Above all else, the Data Center electrical system must be dependable-capable of keeping servers and networking devices running no matter what external conditions might be. It's easy to assume that this dependability comes entirely from the capacity of Data Center's electrical infrastructure—the greater its source of power, both primary and backup, the more reliable the server environment.

This is true only to a point. The largest power source in the world does a Data Center little good if its electrical system isn't carefully thought out. As TechXact designs a Data Center's electrical infrastructure, we include the following system features to avert unnecessary downtime.

Unless the building in which Data Center is located is dedicated entirely to server space, the building has a mixture of power requirements. Air conditioners, elevators, office equipment, desktop computers, break room refrigerators-everything down to the electric pencil sharpener on someone's desk requires power. Provide separate power sources and infrastructure for Data Center items than for others that are less essential. You don't want the air handlers in your server environment shutting down on a hot day because the air conditioning system for the rest of the building drew in more electricity than a shared power source was able to provide.

TechXact design does not allow the server environment, specifically its electrical system, to be vulnerable to failure from any single event or malfunction. To reduce the chances of power interruptions to servers, TechXact always do the following:

TechXact always design electrical system so that major components don't have to be brought offline for regular maintenance or, if they do, that electrical loads can first be transferred to other equipment without an interruption of power. We don’t want to have to take Data Center servers and networking devices offline for non-emergency work.

Designing the in-room portion of Data Center's electrical infrastructure includes deciding what components to use to deliver power to servers and networking devices. Electrical infrastructure elements include the following:

Pre-wire cabinet locations in Data Center with power receptacles. Managing a room with pre-installed infrastructure is much easier than running new electrical conduits every time a new server arrives. While this practice adds to the initial cost of the Data Center, it is less disruptive and potentially less expensive in the long run, too.

Data Center electrical system must be extensive enough to support the room when it is completely filled with servers. To begin determining your Data Center's power needs, extrapolate from how many cabinet locations are in the room and their maximum possible power draw. The basic formula is simple: (volts * amps)/1000 = kilovolt amps (kva).

TechXact has greater knowledge of the servers, networking devices, and other equipment coming in to Data Center, the more accurately we can calculate the room's future electrical needs. Servers and networking devices aren't the only items in the Data Center that need to be powered, however. Account for the draw of room's air handlers, overhead lights, badge access readers, and miscellaneous convenience outlets, as well.

When designing the Data Center's electrical system, TechXact provide an abundant number of circuits. Few electrical devices, including server and networking equipment, draw the maximum power that a circuit can provide. Therefore most server environments run out of available circuits well before they approach the room's maximum electrical capacity.

TechXact approach is to run flexible electrical conduits, from large power distribution units (PDUs) directly to each cabinet location. This works moderately well in a smaller server environment with a limited number of electrical conduits. The conduits travel a relatively short distance and can be managed so they stay neat and organized. This approach doesn't work very well for large Data Centers, however, especially when cabinet locations require multiple power receptacles. Running each electrical conduit directly from the source power panel in more or less a straight line to a destination cabinet requires rivers of conduits to cross over one another. This is problematic when the time comes to relocate whips or perform or electrical work in the Data Center.

TechXact’s design for larger server environments is installation of electrical substations at the end of each row in the form of circuit panels. Run conduits from power distribution units against the Data Center wall to the circuit panels and then a subset of connections to the server cabinet locations.

This configuration uses shorter electrical conduits, which makes it easier to manage, less expensive to install, and more resistant to a physical accident in the Data Center.

For greater reliability, TechXact run the electrical conduits to server cabinet locations from separate sources. Most server cabinets come with two power strips, so plug each strip into a different receptacle. If one power distribution unit malfunctions-a rare occurrence-servers remain online thanks to the second power supply. TechXact makes sure to only load each PDU to 50 percent of their capacity. That way each unit has can carry the load if a second PDU does falter.

Different regions of the world have their own electrical standards for voltage, frequency, and wiring, not to mention an array of plugs and sockets containing unique shapes, sizes, and prong configurations. For instance, Europe and most other countries in the world generally use between 220 and 240 volts, whereas Japan and North America use between 100 and 127 volts. TechXact are familiar with local power requirements when designing Data Center's electrical infrastructure, as well as the predominant power requirements of incoming equipment.