Prefabricated data centres: agile, efficient solutions from core to edge

• Alex Nivar of Vertiv explains how prefabricated data centres help companies upgrade their critical infrastructure in an agile, efficient way in the face of the pandemic’s challenges.

By Alex Nivar, sales operations manager at Vertiv for Mexico and NSA (Northern South America)

If any company was putting off upgrading its mission-critical infrastructure, it now faces the biggest challenge in decades: the continuity challenges arising from the pandemic.

Companies providing vital services, such as hospitals, government, banking and telcos, among others, found that their critical infrastructure could not cope with the huge demand of new data traffic requirements.

Network operators are a clear example. Workplace closures and mandatory quarantine have caused an exponential increase in the use of telecommunication networks for social connectivity, access to information, entertainment (video streaming, gaming, etc.) and professional use (video calls, video conferencing, etc.), saturating the networks. This has put operators in a tight spot as they struggle to guarantee adequate quality levels for their customers.

Increasingly variable demands and requirements for connectivity, bandwidth and data traffic, among others, will accelerate the deployment of sites at the network edge (edge) and bring 5G network rollout forward faster than anticipated.

Data centres at the network edge have been gaining importance for some time, as they enable data processing close to where it originates, unlike core data centres (core) which are more centralised and form the heart of the network.

One technology that helps address the challenges facing the data centre industry is building efficient, agile and globally consistent solutions from core to edge, such as prefabricated modular data centres (PFM).

At Vertiv we are working closely with our business partners in Central America and the Caribbean to offer fully integrated, smart solutions designed for agile, fast and safe deployment.

If you want to set up a small data centre faster, expand capacity with cloud and colocation services, or install a submarine cable landing station, prefabricated solutions are an excellent option. Low-risk, high-value deployments have the added advantages of fast delivery and simpler on-site assembly.

We know every project is different and that the selection, assembly and configuration of new solutions varies by application, but most prefabricated data centres have similar benefits. In my experience, savings of up to 67% in deployment time and up to 53% in operating costs can be achieved for smaller solutions.

Here are the main advantages of integrated data centre solutions for companies looking to accelerate their data centre (DC) deployment.

Rapid design: Leveraging repeatable subsystem component designs allows simplicity, resulting in a low-risk, efficient and automated design process. Mass-customisation designs for mechanical systems are uniquely easy to operate and low-cost thanks to a system that uses a repeatable, standardised modular approach.

This efficiency at the front end of the process can cut installation time by months, and organisations looking to accelerate deployment should consider it as an option.

In addition, the set of component standards removes inherent limitations in terms of functionality or aesthetics.

Custom integration: Highly complex electrical and mechanical integration activities are offloaded to the factory, where quality and speed can be maintained. All systems are designed and configured together, resulting in a carefully integrated installation that can meet the highest standards of availability and efficiency.

Assembly in a controlled factory environment allows greater control over fit, finish and workmanship, and allows more thorough pre-testing and optimisation.

Simple assembly: Clear, concise documentation gives teams the essential information to assemble modules with little effort. The focus on assembly rather than construction and integration drastically reduces complexity, as well as the risk of malfunction or installing a poorly configured system. Barrier-free assembly allows deployment anywhere in the world, without the need for experienced, highly trained local construction teams at each site. This creates opportunities to extend global reach to regions of the world previously considered inaccessible.

PFM is on the rise, with overall risk reduction through better quality control, repeatable results and simplified project management.

Vertiv offers a market-leading line of fully integrated, smart solutions designed for agile deployment and quick, easy start-up through the following product lines: SmartCabinet™, SmartRow™, SmartAisle™, SmartMod™.

About the author

Alex Nivar is sales operations manager for Mexico and NSA (Northern South America) at Vertiv. His responsibilities include leading the region’s Engineering and Business Intelligence teams.

Alex has more than 15 years of experience in protecting mission-critical applications, with an emphasis on AC Power and Thermal Management. He started as a service engineer for power systems, moving through various positions that have allowed him to serve the Data Centre and Telecommunications industry.

He previously served as manager for Central America and the Caribbean and held various Service, Project and Sales roles at technology companies in the Caribbean.

He studied electrical engineering at Universidad APEC in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and holds an MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.