Edge data centers are a perfect way to take advantage of recent technological innovations. Edge computing streamlines data center maintenance, but proper preparation is also important. Here are some steps for starting an edge data center.

1. Confirm The Location

Location refers to both the physical location of the specific site and the geographic area where the data center will be built. It is important to choose a location that is close enough to the target market, with windowless facilities, high-speed network capabilities, and adequate square footage. The lack of windows will allow better control over indoor climate and security.

2. Plan Power

Make sure to plan for both current power needs and potential future power needs. Confirm the average power requirement per rack or cabinet, the amount of uninterrupted power supplies intended to be used, how many utility grids the building can be serviced by, and if there will be enough backup power from emergency generators. According to Ciena, a typical data center consumes more than 100 times the power of a large commercial office building, but a large data center uses power equivalent to a small U.S. town.

3. Prepare Cooling

Planning and preparing the cooling conditions of the data center location is important. You can expect around half the power used by the data center to go towards the HVAC system. Confirm if data center air conditioning will be used, how the climate coming off of the equipment in the data center can be maintained, and how many BTUs the space can support.

4. Determine Design

With all of the previous factors taken into consideration, you can begin to build a final design for the data center. You must also consider how the design will incorporate lighting, how the building will be secured, and the level of fire safety in the facility, including the fire suppression system. Additionally, you will want to determine a timeline from logistical, budgetary, and regulatory restrictions before moving on to the construction.

5. Construct the Center

At this point, all of your planning should be complete, and you can build the data center. You will need to partner with contractors to properly complete the data center construction and ensure you stick to your timeline.
After following each of these steps, you can rest assured with your new edge data center and begin to take advantage of its benefits. Contact us today for reliable assistance with the designing, building, and maintaining of your data center.