The micro data center is a standalone data center has all the functions of a traditional room type data center. Its quite different from traditional data center building method.
As a trusted professional partner of Micro data center (MDC) products, what questions and information shall you ask and collect from customers?

Check below the question checklist we prepared for you to design and deploy successful micro data center projects. The full list of the Questionnaires can be downloaded here >> Questionnaires for Micro Data Center Design

General Information

The overall size and construction standards are the primary key issues in the construction of a micro data center, and specific sites and systems can be designed afterwards.

1. The level of construction of a micro data center?
   When designing a data center, its usually refer to the industry standards, such as the tire level set by Uptime Institute. It levels from Tier 1 to Tier 4 with the availability of basic to fault tolerant. Check here for detail of Tire level of data center design.

   
   Data Center Tier Availability Level

2. What is the IT load?
   The construction scale of the data center is directly related to the size of the IT load. It is important to accurately determine the size of the IT load.
3. Future expansion needs? 
   It is also important to determine the scale of capacity expansion in the future. The initial IT load of the micro data center is often small, and it will be designed at the initial IT scale.

Site Environment

A detailed understanding of project site characteristics to provide a solution that meets the real needs of users, through the following issues to confirm in detail, if inaccurate may cause MDC products can not be used normally.

1. What is the altitude of the project location?
   As the altitude increases, the rated capacity of MDC products will decrease accordingly, and the application for high altitude areas needs to be de-rated.
2. Does the project location have special environmental factors?
   These include high-salt and high-humidity air environments that have serious impact on electronic equipment, as well as climatic and environmental impacts such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and frequent lightning.
3. What is the size of the installation site?
   The size of the available space, the internal height, to lay out the device location
4. Is it installed in an area where people are active?
   If the MDC product is installed in a venue where personnel are active, such as an office, then noise is limited, and the equipment noise is usually kept below 55 dB(A).
5. Is the micro data center built outdoors or indoors?
   Micro data centers have different solutions for both outdoor and indoor types.

Power System

The planning and design of the power system is the key content of the construction of the micro data center. The MDC can be designed with reasonable power supply and distribution system through the following contents.

1. What input power specifications can the site provide?
   Power voltage, phase, frequency, for the site.
2. Is there 1 or 2 power supply ? Or one power supply + one gen-set?
3. Is it UPS or DC power, or is it mixed?
   UPS systems are usually used, but fewer customers may use 48VDC or UPS+48VDC mode, depending on the type of IT equipment.
4. What is the backup time of the power system?
   Users often need backup time, but with dual power input or one power + gen-set, the UPS system has 15 minutes of backup time is good for most of the applications, and also how many hours of backup time does the gen-set need?
5. What is the total power requirements and power density?
   The total power requirement shall be clearly determined, and power density of the cabinet can usually be designed according to the type of IT load, usually kept at 5~10KW/Rack. If it is too high or too low, it will affect the overall cost, so it needs to be confirmed by the customer.
6. Lightning protection and protective earthing
   Lightning protection and protective earthing are necessary. The lightning protection level and earthing method are determined according to the power and site conditions on site.
7. PDU specifications and functions
   The number and format of the output sockets of each cabinet PDU are determined according to the number of IT equipment installed in the cabinet and the form of the power plug, also check whether the PDU needs monitoring, management, etc.

Cooling System

A reasonable cooling system design can provide a stable temperature and humidity environment for IT equipment, and efficient operation saves electricity costs.

1. What type of cooling system?
   Air cooled DX type are usually used in micro data centers, but there are also demand for chilled water.
2. Is there an installation position of the condenser ?
   If there is no condenser installation position, the cooling system can choose an integrated air conditioner; if there is condenser installation position, you need to know the positive and negative drop of the condenser and the indoor unit and the pipeline connection distance.
3. Does the air cooling require a low temperature component?
   According to local climate data, it can be determined that the minimum temperature < -15 ° C (5 ° F) requires low temperature components
4. Air cooling drainage consideration
   After the air cooling is installed, can the condensed water be discharged to the near drain port, or the outside of the room by natural gravity? Otherwise may need to consider the water evaporation kit or condensate pump kit to remove the water.
5. Does the air cooling require humidification?
   The humidification function can be recommended according to local climatic conditions. If humidification is required, the inlet water pipeline is required at the site.

Cabinets and Shelters

Well-configured cabinet sizes and quantities can meet current and future capacity expansion. The cabinet of micro data center system is always designed in fully closed manner to form a self-contained, plug & play solution.

1. How many cabinets are needed to install IT equipment?
   Determined based on cabinet design power density and IT load
2. What is the size of the cabinet?
   Cabinet width: 600 or 800 mm? Cabinet height: 42U or 45U or 52U or others?
3. The dimension requirements for the shelters(container)?
   The shelter for the micro data center could be ISO container or special designed container.
4. Does the interior of the system require lighting?
   Whether the interior of the front and rear doors of the cabinet needs lighting to better observe the internal equipment of the cabinet
5. Do you need the cable routing components at the top of the cabinet?
   Optional M-type dual-channel cable assembly installed on the top of the cabinet.

Security System

The security system is very important for the micro data center as its usually used as a complete data center without dedicated room.

1. Video surveillance
   Determine the content and storage duration of video surveillance
2. Access control system?
   Does the front door and the rear door of the cabinet need an access control system? Does the access control system need to have fingerprint + password + card opening function?

Fire System

There is no doubt that a regulated data center requires a strict fire protection system that protects the safety of people and equipment.

1. Types of fire protection systems
   According to the fire-extinguishing substances, the common types of fire protection include Novec1230 , FM200, etc. In the data center, we recommend the FM200 fire system.
2. Do you need a pipe system?
   The piping system can make the fire extinguishing gas reach the fire point faster, and the fire extinguishing efficiency is higher. The pipe system can be adopted in the container data center.
3. Early smoke detection system
   Fire can be detected early stage of the fire, reducing losses.
4. Fire linkage
   Linkage requirements for fire protection systems and equipment such as power distribution, air conditioning and monitoring access control

Environmental Monitoring System

The proper monitoring system can bring obvious help to the operation and maintenance of the micro data center, and understand the user’s needs through the following questions.

1. What parameters need to be monitored?
   Infrastructure equipment such as UPS, air conditioning, power distribution, environmental equipment such as temperature and humidity, smoke, water leakage, access control, video and other security equipment? what is the amount?
2. Do you need remote monitoring, centralized monitoring?
   Single MDC has the monitoring port allows customers to view MDC operations at any time, any where. MDC For multi-site applications some customer may requires remote and centralized monitoring by a third party DCIM system.
3. What communication protocol is required for remote or centralized monitoring?
   This kind of monitoring is usually implemented through the network. Which network protocol is used? SNMP,  Modbus-TCP or others?
4. Alarm notification type
   Monitoring alarms could be notified by audible and visual alarm,  SMS, E-mail.

Please discuss with us for more information if you  need any further help.