7x24 Magazine 2015 Spring

Performance

– In a prefabricated data center,

all systems are designed and configured in

concert, resulting in a tightly integrated facility

that can meet the highest standards of

availability and efficiency. Assembly in a factory-controlled

environment enables more control over the fit, finish and

quality of workmanship, and supports more thorough pre-

testing and optimization prior to delivery.

Cost

– One of the most powerful benefits of a

prefabricated data center is that it does not

require the value of faster deployment to be

weighed against the additional costs

commonly associated with faster delivery. Prefabricated

data centers leverage economies of scale and streamlined

processes made possible by offsite assembly to enable

faster deployment at a lower cost.

In some situations, the economics may even change the

cost-benefit analysis of expanding an existing facility or

choosing a new build. A prefabricated data center may

enable an organization to move a data center to a more

desirable location at about the same cost as expanding

and updating an existing facility.

Organizations have realized these benefits of

prefabrication in limited sizes and configurations for years.

Now, facility-scale, fully customizable data centers can

benefit from the same approach.

Facebook is a recent example of how the process can

shorten the time required to bring new data centers

online. The company recently pioneered an innovative

approach to data center construction called “rapid

deployment data center” – prefabricating modules for an

entire custom-designed, freestanding facility and then

assembling those modules on-site.

While this example is specific to a hyperscale data center,

that doesn’t mean the prefabrication process is limited to

that environment. It is viable for new builds of all shapes

and sizes.

Eric Wilcox is the Vice President of Engineering and Operations, Hyperscale Solutions at Emerson Network Power.

He can be reached at