Learning guide: How to design a server room

Article

Learning guide: How to design a server room

It's a known fact: the heart of IT operations is the server room.

Given that, it's crucial that a server room's design be one that is well-thought-out and as refined as necessary before it's built out.

But how do you determine what makes the most efficient setup? How can you plan one that will grow as your company's technology needs expand? It is definitely possible to have a data center configuration that will serve a company for years without requiring a major overhaul or frequent redesigns.

The key: You must understand the crucial elements that go into the design, plan for expansion and growth, and build intelligent overcapacity into the design.

Whether you are starting from ground zero or need to revise what you already have in place, here is an eight-step plan to help you design a data center your company will appreciate and you can be proud of.

 

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HOW TO DESIGN A SERVER ROOM

  Home: Introduction
  Step 1: Determine size requirements
  Step 2: Reserve a location
  Step 3: Power Requirements
  Step 4: Environmental concerns
  Step 5: Rack solutions and cable management
  Step 6: Flooring: choice of materials matter
  Step 7: Security
  Step 8: Finalize the layout

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 
Bernie Klinder, MVP, consultant
Bernie Klinder is a technology consultant for a number of Fortune 500 companies. He is also the founder and former editor of LabMice.net, a comprehensive resource index for IT professionals who support Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 and BackOffice products. For his contributions to the information technology community, Bernie was selected as an MVP (Most Valuable Professional) by Microsoft. Copyright 2004 TechTarget