Data Centers: MEP, Fire Protection, and Equipment Rooms

Connectivity. The internet of things. Uptime. Reliability. What are these things? These are all terms and concepts that relate to the always connected, always “on” world that has evolved out of the digital age. The cornerstone of these concepts is the modern data center – massive, hulking, and also secretive buildings that house the hardware, firmware, and software that power our everyday lives. Email, phone calls, Facebook, Google – these are all services provided by the computers housed in data centers. They are located all over the country and the world. They are in high rise buildings in dense urban areas, and they are located in remote rural campuses. They are small, occupying a few thousand square feet in old, Tier I locations, or they can be massive, hundreds of thousands of square feet with 50MW of electrical power. These technological marvels require significant infrastructure to maintain the always-on, always-available status that we demand of services in the modern world. That level of reliability is not achieved through chance. Significant effort and expense is required to facilitate conditions that are conducive to 24×7 reliability. Not the least of which are Mechanical, Electrical, Fire Protection, and Security Systems for these centers.   In this course, we will dive into the complexities of these systems. By the end of this course, you will be familiar with the unique language and terms used to discuss the various elements of these systems – like PDU, UPS, EUI, and PUE (and, no, since this is not a one-man interpretation of Robin Williams’ efforts in “Good Morning, Vietnam!” you can rest assured that I didn’t make up any of those terms). You will also be able to understand the challenging design strategies that drive the installation and maintenance of these complex and integrated systems, and you will also have a much more in-depth understanding of the costs that drive data center design, construction, and maintenance efforts.   Note: This course offers subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish.