To accommodate increasingly dense technology environments, increasingly critical business applications, and increasingly stringent service level demands, data centers are typically engineered to deliver the highest-affordable availability levels facility-wide. Within this monolithic design approach, the same levels of mechanical, electrical, and IT infrastructure are installed to support systems and applications regardless of their criticality or business risk if unplanned downtime occurs. Typically, high redundancy designs are deployed in order to provide for all eventualities. The result, in many instances, is to unnecessarily drive up both upfront construction or retro-fitting costs and ongoing operating expenses.
The Multi-tiered Hybrid Data CenterAn innovative design model for cost reduction and facilities optimization
Table of contentsExecutive summary 2The data center dilemma 2Traditional data center designs 2Single-tiered design. 2Multi-tiered (pod) design. 3HP multi-tiered hybrid design 4Innovative topology . 4Business focused design methodology . 5Prospective business outcomes 6Conclusion 7For further information 7Executive summary The majority of data centers are mixed technology environments populated with systems and applications To accommodate increasingly dense technology of varying criticality and business priorities. A environments, increasingly critical business bank's ATM technology must be available 24x7, and applications, and increasingly stringent service level therefore requires Tier 4 types of availability. But demands, data centers are typically engineered applications sharing the same facility-for example, to deliver the highest-affordable availability levels check processing or funds transfer-may not be facility-wide. Within this monolithic design approach, severely affected by some downtime instances and the same levels of mechanical, electrical, and IT could therefore be accommodated by lower-tier infrastructure are installed to support systems and redundancy operational levels. applications regardless of their criticality or business risk if unplanned downtime occurs. Typically, high- However, as application availability and proactive redundancy designs are deployed in order to provide downtime prevention become perceived as for all eventualities. The result, in many instances, is increasingly central to business success, the trend to unnecessarily drive up both upfront construction or has been to build data centers to the highest tier retro-fitting costs and ongoing operating expenses. the enterprise's budget allows. Entire facilities are often designed to accommodate the availability The HP multi-tiered hybrid design approach, by requirements of just a few business processes. The contrast, "right-sizes" the data center redundancy high redundancy levels these processes require infrastructure by engineering the facility to are extended across the data center, regardless of incorporate multiple operational environments, each other systems' and applications' often substantially aligned with business priorities and the criticality lesser availability requirements, downtime risks, and of specific technology systems and applications. business significance. Technology environments that, according to rigorous business-impact analysis, require similar levels of Not surprisingly, increased redundancy of redundancy-high, mid-level, or low- are grouped mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) infrastructures, within segmented raised floor spaces ("pods") computer networks and subsystems, uninterruptible supported by "right-sized" facilities and technology power supplies (UPS), telecommunications equipment, infrastructure. HP multi-tiered hybrid design can and the like equates to increased overall costs. reduce capital costs typically by 15 to 25 percent*. Because this architecture conserves energy, To further complicate matters, this substantially requires fewer support resources, and operates increased cost and complexity come at a time when more efficiently, it can substantially cut total cost of executive management and IT organizations are ownership (TCO) as well. struggling to gain control over data center operational frameworks and are operating within tight budgetary constraints.The data center dilemma The complexities involved in planning, designing, Traditional data center designsand deploying today's critical production data center environments have increased... [download for more]
