5 Steps To Building Your Own Data Center

If the past two years are evidence of anything, it is that the data never sleeps. Right from 2020, we have seen a surge of connectivity, user distribution, and a deeper focus on systems that keep running round the clock: Data Centers.

The one clear statistic you can pull from it all is that the Indian Colocation Data Center market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21% from 375 MW in H1 2020 to 1,078 MW by 2025.

It is also important to understand that the Cloud isn’t going anywhere. Now, the only variable within the data ecosystem is how enterprises approach Cloud computing at scale. In line with this, tremendous savings are being noticed in switching to subscription-based OPEX models from upfront CAPEX investments.

To begin with, Edge to Cloud, automation to mechanisation, data integrity to security – Data Center leaders have a lot to consider. Putting it all in a single basket, this article covers how evolving organisations can start by building their own Data Centers.

Phase One: Assessment

The very first question to answer before the entire process initiates is – whether the Data Center would be built-to-suit or spec build. You see, unlike a Colocation Data Center where dynamic requirements can be managed, a privately constructed Data Center needs to be set in line as per the company’s long-term business plans. Once the developer finalises the target customer and project goals, only then can activities such as site selection begin. Plus, in many cases, Data Center real estate developers tend to follow a standard design which may not be beneficial in the long run. Hence, it is imperative to look at the following factors while considering a Data Center site:

  • Available land and applicable zoning
  • Soil testing
  • Existing buildings on and around the property
  • Topography
  • Electric power supply
  • Water supply
  • Fibre connectivity
  • Staffing and accessibility
  • Natural disaster profile

Phase Two: Planning

The planning phase can be undertaken concurrently with the design and site selection processes. In some scenarios, it even supersedes the first step to ensure timely deployment and strategy implementation. Since the Data Center is built from scratch, the developer outlines multiple parameters around the Power Usage Efficiency (PUE), N or N+1 redundancies, intended use cases, renewable energy, security, staffing, and permits that must be addressed comprehensively. Bottlenecks such as simultaneous phase distribution are also taken care of during this time.

Below are some of the common mistakes made during the Data Center planning stage:

  • Focusing only on the CAPEX and not the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
  • Poor cost-to-build estimate
  • Overcomplicated designing with lower reliability
  • Not understanding the cost-time impact of design choices

Phase Three: Design

At this stage, Data Center viability-specific questions need to be answered like – sustainability certification, rack density goal, number of floors, and more. As discussed earlier, some design elements will borrow heavily from the last two phases. Hence, it is important to establish broad and standard criteria to streamline the design process.

Depending on whether you go for a “design-build” or one-stop-shop, the work will either need to be handled in-house or outsourced to specialist service providers. Either way, the complications in contrast to Colocation Data Centers shall rise meteorically. To bring it all together, the electrical, mechanical, and architectural teams shall collaborate cohesively, pushing towards the next phase.

Phase Four: Construction and Commissioning

This is where you begin building the Data Center. The partners and contractors work in synergy in order to execute the completed designs, thus rendering a justifiable timeline for the CAPEX investment.

The catch here is that while a simple powered-shell design might only take 3 to 4 months, a much more complicated Hyperscale, built-to-suit Data Center can be under construction for up to 2 years. With the immediate demand for Cloud computing and On-ramp services, it becomes a stress test to maintain the integrity of organisational data without depending on a Colocation facility.

Phase Five: Operation

In reality, only the development phase is completed with the construction and commissioning. Operations only begin once you occupy the space and deploy your resources via the Cloud. At this point, the Data Center developer works towards collecting real-time data on the utilisation and performance of the servers. The results lend insights into whether the systems work well with each other or not. If there are any inconsistencies, then they need to be translated into actionable agendas, which more often than not mean reiterating certain phases and adding on to the overall time and investment.

A Better Alternative To Building Your Own Data Center?

What’s mentioned above is only a blueprint of what your Data Center construction should look like. How you execute the playbook as per your requirements is completely dependent on your organisational goals and phase-to-phase transition.

From a longevity perspective, the primary reasons many enterprises choose to build their own Data Center are security and control. While both these aspects have an extreme impact on the functionality of a service, they can also be easily achieved by outsourcing your data load to an established Colocation Data Center facility. This essentially saves the thousands of hours of work and a higher CAPEX dedicated to going through the five phases and ensures on-demand scalability that only a Colocation Data Center provider can offer.

As India’s leading Tier III Colocation Data Center provider, Web Werks offers a cohesive Interconnection ecosystem of local, national, and global ISPs with Cloud On-Ramp Services, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and Internet Exchanges (IEs). We also extend our connectivity to some of the country’s largest Peering Exchanges like DE-CIX, Extreme IX, and NIXI, which help you run resource-heavy applications without any bottlenecks.

Furthermore, major Hyperscale Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) like Azure, AWS, and Google come within the ambit of our Cloud On-ramp services for Private, Public, SAP-certified, and Hybrid Multi-Cloud deployment. This is coupled with 3 state-of-the-art TIER III Data Centers spread across Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi-NCR, with more coming up in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Additionally, organisations get seamless cross-country localisation through unrestricted access to 15+ advanced Data Centers spread across the US, Europe, and APAC in partnership with our Joint Venture partner Iron Mountain Data Centers.

To learn how Web Werks can help you achieve superior Data Center efficiencies at a fragment of the cost of building your own Data Center, please visit https://www.webwerks.in or get in touch with us on ‌‌ +91 8828 335 555.