C ° and 40% humidity. DPCs scale IT market players, such as Google and Facebook, are closer to the mark of 80 degrees.

From a design standpoint since the first SuperNAP (now known as SuperNAP 7) changed the internal structure of the data center. In previous versions of power units housed in the center of the room with rows of racks and shields on the sides. Now all the power units and shield are in the same part of the building along the exterior wall, and rows of server racks located throughout the rest of the territory. Cooling modules, which should talk separately, are outside the building. Infographics below shows how the generator is located, panel, power units, cooling. Separation of electrical and cooling systems servers to achieve high reliability, even in case of problems with the power supply.

For a new data center in the Switch is designed specifically enlarged version of custom cooling modules, each capable of conditioned to 1000 tons of air (the previous version was only 600 tons). Modules are interesting in that they support six different cooling modes. Special software development platform manages the system, choosing the method according to the temperature inside and outside the premises. Uncharacteristic for these modules at the top of the tabs are designed to vent hot air and warm up if necessary at the expense of frost and snow, which is important for cold climates. Another feature of the system is cooling modules Rotofly. This rotary flywheels built into every HVAC-module. The failure of the power supply for a long time they will cool the server room by pumping cold air through the corridors of the equipment.

Another item on our tour will be the invention CEO Rob Roy – Architecture Black Iron Forest. This system of distribution space within the data center, built on special steel racks, indeed reminiscent of the forest. This “forest” has two functions – physically support data center modules (like on stilts) and cool them as well alloy maintains the desired temperature by acting as a radiator.

Another element of the data center, which usually does not say – it’s … roof! The fact that 99% of data centers are faced with the need to change the roof over the lifetime, and during the removal of the center is very vulnerable. Therefore SuperNAP8 applied technology SwitchSHIELD – in fact, it is a double reinforced roof, calmly withstand wind up to 90 m / c. And, of course, if the roof will have to change, this would be no threat to the operation of the data center.

Thus, Switch right before our eyes set new industry standards for global data center market. Because that market will develop in the direction of greater resiliency, no doubt. And here will be important every detail – from material containers modular centers to roofs and flywheels in the cooling system. It’s time to beg the question of reliability for data center operators. A Switch in the meantime plans to build SuperNAP 9 – data center on 56 000 square meters.