Iron Mountain is seeking UL 3223 data center certification for the first building of its Manassas, Va., hyperscale data center. The 165,000-square-foot building is scheduled to open in August 2017.Environmental Systems DesignWhile there are many colocation providers in the industry, only a few have announced they are dedicated to the hyperscale data center industry. Due to the large footprint and utility consumption, not all colocation providers are set up for hyperscale. Companies such as Equinix, or newly formed Cyxtera Technologies, are designed to support smaller rack installations and offer managed services but are not yet designed to support the hyperscale tenant. Here are some of the collocation/wholesale providers that have announced hyperscale offerings:
• Digital Realty Trust. A REIT and the largest provider boasting more than 156 data centers worldwide, Digital Realty Trust recently announced a merger with a major competitor, Du Pont Fabros, which will create a footprint of 168 data centers worldwide. The purchase of Du Pont Fabros is the largest acquisition in the industry, with the deal valued at $7.6 billion.
• Cyrus One (C1). C1 has more than 35 data centers worldwide, and has created a “speed-to-market” approach for hyperscale tenants. Large footprints are available with ample power to support cloud.
• QTS. The firm recently announced it was targeting hyperscale tenants, offering 2MW of capacity at each of its mega data center sites.
• Iron Mountain. Currently, Iron Mountain’s project in Manassas, Va., will be able to support up to 40MW of hyperscale tenants and offer energy credits. The first building is 165,000 square feet, and the land is scalable up to four buildings total. The facility is set to open in August 2017.
UL data center certification
Currently, few cloud or collocation providers use a certification program for ongoing operations. With so much use of cloud services, UL is developing a certification that addresses infrastructure, security, reliability, sustainability, and commissioning in a single program. Due to the size of the market, and the importance of cloud processing, UL 3223 is a custom-focused program for the cloud and collocation industry. The purpose of the UL Data Center Certification Program is to assess secure operations; the program will address the continued reliability of key components of critical infrastructure by integrating multiple disciplines to create a comprehensive service.
The QTS Chicago data center has applied for UL 3223 certification and will be among the first existing data centers to achieve certification. The application covers 4MW of critical power installed with a design load of 40MW.
The first building of Iron Mountain’s four-building Manassas campus has applied for UL 3223 certification for design and construction. The facility supports 10.5MW of critical power and will be the first to be evaluated by UL during commissioning.
Phase I of the program will consist of an international roll-out when it is completed in 2018, with additional phases anticipated in data center operations and training.
Paul Schlattman is senior vice president, ESD Consulting, for Environmental Systems Design, Inc., Chicago. The firm designs and consults for three of the top five hyperscale clients worldwide, and four of the top five colocation/wholesale providers. The firm is working with UL to develop the data center certification program. Schlattman can be reached at pschlattman@esdglobal.com.
Email comments and questions to edward.sullivan@tradepress.com.
SIDEBAR: UL and ESD To Talk Hyperscale At Critical Facilities
UL and Environmental Systems Design will discuss UL’s Data Center Certification Program based on UL 3223 at the Critical Facilities Summit in Minneapolis. The session, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 24, will cover requirements of the 3223 standard, review components of the certification program, as well as common causes of outages.
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