Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.10, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Future-tech Data Centre Design, Build & Construction ## Posts ### [Bracknell Forest Council awarded EU Code of Conduct status](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/bracknell-forest-council-awarded-eu-code-of-conduct-status/) **Published:** April 29, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **Bracknell Forest Borough Council Awarded EU Code of Conduct ‘Participant’ status** During early April 2010 Bracknell Forest Borough Council were awarded ‘Participant’ status to the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency. Bracknell Forest is the first, and so far only, local authority within the UK to successfully join the code. This is a demonstration of their continued commitment to lowering carbon emissions and making financial savings, savings that all councils are going to have to make during these difficult economic times. “We felt it was important to embrace best practices within our data centre at Time Square. Future-tech were chosen to update our existing facility and bring these practices into place. We had already reduced our number of servers through a programme of virtualisation and Future-tech were then able to introduce cold aisle containment. This in turn has allowed us to switch one of our air conditioning units to standby, resulting in a substantial saving in our cooling costs.” “Once these changes were in place signing up to the code seemed the next logical step. To ensure the Council were successful, and to show their commitment to us and the code, Future-tech helped us through the application process. This made joining very simple, easy and most importantly quick. Like most Authorities in the UK resources are tight and value for money is a high priority, so we are delighted with the results working with Future-tech has produced. We are proud of our data centre and proud to be the first local authority within the UK to join the code.” Iain Berry, Bracknell Forest Borough Council **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Can we use AI to Reduce Energy Consumption in Data Centres?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/can-we-use-ai-to-reduce-energy-consumption-in-data-centres/) **Published:** February 27, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Can we use AI to Reduce Energy Consumption in Data Centres? by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Feb 27, 2025 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/consulting/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Reducing-data-centre-energy-consumption-1-1080x675.jpg) ## **Reducing Energy Consumption in Data Centres and the Increased Artificial Intelligence (AI) Power Demands** Energy consumption in data centres has become a growing concern for many as attention has been focussed on their environmental impact beyond simply power demand. Although not immediately impactful, recent [ESG reporting requirements](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/2025-data-centre-predictions/) are predicted to have a significant and developing effect on the demands for increased data centre sustainability and energy efficiency within the European Union and beyond in 2025. So, how can we effectively reduce energy consumption in data centres and will we eventually be able to do this using [Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-ai-affects-data-centres/)? In this blogpost, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due-Diligence, Mark Acton, discusses the most effective way to reduce energy consumption in data centres and debates whether AI itself will eventually enable lower data centre energy use. ## **Reducing Energy Consumption in Data Centres** The best, and arguably simplest, way to reduce overall energy consumption in data centres is to reduce the power consumption by the IT platforms hosted within data centres, for both AI platforms or applications, and more traditional compute (which is not going away anytime soon!). Current IT platforms are generally woefully inefficient with low level hardware utilisation, devices powered up but doing no useful work, unnecessary equipment duplication and redundancy, as well as applications and operating systems coded without any thought for energy efficiency or resource overhead. ## **Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Decreasing Data Centre Power Demands** Ultimately, we need to reduce the 1 in Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric, as opposed to solely focusing on the digits after the decimal point, as many, including legislators, seem intent on doing at the moment. A conspiracy theorist might even suggest that PUE was invented to hide or divert attention away from the lumbering IT inefficiency elephant lurking in the corner of every data centre hall! Genuine reductions in data centre energy consumption therefore require a multi-pronged approach – an ongoing reduction in the building overhead. However, the initiatives to improve IT hardware energy efficiency and the growing demand for ‘green’ software development are becoming increasingly important. Also, let’s not forget the power used in networks. There are currently groups working the energy consumption of subsea cables looking to introduce similar standardised Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to those we now have for data centres (ISO 30134 Series). ## **The Increasing Demand for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology** Ultimately, using AI to manage AI is a logical step… Tools that can optimise workload delivery, in terms of energy efficiency, across increasingly complex estates and that can manage and reduce the cooling required for hybrid and mixed density deployments using Machine Learning and AI (such as EkkoSoft from EkkoSense) are evidently the way forward. The data centre management tools with these enhanced features not only understand the environment that they are monitoring, or the processes they are managing, but they are also capable of offering AI based intelligent insight and solutions for energy efficiency that humans simply cannot bring to the table. That approach and the use of these tools is clearly marking the way forward. ## **Reduce data centre energy consumption and improve efficiency with Future-tech!** Future-tech is at the forefront of [data centre energy efficiency.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/energy-efficiency/) Our expert engineers have designed, implemented and optimised multiple location and customer specific design solutions taking advantage of emerging technologies and increased demands as required. With this knowledge we ensure the designs and technologies specified for your data centre deliver world leading energy efficiency performance and reliability. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out more! All Future-tech content is produced by human writers, without the use of any form of AI technology. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Data Centre Availability and Reliability – An Explanation & Suggested Kpis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-availability-and-reliability-an-explanation-suggested-kpis/) **Published:** April 11, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Data Centre Availability and Reliability – An Explanation & Suggested Kpis by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Apr 11, 2023 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/logistic-support-services-1080x632.jpg) The relationship between data centre Availability, Reliability, Uptime and Downtime is often misunderstood so this basic guide offers some suggestions on how they can be understood and used in the context of data centre operations. Availability provides information about how time is used. Reliability provides information about failure free periods. Both are described in % values, which can lead to confusion and misunderstanding. Availability IS NOT equal to Reliability except in the non-existent world of no downtime and no failures. **Availability** provides information about the length of time a service is provided. **Reliability** provides information about the failure-free interval. Both are described in % values. At its simplest level Availability is defined as: **Availability = Uptime / (Downtime + Uptime)** The time units are generally hours, and the time base is typically 1 year. There are 8760 hours in one non leap year. The denominator of the availability equation is therefore at least 8760 hours (or 525600 minutes), if the results are being studied annually. Availability for data centres is frequently specified in ‘nines’ notation. For example, ‘three-nines’ availability corresponds to 99.9% availability. A ‘five-nines’ availability corresponds to 99.999% availability. It is generally accepted though that the ‘nines’ do not constitute a useful definition of data centre service availability as even a 25 millisecond power outage could take down the entire data centre for several hours or even days. It is little comfort therefore to know that even with a ‘five-nines’ (99.999% availability), data centre there will be an exposure of around 5 minutes per year service outage. Many data centres are designed to provide in the order of 99.999% service availability so do not even attempt reach the high availability level of 31 seconds outage per year resulting from a 99.9999% (‘six-nines’), service availability. ## **Inherent Availability** Inherent Availability looks at availability from an overall design perspective as would be the case in a data centre building. In this case Availability (Ai), is the long-term average fraction of time that a repairable system is in service and is satisfactorily performing its intended function (given an infinite mission time). This is always measured in terms of percentage of uptime vs. downtime; the closer to 100% the better. Inherent availability references the overall availability when factoring in the downtime of the system based on Corrective Maintenance (CM) activities. This definition of Availability is what is typically referred to by those responsible for systems maintenance. **Inherent Availability (Ai) = MTBF / (MTBF + MTTR)** In the equation above, Mean Time Between Failure (**MTBF**), as the name suggests, is the average time between failure of hardware modules or systems. It is the average time a manufacturer estimates before a failure occurs in a hardware module. Mean Time To Repair (**MTTR**), is the time taken to repair a failed hardware module or system. In an operational system, repair generally means replacing the hardware module. Therefore, hardware MTTR could be viewed as mean time to replace a failed hardware module. It should be a goal of system designers to allow for a high MTTR value and still achieve the system reliability goals. MTTR for a software module or service can be computed as the time taken to reboot after a software fault or service outage is detected. Thus software / service MTTR could be viewed as the mean time to reboot or recover after a software or service fault has been detected. In a data centre context this could mean the recovery of the IT services and applications rather than merely the supporting building power and cooling elements. This element significantly complicates the creation of data centre SLAs as operators (particularly colocation operators) may not have control over the IT services and functions. This is also a frequently overlooked element which does not take into account the fact that restoring IT services may take far longer than restoring building services such as momentary power delivery issues. Often it is merely simpler to concentrate on the building infrastructure itself when discussing availability. ## **Operational Availability** Operational Availability is defined a little differently as follows: **Availability (Operational) (Ao) = MTBM / (MTBM + MDT)** **MTBM** = Mean time between Maintenance. **MDT** = Mean Down Time The operational world tends to reference Operational Availability as define by the equation above. The mean time between maintenance (MTBM) includes all corrective and preventive actions associated with an installed system (compared to MTBF which only accounts for failures). The mean down time (MDT) includes all time associated with the system being down for Corrective Maintenance (CM) including delays (compared to MTTR which only addresses repair time) including self-imposed downtime for Preventive Maintenance (PM) although it is preferred to perform most PM actions while the equipment is operating, hence the dual path / Concurrent Maintainability designs preferred for most data centres. **Ao** is inevitably a smaller availability number than **Ai** because of naturally occurring operational deficiencies and inappropriate actions, particularly the well reported issues related to Human Factors and operational errors in data centres. ## **Downtime per Year** **Downtime per Year** is merely a more intuitive way of understanding Availability. The table below compares the availability and the corresponding downtime. Contractual obligations often reference percentage availability or downtime but often without full understanding of service impact. For instance, a contract to guarantee service availability from the data centre to a level of 99.99% availability still legitimately allows for 52 minutes per downtime. While this might be a single 52 minute period of downtime it could equally be 52 separate occurrences of one minute downtimes or even 3120 separate one second instances. Clearly the latter would be totally unacceptable to most customers but would technically still be within SLA. Based on the ITIC curve on which IT equipment power supplies should be designed, any power loss of more than 20 to 30 milliseconds is likely to result in the shutdown of all IT equipment. This could potentially be the entire data centre so legitimately a site with a guarantee of 99.99% availability (or uptime) could legitimately have 3120 or more very brief outages, each of which powers down every device in the entire date centre. The table below gives the relationship between percentage availability and downtime. It should be noted that The Uptime Institute™ no longer reference percentage availability due to the inherent flaws detailed above. For instance 99.9999% Uptime (‘six-nines’) is greater than might be expected from a Tier IV site and yet still allows for 31 seconds of unplanned downtime per year. Downtime per year is merely a more intuitive way of understanding the availability. The table below compares the availability and the corresponding downtime: **Annual Availability Annual Downtime** **90% (1 nine)** 36.5 days/year **99% (2 nines)** 3.65 days/year **99.9% (3 nines)** 8.76 hours/year **99.99% (4 nines)** 52 minutes/year **99.999% (5 nines)** 5 minutes/year **99.9999% (6 nines)** 31 seconds/year Regardless of compliance with KPIs the service expected by the customer and provided by the supplier will ultimately based on SLAs. It is often the case that collocation providers will agree to high levels of availability (up to 100% availability in some cases) and sign a contract to that effect but very frequently accept the risk associated with the contract and merely accrue for failure! An additional key point in reference to availability, particularly percentage availability is that it is essential to recognise that different elements of the data centre service stack will be affected in dramatically different ways by periods of downtime. Power for instance needs to be referenced in the millisecond range and cooling in the minute range when determining likely impact. IT and network services will depend to a large extent on application and service resilience and redundancy, but all need to be considered separately and include references to both partial and total service loss. The key basic elements of the data centre service stack that need to be considered in terms of availability are listed in the section below. If any one of these elements is compromised or unavailable it may result in loss of service from the data centre and therefore considered to be “Downtime”. ## **Data Centre Availability Reference Points / KPIs** To address some of the issues described above it is recommended that data centre operations reference more than simple Availability / Downtime at the building level. Some suggested key data centre availability reference points are suggested below: **Power Availability:** Agreed power quality levels for Voltage, Frequency and Harmonics for an agreed level of current. - **Power KPI:** No total loss of power or reduction in power quality supporting the critical load for the period of the ITIC cycle. Note that in the case of redundant power supplies this will be measured on the basis of a single functioning circuit rather than all redundant circuits. For dual supplies this would mean either A or B circuit is available rather than both circuits, something can be overlooked in service contracts. Performance in terms of loss of power, reliance and capacity will ultimately be determined by SLA with stakeholders of customers. Measured in fractions of seconds. **Cooling Availability:** Within an agreed SLA referencing the environmental envelope corresponding to ASHRAE TC9.9 2021 Equipment Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments (5th Edition). - **Cooling KPI:** Correct levels of cooling / heat removal are available within the limits of the relevant SLA. Measured in minutes. **Network Availability:** Both internal and external within agreed latency and packet loss parameters for an agreed level of bandwidth. - **Network KPI:** Internal and external networks available within the limits of the relevant SLA and service agreement. Measured in Minutes. **Server / Compute Availability:** Is the compute platform available and is there sufficient capacity to be able process the required workloads? - **Server / Compute KPI:** No impact on workload processing capability based on SLA and service agreement. Measured in minutes. **Storage Availability:** The data storage medium is available and the data stored is able to be retrieved and used or modified**.** - **Storage KPI** – No impact on data storage or data access that would inhibit workload processing capability based on SLA and service agreement. Measured in minutes. **Security Availability:** Security systems and security personnel are working and available at minimum levels or above during agreed periods. - **Security KPI:** No security breaches or loss of security systems. No impact or degradation in the services being delivered from the data centre. A DDoS attack or loss / theft of data would come under this KPI. Measured on resulting impact. **Application / Software Availability:** Includes OS, Middleware and Application. The compute platform may be switched on and available but may not be capable of performing the required work. - **Application / Software KPI:** No interruption in services or degradation of service from the data centre as a result of application problems. Measured in minutes. Commonly used KPIs throughout the data centre sector relate to service continuity and availability and in this context it is common to see percentage availability or uptime being quoted in marketing materials or included in SLA documents without being fully qualified or understood. Although it is inappropriate to measure overall data centre availability as a percentage it is acceptable to measure each of the above as a percentage of 8760 hours (Annual). It is also worth noting the potentially large discrepancy between IT and facilities downtime in a data centre, particularly in terms of the restoration of services (MTTR). A very brief power outage of less than a second may result in total loss of IT services that may potentially take hours or days to recover from due to the need to restore large data volumes or re-sync very large databases. ## **Reliability** Reliability is defined as the ability of an item to perform a required function under given conditions for a given time interval. **Reliability (R)**, is the probability that a system will operate properly for a finite period under design operating conditions without failure. For a constant failure rate **λ**, reliability as a function of time is: **R(t) = e-λt** **Reliability (uppercase “R”)** — A term used in common language that reflects the overall state of a system. **reliability (lowercase “r”)** — a number, typically expressed as a percentage that reflects the probability and frequency of failures and is expressed as a probability over a given period of time. The reliability is expressed as a probability (0-1 or 0 to 100%). Therefore, the reliability of a component may be expressed as 99% that it will work successfully for one year. The reliability is essentially an indication of probability that an item will not fail in the given time period. A highly generalised curve for the failure rates of components over time is the bathtub curve. After a long operating period the items will fail at an increasing rate due to wear and other time related functions. ## **Availability vs reliability comparision** Availability is a commonly used term Reliability Modelling. Availability can be defined as the long-term average fraction of time that a repairable component or system is in service and satisfactorily performing its intended function. For example, if the power is off for one hour in a year, but the rest of the year the power is on, the availability of electrical power for that year is 8,759 hours divided by 8,760 hours, which is 0.999886. An availability of 0.99999 (‘five-nines’) could mean that the system was down for 5.3 minutes (or 315 seconds) per year. It would make no difference in the availability calculation if there was one 5.3-minute outage, or 315 one-second outages. It could also be one outage of 1.77 hours in 20 years. In all three cases, the availability is 0.99999. Obviously 315 1-second outages would be very destructive to the operation. However, one outage of 1.77 hours every 20 years might be considered acceptable. ## **Maintainability** The ability of an item under given conditions of use, to be retained in, or restored to, a state in which it can perform a required function, when maintenance is performed under given conditions and using stated procedures and resources. When a piece of equipment has failed it is important to get it back into an operating condition as soon as possible, this is known as maintainability. MTTR data supplied by manufacturers will be purely repair time which will assume the fault is correctly identified and the required spares and personnel are available. The MTTR to the will always include any logistic delay associated with replacement parts. This demonstrates the value of on-site storage for critical replacement items and for the retention of reliable external suppliers. The MTTR will also include factors such as the ready availability (on site presence), and appropriate skills of the site maintenance engineers. Equipment redundancy and the ability to provide concurrent maintainability are vital to a data centre operation and the reduction of MTTR times. The aim of regular maintenance is to keep critical equipment in a ‘like new’ condition as far as possible to minimise failures. These operational elements must therefore be considered and designed in at the outset along with the elimination of Single Points of Failure (SPoF) and specification of reliable equipment for all business critical data centres. ## **Finally** In discussions regarding both Availability and Reliability in data centres it is always worth remembering Garrett Harding’s formula: **(Technology Reliability) X (Human Reliability) = System Reliability** **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Top Mistakes When It Comes To Data Centre Maintenance Pt 1](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/top-mistakes-when-it-comes-to-data-centre-maintenance-pt-1/) **Published:** June 14, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** *‘What are the top mistakes you see when it comes to Data Centre maintenance?’* is a question I have been asked a lot, is researched a lot, and is often talked about anecdotally. Having worked in the data centre industry for over 10 years, dealing with aspects of [design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), build, [maintenance and operational management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/), my views are based on personal experience, things I have seen in facilities we look after, and those we don’t. I’m not going to promise you will agree with everything I mention, but if you want a considered, honest, and open conversation about data centres, based on direct experience of making sure that facilities we manage run as efficiently and reliably as possible, for as long as possible, then read on. This is the first part of a two-part article on data centre maintenance mistakes and how to rectify them, with what I consider to be industry best practices based on lessons I have learned over the last decade working in the data centre sector. In no preferential order, here are the first set of top mistakes I have seen when it comes to Data Centre Maintenance and Management: ## **Facilities Management** (**FM) Providers** [Future-tech have been designing, building, and maintaining data centres since 1982](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/), long before anyone knew what data centres really were, before they were discussed in the media, and well before the unprecedented growth that we now see related to growing digital service demands, especially AI. Even just 15 years ago there were only 2 or 3 specialists, including Future-tech, based in the UK that really knew what they were doing. Then, several ‘big companies’ jumped on the bandwagon, and overnight became ‘specialists’ in Data Centre Maintenance and Management. The reason this model was deemed successful was primarily down to reduced cost. A lot of General Facilities Management (FM) Providers already had a presence on a site where a data centre may have also been housed, so many clients utilised the on-site ‘engineering’ team. However, when a plumber is sent to isolate a UPS in a flooded data centre (true example), and the issue becomes life or death, you must take a serious look at what you think you are getting vs what you are actually getting. At the end of the day, it’s your money, your data centre, and your appetite for business risk. A generic non-specialist FM model might work for you, BUT a screen door is still a door, yet you wouldn’t put it on a submarine to replace a hatch just because it’s cheaper… or would you? Many enterprise data centre operators still follow this model using generalist FM providers because of the perceived ‘value’, but as a veteran of a well-known mission-critical engineering services provider once said to me, ‘do you really want chefs with spanners looking after your business-critical assets?’ ## **Generator Testing** One of my absolute favourites. You go to all the effort of installing a [data centre generator](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/), and then refuse to test the performance when the utility power goes out, by initiating a black building test… even though generators absolutely must work and hold the critical load in the event of a power outage. So, what’s supposed to happen? Black tests are normally carried out to test for high availability, performance, business continuity plans, and recovery capabilities in a disaster-like scenario. A black building test is a simulated utility [power outage](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/unplanned-data-centre-outages/), exactly the scenario that generators are designed to deal with. This testing results in the electrical power to the entire building being shut off, imitating a power outage, and forcing the [UPS systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) to hold the critical IT load on batteries for the brief period it takes for the generators to restart and be ready to take the building load. This is exactly what your data centre is designed to do so why are people so scared to test it? There are many reasons why, but realistically none of them are valid. If you regularly test this feature of your data centre, you’ll gain more confidence each time you do it. The first time you do a test, particularly if it has not been done in a while, is going to be squeaky bum time, BUT it is better to find out in a controlled scenario rather than at optimum business operation time. Black building tests should be frequently carried out as part of your data centre maintenance, to ensure your generators will start as intended and supply power to the systems if the mains power does fail. Simple. As a data centre goes through its[ life cycle](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/), [system upgrades and changes](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) occur within the mechanical and electrical systems, and the IT load to be supported is likely to increase. Whilst generator systems are designed to have a certain amount of redundancy, if they are left untested additional loads can place a strain on the generator systems, to the point where they can fail. If the generator fails to start or take the load, the risk of causing severe business disruption is high. Most companies will carry out this test outside of normal working hours to minimise any disruptions that may be caused as well as having properly qualified engineers standing by to react to any faults. Black building testing is one of the most important but least recognised or even known, back-up plans in the UK; it’s recommended that full black building tests are carried out at least once a year. I have clients who do this monthly, as repeated testing inspires trust in the systems to do exactly as they are designed. With increased testing and the resulting confidence, utility power outrages move from potential catastrophic failure to routine and anticipated events without impact on critical services. Alternatively, just wait for the next power cut and cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Need specialist [data centre management and maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) to avoid unnecessary and costly mistakes? [Get in touch with our team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out more about how we can support you and your data centre project. Discover more mistakes in [part 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/top-mistakes-when-it-comes-to-data-centre-maintenance-pt-2/). Richard Stacey is the Director of Operational Infrastructure at Future-tech, an accredited Uptime AOS Specialist who’s been working in data centres for over 10 years. **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) **Published:** December 22, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** 2025 has been a transformative year for data centre development. Shaped by the growth of AI deployments to new priorities in data centre site selection and power availability, the data centre industry is having to adapt at a rapid pace. In this blog, Head of Technical Due-Diligence, Mark Acton, explores the key factors that impacted data centre development during 2025. ## **Boom of AI Infrastructure** The most significant data centre development impacts during 2025 have been related to the boom deployments. The level of investment in this area has risen steadily over the last 12 months with significantly less activity in the early part of the year rising sharply to the current peak. This has been driven by large scale AI GPU based infrastructure deployment plans, caused by a desire to achieve first-mover advantage as well as a sharp rise in the desire for both sovereign AI and sovereign Cloud. ## **Changes to Data Centre Site Selection** AI infrastructure has also resulted in a change of focus in terms of [data centre site selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) criteria. Previously the availability of power was the was the key criteria for data centre site selection, but the capacity available could be progressively developed over time. During 2025 this has changed to immediate requirements for [power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/). Power, now, is the mantra, rather than confirmed power in the future. As a result, site selection has evolved to highlight those sites that have significant power capacity immediately available with the capacity requirements increasing to 50MVA or more. This has led to an interest in former industrial locations with existing under-utilised power infrastructure already available. ## **Demand for Immediate Power Availability** The interest in immediate [power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) availability has also been exacerbated by the concern shown by grid operators in multiple countries about the amount of power being demanded by data centre operators, and their concerns about both the generation capacity, but more specifically the ability of the transmission network to cope with the additional loads and demands predicted. Many European countries are now evaluating their provisioning process and investment plans based on predicted future data centre demand, including the UK. ## **What will be the key data centre discussions during 2026?** The demand for immediate power availability is likely to continue to remain a key factor in the data centre industry well into 2026. with the immediacy of large capacity power availability being the driver for significant elements of both investment and growth within the data centre sector for the next few months. Stay ahead of the curve in 2026 and [get in touch with our data centre specialists.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) **Categories:** Articles --- ### [Future-tech joins Nscale to strengthen worldwide AI infrastructure design and execution](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-joins-nscale/) **Published:** December 18, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** We’re proud to announce the acquisition of Future-tech by global AI hyperscaler, [Nscale](https://www.nscale.com/), as it continues to scale the delivery of AI-ready infrastructure across Europe and North America. With Future-tech’s specialist knowledge of [technical data centre design,](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) build and [management services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) and proven history of delivering secure, resilient, and high-performance infrastructure for complex environments, this integration will help Nscale move even faster on global execution. The integration will commence over the coming months and Future-tech will be bringing an exceptional team of around 60 people into Nscale, including designers, engineers, consultants, project managers, technical specialists and operators. Teams will be aligned across design, delivery, and operations, while continuing to support existing clients without disruption. ***James Wilman, CEO of Future-tech said,*** *“Joining Nscale is a natural next step for Future-tech. We see firsthand how fast AI is changing the requirements for data centres, and Nscale is one of the companies truly out in front of that wave. It’s an exciting time to be part of a business making major moves in AI infrastructure globally. By combining our specialist engineering and delivery capability with Nscale’s scale and ambition, we can do even more for our shared customers in the years ahead.”* ## **Who are Nscale?** Nscale is a global hyperscaler engineered for sovereign-grade AI infrastructure, delivering compute to the generative AI market at scale. Through its fully vertically integrated suite of AI solutions and GW+ greenfield data centres across Europe and North America, Nscale enables customers to run efficient and scalable AI training, fine-tuning, and inferencing workloads. The acquisition follows a series of major milestones for Nscale this year. The company has expanded its leadership team with the addition of [Nidhi Chappell](https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-appoints-nidhi-chappell) as President of AI Infrastructure, [announced](https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-and-verne) its European expansion in Iceland with Verne, and deepened its relationship with [Microsoft](https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-microsoft-2025) through a plan to deploy approximately 200,000 NVIDIA GB300 GPUs across Europe. Nscale also closed a $1.1 billion [Series B](https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-series-b) funding round, the largest in European history. *“Future-tech has spent decades designing and building data centres, solving real engineering challenges for customers,” **said** **Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale.** “Their team has impressed me with their ability to deliver quality work, quickly, and at scale. By bringing that expertise into Nscale, we’re able to move more quickly on behalf of our customers around the world.”* To find out more about our upcoming projects,[ get in touch with our team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). **Categories:** Articles --- ### [What is Future-tech's Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) **Published:** December 5, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Future-tech offers a fully [customised consultancy service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/), providing data centre–specific expertise across a wide range of topics and disciplines, without being limited to any single area of specialisation. This flexible service is based upon world-leading data centre expertise developed over several decades of designing, building, maintaining and operating data centres. This expertise and experience is delivered by our dedicated in-house data centre engineering consultants on a customised basis according to specific client requirements. Individual consultants will utilise decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services along with industry-specific expertise to address the issues and technical challenges that they are presented with. ## **Why Choose Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?** The Future-tech consulting team offers a specialised and detailed knowledge of data centres with an in-depth knowledge of; - [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - Commissioning - [Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) - [Sustainability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards and Emerging Standards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) Our team have a focussed view on the reliable, day to day, risk free operation of data centre environments based on international standards and sustainability targets. Our aim is to help clients to improve understanding of a particular issue or provide either strategic or tactical insight and advice on any facet of data centre design, construction or operation. ## **What Can Clients Expect from Our Consultancy Service?** Deliverables may be in the form of detailed reports, formal presentations, workshop sessions, representation at meetings, knowledge transfer or simple response to enquiries. Our customised consulting service offers the benefit of world-class insight and multiple decades of data centre specific experience delivered by Future-tech consultants who are currently involved in the industry thought leadership and standards development. ## **Our Global Data Centre Projects** We’re proud to have delivered [data centre projects across the globe](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-techs-global-reach/). Our teams have provided services and solutions in EMEA and APAC as well as the USA. Countries where Future-tech’s data centre projects have been competed in the last 4 years: - Austria - Belgium - Bahrain - Canada - Cote d’Ivoire - Democratic Republic of the Congo - Denmark - Egypt - Ethiopia - Finland - France - Germany - Ghana - Greece - Iceland - Italy - Kazakhstan - Kenya - Morocco - Netherlands - Nigeria - Norway - Poland - Romania - Saudi Arabia - Serbia - South Africa - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - UAE - UK ## **Understand your Data Centre with Customised Consulting** Find out more about how Future-tech’s data centre engineering based customised consultancy services can help you to build the solid foundations required for your data centre project by [getting in touch with our team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). **Categories:** Articles, Design, Maintenance & Management --- ### [What Is Data Centre Maintenance and why is Planned Preventative Maintenance Essential?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-is-data-centre-maintenance/) **Published:** February 1, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** In this series, we will discuss some of the aspects of data centre maintenance, why these are important and who should be doing them. In the first part of this series, we will cover what should be included in a good, well-managed Planned Preventative (PPM) Schedule. ## **What Is a Data Centre?** It’s probably better to start with, what is a data centre? Well, the Oxford English dictionary defines it as: *(noun) a large group of networked computer servers typically used by organisations for the remote storage, processing or distribution of large amounts of data.* A data centre is a room (or building), that is part of an organisation’s IT / Operational infrastructure. It is often critical to the reliable operation of that business and the mission-critical data and applications that are hosted and operated within. This room, should be, cooled by precision air handling equipment, have UPS-backed power supplies, have dual fed data cabinets or racks, either hot or cold aisle containment, be a ‘clean environment’, have some sort of fire detection and/or suppression and a monitoring system to ensure it is all working. ## **Why is Data Centre Maintenance Essential?** A generator is a handy thing to have as well to protect against power cuts, but not all organisations take their resilience to this level. Seems like a lot? The question you should be asking is what the cost or impact to the business is if it stops working for an hour, a day or longer. The reality is a data centre runs behind most businesses and should be considered the essential heartbeat of the business. The commercial losses resulting from a data centre outage can be extreme, but the reputational damage can be even worse. To ensure a data centre is functioning to its maximum efficiency, a regular [data centre maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) regime is essential. This is what is referred to in the industry as Planned Preventative Maintenance or PPM for short. ### **What is Included in a Planned Preventative Maintenance** (PPM) Schedule **for Data Centres?** - **Air-conditioning / AHU / CRAC or CRAH** – These should be serviced quarterly or in some cases less, but it is very dependent on the type of [cooling system](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) that you have and what the external plant environment is like, as well as the age of the installed infrastructure. - **Uninterruptible Power Supplies / UPS** – In most cases annually but some manufacturers will [service power supplies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) twice a year. Additional care is required between years 5 and 7 for replacement batteries, fans, and capacitors. - **Generators** – These are serviced twice a year, and the services are split into major and minor. Oil sampling and Fuel sampling are often conducted during the major service. There is a lot more that should be done when it comes to [generator](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) care, but we will discuss that later in the series. - **BMS / EMS / Monitoring Systems** – This is not so straightforward as there is a multitude of products that fall into this category. Keeping in line with the manufacturer’s requirements is the best approach, depending on the product; in most cases, these [monitoring systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) can be tested once a year by a qualified engineer and remain functional and optimised until the next service. - **Fire Suppression / Detection / VESDA** – System dependent but a minimum requirement is twice a year, with some systems having to be maintained four times a year. In year 10, any gas bottles must be hydrostatically tested. This is a legal requirement, so don’t forget. - **Electrical Testing / Switchgear / PDU** – This is an area that makes all data centre owners/operators twitchy. Every 5 years the data centre must be Periodically Tested, which is a legal requirement. Electrical inspections and thermal imaging, as well as branch circuit testing, is sufficient annually and considered good practice in the interim years. Electrical testing is an area we will cover later in the series. - **Emergency Lighting** – All emergency lighting ‘should’ be tested once a month – a short functional test should be sufficient so that the luminaire (lights to me and you) operates correctly. It is worth checking who in the business looks after this as it is often a service that is incorporated into the wider building testing regime. So that’s it for the first part of the series, I hope you have enjoyed it and I haven’t bored you. Time to get back to work, or start work, or finish lunch or whatever you have been doing while reading this. My name is Richard Stacey and I am the Director of Operational Infrastructure at Future-tech, I’ve been working in data centres for over 10 years and I’m an accredited Uptime AOS Specialist. Please feel free to direct message me if you want more information or a chat about your data centre. **Next in the series: [The Importance of Data Centre Maintenance ](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-importance-of-data-centre-maintenance/)** **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) **Published:** October 14, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** As sustainability expectations grow across industries, data centres face increasing pressure to align with regulatory frameworks and environmental best practices. Future-tech’s Sustainability Reporting Service is designed to help clients navigate these challenges, establishing a robust, measurable sustainability strategy tailored specifically for data centre environments. ## **What is The Sustainability Reporting Service?** Sustainability reporting is a way for organisations and businesses to measure their performance in areas of sustainable development, including carbon emissions and [energy efficient technology](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) . Future-tech’s Sustainability Reporting service supports clients in the preparation of their data centre Sustainability Policy and Reporting Framework. The resulting document is intended to set out the client’s data centre specific aims, goals, KPIs and reporting framework associated with the environmental sustainability of it [data centres’ design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), [construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/), and [site operations](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/). The developed policy framework will provide clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) that the client can report against quarterly. The document will tie back directly to regionally appropriate global, EU and UK sustainability policies, accepted industry best practices and regulatory requirements. ## **Why Is Sustainability Reporting Important?** Prioritising sustainability in data centre operations is crucial for businesses looking to remain both compliant and competitive in a greener world. As attention turns towards [data centre energy consumption](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-energy-consumption/), a focused, data-driven sustainability strategy is key to reducing environmental impact and future-proofing operations. A Sustainability Reporting Service empowers your organisation to: - Establish credible and realistic sustainability targets - Ensure compliance with evolving legislation - Support corporate ESG commitments - Drive operational efficiency through improved environmental performance ## **Future-tech’s Sustainability Report Service** At Future-tech, we believe that we all have a huge responsibility to take care of our environment and must consider our current environmental impact for future generations. Future-tech’s sustainability reporting service will deliver the following: - **Sustainability Policy & Reporting Framework** Produce a sustainability guidance and reporting policy framework including industry KPIs with links back to global, EU and UK standards and regulatory requirements. - **Tailored Sustainability Framework Creation** Revised document drafts and updates as necessary based on client feedback and conversations. - **Quarterly Reporting Support** Support in the production of the client’s Quarterly Sustainability Report. [Get in touch with our experts](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) today to discover how our Sustainability Reporting Service can support compliance, reporting, and ESG performance in your data centre operations. **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Future-tech’s Global Reach](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-techs-global-reach/) **Published:** March 9, 2022 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **F**or more than 30 years, Future-tech has helped clients realise their full potential through vendor-neutral innovative and specialist [technical data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/), [expert consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) and [engineering management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/). By supplying our clients with the expert knowledge and resources they need for their specific project, we are not only supplying them local expertise, but world leading global experience too. ## Where Have We Delivered Data Centre Projects? Our data centre projects have taken us far and wide, delivering services and solutions to countries including: - UK and Ireland - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland - Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda - Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE - India, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand - Brazil, Canada and USA ## Bring Future-tech’s Global Expertise to Your Data Centre Project Our dedication to the data centre industry, our engineering expertise and experience and our core values have driven our approach to every project and client interaction, gaining the respect and trust of many across the world. If you would like to know more about how our services could help your organisation’s data centre needs at any point in your data centre’s lifecycle, please [contact us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to speak with a member of our expert data centre team. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Assess Your Data Centre Development Plans with a Site Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Assessment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/red-amber-green-assessment/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Emma Douglas **Content:** ## **What is a Site Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Assessment?** The Future-tech Site RAG (Red, Amber, Green) assessment offers a high-level summary of a site’s suitability for [data centre development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/). Applicable for both buy and sell sides, this assessment highlights key risks associated with a site and outlines recommended next steps. The process is designed to be quick and cost-effective, enabling clients to evaluate multiple sites at the same time, which can assist in narrowing down a larger portfolio. ## **What Does the Site Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Assessment Include?** When [selecting a data centre site](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/), the RAG assessment addresses the following aspects: - Utility overview - Local network communications links - Environmental risks - Local risks - Site imagery and existing use ## **How Does the Site RAG Assessment Work?** The Future-tech team will compile a desktop site assessment report from multiple sources, drawing on their data centre expertise to identify evaluate and clarify potential risks associated with a site and provide an analysis of risk levels. The resulting report can inform the client’s decision-making with regard to a more detailed site due diligence assessment (Site Maturity Model). It will also indicate whether additional surveys are recommended and outline how these may provide further benefits to the client. **>H2< What You Will Receive from the Site RAG Assessment** The results of the assessment will be presented as a report in PowerPoint format. The report will include images to illustrate the site risks identified within the document. These images will show the locations of potential[ hazards on and around the data centre site](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/). The document will be structured to allow for clear understanding of the information provided. ## **Past Locations for Site Assessments Include:** Future-tech conducts site assessment works for both data centre buy-side and sell-side clients and has assessed more than 100 sites in the last 12 months. These have included sites up to circa 500 hectares. Past locations for site selection have included: - Austria - Egypt - Finland - France - Germany - Ghana - Greece - Italy - Kenya - Morocco - Norway - Pakistan - Poland - Serbia - South Africa - Switzerland - Thailand - UAE - UK - United States of America ## **Why Choose Future-tech for Site Assessments?** With our deep understanding of the data centre industry and experience across diverse geographies, the Future-tech Site Red, Amber, Green (RAG) assessment provides a strategic, fast, and insightful tool for evaluating [data centre site viability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) – ensuring our clients make data-driven decisions during early site selection.[ Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) **Categories:** Articles, Consulting, Design --- ### [Comprehensive Site Due Diligence with Our Site Maturity Model (SMM) Assessment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/site-maturity-model-assessment/) **Published:** September 29, 2025 **Author:** Emma Douglas **Content:** ## **What is the Site Maturity Model (SMM)?** The Future-tech Site Maturity Model (SMM) Assessment offers a [comprehensive due diligence review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) for potential data centre sites. Applicable to both buyers and sellers, the model identifies areas that may require additional examination by investors or other interested parties and features approximately 200 line-items. The Future-tech Site Maturity Model (SMM) offers a more detailed and in depth analysis than that provided by the Future-tech Site Red, Amber, Green (RAG) Assessment. The model has been designed with the capability to deliver multi-site due diligence projects happening simultaneously. The dashboard displays all project statuses at once, allowing clients to easily compare site maturity and identify [data centre development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) opportunities. ## **What Does the **Site Maturity Model**** (**SMM) Assessment Include?** The model addresses the following aspects of a site: · Site overview · Land details and risks · Legal and constraints · Taxes and Development · Power · Connectivity · Design and test-fit · Water and drainage · Special risks This comprehensive approach ensures that no detail is overlooked and that all stakeholders – from developers to investors – have the insights they need to make informed decisions about the development potential for selected sites. ## **How Does the SMM Assessment Work?** The Future-tech team will integrate desktop-based sources with existing subconsultant reports and client-provided information. Should a data room be available, it will be utilised and reorganized to align with the standardised Future-tech format. After conducting an initial review of the current information at the client’s disposal, the model will identify any potential gaps within the site overview. Once additional data has been obtained by the client or their appointed subconsultants, it will be consolidated and incorporated into the final report. ## **What You Receive from the SMM Assessment** The model will be continually updated as new data emerges, with weekly reports provided to the client to track site progress. All shared information, including subconsultant surveys, will be delivered in an accessible format. The Virtual Data Room (VDR), hosted by Future-tech, will serve as a central, easily navigable repository for all [data centre due diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/), [data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), and technical documents, structured to match the model for easy access by investors and stakeholders. Once the report is sufficiently developed, Future-tech will produce a detailed due diligence report based on the model’s findings. Identified risks will be addressed, with proposed mitigations outlined for next steps or resolution. ## **Where We’ve Delivered SMM Projects:** We’ve successfully delivered SMM projects across a diverse range of countries, including: · Finland · Germany · Ghana · Italy · Kenya · Morocco · Norway · Serbia · South Africa · UK Our international experience ensures we understand the local nuances and regulatory landscapes necessary for effective due diligence in each market. ## **Ready to Elevate Your Site Due Diligence?** The Site Maturity Model (SMM) Assessment gives you more than a checklist – it delivers a strategic roadmap for development. Whether you’re managing multiple sites or preparing one for sale, our model brings visibility, structure, and insight to every stage of the process. [**Get in touch**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out how our SMM Assessment can support your project or portfolio. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting, Design --- ### [Data Centre Water Usage in the UK vs. the US – The Real Facts!](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-water-usage/) **Published:** September 11, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In recent months, headlines have painted an alarming picture of data centres draining precious water resources, particularly in the UK and Europe. But the real story is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest… This blog aims to set the record straight. Following the recent article by the BBC ‘*Concern UK’s AI ambitions could lead to water shortages’,* Mark Acton, Head of Technical Due-Diligence at Future-tech breaks down how much water data centres actually use – especially in Europe, where the systems in place are vastly different from those often in the US. From closed-loop chilled water systems to the limited, seasonal use of adiabatic cooling, we explore the facts versus the fiction. And, perhaps more importantly, we’ll highlight the crucial role data centres play in powering the digital services we all rely on every day. ## **Data Centre Chilled Water Cooling Systems: Do Data Centres Actually Use Much Water?** Despite the poorly researched and inaccurate reporting from the BBC and others, it is not correct to simply assume that all data centres, particularly those in the UK and Europe, are evaporating water and therefore ‘consuming’ it. There are plenty of [data centre cooling systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), traditional chilled water systems in data centres and many other types of buildings, which are closed loop systems and use very little water. Many appear to assume that chilled water cooling involves the use of significant quantities of water, it does not. Once the system is filled, the water remains in circulation, just as it does in a typical vehicle internal combustion engine cooling system or home heating system. ## **Data Centre Water Usage in Europe vs US** A lot of this concern about data centre water usage in the UK and Europe is a concern from the USA, and far less a European issue. A cynic might suggest that concerns raised by water companies in the UK that have failed to invest in their [infrastructure](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/) are looking for somebody else to blame. Their arguments are typically based on invalid figures from operations in the USA and dependence on a general lack of understanding about how data centres reject heat. Even if water usage were a real issue in Europe, golf courses consume more water than data centres and yet provide a far less valuable resource. If made to choose, would the majority of the population decide to close down golf courses, or the data centres that provide all of the digital services that they consume and have become largely dependent upon for social media, Gaming, Online Shopping, Entertainment, Banking etc.? It would be interesting to ask the general public, which they would prefer, a golf course or the loss of the online services including social media that they use from their phones and digital devices? ## **Can Data Centres be Cooled Without Water?** It is also worth noting that we typically use very different [data centre cooling systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) in Europe to those in the USA (where evaporative cooling towers are often employed), which do use a great deal of water and do create a genuine problem, especially in areas of water scarcity. These sites may even use water from aquifers below hot dry desert areas, which potentially take 1000’s of years to recover. In most cases data centres do not ‘consume’ significant amounts of water in Europe. As highlighted above European and UK sites generally use ‘closed loop’ cooling circuits and get ‘[free cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/)’ in low ambient temperature conditions using what are effectively giant radiators, or DX refrigeration systems which use no water and rely on refrigerant gasses in a similar way to a domestic refrigerator. If water is used for adiabatic cooling in Europe, it is generally only for used for supplemental cooling, particularly at times of peak seasonal heat for a few days per year, and low levels of water use. It is worth noting that Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) systems, either Direct to Chip or Immersion, can also potentially employ evaporative cooling for heat rejection so do not automatically solve the water usage issue as some suggest. According to a recent[ report by ](https://www.techuk.org/resource/techuk-report-understanding-data-centre-water-use-in-england.html)[techUK](https://www.techuk.org/resource/techuk-report-understanding-data-centre-water-use-in-england.html), 64% of England’s data centres use less than 10,000 m³ of water per year – less than a typical leisure centre, and 89% of sites either measure water use or deploy systems that do not require water for cooling. ## **The Demand for Digital Services and Artificial Intelligence (AI)** Even if data centres in the UK did use water for evaporative cooling, remember that it is not the data centre itself that drives demand for water or power, it is us, the public. We consume digital services and are becoming increasingly dependent upon them. Our phones are merely windows into data centres and these digital services we all use are all based in data centres. It is the digital platforms we use and rely upon that drives data centre demand. It is naïve in the extreme to criticise data centres for water and power consumption while utilising the services that their customers provide. A little like blaming hotels for creating tourism demand – surely it is the other way round? Data Centres that use water from totally renewable sources such as rivers and seawater etc. should be excluded from this area of concern. They are not dependent on water companies supplies and are not using water that has been processed into potable water, which obviously has a higher energy overhead and environmental impact. There is a strong argument for using non-potable water for evaporative cooling from sustainable supplies, as this can reduce power consumption and therefore reduce overall environmental impact. We have plenty of water in Northern Europe from renewable and sustainable sources should we choose to use them and despite some of the uninformed arguments being promoted, we do not truly ‘consume’ water, we merely move it around. Finally, had an [artificial intelligence (AI) tool](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/is-ai-impact-on-data-centres-being-overhyped/) been used to create this article (it was not), this piece would probably would have utilised a data centre in the USA consuming significant amounts of water from sources that are not sustainable. However, had that AI data centre been based in the UK (something the BBC seem to have a problem with), it would have been a different story with far less, if any, water usage involved. ## **Get Sustainable Data Centre Water Cooling with Future-tech** The narrative around data centre water usage has become clouded by misinformation, much of it rooted in outdated or overseas practices. In reality, most data centres in Europe use efficient closed-loop systems or refrigerant-based cooling with little to no water consumption. If you’re planning, upgrading, or simply re-evaluating your data centre’s cooling strategy, make sure it’s based on facts – not fear. Before drawing conclusions based on headline figures or transatlantic comparisons, it’s vital to understand the actual technologies in use and the context in which they operate. To better understand your data centre’s cooling systems – or if you’re planning a new facility and want to explore water-efficient or non-water-based cooling options, we’re here to help. We work with clients across the UK and Europe to design, assess, and optimise cooling solutions that are sustainable, cost-effective, and future-ready. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) with our team of expert engineers today to find out more. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering, Maintenance & Management --- ### [The Unseen Crisis: HOW TO PREVENT Unplanned Data Centre Outages](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/unplanned-data-centre-outages/) **Published:** August 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** In today’s digital age where every second counts, unplanned data centre downtime can lead to catastrophic consequences. From financial losses to reputational damage, the impacts of these outages are far-reaching. In this blog, we delve into the causes, consequences, and prevention strategies for unplanned data centre outages, shedding light on this often-overlooked potential for economic disaster. ## **Why Ar**E **Data CentreS Important?** A data centre is at the heart of any modern organisation. It houses servers, storage systems, and networking equipment essential for running applications, storing data, and ensuring business continuity. The seamless reliable operation of a data centre is critical, as data centres support all the digital services considered to be vital to our 21st-century way of life, including essential business transactions (both B2B and B2C), the availability of large-scale cloud computing services, and much of our social interaction and entertainment. ## **What Can Cause Unplanned Data Centre Outages?** As data centres are the backbone of today’s digital infrastructure, it’s vital to ensure the continuous availability of critical services and applications. However, despite rigorous planning and robust safeguards, unplanned outages can still occur, often with significant consequences. Understanding the various factors that can lead to data centre operation disruptions is crucial for minimising risk and enhancing the resilience of data centre operations. The most common causes of unplanned data centre outages are: 1. **Power Failures:** Despite robust backup systems, power failures remain a leading cause of unplanned outages. Issues can range from utility power disruptions to failures in Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems and generators. 2. **Cooling failures:** The failure of cooling hardware will rapidly result in IT equipment (Servers, Storage and Network devices) overheating and shutting themselves down to prevent damage or continuing to run and breaking warranty thresholds at a great cost, both in terms of digital service outage, and potentially extremely expensive IT Equipment replacement. 3. **Hardware Failures:** Servers, storage devices, and network components can fail unexpectedly due to manufacturing defects, wear and tear, or lack of data centre maintenance in place. 4. **Human Error:** Mistakes made during routine maintenance, configuration changes, or system upgrades can trigger outages. According to the [Uptime Institute](https://uptimeinstitute.com/resources/research-and-reports/annual-outage-analysis-2024), in 2024, in human error accounted for about 70% of data centre outages. 5. **Cyber Attacks:** With increasing cyber threats, data centres are prime targets for attacks. DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks, ransomware, and other malicious activities can cause significant downtime. 6. **Environmental Factors:** Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and fires can disrupt data centre operations. Additionally, cooling system failures can lead to overheating and damaging to sensitive equipment. ## **What Are the Consequences of Data Centre Downtime?** The repercussions of unplanned data centre network outages are extensive, and can be devastating: 1. **Financial Losses:** This includes lost revenue, productivity, and recovery expenses. The average cost of a data centre outage can expand above approximately $9,000 / £7,008 per minute! 2. **Reputational Damage:** Downtime can erode customer trust and damage a company’s reputation. High-profile outages often make headlines, leading to negative publicity, which you cannot put a price on. 3. **Operational Disruption:** Business operations come to a halt during major outages, affecting everything from customer service and product sales to supply chain management. 4. **Data Loss:** In severe cases, data corruption or loss can occur, leading to significant recovery challenges and potential legal issues. In 2020. British Airways were hit with a fine of £20,000,000.00 plus significant reputational damage. Ouch! ## **How Can We Prevent Data Centre Outages?** Preventing outages and upholding [data centre management and maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) best practices are paramount for maintaining data centre reliability, and underpinning critical digital service availability. As nerve centres of modern business operations, even a brief data centre outage can lead to significant disruptions and financial losses. To safeguard against these risks, it is essential to implement a comprehensive strategy that addresses the various factors that can lead to downtime. Here are some key preventative measures and best practices that can help maintain data centre reliability and ensure the uninterrupted availability of digital services. 1. **Redundant Power Systems:** Implementing multiple layers of power backup, including UPS systems, generators, and battery backups, can mitigate the risk of power-related outages. 2. **Regular Maintenance and Testing:** Routine checks and preventive maintenance of hardware components can help identify potential issues before they cause failures. 3. **Employee Training:** Investing in comprehensive training programs for data centre personnel can reduce the likelihood of human errors. 4. **Robust Cybersecurity:** Implementing strong security measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits, can protect against cyber threats. 5. **Disaster Recovery Planning:** Developing and regularly updating a disaster recovery plan ensures a swift and organized response to outages, minimizing downtime and data loss. 6. **Environmental Controls:** Advanced cooling systems, fire suppression systems, and monitoring tools can help maintain optimal conditions within the data centre. ## **Notable DATA CENTRE Outages in Recent History** - **Amazon Web Services (AWS)** – November 2020: A major outage in the Northern Virginia region disrupted services for numerous websites and applications, including Roku, Adobe Spark, and the Washington Post. - **Facebook** – March 2019: A server configuration change led to a prolonged outage affecting Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, impacting millions of users worldwide. - **Google Cloud** – June 2019: Network congestion in Google’s cloud services caused significant disruptions for services like YouTube, Gmail, and Snapchat. ## ****Get Management and Maintenance Support with Future-tech**** Unplanned data centre outages are a significant threat to business continuity, but with proactive measures and robust planning, their impact can be minimised. By understanding the causes, preparing for potential scenarios, and implementing data centre best practices, organisations can safeguard their operations against the disruptive effects of downtime. In an era where digital presence is paramount, the resilience of data centres is not just an IT concern, but a business imperative. If you think your data centre might be vulnerable, or if you already know that you could be affected by any of the issues mentioned above, check out our [management and maintenance solutions today,](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) or [contact our team of experts](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to talk about your critical environment. Future-tech is here to help! **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice, Consulting --- ### [How Does Warm Weather Impact Your Data Centre?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-does-warm-weather-impact-your-data-centre-challenges-strategies/) **Published:** August 4, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** In ever-unpredictable climates and warm weather spells, we are becoming even more conscious that data centres can be significantly affected by hot weather conditions. This is a growing concern as global temperatures continue to rise. Here are some of the ways hot weather can impact data centres: ### Data Centre **Cooling outages** IT Equipment hosted within data centres generates a considerable amount of heat due to the constant operation of servers and other hardware. Broadly speaking, all the power delivered to the IT equipment is converted to heat. To maintain optimal operating temperatures and prevent hardware failure, data centres require efficient and reliable cooling systems to reject this heat. In hot weather, [cooling systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) must work harder to dissipate heat, leading to increased energy consumption, potential cooling capacity issues, and higher equipment failure rates. If your cooling infrastructure is old, poorly maintained, or close to capacity, your risk of failure and highly disruptive data centre outages increases significantly. ### **Cooling Plant **System Failures**** Many cooling plants in the UK data centre market have been sized and deployed based on 10-year UK weather data and are meant to last their end user up to 15 years, if well maintained. What historical weather data doesn’t provide you with, is projected new highs in temperature that are now being anticipated – this is where the problems begin. If your cooling plant is already past the end of life, it may be struggling to perform even on 30°C degree days so the risk of complete failure at higher temperatures is very real. Systems that have been installed over the last few years were often designed to operate at a maximum temperature of 34°C to 36°C, so what’s going to happen when it exceeds this temperature? Even if you have a cooling plant deployed in the last 5 years with consideration for higher maximum temperatures, - Has it been installed correctly? - Has it been properly commissioned? - Was it sized correctly in terms of capacity? - Has it been maintained correctly? - Is there sufficient air movement around the external heat rejection equipment to prevent temperature pooling? - Are refrigerant levels sufficient? - Do set points need to be adjusted for the summer? - Are radiating surfaces clean and not damaged or corroded? - Are fans all functioning correctly and obstruction free? - Are filters clean and when were they last replaced? There is a lot to consider as all these factors and more will have a direct impact on the ability of your cooling system to support your critical load. ![Image | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image.png "Image | futuretech") ### **System** **Overheating and Hardware Failures** If data centre cooling systems are overwhelmed by high external temperatures during periods of unusually hot weather, internal temperatures will very rapidly rise to critical levels. This can result in hardware failures, system crashes, and data loss. Even in mild cases, high temperatures will shorten the lifespan of components, leading to increased maintenance and replacement costs, as well as the potential for loss of equipment warranties. In addition, there is the risk of customer SLA breaches with the result that financial penalties will be imposed along with loss of customer confidence and reputational damage. In more extreme cases, critical failure of the entire facility will also be experienced. It is at this point that the wider business, and those not directly involved in data centre operations day-to-day, realise just how critical, reliable, and highly available data centre operations are to the business. ### **Surge in** **Power Usage and Energy Costs** As data centres cope with increased cooling demands during hot weather, the power usage of inefficient cooling systems rises significantly. This will lead to higher energy costs for data centre operators and contributes to overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With the increasing focus on ESG reporting this is something that both data centre operators and their customers seek to avoid. ### **Reduced **Equipment** Efficiency and Performance** High temperatures can negatively impact the efficiency and performance of data centre equipment. UPS VRLA battery life will decrease dramatically when temperatures are consistently higher than 25°C; compressors and expansion valves can fail; servers may need to throttle their processing speed to prevent overheating or shut themselves down entirely to avoid damage. All these can lead to reduced function in your data centre, a reduction in services and service quality based on computing capabilities, and higher equipment failure rates. ### RISK **of Data Centre of Outages and Downtime** In extreme cases, prolonged hot weather conditions can overload data centre cooling systems to the point of failure, leading to unplanned outages. These outages can be costly for businesses that rely on data centre services and may result in downtime, customer dissatisfaction, loss of revenue, loss of reputation, SLA penalties, and in the worst cases a complete loss of business operations. Many businesses simply do not know how dependent they are on continually available data centres and how critical the data centre is to their business operations until they have a failure. ### **Lack of Water Availability** Some data centres use water-based cooling methods, which rely on a stable and sufficient water supply. During periods of hot weather, water scarcity or restrictions on water usage may impact the cooling capabilities of these data centres. ## **How to Protect your Data Centre from Warm Weather** To address these challenges and mitigate the impact of hot weather on data centres, operators are implementing a range of strategies: ### **Planned Preventative Maintenance** It is critical to consider the ongoing operation of your data centre rather than simply the way it is designed to operate – you don’t just deploy once and sit back. Be it on-premises or in third-party space off-premises, a well-maintained facility will match expectations and continue to perform according to the design intentions. A comprehensive and well-considered [preventative maintenance plan](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) is essential to achieving this. You would not expect your car to continue to run perfectly according to the manufacturer’s specifications and performance guidelines, or even potentially start every time if you did not keep it well maintained. Data Centres are no different. ### **Improved Cooling Systems** Believe it or not, not all air conditioning is born equal. AC, HVAC, and CRAH are all terms used to describe cooling plants. Data centres are adopting more advanced and energy-efficient cooling technologies, such as free cooling, immersed liquid cooling, on-chip cooling and simpler quick wins such as hot/cold aisle containment, adiabatic options such as indirect (and direct), evaporative cooling to better handle heat load, and to improve energy efficiency during hot weather. If you want to know about any of these innovative [data centre cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) methods and more, please [contact Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). ### dATA cENTRE **Location and Design** When planning new data centres or expanding existing ones, it is very important to engage with the right people who are genuine experts in data centre engineering. Technical decisions are frequently based on cost without fully understanding the impacts of so-called ‘Value Engineering’. Employing a cheaper solution may have unforeseen business impacts down the line. Designs will also be affected by location. What might work well in one location may not be right for another, so it is important that operators consider the location, local climate (high and low ambient temperatures), altitude, and humidity, and ideally opt for locations with suitable ambient conditions to improve both reliability and energy performance. The right location allows data centres to be designed to maximise the use of energy-efficient cooling methods, based on compressor-free cooling to take advantage of favourable external ambient air conditions to significantly reduce cooling power consumption, where the local environment is right to do so. ![Image 1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-1.png "Image1 | futuretech") ### **Thermal Monitoring** **Systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI)** Data centre operators can increasingly use sophisticated monitoring systems and AI algorithms to detect temperature fluctuations and make suggestions for real-time adjustments to cooling systems. This ensures optimal cooling and energy usage performance, reduces the risk of ‘hot spots’, simplifies cooling capacity planning, eliminates stranded cooling capacity, and ultimately eliminates the risk of overheating. As the frequency and intensity of heat waves and extreme weather events increase, data centres and the IT industry in general are taking steps to adapt and become more resilient to these climate challenges, all while at the same time seeking to improve energy efficiency. However, many people are simply burying their heads in the sand during the cooler months, in the belief that it is going to be prohibitively expensive to replace the cooling plant. This is not always the case. Sometimes operational changes within the data centre and optimisation of the cooling within the IT spaces can help, but it’s not always about simply throwing more cooling at the problem as that may not always help. ## **Discover More with Future-tech’s Data Centre Cooling Service** If you are concerned or would like more information on [data centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) [cooling options](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), cooling optimisation or to better understand any potential risks you might be facing to your facility, please [contact Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) and we will be happy to help. **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Software in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/computational-fluid-dynamics-cfd-software-in-data-centre-design/) **Published:** July 8, 2025 **Author:** Tom Newson **Content:** ## **What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD?)** Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a field of engineering that uses specialised computer software to solve complex numerical equations to predict the behaviour of a fluid and calculate variables such as the velocity, temperature and pressure of the fluid within a space. ## **Data Centre Design and Analysis using Reality DC Design** At Future-tech we use Reality DC Design; an industry leading, data centre specific CFD tool for [data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) and analysis. Using data sheets, technical drawings and BIM models, we use Reality DC Design to create a detailed 3D model of a data centre, known as a digital twin. CFD simulations are performed, the results from which can be used to make informed decisions at all stages of the life cycle of a data centre. ## **What is CFD Used For?** We use CFD for data centre design and analysis in many ways: ### **1) Internal Data Centre Design and Cooling Analysis:** Throughout the design process at Future-tech, the CFD team work in tandem with the mechanical and electrical designers, building and solving digital twin models to ensure the design behaves as intended. These models can be easily updated as the design moves through the different design stages to ensure the final design is compliant and can support contracted customer SLAs related to cooling, which are typically defined by ASHRAE TC9.9 Thermal Guidelines. We can model all areas of a data centre, including: - Data halls - UPS rooms - MMR rooms - Power distribution rooms ![Batteries3 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/batteries3-1024x557.png "Batteries3 | futuretech")### **2) External Data Centre Site Analysis:** We can model the data centre in an external environment. This external Digital Twin will include the data centre site buildings including all plant such as generators, chillers, indirect air to air[ cooling units](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), and surrounding buildings. Using ASHRAE weather data, different external scenarios can be simulated to assist the design team in making decisions that will affect the external plant: - Typical site operating conditions: mean coincident wind speed and temperature at most frequent wind direction(s) - Worst case ambient temperature: Mean coincident wind speed and direction at peak ambient temperatures. - Worst case wind speed scenario: mean coincident wind direction and temperature for high wind speeds (non-gust). - Predict potential problems such as ‘heat pooling’ resulting in external heat rejection equipment performance loss. ### **3) Redundancy Testing for Mission Critical Data Centres:** [Redundancy testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) is incredibly important for data centres as many are mission critical, however it can be difficult to test redundancy in a real-world scenario. Reality DC has two simulation modes; ‘steady state’, which captures a snapshot in time, and ‘transient (time varying)’, which captures results over a set time period. - In Reality DC, steady state failure scenarios can be performed to analyse the failure of specific cooling units. This can be used to identify any negative effects if one or a number of cooling units fail or are taken offline for maintenance. - The Digital Twin model can be also used to run transient (time varying) power failure scenarios (also called short break or thermal ride through studies), reporting the results over time, to examine the thermal performance of the data centre during an unexpected failure. ### **4) Data Centre Health Checks:** For existing sites, CFD can be used to analyse the current thermal performance of the data centre. This can be used to: - Analyse problem areas or hotspots, identify their root cause and suggest methods for improvement. - Optimise the cooling performance for better [Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-problem-with-pue/) and increased resilience. - Check and ensure SLA compliance. - Locate areas of stranded capacity and assist capacity planning teams identify the most optimal location to install equipment. ### **5) Digital Twin Modelling:** Reality DC Design has a sister programme called Reality DC Insight. We can create and provide a Digital Twin model that, through Reality DC Insight, links to the customer’s database. It automatically updates IT deployment, power load and BMS data and then runs regular CFD simulations. This provides engineers, capacity planners and site managers with automated reporting on the performance of the data centre throughout time. ![Datahall2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/datahall2-1024x539.png "Datahall2 | futuretech")## **Data Centre Design with Future-tech** Using CFD in our design process allows Future-tech to make rapid, well-informed decisions on the [data centres we design and analyse](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/). We can quickly verify designs for cooling capacity, SLA compliance, and redundancy, giving both Future-tech and our customers increased confidence that the data centre will operate as intended. To find out more, [get in touch with our expert engineers](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). **All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology.** **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [The Data Centre Skills Shortage](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-skills-shortage/) **Published:** July 16, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** As demand for digital infrastructure increases, the data centre industry faces a growing challenge: a persistent shortage of skilled professionals. Without a concerted effort to bridge the data centre skills gap, the industry may struggle to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for digital services at the current rate of expansion. In this blog post, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due-Diligence, Mark Acton, considers the severity of the data centre skills shortage, which skills are currently most in demand, and what steps must be taken to address the lack of qualified professionals needed to build, [operate and manage data centre facilities](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) in the current era of unprecedented digital infrastructure growth driven by multiple factors including AI deployments. ## **Addressing the Data Centre Skills Gap** One of my biggest frustrations when it comes to the so-called skills gap within the data centre sector is not the lack of available talent for our sector, but the way that we insist on cutting ourselves off from it! There is certainly a shortage of qualified engineering professionals worldwide for all sectors, not just data centres. Given that there is a shortage of qualified engineers out there, and that we are fishing in a relatively small pond, we should clearly be doing a far better job of highlighting the data sector as a career of choice rather than continuing to hide in the dark. ## **How Can we Solve the Data Centre Skills Gap?** The solution to the data centre skills gap is getting more young people into science and engineering at an early age. Ultimately, that is probably more about influencing parents rather than young people themselves. This is something that we can contribute to as a sector, but not fundamentally change operating alone. HR departments also have a lot to answer for by screening out very capable candidates who do not match their corporate minimum requirements in terms of qualifications and experience. Most of us who have been in the sector for any length of time came in through some form of back door route. We were allowed to develop in situ. Many of the more senior people currently in the sector would probably not make it through the selection process today if they were to present with the same level of skills and experience they had when they first joined the sector. Ultimately, there is an immense amount of talent out there and, we just need to do a far better job of gaining access to it. Part of this is making our sector more attractive as a career option but also being more welcoming and more willing to ‘grow our own’. Let’s be far more willing to hire on capability, culture and attitude rather than pieces of paper. Allowing people to develop in roles and putting HR departments back in their box when it comes to hiring the talent that we want, rather than what HR determines. ## **Careers at Future-tech** At Future-tech we pride ourselves on being a community of specialist data centre engineering consultants and supporting staff who all share the same goals, attitudes and ethics. Even as a multi-disciplined and diverse team we act as a cohesive whole, supporting each other in our specialist capacities. Learn more about [careers at Future-tech.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/careers-at-future-tech/) **All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology.** **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Advancing Nuclear-Powered Data Centres: Future-tech and Deep Atomic's Strategic Partnership.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/nuclear-powered-data-centres-deep-atomic/) **Published:** June 10, 2025 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** As artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) continue to drive unprecedented demand for scalable, high-density infrastructure, the need for resilient, location-flexible energy solutions has never been more urgent… In an aim to meet these escalating demands, Future-tech is proud to announce their strategic partnership with [Deep Atomic](https://deepatomic.com/project-development/), a pioneer in on-site nuclear integration for data centres. Together, this collaboration is designed to accelerate the development of nuclear-powered data centre projects by launching a joint “Stage 0” feasibility and planning program, providing clients with a unified, execution-ready path for assessing and initiating multi-site deployments of data centres powered by Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). ## **Introducing the “Stage 0” Program for SMR-Powered Data Centres** The “Stage 0” program integrates both Deep Atomic’s specialised knowledge in nuclear feasibility and Future-tech’s established[ data centre advisory process](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/) and extensive experience in [data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/). ### **The comprehensive “Stage 0” feasibility and planning program encompasses several key phases:** #### **Stage 0.1: Initial Assessment & Data Centre Site Screening:** Involves rapid RAG (red/amber/green) reviews of data centre site constraints and high-level nuclear viability. #### **Stage 0.2: Technical Due Diligence:** During the [technical due-diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) phase, engineering studies and up to three “test-fit” layouts per site are conducted, modelling SMR integration and thermal-fluid energy balances. #### **Stage 0.3: DATA CENTRE Site Maturity & ESG/Economic Analysis:** Focuses on developing detailed ROI and Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) models, permitting roadmaps, assessments and ESG impact. #### **Stage 0.4: Masterplan & Investment Readiness:** Delivers design packs, masterplans for viable sites, and a strategic funding and execution roadmap. ## **A Unified Vision for the Future of Data Centre Infrastructure** Both Future-tech and Deep Atomic are dedicated to providing expert guidance to clients in the data centre industry through nuclear feasibility, optimised [infrastructure planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/), and funding strategy from the outset. *“As data centre capacity continues to grow, it is key to find high-density, sustainable power solutions that are more location-agnostic than renewables such as hydro, wind and solar. We believe SMRs will play an important role in the future energy mix, and we excited to work with Deep Atomic on-site assessment, feasibility, design and integration projects.”* James Wilman, CEO of Future-tech. Here at Future-tech, we boast a successful track record of delivering over 4 GW of data centre designs in the last four years, and we are delighted to be partnering with Deep Atomic, known for the innovative MK60 SMR – the first reactor specifically engineered to provide both 60 MW of electricity and 60 MW of cooling capacity for the data centre industry. *“Our goal is to help clients make high-confidence infrastructure decisions at the earliest stages of planning,”* William G.J. Theron, Founder and CEO of Deep Atomic. *“By combining Future-tech’s design intelligence with our experience in integrating a range of energy technologies – including nuclear – we offer a unified pathway from opportunity assessment to execution readiness.”* Our key deliverables will include the following; - On-site test-fit facility layouts - ESG and permitting gap analyses, detailed economic models - Comprehensive masterplan kits suitable for investors and regulators Our strategic alliance is focused on enhancing project efficiency, optimising site selection, and mitigating regulatory risks for companies pursuing large-scale data centre deployments. By strategically selecting sites and technical pathways early on, our partnership is poised to expedite the licensing process and prevent expensive project alterations. ## **Why Should You Partner with Future-tech and Deep Atomic?** Here at Future-tech, we boast a successful track record of delivering over 4 GW of data centre designs in the last four years, and we are delighted to be partnering with Deep Atomic, known for the innovative MK60 SMR – the first reactor specifically engineered to provide both 60 MW of electricity and 60 MW of cooling capacity for the data centre industry. ### **Wealth of DATA CENTRE Expertise and Experience from Two Industry Leaders** Deep Atomic and Future-tech bring together expertise and experience as industry leaders of nuclear and data centre site solutions. Deep Atomic excels in managing all nuclear feasibility, permitting, and energy modelling, ensuring a seamless process from start to finish. Meanwhile, Future-tech delivers expert site design, test fits, site master modelling, and architectural due diligence, providing comprehensive support to clients. ### **Faster Project Completion** Another core benefit of working with Future-tech and Deep Atomic is our proactiveness, as our execution-ready reports are designed for immediate use. This allows our clients to fast-track their pre-planning, permitting processes and funding outreach and enables them to move rapidly towards project completion. ### **Strategic Multi-Site Approach** Thanks to our efficient multi-site approach, together, Deep Atomic and Future-tech can evaluate 5–15 sites at a time. Quick, precise, and comparative decision-making is enabled by standardised dashboards, provided by our bundled “Stage 0” programs that streamline the initial evaluation process. ### **Project Transparency** The end-to-end feasibility offered by Future-tech and Deep Atomic combined, ensures their clients have complete project transparency. Through our comprehensive assessments, we provide our clients with a detailed roadmap that considers every aspect of the project, including initial site screening, SMR system engineering and financial packaging. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) with our expert team today to find out more about how we can support your data centre projects. **All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology.** **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech Leads Design & Engineering for £1 Billion Abbots Langley Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/abbots-langley-data-centre/) **Published:** June 10, 2025 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech, a leading consultancy in mission-critical infrastructure, is proud to announce its pivotal role in the design and engineering of **Abbots Langley Data Centre**, a £1 billion hyperscale facility set to reinforce the UK’s digital leadership. Strategically located adjacent to the **M25 motorway in Hertfordshire**, the development will provide **96MW of IT load**, supporting cloud computing, AI-driven workloads, and high-performance data processing. Abbots Langley Data Centre is positioned within the **Hemel Hempstead Availability Zone**, a core and growing part of the **London Availability Region**, approximately **30km from Slough**. The facility will feature **900,000 sq ft of data centre space**, distributed across two buildings with **multiple fibre and power entries**, ensuring robust connectivity and operational resilience. ![Abbots1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Abbots1-1024x725.png "Abbots1 | futuretech")Future-tech’s expertise in [architectural data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), critical systems engineering, and [sustainability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/energy-efficiency/) has been integral to shaping Humber Tech Park’s foundation. The company has leveraged its industry-leading capabilities in [site selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/), strategic planning, and high-performance [systems implementation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/) to ensure the development meets the highest standards of operational excellence and environmental responsibility. *“Abbots Langley Data Centre represents a significant step forward in hyperscale infrastructure, and Future-tech is proud to contribute its expertise to this transformative project,”* said **James Wilman, CEO at Future-tech**. *“Our commitment to resilient, scalable, and sustainable data centre design ensures the facility will support the evolving demands of cloud computing and AI-driven workloads.”* ## **Engineering Excellence & AI-Optimised Infrastructure** Future-tech has been at the forefront of designing high-performance environments tailored to the needs of hyperscale cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The company’s contributions to Abbots Langley Data Centre reflect its leadership in the following critical areas: - **High-Density Compute Environments** – Designing data centres optimised for large-scale cloud and AI workloads, incorporating ultra-high power densities, advanced thermal management, and low-latency architectures. - **Liquid Cooling Systems** – Engineering next-generation [data centre cooling solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), including immersion and direct-to-chip liquid cooling, to maintain operational stability and reduce energy consumption in high-performance computing clusters. - **Advanced Power Distribution & Redundancy** – Implementing scalable [power distribution systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) to support fluctuating workloads while ensuring maximum uptime and resilience. - **Sustainable Data Centre Practices** – Aligning infrastructure with industry-leading energy efficiency strategies, leveraging liquid cooling to improve thermal dissipation while reducing water and electricity consumption. ![Abbots2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Abbots2-1024x509.png "Abbots2 | futuretech")## **Advanced CFD Modelling & 3D Visualisation** Future-tech has integrated **Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling** and **3D architectural visualisation** into the design process for Abbots Langley Data Centre, ensuring optimal airflow management, thermal efficiency, and structural integrity. - **External CFD Modelling** – Future-tech has conducted extensive **CFD simulations** to analyse airflow patterns, heat dissipation, and cooling efficiency across the facility. These simulations have informed the placement of **high-density compute zones**, ensuring maximum thermal performance while reducing energy consumption. - **3D Visualisation & Rendering** – Leveraging advanced **3D modelling and architectural rendering**, Future-tech has developed **high-fidelity visualisations** of the data centre’s design, allowing stakeholders to assess spatial layouts, cooling infrastructure, and operational workflows before construction begins. - **Optimised Airflow & Thermal Management** – CFD modelling has enabled Future-tech to refine **airflow pathways**, ensuring efficient cooling distribution and minimising hotspots within high-density compute environments. ## **Regional & Economic Impact** Abbots Langley Data Centre is expected to **generate 260 full-time operational roles**, with **average salaries ranging from £46,000 to £54,000**. The project will also contribute **£12 million to local education and training**, supporting skill development for careers in digital infrastructure. Additionally, the site will feature a **new publicly accessible landscaped country park**, spanning the size of **25 football pitches**, enhancing biodiversity and providing green space for the community. ![Abbots sitemap | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Abbots_Sitemap-1-1024x617.png "Abbotssitemap | futuretech")## **Future-tech’s Track Record in Hyperscale Developments** Future-tech has played a pivotal role in delivering some of the most advanced hyperscale data centres globally, reinforcing its reputation for excellence. Beyond Abbots Langley Data Centre, the company has led mission-critical developments such as: - **[Humber Tech Park](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humber-tech-park-data-centre/)** – A £3 billion AI-focused hyperscale facility designed to support AI model training and high-performance computing. Future-tech led the architectural design and critical systems engineering, ensuring optimal energy efficiency, resilience, and scalability. - **[Durham University Aykley Heads Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/durham-university-data-centre/)** – Future-tech serves as the **lead consultant, architect, and MEP designer** for Durham University’s new **£250 million** data centre at Aykley Heads. The facility will house a **supercomputer**, supporting advanced research and high-performance computing. Designed to integrate **low-carbon technologies**, the data centre will feature **heat storage and connection to a heat network**, reinforcing Future-tech’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure. Through its expertise in **engineering, consultancy, and project management**, Future-tech remains at the forefront of global data centre innovation, providing [world-class data centre solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/why-future-tech/) tailored to the evolving demands of cloud computing and artificial intelligence. More detail on the Abbots Langley data centre development is available here: Full video fly through: For further information on Future-tech’s involvement in Abbots Langley Data Centre, please contact **Categories:** Case Studies --- ### [Future-tech Leads Design & Engineering for Durham University’s £250 Million Aykley Heads Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/durham-university-data-centre/) **Published:** June 10, 2025 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech, a leading consultancy in mission-critical infrastructure, is proud to announce its role as **lead consultant, architect, and MEP designer** for Durham University’s **£250 million** Aykley Heads Data Centre. This state-of-the-art facility will house a **supercomputer**, supporting advanced research, high-performance computing (HPC), and data-intensive applications. Located within **Durham’s Innovation District**, the Aykley Heads Data Centre is designed to enhance the university’s computational capabilities while fostering collaboration with businesses and research institutions. The facility will feature a **data hall, public education space, offices, generators, and a delivery bay**, ensuring a comprehensive infrastructure for cutting-edge computing. Future-tech’s expertise in [architectural data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), critical systems engineering, and [sustainability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/energy-efficiency/) has been instrumental in shaping the project’s foundation. The company has leveraged its industry-leading capabilities in [site selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/), strategic planning, and high-performance [systems implementation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/) to ensure the development meets the development meets the highest standards of efficiency, security, and environmental responsibility. *“Durham University’s Aykley Heads Data Centre represents a significant advancement in high-performance computing, and Future-tech is proud to contribute its expertise to this transformative project,”* said **James Wilman, CEO at Future-tech**. *“Our commitment to resilient, scalable, and sustainable data centre design ensures the facility will support the evolving demands of research and innovation.”* ## **Engineering Excellence & HPC-Optimised Infrastructure** Future-tech has been at the forefront of designing high-performance environments tailored to the needs of **supercomputing, AI-driven workloads, and advanced research applications**. The company’s contributions to Aykley Heads Data Centre reflect its leadership in the following critical areas: - **Supercomputer Infrastructure** – Designing a facility optimised for large-scale computational workloads, incorporating ultra-high power densities, advanced thermal management, and low-latency architectures. - **Liquid Cooling Systems** – Engineering next-generation [data centre cooling solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), including immersion and direct-to-chip liquid cooling, to maintain operational stability and reduce energy consumption in high-performance computing clusters. - **Advanced Power Distribution & Redundancy** – Implementing scalable [power distribution systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) to support fluctuating workloads while ensuring maximum uptime and resilience. - **Sustainable Data Centre Practices** – Aligning infrastructure with industry-leading energy efficiency strategies, leveraging liquid cooling to improve thermal dissipation while reducing water and electricity consumption. ## **Advanced CFD Modelling & 3D Visualisation** Future-tech has integrated **Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling** and **3D architectural visualisation** into the design process for Aykley Heads Data Centre, ensuring optimal airflow management, thermal efficiency, and structural integrity. - **External CFD Modelling** – Future-tech has conducted extensive **CFD simulations** to analyse airflow patterns, heat dissipation, and cooling efficiency across the facility. These simulations have informed the placement of **high-density compute zones**, ensuring maximum thermal performance while reducing energy consumption. - **3D Visualisation & Rendering** – Leveraging advanced **3D modelling and architectural rendering**, Future-tech has developed **high-fidelity visualisations** of the data centre’s design, allowing stakeholders to assess spatial layouts, cooling infrastructure, and operational workflows before construction begins. - **Optimised Airflow & Thermal Management** – CFD modelling has enabled Future-tech to refine **airflow pathways**, ensuring efficient cooling distribution and minimising hotspots within high-density compute environments. ## **Regional & Economic Impact** The Aykley Heads Data Centre is expected to **attract data-intensive businesses**, creating high-value jobs and supporting the local and regional economy. The facility will integrate **low-carbon technologies**, including **heat storage and connection to a heat network**, reinforcing Future-tech’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure. ## **Future-tech’s Track Record in Hyperscale & HPC Developments** Future-tech has played a pivotal role in delivering some of the most advanced hyperscale and HPC data centres globally, reinforcing its reputation for excellence. Beyond Aykley Heads Data Centre, the company has led mission-critical developments such as: - **[Humber Tech Park](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humber-tech-park-data-centre/)** – A £3 billion AI-focused hyperscale facility designed to support AI model training and high-performance computing. Future-tech led the architectural design and critical systems engineering, ensuring optimal energy efficiency, resilience, and scalability. - **[Abbots Langley Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/abbots-langley-data-centre/)** – A £1 billion hyperscale facility designed to meet the growing demand for secure, AI-capable infrastructure. Future-tech spearheaded the architectural design and critical systems engineering, incorporating liquid cooling, redundancy planning, and optimised energy efficiency to ensure long-term scalability. Through its expertise in **engineering, consultancy, and project management**, Future-tech remains at the forefront of global data centre innovation, providing [world-class data centre solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/why-future-tech/) tailored to the evolving demands of **high-performance computing and artificial intelligence**. More information on the Durham University Data Centre development can be found here: For further information on Future-tech’s involvement in Aykley Heads Data Centre, please contact **Categories:** Case Studies --- ### [Future-tech Powers AI Innovation in £3 Billion Humber Tech Park Hyperscale Data Centre Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humber-tech-park-data-centre/) **Published:** June 10, 2025 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech, a leading consultancy in mission-critical infrastructure, is proud to announce its instrumental role in the design and engineering of Humber Tech Park, one of Europe’s largest AI-focused hyperscale data centre developments. As a £3 billion facility dedicated to AI model training and high-performance computing, Humber Tech Park represents a next-generation approach to scalable, resilient, and energy-efficient digital infrastructure. Located in **North Lincolnshire, near the Humber Estuary**, Humber Tech Park is set to become a cornerstone of the UK’s digital economy. The project has received **outline planning approval**, with reserved matters applications expected later this year. Once operational, the facility will provide **an IT load of 384+MW**, supporting AI-driven workloads that require ultra-high computing power. The development spans **200 acres**, strategically positioned near Killingholme substation and the South Humber Bank, benefiting from **multiple fibre and power entries**. Future-tech’s expertise in [architectural data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), critical systems engineering, and [sustainability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/energy-efficiency/) has been integral to shaping Humber Tech Park’s foundation. The company has leveraged its industry-leading capabilities in [site selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/), strategic planning, and high-performance [systems implementation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/) to ensure the development meets the highest standards of operational excellence and environmental responsibility. *“AI-driven computing environments require an entirely new approach to infrastructure, and Future-tech is proud to bring its experience in liquid-cooled, high-density designs to Humber Tech Park,”* said **James Wilman, CEO at Future-tech**. *“Our commitment to scalability, resilience, and sustainability ensures the facility will support advanced workloads while remaining adaptable to future innovations.”* ## **AI-Focused Infrastructure & Liquid Cooling Expertise** Future-tech has been at the forefront of designing high-performance environments tailored to the needs of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), and advanced machine learning workloads. The company’s contributions to Humber Tech Park reflect its leadership in the following critical areas: - **High-Density AI Compute Environments** – Designing data centres optimised for large-scale AI model training, incorporating ultra-high power densities, advanced thermal management, and low-latency architectures to enhance computational efficiency. - **Liquid Cooling Systems** – Engineering next-generation data centre [cooling solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), including immersion and direct-to-chip liquid cooling, to maintain operational stability and reduce energy consumption in high-performance AI clusters. - **Advanced Power Distribution & Redundancy** – Implementing scalable [power distribution systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) to support fluctuating AI workloads while ensuring maximum uptime and resilience. - **Sustainable AI Data Centre Practices** – Aligning infrastructure with industry-leading energy efficiency strategies, leveraging liquid cooling to improve thermal dissipation while reducing water and electricity consumption. ## **Regional & Economic Impact** Humber Tech Park is expected to **generate hundreds of high-skilled jobs**, with **370 full-time operational roles** offering average salaries exceeding £50,000. The project will also contribute to **local infrastructure improvements**, including funding for sustainable transport and community development. Additionally, the site will feature **biodiversity enhancements**, including new tree planting, ponds, and landscaped areas. A unique aspect of the development is its **integration with sustainable agriculture**, as excess waste heat from the data centre will be used to power a **300,000 sq ft glasshouse**, supporting commercial tomato production. This innovative approach aligns with Future-tech’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. ## **Track Record of High-Performance AI DATA CENTRE Developments** Future-tech has played a pivotal role in delivering some of the most advanced AI-focused data centres globally, reinforcing its reputation for excellence. Beyond Humber Tech Park, the company has led mission-critical developments such as: - **[Abbots Langley Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/abbots-langley-data-centre/)** – A £1 billion hyperscale facility designed to meet the growing demand for secure, AI-capable infrastructure. Future-tech spearheaded the architectural design and critical systems engineering, incorporating liquid cooling, redundancy planning, and optimised energy efficiency to ensure long-term scalability. - **[Durham University Aykley Heads Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/durham-university-data-centre/)** – Future-tech serves as the **lead consultant, architect, and MEP designer** for Durham University’s new **£250 million** data centre at Aykley Heads. The facility will house a **supercomputer**, supporting advanced research and high-performance computing. Designed to integrate **low-carbon technologies**, the data centre will feature **heat storage and connection to a heat network**, reinforcing Future-tech’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure. The development is part of the **Durham Innovation District**, aimed at attracting data-intensive businesses and fostering regional economic growth. Through its expertise in **engineering, consultancy, and project management**, Future-tech remains at the forefront of global data centre innovation, providing[ world-class data centre solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/why-future-tech/) tailored to the evolving demands of **high-performance computing and artificial intelligence**. More detail on the Humber tech Park Data Centre development available here: For further information on Future-tech’s involvement in Humber Tech Park Data Centre Development, please contact **Categories:** Case Studies --- ### [Understanding Harmonic Analysis and Its Importance in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/harmonic-analysis-in-data-centre-design/) **Published:** May 22, 2025 **Author:** Atousa Zaeim **Content:** In the modern era, data centres are the backbone of digital communication and information storage. As the demand for data processing increases, so does the complexity of electrical systems within these facilities. Understanding harmonic analysis is essential to ensure that data centres operate efficiently and reliably. In this blog, Senior Electrical Engineer at Future-tech, Atousa Zaeim, discusses the meaning of Harmonic Analysis, it’s importance in data centres and how we leverage it in data centre design. ## **What is Harmonic Analysis?** Harmonic analysis is the study of the distortion of electrical signals that occur in an electrical system. In a typical power system, the voltage and current waveforms ideally should be sinusoidal. However, non-linear loads, such as servers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and other electronic equipment, can introduce harmonic currents into the system. These harmonics are multiples of the fundamental frequency and can cause various problems, including overheating of equipment, reduced efficiency, and even equipment failure. ## **Importance of Harmonic Analysis in Data Centres** For data centres, harmonic analysis is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it plays a vital role in [equipment protection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/). Harmonics can lead to overheating of transformers, motors, and other electrical components, resulting in premature failure and costly downtime. Conducting harmonic analysis allows data centres to identify and mitigate these risks before they lead to equipment failure. Additionally, harmonic analysis contributes to improved efficiency. Harmonic distortion can reduce the efficiency of power distribution systems, leading to increased energy costs. By understanding the harmonic profile of the facility, operators can optimise system performance and reduce energy waste. Furthermore, many jurisdictions have stringent regulations regarding harmonic distortion, making compliance with standards such as IEEE 519 and IEC 61000 essential. Harmonic analysis helps data centres ensure compliance with these standards, thereby avoiding potential fines and penalties. By minimising harmonic distortion, data centres can achieve enhanced reliability, which is critical for operations that require high availability, as even a minor disruption can lead to significant losses. ## **Techniques and Standards We Follow for Harmonic Analysis** When conducting harmonic analysis, we employ a range of techniques and adhere to established standards to ensure thorough assessments and compliance. Here’s how we approach harmonic analysis: ### **Simulation Modelling:** We utilise advanced software, specifically ETAP, to create detailed simulations of the power system. This allows us to model the behaviour of electrical components under different operating conditions, helping us identify potential harmonic issues before they arise. ### **Harmonic Load Flow Analysis:** Our analysis includes harmonic load flow capabilities, which enable us to assess the impact of harmonic distortion across various load scenarios. This analysis helps determine how different load configurations affect the overall harmonic profile, allowing for informed design choices. ### **Real-Time Monitoring:** We deploy power quality analysers to conduct real-time monitoring of existing harmonic levels within the electrical system. This data-driven approach allows us to identify specific problem areas and recommend targeted solutions based on actual performance metrics. ### **Compliance Testing:** We ensure that our harmonic analysis adheres to international standards, including IEEE 519 and IEC 61000. These [data centre safety standards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) outline acceptable levels of harmonic distortion and provide guidelines for compliance, helping our clients avoid potential fines and ensure system reliability. ### **Detailed Reporting:** After completing our analysis, we generate comprehensive reports that document our findings and recommendations. These reports not only illustrate compliance with established standards but also provide actionable insights for improving power quality and reducing harmonic distortion. By employing these techniques and adhering to these standards, we ensure that our harmonic analysis is accurate, reliable, and beneficial for the effective operation of data centres. ### **ETAP Standards and Harmonic Analysis** [ETAP (Electrical Transient Analyzer Program)](https://etap.com/product/harmonic-analysis-software) plays a pivotal role in our harmonic analysis studies. The software’s key features include: - **Accurate Modelling:** ETAP enables detailed representation of non-linear loads, essential for accurate harmonic analysis. - **Real-time Analysis:** The ability to conduct real-time simulations provides instant feedback on how changes in the system will affect harmonic distortion. - **Comprehensive Reporting:** ETAP generates detailed reports that document compliance with standards and offer recommendations for improvements. By leveraging these features, we can provide our clients with precise assessments of harmonic distortion, ultimately enhancing the safety and efficiency of their data centres. ## **Leveraging Harmonic Analysis Studies in Data Centre Design** Integrating harmonic analysis into [data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) and operations is essential for achieving optimal performance and reliability. Our studies provide actionable insights that enable several critical improvements in data centre operations: ### **Design Improvements:** #### **Dentification of Modifications:** Through harmonic analysis, we can identify specific modifications necessary to reduce harmonic distortion within the electrical system. This includes the selection of appropriate transformers that are designed to handle the harmonic content of the load. Choosing transformers with suitable impedance can significantly diminish the impact of harmonics on overall system performance. #### **System Configuration:** We also focus on configuring the electrical systems to minimise the adverse effects of non-linear loads, such as servers and other electronic devices. By strategically placing equipment and optimising the layout, we can reduce the circulating currents and improve power quality throughout the facility. #### **Effective Load Management:** One of the key benefits of our harmonic analysis is enhanced load management. By analysing the harmonic profile of the data centre, we gain insights into how different loads interact with one another. This allows us to develop strategies that ensure loads are balanced across the system, thereby maintaining harmonic levels within acceptable limits. Effective load management not only helps in adhering to regulatory standards but also maximises the efficiency of the power distribution system. ### **Mitigation Strategies:** To combat the effects of harmonics, we recommend several mitigation strategies. Harmonic filters, for instance, are devices that can be installed to specifically target and reduce harmonic distortion within the electrical system. These filters help improve the overall power quality by eliminating unwanted harmonics, which can lead to reduced energy costs and increased equipment lifespan. Additionally, we advise on the use of power factor correction devices. These devices improve the power factor of the electrical system, which is a measure of how effectively electrical power is being converted into useful work output. By improving the power factor, we not only reduce the risk of overloading transformers but also enhance the overall efficiency of the [data centre’s electrical infrastructure](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/). By leveraging these insights and recommendations, we ensure that data centres operate efficiently and reliably. This proactive approach significantly reduces the risk of equipment failure and downtime, ultimately leading to a more stable and productive data centre environment. ## **Conclusion** In conclusion, harmonic analysis is a critical aspect of data centre design and operation. It helps protect equipment, improve efficiency, ensure compliance with standards, and enhance overall reliability. By leveraging advanced tools like ETAP and adhering to best practices, our consulting company provides valuable services that empower data centres to operate at their peak. Understanding and addressing harmonic distortion is not just a technical necessity; it is a fundamental step in ensuring the success of any data centre operation. With specialist expertise in the industry, our [Data Centre Design and Consulting service ](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/)team deliver world-class technical insight and understanding globally based upon multiple decades of direct data centre industry involvement and specialism. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) with our experts today. **All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology.** **Categories:** Articles, Design, Engineering --- ### [Understanding Arc Flash and Its Importance in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/importance-of-arc-flash-in-data-centres/) **Published:** May 9, 2025 **Author:** Atousa Zaeim **Content:** Arc flash is a dangerous electrical event that occurs when an electrical fault causes a sudden release of energy, resulting in an intense explosion. This event can produce extreme heat, light, pressure, and sound, leading to severe damage to equipment and posing significant safety hazards to personnel. In environments such as data centres, where electrical systems play a critical role in ensuring continuous operation, managing the risk of arc flash is essential for safety and reliability. In this blog, Senior Electrical Engineer at Future-tech, Atousa Zaeim, delves into what is an arc flash, why its important in data centres and how to leverage it in data centre design. ## **What is Arc Flash?** An arc flash occurs when there is an uncontrolled discharge of electrical current through the air between conductors or from a conductor to ground. This phenomenon typically results from equipment failure, human error, insulation breakdown, or the presence of conductive dust. When an arc flash happens, it can release tremendous energy in the form of: **Heat:** Temperatures can reach up to 35,000°F (19,400°C), which is hotter than the surface of the sun. This can cause severe burns to anyone nearby. **Pressure Wave:** The sudden release of energy creates a blast that can throw personnel across a room and damage equipment. **Shrapnel:** Molten metal and debris from the explosion can project outward, posing additional risks. **Light and Sound:** The flash of light can cause temporary or permanent blindness, and the sound can damage hearing. ## **Importance of Arc Flash in Data Centres** In data centres, managing arc flash hazards is critical for both safety and operational continuity. Here’s why: ### **Personnel Safety:** Arc flash incidents can cause life-threatening injuries to maintenance staff or anyone working near energized electrical equipment. Ensuring proper safety measures protects staff from severe injuries or fatalities. ### **Equipment Protection:** Data centres rely heavily on uninterrupted electrical systems for servers, [data centre cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/), and networking equipment. An arc flash event can not only damage critical infrastructure but also result in costly repairs and extended downtime. ### **Minimising Downtime:** Downtime in a data centre can result in significant financial losses and disrupt services to clients. Managing the risk of arc flash helps reduce the likelihood of equipment failure and unplanned outages. ### **Regulatory Compliance with Safety Standards:** Various [data centre safety standards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/), including NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584-2018, provide guidelines for calculating arc flash hazards and ensuring that the proper protective measures are in place. Compliance with these standards is essential for the safe operation of data centres and avoids regulatory penalties. ## **Techniques and Standards We Follow for Arc Flash** When performing arc flash assessments, we strictly follow IEEE 1584-2018, which provides improved methods for calculating incident energy levels. This standard introduced empirical formulas that account for various parameters such as system voltage, fault current, equipment configuration, and working distance. This allows for a more accurate prediction of arc flash hazards. In addition, we comply with NFPA 70E 2024 to ensure our designs meet the latest safety requirements. This includes establishing Arc Flash Boundaries, determining appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for workers, and generating accurate labelling for electrical equipment. By using ETAP software, we can automate much of this process. ETAP’s ArcSafety™ Solution allows for the rapid calculation of incident energy levels and flash protection boundaries. The software also ensures compliance with OSHA 1910.269 for medium and high voltage systems, further enhancing safety in mission-critical environments. ### **ETAP and Arc Flash Analysis** [ETAP](https://etap.com/product/arc-flash-software) is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive tools for conducting arc flash analysis. The software provides multiple benefits, including: **Auto-Evaluation of Arc Flash Hazards:** ETAP automates the evaluation of incident energy levels, making it easy to assess risks across multiple points in the electrical system. This speeds up the process, reducing costly downtime for equipment modifications. **Graphical Arc Flash Calculators:** ETAP offers a user-friendly, graphical interface for running “what-if” scenarios. These calculators help us determine how system changes affect arc flash hazards, ensuring safety measures are optimized in real time. **Standards Compliance:** ETAP ensures that our designs align with global safety standards, such as IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E, as well as European standards like DGUV-I 203-077. This makes our solutions robust, future-proof, and compliant with both local and international regulations. ## **Leveraging Arc Flash Studies in Data Centre Design** Data centres require high levels of operational reliability, and arc flash studies are a crucial part of ensuring that reliability. By conducting detailed arc flash assessments, we can identify the most vulnerable points in a system and take proactive steps to mitigate potential hazards. In the [data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) phase, we model the electrical network using ETAP to simulate potential arc flash events. This allows us to optimise the placement of protective devices, such as circuit breakers and relays, to minimize fault currents and reduce arc flash energy. ETAP’s Arc Quenching Devices and Zone Selective Interlocking (ZSI) also help reduce the severity of arc flash events by improving the coordination of protective devices. Additionally, ETAP’s Star™ Auto-Evaluation feature helps us ensure that all protective devices are properly coordinated, minimizing the risk of arc flash by ensuring devices operate in the correct sequence during fault conditions. ## **Conclusion** At Future-tech, we are committed to [designing safe and reliable data centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) by conducting comprehensive arc flash studies using ETAP. By adhering to IEEE 1584-2018, NFPA 70E 2024, and other global standards, we ensure that our clients benefit from optimised safety measures. ETAP’s advanced tools, such as the ArcSafety™ Solution and Graphical Arc Flash Calculators, help us deliver fast, accurate, and compliant arc flash assessments. This not only protects personnel and equipment but also ensures uninterrupted data centre operations, making arc flash studies a vital part of any data centre’s safety strategy. [Get in touch with our specialist data centre engineers ](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/)today to find out more about our data centre design services. All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology. **Categories:** Articles, Design, Engineering --- ### [Understanding Selectivity and Its Importance in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/importance-of-selectivity-in-data-centre-design/) **Published:** April 22, 2025 **Author:** Atousa Zaeim **Content:** Selectivity, also known as protective device coordination, is a fundamental concept in electrical power system design, especially in environments like data centres where continuous operation is critical. Selectivity ensures that, in the event of an electrical fault, only the protective device nearest to the fault (such as a fuse or circuit breaker) will operate to isolate the affected portion of the system. This prevents a localised fault from causing a complete shutdown of the entire electrical system, thereby minimising downtime and avoiding unnecessary disruption to other parts of the network. In a data centre, electrical reliability is of utmost importance due to the need for uninterrupted power to servers, cooling systems, and networking equipment. Therefore, achieving proper selectivity in the protective devices used in the power distribution system is crucial. In this blog post, Senior Electrical Engineer at Future-tech, Atousa Zaeim, outlines the meaning behind selectivity and highlights how to leverage selectivity in data centre design. ## **What is Selectivity?** Selectivity is achieved by carefully coordinating the time-current characteristics (TCC) of the protective devices in the system. The TCC curves show how long a protective device takes to respond to a given level of fault current. By ensuring that downstream devices (closer to the fault) have faster response times than upstream devices, selectivity is maintained. ### **There are two main types of selectivity:** - **Time-based selectivity**: This relies on ensuring that the protective devices at different levels of the distribution system have different response times. For instance, a fuse near the fault may be set to respond more quickly than a circuit breaker further upstream. This ensures that only the faulty section is isolated, while power remains available to the rest of the system. - **Current-based selectivity:** In some cases, protective devices can be coordinated based on the level of fault current. For example, a device downstream may trip at a lower current threshold than one upstream. This type of selectivity is particularly important in systems where the time difference alone may not be sufficient to guarantee proper isolation. ## **Importance of Selectivity in Data Centres** ### **Minimising Data Centre Downtime:** In data centres, even a brief power outage can have significant financial and operational consequences. Proper selectivity ensures that only the section of the system directly affected by the fault is disconnected, allowing the rest of the data centre to remain operational. This minimises disruptions and helps ensure high levels of uptime. ### **Protecting Sensitive Equipment:** Data centres house sensitive equipment, such as servers and[ cooling systems,](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) that need a stable power supply to function properly. If selectivity is not properly implemented, a fault in one area of the system could cause protective devices to trip unnecessarily, cutting power to critical equipment and potentially causing data loss or system failures. ### **Improving Data Centre Safety:** Selectivity plays a crucial role in improving safety in a data centre environment. By ensuring that faults are quickly and accurately isolated, the risk of electrical fires, explosions, or other dangerous conditions is reduced. Furthermore, this minimises the likelihood of cascading failures that could jeopardise the safety of personnel working in or near the data centre. ### **Cost Efficiency:** Proper selectivity can reduce the cost of repairs and [maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/). Isolating a fault to the smallest possible section of the system helps prevent widespread damage to equipment and infrastructure, making it easier and more cost-effective to identify and repair faults. ### **Compliance with Legal and Operational Requirements:** Data centres must adhere to strict safety and reliability standards, such as IEEE 242 and NFPA 70E, which outline guidelines for protective device coordination. Proper selectivity ensures compliance with these regulations, helping data centres meet legal and operational requirements. ## **Techniques and Standards We Follow for Selectivity** **Industry Standards:** We adhere to globally recognised standards such as IEEE 242 and IEEE 399 for protective device coordination. These standards ensure that all protective devices in the system – like relays, fuses, and circuit breakers – respond appropriately to fault conditions, thus preventing widespread outages and ensuring safety. **ETAP’s Star™ Module:** Using ETAP’s Star™ Protective Device Coordinationmodule, we accurately model the electrical system and simulate fault scenarios. This allows us to fine-tune the settings of protective devices for optimal coordination, ensuring that only the device closest to the fault trips, minimizing the impact on the overall system. **Time-Current Characteristic (TCC) Curve Analysis:** A key aspect of our selectivity studies is TCC curve analysis, which visually represents the response times of various protective devices. ETAP’s advanced TCC plotting tools help us ensure precise coordination between devices, ensuring that they respond in the correct order. This minimizes unnecessary disruptions in other parts of the system and ensures compliance with industry standards like IEEE and NFPA 70E​ [**Compliance with Safety Standards**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/)**:** Our selectivity studies using ETAP are fully compliant with IEEE 1584, NFPA 70E, and other international standards, ensuring the highest level of safety and reliability in the electrical system​. ## **How ETAP Standards Enhance Safety** Using ETAP for selectivity and coordination studies offers several safety benefits: - **Accurate Fault Simulation:** ETAP allows us to simulate a wide range of fault conditions, ensuring that the system reacts as expected during real-world scenarios. This simulation capability helps in verifying whether protective devices are correctly configured to isolate only the faulty section, keeping the rest of the system operational. - **Protective Device Coordination:** With the Star™ Auto-Evaluation feature, ETAP automatically checks the coordination of protective devices, ensuring that they are optimized to work together. This coordination minimizes unnecessary equipment downtime, enhances system reliability, and reduces maintenance costs. - **Compliance and Reporting:** ETAP generates comprehensive reports that document the settings of each protective device, ensuring compliance with industry safety standards like NFPA 70E and IEEE 1584. These reports are invaluable for routine audits and system maintenance. ## **Leveraging Selectivity in Data Centre Design** Data centres are highly sensitive environments where uptime is critical, and even minor disruptions can lead to significant financial losses. By conducting selectivity studies during [the design phase](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), we ensure that protective devices are strategically placed and properly coordinated. ETAP’s extensive library of protective devices allows us to accurately simulate various configurations and identify potential areas of improvement. For example, ETAP enables us to: ### **Model Complex Systems:** We can simulate entire electrical networks, including multiple layers of protection for each system component. This helps in determining the most efficient way to isolate faults without impacting the rest of the data centre. ### **Optimise Device Settings for Best Performance:** Using ETAP’s TCC curves, we can fine-tune device settings, ensuring optimal performance under different fault conditions. This reduces unnecessary tripping of upstream devices and keeps the critical infrastructure running. ### **Improvement Through Simulation:** ETAP allows us to run “what-if” scenarios, which help in predicting the behaviour of the system under varying load conditions. This flexibility helps us refine the design, making it more resilient to faults while maintaining operational integrity. ## **Customised Solutions for Your System’s Needs** **If the client already has device settings:** We can use ETAP to perform a detailed analysis based on the provided settings. Our team can generate reports that show whether the current settings ensure proper selectivity or if adjustments are needed. This is ideal for clients who want to verify the effectiveness of their existing configurations. **If the client does not have device settings:** If settings are not available or if the system is being newly designed, we can conduct a comprehensive study using ETAP. Based on the results, we will recommend the correct settings for protective devices—whether they are new installations or existing devices needing reconfiguration. This ensures that the system will operate efficiently, minimizing the risk of unnecessary shutdowns and maximizing safety and uptime. ## **Conclusion** At Future-tech, we integrate cutting-edge software like ETAP to enhance the safety and reliability of our[ data centre designs](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/). By conducting thorough selectivity studies and adhering to industry standards, we ensure that protective devices are perfectly coordinated, reducing downtime and preventing widespread outages. ETAP’s advanced tools, such as Star™ Auto-Evaluation and TCC analysis, enable us to deliver highly efficient and safe electrical systems that meet the unique demands of data centres. Our approach not only safeguards equipment and personnel but also ensures uninterrupted service, which is vital for data centre operations. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) with our team of expert engineers today to find out more. All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology. **Categories:** Articles, Design, Engineering --- ### [Understanding Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and Its Role in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/understanding-mean-time-between-failures-mtbf-and-its-role-in-data-centre-design/) **Published:** March 13, 2025 **Author:** Atousa Zaeim **Content:** In data centre operations, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum reliability is essential. One of the key metrics used to assess this reliability is Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)**,** which measures the average time a system, component, or product operates before experiencing a failure. MTBF is particularly important in environments where high availability and minimal downtime are essential, such as in data centres. For data centre equipment, this metric helps predict the performance and reliability of components like servers, networking equipment, power supplies, and cooling systems. In this blog post, Atousa Zaeim discusses why MTBF is important for data centres and it role it plays in data centre design. ## **What is MTBF?** MTBF is a measure of the average time a system or component operates before experiencing a failure. MTBF is calculated as the total operational time of a system divided by the number of failures that occur during that period. The formula is: **MTBF = Total Operating Time / Number of Failures** For example, if a server operates for 10,000 hours and experiences two failures, the MTBF is 5,000 hours. A higher MTBF value suggests that the system is more reliable, indicating fewer failures over time. ## **Why is the Application of MTBF Important for Data Centres?** ### **1. Predicting Downtime:** In data centres, downtime can lead to significant financial losses and disruption of services. Understanding the MTBF of critical components allows data centre managers to predict when failures are likely to occur, enabling proactive maintenance and reducing unexpected downtime. ### **2. Enhancing Reliability:** MTBF helps in comparing the reliability of various equipment options. By selecting components with higher MTBF values, data centres can improve the overall reliability of their infrastructure. This is particularly vital in high-availability environments where even minor disruptions can affect operations. ### **3. Maintenance Planning:** MTBF data can guide maintenance schedules. Instead of relying on reactive maintenance—where actions are taken after a failure occurs—data centre operators can implement preventive maintenance. This approach helps replace or repair equipment before it fails, improving uptime. ### **4. Cost Efficiency:** Properly utilizing MTBF data allows data centres to make informed decisions about which components are cost-effective in the long term. For example, equipment with a higher MTBF might have a higher upfront cost but lower maintenance and downtime expenses. Over time, this can lead to significant cost savings. ### **5. Compliance and Service Level Agreements (SLAs):** Many data centres operate under strict SLAs that mandate a certain level of uptime. By tracking MTBF, data centres can ensure that they meet or exceed their uptime commitments. If the MTBF of critical components falls, it may signal the need for upgrades or additional redundancy. ## **Industry Standards for MTBF in Data Centres** At [**Future-tech**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), we leverage industry-standard approaches to reliability analysis to provide the most accurate MTBF predictions and assessments for data centres. We combine Windchill RBD (Reliability Block Diagram) software with established industry standards to ensure that our reliability models are accurate and dependable. - **Golden Book (IEEE Std 493™-2007):** We utilize the “Golden Book” (Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability) as a key reference to guide our understanding of MTBF and system reliability, providing a framework for designing and maintaining reliable data centres. - **IEEE Std. 3006.7-2013:** We primarily follow the techniques outlined in IEEE Std.3006.7-2013**,** which is focused on “Recommended Practice for Determining the Reliability of Industrial and Commercial Power Systems.” This standard outline best practices for calculating reliability, including MTBF, and is tailored for environments like data centres that require high levels of operational availability. - **Comparison with IEEE 3006.7:** After conducting reliability analysis using Windchill RBD, we compare the results against the IEEE 3006.7 standards to ensure consistency and compliance. This comparison helps us validate the accuracy of our reliability models and ensures that the systems we design meet the highest levels of industry performance. ## **How Windchill RBD and Standards Enhance Data Centre Reliability** We use Windchill RBD software by PTC to create reliability block diagrams, enabling us to model complex data centre systems and analyse the MTBF of individual components. This powerful tool allows us to simulate various failure scenarios, helping us identify potential weak points in the system. By integrating the principles from the Golden Book (IEEE Std 493™-2007) and IEEE Std. 3006.7, we ensure that our models not only meet but often exceed industry standards for reliability. Windchill RBD enables the creation of reliability block diagrams, which visually represent the relationships between system components and their respective MTBF values. By simulating various scenarios, we can identify potential single points of failure and propose solutions, such as adding redundancy or selecting higher-reliability components. ## **Leveraging MTBF Analysis in Data Centre Design** **1. System Reliability Modelling:** Using Windchill RBD, we assess the MTBF of each critical component in the data centre. By combining these individual metrics, we provide a comprehensive reliability analysis of the entire system. **2. Identifying Weak Links:** The software allows us to pinpoint components with low MTBF that may compromise the reliability of the data centre. This helps in making informed decisions about where to invest in higher-quality equipment or redundancy. **3. Customised Solutions:** Every data centre is unique, and through MTBF analysis and reliability modelling, we tailor our solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients. Whether it’s improving system design or optimizing maintenance schedules, our goal is to ensure maximum uptime and reliability. ## **Conclusion** MTBF is a crucial metric in ensuring the reliability and efficiency of data centre operations. By leveraging MTBF data and using tools like Windchill RBD, [**Future-tech**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/)[ helps design data centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) that are not only robust but also cost-effective. Through proactive maintenance and reliability modelling, we ensure that data centres meet the highest standards of performance and availability. Get in touch to find out more about our [Data Centre Engineering Consultancy Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/). All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology. **Categories:** Articles, Design, Engineering --- ### [Understanding Short Circuit and Its Importance in Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/understanding-short-circuit-and-its-importance-in-data-centre-design/) **Published:** March 28, 2025 **Author:** Atousa Zaeim **Content:** Short circuit analysis is a critical aspect of electrical system design, especially in data centres where power reliability and safety are essential. A short circuit occurs when a fault creates a low-resistance path between two conductors, allowing an excessive amount of current to flow through the system. This high current, known as the short circuit current, can cause severe damage to equipment, result in fires, and endanger personnel. In a data centre, where electrical systems must function without interruption, understanding and mitigating the risks of short circuits is crucial to maintaining operational reliability and safety. In this blog post, Senior Electrical Engineer at Future-tech, Atousa Zaeim, delves into the importance of short circuit analysis in data centre design. ## **What is a Short Circuit?** Short circuits can happen for a variety of reasons, including insulation failure, equipment malfunction, human error, or external factors like moisture or debris in the system. When a short circuit occurs, the sudden surge in current can cause severe damage to electrical components, such as cables, switchgear, and transformers. It can also lead to explosions, arc flashes, or fires if not properly controlled. The key to mitigating the risk of short circuits is conducting a short circuit analysis to determine the maximum fault current that could occur in the system. Once the fault current is known, protective devices like circuit breakers and fuses can be selected and configured to handle the fault without allowing damage to spread throughout the system. ## **The Importance of Short Circuit Analysis in Data Centres.** ### **Electrical Equipment Protection:** Data centres rely on sensitive electronic equipment such as servers, networking devices, and [cooling systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/). These components can be easily damaged by the high currents associated with a short circuit. Conducting a short circuit analysis ensures that all equipment is protected from excessive fault currents by appropriately rated protective devices. ### **System Integrity:** Short circuits can cause widespread damage if not properly contained. A comprehensive short circuit analysis helps identify potential weak points in the system and ensures that protective devices are appropriately placed to isolate faults quickly, maintaining the integrity of the overall power distribution system. ### **Ensuring Electrical Safety:** High fault currents present a significant safety hazard to personnel working in or near the electrical system. Short circuit analysis ensures that protective devices are capable of interrupting these currents before they cause catastrophic equipment failures or dangerous conditions like electrical fires and explosions. ### **Minimising Downtime:** In the event of a short circuit, it is essential to minimize the impact on the overall data centre operation. Short circuit analysis allows for the selection of protective devices that can quickly interrupt fault currents, preventing damage from spreading and ensuring that only the affected part of the system is taken offline. This helps to minimize downtime and maintain high levels of availability. ### [**Compliance with Industry Standards**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/)**:** Short circuit analysis is also important for ensuring compliance with industry standards such as IEEE 242 (Buff Book) and IEEE 399 (Brown Book), which provide guidelines for fault current calculation and system protection. Data centres must adhere to these standards to meet safety and reliability requirements. ## **Techniques and Standards We Follow for Short Circuit Analysis.** At[ Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/), we rely on ETAP software to conduct detailed short circuit analysis, ensuring that our designs meet the highest standards of safety and performance. Here are the key standards and techniques we use: - IEEE 242 (Buff Book) and IEEE 399 (Brown Book): These standards guide the methodology for calculating fault currents and ensuring appropriate protection settings. By adhering to these standards, we ensure that all protective devices, such as circuit breakers and fuses, respond correctly during short circuit events, minimizing damage and preventing widespread outages. - ETAP Short Circuit Module: This module enables us to model and simulate complex electrical networks, allowing us to analyse how the system reacts under various fault conditions. By accurately calculating fault currents at different points, we ensure that the system can withstand potential faults without compromising safety or performance. ## **How ETAP Standards Enhance System Safety.** Using ETAP for short circuit analysis brings significant safety benefits: ### **Fault Current Calculation:** ETAP accurately calculates the maximum fault current at critical points in the system. This allows us to ensure that the protective devices are rated correctly to interrupt these currents, thus avoiding equipment failure and reducing the risk of injury. ### **Coordination of Protective Devices:** By simulating different fault scenarios, ETAP ensures that protective devices, such as relays and circuit breakers, operate in the correct sequence, isolating faults and minimizing damage. This coordination enhances system reliability and safety by ensuring only the faulted section is isolated. ### **Compliance Reporting:** ETAP generates comprehensive reports that document the results of the short circuit analysis, verifying that the system meets relevant safety and reliability standards, including IEEE and NFPA guidelines. These reports provide critical data for maintenance and future system audits. ## **Leveraging Short Circuit Studies in Data Centre Design.** Short circuit analysis is critical for ensuring data centre reliability. Here’s how we leverage ETAP’s capabilities: ### **Accurate System Modelling:** We model the entire electrical system, including power sources, transformers, and protective devices, to fully understand how the system will behave during a short circuit. This helps us design systems that are both robust and safe. ### **Rating and Selection of Protective Devices** Based on fault current calculations, we select protective devices that are properly rated for the expected fault conditions. This ensures that devices can safely interrupt fault currents without risking damage to the system. ### **Simulation of Fault Conditions:** ETAP allows us to simulate different fault conditions, ensuring that protective devices will operate as intended during real-world events. This reduces downtime and enhances overall system reliability. ## **Conclusion** By using ETAP for short circuit analysis, [Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) ensures that all aspects of data centre design are optimized for safety, performance, and compliance. Our approach reduces risks, improves system reliability, and ensures adherence to industry standards, providing data centre operators with peace of mind. This comprehensive analysis ensures that the system remains operational and protected, even under fault conditions, minimizing downtime and maintaining continuous service. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) with our team of expert engineers today to find out more about our Data Centre Design and Consulting Services! All Future-tech content is produced by human writers based on their expertise, without the use of AI technology. **Categories:** Articles, Design, Engineering --- ### [The Hidden Cost of Cloud Adoption](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cloud-adoption-unseen-costs/) **Published:** November 25, 2024 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Cloud computing promises efficiency, flexibility, and scalability, but these benefits can come with unexpectedly high costs. Many businesses struggle to manage cloud environment expenses due to factors like the pay-as-you-go model, automatic scaling, complex pricing structures, and hidden fees. Without proper cost governance and resource optimisation, cloud costs can spiral out of control, leaving businesses facing significant financial challenges. In this blog, Future-tech’s Director of Operations Richard Stacey explores the reasons behind escalating cloud costs and provides strategies to manage and reduce them effectively. Firstly, here’s why cloud costs can spiral out of control: ## **1. Pay-As-You-Go Model** Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud operate on a pay-as-you-go model, charging users for the resources they consume, such as compute power, storage, data transfer, and other services. ### **How does it become costly?** If businesses fail to optimise their resource usage, they end up consuming far more than expected. For example, leaving virtual machines running when not in use or using larger-than-needed instances can dramatically increase costs. ## **2. Scaling Beyond Expectations** Cloud platforms allow for automatic scaling of resources based on demand. This can be a double-edged sword in terms of end-user benefit and cost control. ### **How does it become costly?** Without proper controls, automatic scaling can lead to exponential growth in resource usage, especially during periods of high traffic. For example, autoscaling a fleet of virtual machines or containers can lead to a significant increase in costs if traffic spikes unexpectedly. ## **3. Complex Pricing Structures** Cloud service providers have complex pricing models with various tiers for different services. For example, pricing for storage, computing, networking, and specialised services like machine learning or databases can vary depending on usage patterns. ### **How does it become costly?** This complexity can make it difficult to estimate and monitor costs accurately. Misunderstanding pricing structures, such as egress charges for data transfer, API requests, or storage tiers, can lead to significant unexpected costs. ## **4. Underutilised Resources** Resources that are provisioned but not fully utilised, such as idle virtual machines, underused storage, or oversized instances, still incur charges. ### **How does it become costly?** Many organisations leave resources running longer than necessary, which racks up unnecessary expenses. For example, a development team might spin up large virtual machines for testing but forget to shut them down when not in use. ## **5. Data Transfer (Egress) Costs** Cloud service providers often charge for data transferred out of their networks (egress charges), such as moving data between regions, between cloud providers, or delivering content to end users. ### **How does it become costly?** If an application serves large amounts of data globally or frequently moves data between services or regions, these costs can quickly add up. For example, streaming services or large data analytics operations can result in high egress fees. ## **6. Premium Services and Features** Cloud providers offer advanced features, such as AI/ML services, data lakes, managed databases, Kubernetes clusters, and more, often at a premium. ### **How does it become costly?** Businesses that leverage these advanced, managed services might underestimate the cost implications. While these services seem convenient and reduce the need for in-house infrastructure, their costs can add up, particularly when usage scales. ## **7. Vendor-Specific Lock-In** Cloud platforms may offer proprietary tools and services that integrate deeply with their ecosystem. ### **How does it become costly?** While vendor-specific services can provide significant value, they may also lead to vendor lock-in, making it harder to switch providers or use a multi-cloud approach. Over time, reliance on these proprietary tools can result in higher costs because switching providers would require expensive re-architecting or re-tooling. ## **8. Multi-Cloud or Hybrid Cloud Complexity** Many organisations use multiple cloud service providers (multi-cloud) or a mix of cloud and on-premises resources (hybrid cloud). ### **How does it become costly?** Managing resources across multiple environments can increase complexity, leading to inefficiencies, higher management overhead, and cost duplication. For example, maintaining redundant storage or compute resources across multiple clouds can lead to unnecessary expenses. ## **9. Lack of Cost Monitoring and Governance** Without proper cost monitoring and governance, businesses may lose track of spending on cloud platforms and services. ### **How does it become costly?** Failure to implement effective monitoring and alerting tools for cloud usage can result in unexpected cost spikes. Many businesses do not have proper cost controls, leading to “cloud sprawl,” where departments or teams spin up resources without oversight, resulting in redundant or unnecessary usage and additional charges. As most cloud billing is issued on a monthly usage basis, any increasing costs associated with additional use can be some 30 days of incurred additional cost before it is picked up. ## **10. Frequent Changes and Feature Adoption** Cloud providers regularly introduce new features, services, and price changes. ### **How does it become costly?** As organisations adopt new cloud features or services without fully understanding the cost implications, they can incur additional expenses. New features may have different billing structures, leading to unforeseen costs. ## **11. Overprovisioning** Cloud users sometimes provision more resources than necessary for their applications or workloads, fearing performance issues during peak usage. ### **How does it become costly?** Overprovisioning leads to wasted resources and higher bills. For example, purchasing reserved instances or committing to capacity that is never fully utilised can drive up costs unnecessarily. ## **12. The End-of-Contract Dilemma** As your organisation nears the conclusion of its cloud contract, having already transitioned all critical infrastructure into the cloud, a new challenge emerges. You’re approaching the end of your pre-agreed term, and with your entire ecosystem now reliant on a specific provider, this is a critical juncture for your business. ### **How does it become costly?** At this stage, you’re effectively locked into your current provider. The infrastructure, applications, and data you’ve painstakingly migrated make it difficult to leave without incurring substantial costs. This gives the cloud provider a strategic advantage, allowing them to propose renewal rates that can be significantly higher than your initial contract. In some instances, businesses have seen increases of up to 30%—a jump driven by the complexity and expense of switching providers. Migration, retraining, potential downtime, and reconfigurations all contribute to this prohibitive cost, leaving many organisations with little choice but to accept the inflated renewal, rather than face the logistical and financial burden of transitioning to another cloud provider. ## **How Can I Manage and Reduce Cloud Costs?** - **Avoid cloud first –** Maybe everything in the cloud isn’t the answer it seems. Adopt a hybrid data strategy of on-premise services and cloud technology services. - **Critical failure cost analysis –** Calculate the worst-case scenario business outcomes. What is the cost to the business if you lose your data/data centre? Is it £1000 a minute, or £1,000,000,000 a minute, or do people’s lives depend on the data centre operating or being connected? Then establish weather a single location or ‘all eggs in one basket’ strategy is right for you. - **Rightsizing Resources –** Continuously monitor and adjust resources to match actual usage. Use smaller or optimised instances, and scale resources down when not needed. - **Automated Shutdowns –** Implement automated shutdowns for non-production environments, such as development or testing environments, outside of working hours. - **Prepaid Plans –** Take advantage of reserved instances or savings plans, which allow you to commit to a certain level of usage in exchange for lower rates. - **Data Transfer Optimisation –** Minimise data movement across regions or services. Consider content delivery networks (CDNs) to reduce egress costs. - **Regular Audits –** Conduct regular cost audits to eliminate underutilised resources, optimise deployments, and assess cloud usage patterns for efficiency. ## **Cloud Adoption: A Benefit or a Costly Burden?** Cloud costs are often higher than expected due to the inherent flexibility and dynamic nature of cloud services. While the cloud allows for rapid provisioning of resources to meet fluctuating demands, it also introduces complex pricing structures that can be difficult to navigate. Without careful management, organisations can easily fall into the trap of overprovisioning, underutilising resources, or even overspending on unnecessary services. This lack of visibility and control over usage can quickly drive up costs, leaving businesses facing unexpectedly large bills. However, a more significant challenge arises at the end of your initial cloud contract. At this point, your negotiation position is significantly weakened. Despite assurances during initial negotiations that “you are free to leave whenever you want,” the reality is that the cost and complexity of migrating to another provider create an almost insurmountable barrier. The transition isn’t as simple as walking away—any organisation that has undergone a cloud migration knows that switching providers involves immense financial, technical, and operational burdens. What seemed like a flexible, scalable solution at the outset can quickly reveal its limitations, particularly when renewal time comes. You may find yourself backed into a corner, without the bargaining power you once believed you had. Although the process may have felt “light and fluffy” during the initial stages, when the time for renegotiation arrives, it becomes clear who truly holds the upper hand. Does the cloud have a silver lining in the end? ## **Partner With Future-tech Today** Future-tech provides expert consultancy in data centre engineering, covering M&A, investment, design, project management, and data centre management and maintenance operations. Our independent team, including designers, engineers, and BIM specialists, deliver customised, top-quality solutions that meet your specific business model needs and project requirements, ensuring adherence to global best practices and standards. We’re here to provide businesses with a secure and reliable data centre structure for their digital estate – [contact our expert team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) today to discuss your requirements. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Top 10 Data Centre Predictions For 2025](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/2025-data-centre-predictions/) **Published:** January 17, 2025 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** During 2024, the most significant impact on the data centre sector was the boom in development and investment to satisfy the perceived demand for high density Artificial Intelligence (AI) deployments. However, the availability of power for these developments became an increasingly challenging problem, which will persist in the coming year. This has sparked serious interest in private wire supplies with nuclear power seen as an increasingly viable option. Small Modular Reactors (#SMR) and even re-commissioned #nuclear power stations now hitting the headlines. Of course, none of this power consumption can come about without an associated focus on cooling methods. The jury is still out on full immersion, but direct to chip liquid cooling does appear to be in the ascendency for high density deployments. The reporting requirements anticipated by the reporting deadlines for the European Commission CSRD and EED requirements documents created rather more of a whimper than a bang, but nevertheless will continue to influence the sector throughout 2025 and beyond. Additionally, the focus on #ESG and sustainability generally continued to grow throughout 2024 and will continue to do so within the next year, with sustainability frameworks relating to digital infrastructure becoming increasingly developed and adopted as standard. In this blogpost, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton, shares his insights and collates his top 10 data centre predictions for 2025. ## **1. Data centre power density growth** 2024 saw a huge increase in predicted data centre power requirements and cabinet densities driven by #AI platforms and high power #GPU requirements. While the forecasts for these increasing power requirement grew throughout 2024, there was little deployment of these increased densities at scale. This will change in 2025, with deployment of very high power density sites at scale in many regions. Sovereign #Cloud and #AI being one of the drivers for regional deployment at scale, with some claiming this as a re-invigoration of #Edge. ## **2.** **Data centre power shortages in traditional markets** Lack of power availability in traditional Tier 1 (FLAP-D) markets will continue to drive the discussions around alternative power provisioning, as well as providing impetus for the continued growth and development of Tier 2 and 3 markets throughout 2025. This will include a growing interest in alternative stable energy sources deployed locally, such as nuclear using Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). In order to stem the flow of site development to other regions and prevent market challenges, it’s likely that government policies in many markets will also start to change in relation to both power provisioning and acceptance of data centre plans as has happened recently in the UK. ## **3. The emergence of hybrid cooling – The pragmatic solution!** To accommodate higher cabinet power densities, [cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) methods capable of removing heat from extremely dense power installations will need to be deployed. However, not all installations will be high power density, and the requirement to more traditional CPU based equipment will not go away, with lower power density deployments continuing even in new sites. Legacy sites will have areas of higher density sacrificing space for power throughout the new year but will continue to support low density deployments. This will lead to the need for hybrid cooling solutions, which require far more understanding of the data centre environment, and which will support both direct liquid cooling and air cooled solutions. This will be for both for traditional lower density deployments and to make up for the fact that direct liquid cooling solutions are never 100% efficient. ## **4. Use of #AI & #ML for operational management and cooling control** There will be a continuing increase in the use of #AI & #ML in data centre operations and for [energy efficiency ](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/energy-efficiency/)improvements throughout the year. The hybrid cooling solutions previously mentioned will inevitably require more intelligent monitoring, management and reporting systems than those currently installed in most legacy sites. The newer innovative tools are likely to be acquired by the more traditional legacy brands solook-out for consolidation in this space. This will not be about replacing people though, but rather to help better predict and manage the systems supporting data centre services and supply the accurate information that is increasingly being required for #ESG related compliance. ## **5. IT energy stack efficiency & focus on #AI power consumption** During 2025, the increasing focus on the energy efficiency of the IT stack (including software), not just the building with the associated uptake of tools to both report on, and manage in this area, will become more prevalent with greater demand for transparency, openness and public reporting on IT stack energy consumption, particularly by the public Cloud providers and other large scale enterprises. In particular, during 2025 there will be increasing public awareness and concern of the amount of power required by #AI platforms, with pressure groups becoming more vocal. ## **6. Predictive maintenance starting to mature** 2024 saw increasing interest in the potential use of [Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/), rather than simple traditional Preventative Maintenance. Predictive Maintenance has long been cited as the Nirvana for critical maintenance activities, but until recently the tools and data required to reliably predict failure have not been available. Tools based on #AI and #ML technologies in the marketplace are now available and capable of providing sufficient and reliable anticipation of failure for mission critical infrastructure. While there will be a cost to gain access to this capability, the medium to long term ROI and reduction in operational risk will be significant. To become fully effective, this will likely require a greater degree of data openness and interoperability than is currently available. Proprietary data formats and closed systems prevent the effective use of much of the data currently available from data centre facilities infrastructure. In 2025, we may see the emergence of wider collaboration in this area with the development of common data sharing formats, such as those already in use within the pharmaceutical sector (e.g. CDISC). ## **\#EED & #CSRD reporting requirements** New #EED & #CSRD reporting requirements came into force during 2024, which promoted significant discussions within the European Union and beyond, with sustainability frameworks and compliance now widely being discussed and implemented by many organisations within the data centre sector and beyond. While the impact in 2024 was limited, other than causing a concern for operators and the resource burden associated with reporting requirements, it is expected to increase in the longer term and will grow over the next 12 to 24 months, as the Commission starts to tighten the screws based on the data they are beginning to generate. ## **8. Complying with #ESG reporting** Interest in #DCIM & #BMS systems capable of complying with #ESG reporting requirements will rise significantly in 2025, becoming increasingly valued and important as the human resource burden associated with demanding sustainability and energy efficiency reporting rises dramatically. Uncertainty over the reporting requirements and late availability of the national databases within Europe has inhibited the initial impact and the subsequent development of the tools needed to reduce the resource burden associated with these requirements. ## **9. Increased use of private & hybrid cloud technologies** Dissatisfaction with Public #Cloud platforms will increase due to cost overruns, concerns over loss of control, and the lack of transparency and honesty where energy usage and sustainability are concerned. Re-homing will continue to gain increasing popularity throughout 2025 and the Public Cloud platform providers will be under increasing pressure to be more open and honest about their exit costs and true power consumption within the IT stack (and consequential environmental impact). ## **10. Focus on #water usage and sustainability** The focus on #water usage will continue to increase this year, with more sense being applied to the type of water being used, and only questioning the use of evaporative cooling in locations where water resources are limited, or the energy and environmental impact of producing potable water usage is high, rather than those locations where fresh water is a renewable and sustainable resource. The relationship between increased water consumption and potential #PUE improvements will also become more widely understood as will the knowledge that having both a good #PUE and good #WUE may not be possible in most locations, which is one of the reasons that a single metric for energy efficiency / environmental impact is so problematic. … Out of Mark’s top 10 2025 data centre predictions, which data centre trends do you think will come true? We’ll find out as the year unfolds! If you need expert data centre advice or services, [contact the Future-tech team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) today – we’re here to ensure your data centre is operating at it’s very best efficiency and reliability. All Future-tech content, including this post, is Human generated original content and not produced using any form of AI tool including ChatGPT or similar. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [IS AI'S IMPACT ON DATA CENTRES BEING OVERHYPED?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/is-ai-impact-on-data-centres-being-overhyped/) **Published:** December 18, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** ## AMARA’S LAW IN THE CONTEXT OF AI AND DATA CENTRES With artificial intelligence driving unprecedented changes and rapid growth, across industries, questions are arising about its true impact on data centre infrastructure and day-to-day operations. While some predict revolutionary transformations with widespread adoption, others suggest we might be experiencing another example of Amara’s Law: *“We overestimate the effect of a technology in the short term and underestimate its effect in the long term.”* It may be reasonable to say that the current views on the impact of AI are so far-reaching that this may be a case where Amara’s Law does not apply. However, thinking about it further, despite our current predictions on the huge impact of AI, we are only just beginning to consider the tumultuous impact of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) or even Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) when (not if!) it arrives. ![Amaras law in the context of ai and data centres | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/AMARAS-LAW-IN-THE-CONTEXT-OF-AI-AND-DATA-CENTRES-1024x576.png "Amaras law in the context of ai and data centres | futuretech")## THE CURRENT STATE OF AI Our current[ Generative AI systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-is-generative-ai-affecting-the-data-centre-sector/) are really rather dumb, designed for a single focussed task. They simply use existing data and statistical analysis to represent what humans might produce. This data scraping can increasingly result in generative AI models ingesting AI-created content. This results in recursive AI ‘inbreeding’, potentially even leading to ‘model collapse’, with all useful and accurate data effectively ‘lost’. Not so intelligent after all! ## THE REAL GAME CHANGERS: AGI AND ASI The advent of AGI and, ultimately, ASI are the real tech industry game changers. We can’t even begin to predict the economic and societal impacts they will have. In that respect Amara’s Law will definitely hold true. AGI will be able to learn and develop solutions to entirely new problems in unfamiliar situations, without being programmed to do so and without necessarily having past experience or knowledge. ASI is yet another step and describes intelligence above and beyond human. In this case, the word ‘Artificial’ may even have to be dropped as it would simply be intelligence at an incomparable level. ## LOOKING TO THE FUTURE I would like to pose two critical questions: 1. Are the technologies we are creating today the precursors of the machines that will one day take human knowledge and experience to places we cannot go ourselves due to our biological limitations? 2. Will the arrival of AGI and especially ASI, be the potential next step in human evolution that will allow us to go beyond our biological constraints and even travel beyond our own solar system? If so, then Amara’s Law will be proved correct beyond any measure! ## FUTURE IMPLICATIONS FOR DATA CENTRE OPERATIONS So, is AI’s impact on data centres being overhyped? While the immediate impacts of AI on data centres might be overstated, the long-term transformative potential for the data centre market could be far greater than current predictions suggest. [This precisely demonstrates Amara’s Law in action](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-ai-affects-data-centres/) – we might simultaneously overestimate AI’s short-term effects while underappreciating its revolutionary long-term potential. And that itself raises important considerations for data centre operators who have an eye on the future: - Is data centre infrastructure ready for the computational power needed for advanced AI workloads? - Are power supply and cooling requirements considered for next-generation AI systems? - Have we considered the environmental impact of AGI and ASI[ energy consumption](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-energy-consumption/)? - What are the security threats of more sophisticated AI systems? - Is data centre capacity mapped for future scalability and adaptability? - How do we manage the rapidly increasing power consumption of AI platforms? - Should we increasingly be looking to use AI to manage AI workloads and improve resource efficiency in data centres using Machine Learning and ‘AI’ tools to answer these questions? This is certainly food for thought and something we should continue to monitor and discuss. ## ENERGY-EFFICIENT SOLUTIONS WITH FUTURE-TECH Future-tech is at the forefront of data centre energy efficiency, with expertise in data centre design, implementation, and optimising critical infrastructure in both modern data centres and legacy sites. Our innovative solutions ensure your data centre achieves top-tier performance while maintaining resilience and uptime. For more information about how Future-tech can help prepare your data centre for the future of AI, examine our[ advisory and feasibility services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/) or[ contact our expert team today.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [The Failures of the Azure Cloud](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/failures-of-azure-cloud/) **Published:** November 25, 2024 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Microsoft Azure, one of the largest cloud platforms, has seen several notable failures and outages over the years, highlighting the risks associated with cloud services to data centre security and infrastructure. These incidents remind us that even major providers can experience disruptions, affecting businesses and users worldwide. In this blog, Future-tech’s Director of Operations Richard Stacey examines some of the most significant Azure failures, and explores the broader risks inherent in cloud services, providing strategies for mitigating these challenges to ensure business continuity and data security. ## **Notable Azure Failures** ### G**lobal Outages (September 2018)** - **What happened?** In September 2018, Microsoft Azure experienced a massive global outage. A data centre cooling system failure in one of Microsoft’s data centres caused overheating, leading to widespread service disruptions across multiple regions. This affected numerous services, including Azure Active Directory (AAD), Virtual Machines, and SQL databases. - **Impact:** Many customers across the globe could not access their Azure services, causing operational disruptions for enterprises, cloud-hosted applications, and consumers. - **Cause:** Overheating due to cooling system failure. ### **Authentication Failures (October 2020)** - **What happened?** Azure experienced a widespread authentication outage in October 2020. This outage disrupted access to several Microsoft services, including Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, and other services that rely on AAD for identity and access management. - **Impact:** Users could not sign in to Azure and related services for hours, leading to productivity losses for businesses and affecting millions of users. - **Cause:** An issue with Azure Active Directory and its management of authentication tokens. ### **Database Outage (2019**) - **What happened?** In May 2019, Azure had a major outage related to its cloud databases, impacting services such as Cosmos DB and SQL databases. - **Impact:** Many businesses that relied on Azure’s databases for critical operations experienced downtime. For companies relying on the cloud for application backend data processing, this caused major interruptions. - **Cause:** A DNS issue led to the inability of applications to connect to Azure’s database services. ### **Data Loss (2013)** - **What happened?** In 2013, Azure experienced a data loss issue when an update to the storage system triggered a bug that wiped out some customers’ data. - **Impact:** Though Microsoft worked to recover the data, some businesses lost information stored in Azure’s storage services. - **Cause:** A software bug introduced during a storage update caused the data loss. ### **Intermittent Downtime (2021)** - **What happened?** Several Azure services, such as Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), suffered intermittent issues throughout 2021, impacting developers who rely on these services for deployment and infrastructure management. - **Impact:** These downtime incidents caused problems for businesses and developers building and deploying applications on Azure. AKS is crucial for containerised applications, and interruptions delayed key deployments. - **Cause:** Often tied to internal software changes, networking issues, or system upgrades. ## **What Are the Risks Associated With Cloud Services?** Cloud services, like Microsoft Azure, offer many benefits, but as highlighted come with inherent risks such as operational downtime, data loss, security vulnerabilities, and cost overruns. With any risk with cloud services, there are ways to mitigate them: ### **Operational Downtime** - Even large-scale cloud providers like Azure can experience operational downtime. Businesses relying on the cloud will suffer disruptions in their operations if their cloud provider goes down. - **Mitigation:** Businesses should develop redundancy strategies, on-premise data centres, multi-region deployments, or even multi-cloud strategies to prevent dependency on a single cloud ‘solution’. ### **Data Loss** - Although rare, cloud providers can suffer from bugs, hardware failures, or misconfigurations that result in data loss. This could happen in the event of a catastrophic failure or human error during updates. - **Mitigation:** Regular backups and employing disaster recovery strategies are essential. Businesses should consider using geo-redundant storage or independent third-party backup solutions. ### **Security Risks** - Security is a major concern in the cloud. Despite significant investments in security by cloud providers, vulnerabilities, breaches, and misconfigurations still occur. Authentication failures, compromised credentials, or system vulnerabilities could lead to unauthorised access to sensitive data. - **Mitigation:** Implementing strong identity management (multi-factor authentication, least privilege), encryption, and constant security auditing is essential. Shared responsibility models mean that customers need to be vigilant in securing their applications and data. ### **Vendor Lock-In** - Relying too heavily on one cloud provider can lead to vendor lock-in, also known as All Eggs in One Basket, making it risky, difficult and costly to move to another provider if needed. Businesses might be constrained by proprietary services or platforms. - **Mitigation:** Adopting cloud-agnostic architectures (like containers and microservices) and ensuring flexibility in using different cloud providers is a way to reduce this risk. ### **Compliance and Regulatory Risks** - Depending on the jurisdiction and sector, companies need to meet various compliance and regulatory requirements. If a cloud provider fails to comply or if your data is stored in a region with conflicting regulations, it can create legal complications. - **Mitigation:** Understanding where data is stored and ensuring compliance with local laws (such as GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) is critical. Some businesses may need to use region-specific cloud services to remain compliant. ### **Dependency on Internet Connectivity** - Cloud services are dependent on internet connectivity. Businesses can lose access to critical services if there’s a network failure. - **Mitigation:** Ensuring robust and redundant internet connections and local failover mechanisms can help mitigate this risk. ### **Cost Overruns** - Cloud services are pay-as-you-go, which can lead to unexpected cost overruns if resources are not monitored carefully. Autoscaling features might incur charges beyond what was planned. - **Mitigation:** Setting up budget alerts, monitoring usage closely, and optimising resource allocation are ways to keep cloud costs in check. ## **Secure Your Data Centre Infrastructure With Future-tech** The failures of the Azure cloud illustrate the risks inherent in cloud services. Businesses must plan for potential outages, data loss, and security vulnerabilities by implementing best practices, such as multi-region deployments, backup strategies, strong security postures, and compliance auditing. A ‘cloud first’ strategy is a huge risk to any organisation. Balancing the advantages of cloud with careful risk management and retaining critical services on-premise ensures that the benefits of hybrid cloud adoption are maximised while minimising end-user disruptions. At Future-tech, we can help address the failures and risks of Azure cloud services by providing robust data centre infrastructure solutions. Our data centre sector expertise in designing, managing and maintaining on-premise and hybrid cloud environments offers businesses a secure and reliable alternative to relying solely on cloud providers. Partner with Future-tech on your next data centre projects – [contact our expert team today](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [How is the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Affecting the Data Centre Sector?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-ai-affects-data-centres/) **Published:** October 21, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly evolves and we become more dependent on its capabilities, its impact on data centres is becoming increasingly significant. How is the surge in AI-driven applications affecting data centre operations? Will existing facilities be able to support this growth? In this blog, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton delves into these questions, exploring how AI is reshaping data centre requirements and energy usage. ## **AI’s Rising Power Needs and Data Centre Power Impact** With all the attention gained by Chat GPT etc. performing impressive creative tasks, it is easy to overlook the significant amounts of power needed to provide to these services. Some researchers closely involved in the development of these platforms are saying that use of the current Large Language Modules is unsustainable in terms of energy consumption. Where do these platforms sit? In data centres of course! The power needed to support LLMs is already being recognised and is clearly adding to data centre power consumption. This is inevitably going to be a growing problem for the current models, some of which rely on existing ‘unused’ processing capacity and are therefore currently largely hidden in terms of data centre power usage increases. As power consumption rises, this will inevitably result in increasing calls from poorly informed media and governments to curb data centre power usage while failing to understand where this demand comes from – All of us using Chat GPT etc! Additionally, the large power demands of the new GPU Chipsets from Nvidia designed for AI functions are going to be increasingly difficult to host in traditional data centres. A single chipset can consume 1 kW with some individual servers reportedly consuming up to 17 kW. This will produce both problems and opportunities for data centre operators, ironically some of which may be solved using AI! Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is very different to Generative AI. AGI emulates human intelligence and remains theoretical with some even doubting that it will ever be truly possible, others saying it may be possible by the end of the decade. Generative AI however is with us now and is very good at solving specific problems or dealing with very specific tasks by offering a statistically valid representation based on available content, rather than being truly ‘intelligent’. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) is intelligence above and beyond human and although very theoretical is where things get really interesting and words of caution become meaningful. In this case the word ‘Artificial’ may even have to be dropped. Generative AI is not going to take over the planet – ASI might! It is frequently noted though that AI is probably essential to solving climate change and energy usage issues in data centres, and far more so we should not be too quick to dismiss it. It is becoming increasingly apparent that we need intelligent tools to manage the increasing power density and cooling demands of AI workloads. Managing the complexity of very power dense data centres with millions of data points is beyond the capacity of humans to manage, so we increasingly need tools in data centres to manage AI workloads reliably and efficiently. One thing is certain, AI will inevitably follow Amara’s Law, the initial promise may be inflated, but the long-term impact is likely to be very much underestimated. … Mark’s expert insight is part of [Inside Networks Magazines’](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/) *‘Question Time’* segment. To read more answers by industry leaders, check out the [September 2023 Issue](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/sep23/) from page 19. … ## **Future-proofing Data Centres with Future-tech** At Future-tech, we specialise in designing and optimising data centres to handle these increasing demands. With our expertise in energy-efficient infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies, we can help your facility adapt to the evolving requirements of AI, ensuring resilience, sustainability, and long-term success. [Contact our expert team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) today to learn how we can future-proof your data centre project. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [How Can We Improve Public Understanding of Data Centres and Their Role in Modern Life?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-public/) **Published:** October 21, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The data centre industry is often criticised for its high-power consumption, leading to a negative perception among the general public. However, much of this criticism stems from misinformation and exaggerated figures. In this blog, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton debunks the common myth about data centre energy use, clarifies what drives power consumption in these facilities, and discusses how the industry can better communicate its role in the digital world. ## **Debunking Myths: The Overstated Power Consumption of Data Centres** The data centre sector faces frequent and repeated criticism for high power consumption levels and has a very negative perception within the general population. The issue we continually face though is that network infrastructure power consumption figures are often sensationalised and over-reported. Data centre electricity power consumption is often incorrectly quoted as being 3% of annual global electricity production. In reality, this relates to digital infrastructure in total including network transmission. Data centres alone are estimated to have consumed around 1% to 1.5% in 2020. Communications networks alone were also 1% to 1.5% in 2020 and ICT in total, including end user devices, was 4% to 6%. In addition to the power consumption figures for data centres being inflated, we have a habit as a sector of targeting the wrong elements within the data centre and consequently shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to the media. ## **What Drives Power Consumption in Data Centres?** Let’s get it straight, data centre buildings do not consume power. They merely add an overhead to the energy consumed by the IT equipment they host (PUE!). As long as we continue to focus on the building rather than the IT load, we will never truly improve the energy efficiency of the data centre infrastructure, and will always be the fall guy for the power consumption by others. The general population needs to understand that data centres are not merely consuming power for the sake of it. The real consumers are the end users of ICT services including all of us in the general population. Data centre power consumption is ultimately driven by the digital services we choose to consume both as a society and as individuals. As a sector, we need to do far less finger-pointing at ourselves, far less misrepresentation of the facts, attribute far less blame to the buildings, and do a far better job of communicating where the power is really consumed. We need to educate and make sure that the general population fully understand the impact of using online services of any kind, in particular the energy and environmental consequences of the digital services they choose to consume. The irony of environmental protesters at data centre events livestreaming videos or uploading and sharing images via Cloud platforms makes this point well! Simply making the general public more aware of the impact of their digital service choices could have a huge impact on the power consumed in data centres. We do this with food labelling by highlighting the number of calories in the food we consume. We do not stop people eating high calorie food but the are made aware that the energy content is high so that they can make informed consumption choices. Why not something similar for the digital services we currently blindly consume with very little knowledge of their environmental impact? For more thoughts on data centre energy consumption, read our blog [*Shifting the Blame: The Real Culprit Behind Data Centre Energy Consumption*](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-energy-consumption/). … *Mark’s expert insight is part of* [*Inside Networks*](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/) *Magazines’ ‘Question Time’ segment. To read more answers by industry leaders, check out the* [*May 2024 Issue*](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/may24/) *from page 17.* *…* ## **Improve Data Centre Energy Efficiency With Future-tech** Future-tech leads the way in data centre innovation, offering expert data centre design, implementation, and network infrastructure solutions for both modern and legacy facilities. Our forward-thinking approaches ensure your data centre operates at peak performance, whilst maintaining reliability and uptime. Whether you’re at the advisory stage of your data centre journey or looking to upgrade your current data centre storage infrastructure to more energy-efficient means, our experts at Future-tech can keep your data centre ahead of the curve. Discover our [full range of services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/) today, or [contact our experts](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) to find out more about how we can support your project. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Are small modular reactors (SMRs) a viable low-carbon energy solution for powering data centres and growing AI workloads?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/smrs-for-data-centres/) **Published:** October 4, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** With data centres under increasing scrutiny for their power consumption and environmental impact, nuclear energy—specifically Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—is emerging as a potential solution. SMRs, with capacities well-suited for large data centres, offer stable, low-carbon power that could help address the rising power demands driven by artificial intelligence (AI). But are SMRs the answer to solving data centre power availability issues and providing data centres with low-carbon energy capable of supporting growing AI workloads? In this blog, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton explores this question, the pros and cons of SMRs, and what needs to be considered for their successful implementation as data centre solutions. ## **Small Modular Reactors: A Low-Carbon Solution for Data Centre Power Demand?** Nuclear power for data centres, and to satisfy baseload grid demand alongside renewable energy sources, seems like an obvious choice in light of power supply constraints and negative media attention currently surrounding data centre sector power consumption. The size and capacity of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), seems particularly suited to large data centres and data centre campus applications, as their capacity ranges from 20MWe (Megawatts of electricity) at the lower end of the scale, up to around 300MWe at the upper end. Designs from different manufacturers differ on this range and those at the lower end of the scale are often referred to as Micro Nuclear Reactors. In principle, these units use tried, tested, and safe technologies based on nuclear submarine engines with considerable amounts of run hours, although updated designs and technologies are being considered by the likes of Rolls-Royce who already manufacture these engines. Despite the promise of abundant stable power with very low CO2 output, there are clearly issues remaining. These include: - Public and media concern over the use of nuclear power and the inevitable intervention of environmental pressure groups. - A resolution of the ongoing debate about nuclear being truly ‘sustainable’. - The hardened security required for nuclear installations. - The extended testing and certification periods for new designs for new applications. - Availability of suitable fuels (Some designs will require new fuel mixes). - Disposal of waste. Even with these issues resolved, there remains the need for a demonstration of clear commercial benefits to operators considering using nuclear options. [Last Energy](https://www.lastenergy.com/) is claiming to be able to produce units offering 20MWe of power at a cost of $100 million each, however, the fuelling cycle and operating lifetime will become key issues. Some are even claiming costs as low as $3,000 per kW with potentially more realistic numbers being in the order of $6,000 per kW. The true costs are yet to be established. To conclude, will SMRs and nuclear power generally be used to satisfy data centre and general grid demand? Yes. When that will happen, and when will the issues noted above be resolved to allow adoption remains uncertain. … *Mark’s expert insight is part of* [*Inside Networks*](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/) *Magazines’ ‘Question Time’ segment. To read more answers by industry leaders, check out the* [*August 2024 Issue*](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/aug24/) *from page 17.* … ## **Energy Efficient Solutions With Future-tech** Future-tech is at the forefront of data centre energy efficiency, with expertise in data centre design, implementation, and optimising critical infrastructure in both modern data centres and legacy sites. Our innovative solutions ensure your data centre achieves top-tier performance while maintaining resilience and uptime. Whether upgrading existing infrastructure or exploring new technologies like SMRs, Future-tech helps keep your data centre at the cutting edge of cost and energy efficiency. For more information, examine our advisory and feasibility services, or contact our expert team today. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [How is Generative AI affecting the data centre sector?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-is-generative-ai-affecting-the-data-centre-sector/) **Published:** October 24, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** With the attention gained by Artificial Intelligence such as Chat GPT performing impressive creative tasks, it is easy to overlook the significant amounts of [power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) needed to enable these tools. Some researchers involved in the development of these platforms are already saying that the use of the current Large Language Modules (LLMs) is unsustainable in terms of energy consumption. Where do these platforms sit? In data centres of course! The power consumed by LLMs and the increasing number of AI applications are now being recognised as adding to data centre power needs. This is inevitably going to be a growing problem for the current models, some of which rely on existing ‘unused’ processing capacity, and are therefore currently hidden in terms of increased data centre power consumption. As power consumption rises, this will inevitably result in increasing calls from poorly informed media and governments to curb data centre power usage, while failing to understand where this demand comes from – all of us using Chat GPT! Additionally, high-power demands of the new AI GPU Chipsets from the likes of Nvidia are going to be increasingly difficult to host in traditional data centres. This is due to the dramatically increased power density requirements, and individual cabinet power consumption being closer to High Performance Computing (HPC) loads than more typical lower colocation loads. A single AI chipset can consume almost 1 kW, with some individual servers reportedly consuming up to 17 kW. This produces both problems and opportunities for data centre operators, ironically some of which may be solved using AI! Generative AI is very different to what might be considered true intelligence though. This is described as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). AGI emulates human intelligence and remains theoretical, with some even doubting that it will ever be truly possible; others have suggested it may be possible by the end of the decade. Generative AI is very much with us now, and is extremely good at solving specific problems or dealing with very specific tasks by offering a statistically valid representation based on the analysis and use of already available content, rather than being truly ‘intelligent.’ Generative AI is built for a specific task, and cannot perform outside the narrow boundaries for which it is designed. By contrast, AGI should be able to learn and develop solutions to entirely new problems in unfamiliar situations, without being programmed to do so, and without necessarily having past experience or knowledge. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) is yet another step, and describes intelligence above and beyond human; although theoretical, this is where things get really interesting, and words of caution become meaningful. In this case, the word ‘Artificial’ may even have to be dropped as it would simply be intelligence at an incomparable level. Generative AI is not going to take over the planet – ASI might! One thing is certain, AI will inevitably follow Amara’s Law; the initial promise may be inflated, but the long-term impact is likely to be highly underestimated. *…* Disclaimer: This post by Mark Acton was originally created for September’s issue of *Inside Networks*. Find the original article [here](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/sep23/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue&utm_content=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue+CID_d0e3e5b75c8ef26f0011db5bc3e8c653&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Inside_Networks%20Sep%2023). **Categories:** Articles, News **Tags:** Artificial Intelligence, Energy Efficiency --- ### [Shifting the Blame: The Real Culprit Behind Data Centre Energy Consumption](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-energy-consumption/) **Published:** September 5, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Data centres are often blamed for their significant energy consumption, but this perspective overlooks a critical point: they do not create the energy demand or consume the power, the true driver of energy consumption lies in the IT equipment they host, which is measured by Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). ## Misconceptions About PUE and Energy Efficiency PUE is often incorrectly used as a proxy for energy efficiency in data centres, but it does not address the driver of electricity consumption, the IT load. Efforts to reuse ‘waste’ heat merely scratches the surface in reducing the symptom, but not addressing the cause. Reducing PUE is at the point of diminishing returns in well-designed and well-run data centres. The one thing that will have an impact on data centre power consumption is a reduction in the hosted IT power consumption. Reducing the IT load and the building load, plus any overhead also reduces power consumption. If you take all the IT out, the building goes dark. ## What is the Real Energy Drain on Data Centres? The real demand and consumption is the IT load, which is generally operated *very* inefficiently, in terms of low levels of utilisation, too much redundancy and duplication, with software that’s not optimised for energy efficiency. The IT load is a huge area to tackle when it comes to reducing energy, and is the main culprit when it comes to the environmental impact of data centres. All is well and good in identifying the real energy drainer in data centres, but what creates the demand for data, thus IT power consumption in data centres in the first place? We do! All of us contribute to this through our consumption of digital services, and the types of platforms that we choose to use. ## The Need for Awareness of Digital Choices and Environmental Impact We all need to be made aware of our carbon footprint and the environmental implications of the digital choices we make, and the services we choose to consume. This is something I (Mark) have been saying for a while now. There is no point in simply blaming data centres, because ultimately we create the electricity demand as individuals, and drive data centre power and resource consumption. ## A Case in Point: The Irony of Digital Activism This point is highlighted by an experience I had at an Irish Data centre event a couple of years ago, which Extinction Rebellion chose to try and disrupt. The irony was that almost every protester was holding up a phone and presumably live streaming or uploading photos to a data centre somewhere, with no understanding of the impact on data centre demand and power consumption they were having! Humorous to a degree, but this also highlights the real source of the issues we face and the challenges in educating the public. ## Possible Solutions for Data Centres One solution could be to limit power needs by introducing charging models, or even a digital services consumption tax for many of the services that are currently ‘free’ to use. This however would probably involve too many vested interests, with the result simply being more profit for the global hyper-scale platform providers. Possibly a better idea is to have an energy labelling scheme for digital services, in the same way we currently do for other consumer products, so that we can all make informed choices on our usage. Tesco recently launched their[ ‘Digital Passport’](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/tesco-introducing-new-passport-rule-29729113) for clothes to provide shoppers with more information about each item, so why not apply this logic and requirement to digital services too? I believe that would have a far greater data centre energy and environmental impact reduction than taxation or tinkering with PUE. ## To Summarise Data centres are often blamed for high energy consumption, but the real issue is the inefficient IT equipment they host, driven by our demand for digital services! Instead of focusing on data centres alone, we should recognise our role in this demand. Solutions like energy labelling for digital services could help consumers make informed choices and reduce the environmental impact of data centres. If you’d like to find out more about PUE and data centre efficiency, check out our blog [‘The Problem with PUE’](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-problem-with-pue/). Are you looking to move your data centre into an energy efficiency directive, and optimise your current infrastructure? Look no further than Future-tech – [contact our expert team today](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Whitepaper - The future of data centre standards across africa](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/whitepaper-the-future-of-data-centre-standards-across-africa/) **Published:** February 25, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Future-tech and the Africa Data Centres Association have recently published a joint whitepaper on the future of data centre standards across Africa. Over the last 2 years Future-tech has been engaged on a number of large scale design and consultancy projects in 5 African countries. Each project has been at least 10MW in size and most significant multiples of that figure, demonstrating the rapid growth of digital infrastructure and data centres in particular across the region. Beyond Africa Future-tech has completed both design and master planning projects in 14 different countries over the last 3 years. Please contact us directly for more information. To download the whitepaper and find out more please visit the [Africa Data Centres Association website](http://africadca.org/en/whitepaper-the-adoption-and-use-of-data-centre-standards-in-africa). **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Use of the EN50600 Standard for Assessment or “Certification”](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/use-of-the-en-50600-standard-for-assessment-or-certification/) **Published:** April 9, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** It is probable that an increasing number of organisations will wish assessment of data centres against the conformance requirements of the EN 50600 series standards while others will continue to consider alternative solutions. To support the standards-based assessment approach, CLC Technical Committee 215 has developed CLC/TR 50600-99-3 which provides guidance to the application of the complete set of data centre infrastructure standards of the EN 50600 series. There is nothing to stop a 3rd Party from assessing aspects of a data centre against conformance to EN 50600. The same is true for the owner or operator of a data centre. The lack of any true certification system for data centre renders both approaches, and any assessment against alternative 3rd party schemes, as being of equal technical status. ![Advisory feasability static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/advisory-feasability-static-1024x738.png "Advisoryfeasabilitystatic | futuretech")Self-assessment or self-declaration of conformance against the requirements outlined above is comparatively simple and may be attractive to enterprise owners. In contrast a 3rd Party assessment against those same requirements may be more appropriate for owner-operators of data centres that market their services to others, in order to demonstrate 3rd Party impartiality. Self-declaration versus 3rd Party assessment is therefore a “value judgement”. The application of a EuroNorm (EN) as the basis for that assessment is clearly a step forward but the choice of self, or 3rd Party assessment has to be based on the apparent and perceived value and application of the resulting assessment versus the cost of the process to be employed. Questions are repeatedly asked about “certification” against standards and how such “certifications” compare with the numerous 3rd Party products and service approaches on the market. There is a great deal of misunderstanding and misuse of the term “certification” and in general assessments or declarations of compliance are available but not always “certification”. Standards bodies cannot prevent misuse of their standards but they are able to make transparent to those desiring “certification”, what options they have and what those standards offer regarding “certification”, and importantly what they do not. It is also important to note that standards bodies are not in a position to judge whether or not an organisation offering certification meets the underlying requirements, that is the role of accreditation specialists. One of the objectives of standardisation is to enable the determination of whether or not a product, process or system meets a set of minimum requirements. The demonstration of that compliance (correctly called a conformity assessment) may be ascertained by one of three procedures described as 1st Party (carried out by the manufacturer or supplier), 2nd Party (carried out by the user or operator) and 3rd Party (carried out by a neutral and independent body). ![Delivery implementation static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Delivery-Implementation-static-1024x780.png "Deliveryimplementationstatic | futuretech")Standards such as those of the EN 50600 series do not define the appropriate procedure, leaving this to bilateral contracts or even national or regional legislation. In order for a 3rd Party body to offer their services they have to prove that they fulfil the conditions required for an accreditation body and to be assessed against those requirements by a competent authority. This assessment necessarily includes inter alia the proof of neutrality, competence, impartiality etc. Accredited assessment to one or more documents of the EN 50600 series may be viable/possible as part of one of the schemes of ISO 9001, ISO 50001, ISO 14001 or the ISO/IEC 27000 series. ### **European Data Centre Standards Coordination Group** A more comprehensive and annually updated reference to the international data centre Standards landscape is available at the link below. This site is designed to highlight and coordinate data centre Standards development efforts across Europe as well as promoting those standards that have already been developed. The documents in the links are updated annually and are freely available. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [University of Westminster award Data Centre to Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/university-of-westminster-award-data-centre-to-future-tech/) **Published:** August 18, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** As part of the refurbishment works being carried out at the University of Westminster’s Copland Building, Future-tech has been awarded the fast track design and build contract for the new high density data centre. Jason Bown, Contracts Manager for Future-tech said, “Turning around fast track projects comes with its’ own set of unique challenges. All the elements of the design and specification need to be agreed upon and effectively set in stone before the project starts, this ensures everything runs to the programme of works and completes on time.” From initial contact to practical completion the duration of works is programmed to take approximately nine weeks. The facility has been designed to handle an I.T. load of approximately 14kW per cabinet and utilises hot aisle containment to deliver the highest efficiency from the cooling system. Future-tech are high density and fast track data centre specialists, for further information and advice on critical I.T. environments call us on 0845 9000 127 or email us at info@future-tech.co.uk or complete our [contact form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us"). **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [University of Sussex award new high density Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/university-of-sussex-award-new-high-density-data-centre/) **Published:** July 29, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** The University of Sussex, based near Brighton, has awarded a design and build contract for their new high density data centre to Future-tech, the Berkshire based data centre specialists. After a rigorous and close run selection process the University and appointed consultants felt Future-tech’s solution offered the best value and most sustainable solution submitted. The lead Consultant on the project said, “We are very pleased to have been awarded this contract. I personally enjoy working with Universities as they really want to embrace innovation and tend to look at the long term benefits gained by owning and operating their own IT infrastructure. The new high density data centre will cater for the University’s I.T. hardware requirements for a minimum of 10 years”. The particular cooling solution proposed by Future-tech can accommodate IT loads up to 45kW per rack however to ensure maximum cooling efficiency and utilisation of free cooling Future-tech have designed the system to support an IT load of 20kW per rack. These rack densities are becoming ever more popular due to organisations consolidating their existing I.T. infrastructure by utilising such technologies as Blade servers and VM Ware. Richard Lumb, Future-tech’s Technical Director added “Striking the right balance between rack capacity and cooling efficiency is vital. We want to design the most sustainable data centres possible, this means there must be enough capacity to support our clients’ growth while at the same time have minimum running cost and environmental impact.” Future-tech are high density data centre specialists for further information and advice on high density environments call us on **0845 9000 127** or email us at info@future-tech.co.uk or complete our[ contact form.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [University of Hertfordshire sign up to the EU Code of Conduct](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/university-of-hertfordshire-sign-up-to-the-eu-code-of-conduct/) **Published:** November 4, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** The new data centre completed by Future-tech in June 2010 utilises the most up to date best practice principles to ensure the University’s’ IT infrastructure is both resilient and energy efficient. The new facility uses “free air” cooling and a 99% efficient UPS to deliver N+1 resilience on power and cooling wile maintaining a PUE of 1.3 or below. To add to its’ green credentials the data centres’ cooling system captures the heat produced by the servers, and reuses it in the buildings’ hot water system. This innovative approach lowers the University’s CO2 production by an estimated 621 tons per annum. Energy Consumed Per Hour Before: After: Total IT Load 120kW 120kW Total Facility Load 264kW 146kW Electricity used per Year 2,312,640KWh 1,282,464kWh Annual Carbon Footprint 1,394 Tons 773 Tons Reduction in CO2 Emissions Equivalent to 1 Year 621 Tons 117 Fewer Cars 5 Years 3,106 Tons 586 Fewer Cars 10 Years 6,212 Tons 1,172 Fewer Cars So far the only two public sector organisations to successfully sign up to the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency are the University of Hertfordshire and Bracknell Forest Borough Council. Both organisations have Future-tech designed and built data centres as well having attended a Future-tech EU CoC Workshop. **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Trinity College Dublin wins the Tech Excellence Awards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/trinity-college-dublin-wins-the-tech-excellence-awards/) **Published:** June 30, 2014 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** NOW IN ITS 14th year, this Awards programme recognises excellence not only in implementing tech solutions, but also in the business of marketing and implementing technology for business. Over 20,000 students and staff depend on College IT services every day. With PCs, laptops, and smart phones connected to servers 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, it’s safe to say that as the need for technology grows in College, so does our carbon footprint. The question then arises: how do we become more energy efficient while also continuing to grow and change with technology to meet daily business needs? Enter the Green Data Centre. Trinity College Dublin’s Green Data Centre was opened in March 2013. Since then, IT services have been transferred to this energy-efficient hosting facility and leading edge integrated and unified compute, storage and network platform. Over the coming years, ISS and partners will continue to work together, operating and maintaining the data centre and hosting platform so that it continues to deliver reliable, uninterrupted IT to both internal and external customers from one of the most energy efficient, flexible and scalable data centres in the world. The delivery of the Green Data Centre (DC) facility phase allowed IS Services to provision Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and private cloud computing for College. The Green DC and IaaS provides College with an energy-efficient foundational hosting platform to support the delivery of local, centralised, sustainable or Green IT¹ services aligned to the College strategic objective² which aims to make Trinity College Dublin a Green Campus. The project work behind IaaS has included a public procurement activity followed by the build out and commissioning of new IT infrastructure and a large-scale migration of IT services from old hardware to IaaS in the Green Data Centre and secondary High Performance Research Computing Data Centre. For a brief information video click[ here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKJ-FFS2rQs&list=UUJvhWida3GGiFfGkCP8RQZQ "Video") **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Top 7 Data Centre Predictions for 2023](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/top-7-data-centre-predictions-for-2023/) **Published:** January 16, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The end of a year is typically a time for reflection, and to make fresh predictions on the industry in the year to come. Following a year of rising costs, new regulations, and the growing concern with energy and water consumption against ongoing climate issues, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence, Mark Acton, shares some of his top predictions for 2023. #### **Increased Focus on Alternative Fuels** There will be an increased focus on alternative fuels (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO), Hydrogen etc.) this year, for standby generation using reciprocating engines. Interest in alternatives will reach utility power provision and will include Hydrogen Fuels Cells, Large Battery Systems (BESS), waste digesters and even Nuclear SMRs. These may also increasingly be considered a component of a Micro Grid, supporting a community of interest that includes a data centre, and ideally a suitable customer of the ‘waste’ heat produced by that data centre. These will not be deployed in 2023, but interest this year will grow. #### **Data Centre Investment** Data centres will continue to be seen as a top-performing investment asset class by both individual and corporate investors throughout 2023, and the current high levels of interest seen from investors will continue, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. #### **Cyber Security** There will be a spotlight on cyber security in data centre facility infrastructure and Operational Technology (OT) during 2023, something that has historically gained limited attention. The increased activity in this area by state-sponsored actors and organised criminals has resulted in a greater awareness of the potential gaps and threats posed, as well as the need to mitigate the risks now being highlighted. #### **Immersion Cooling** Immersion cooling will continue to be heavily marketed in 2023, with many very fanciful and incorrect claims being made for it. Nevertheless, interest is growing and will continue to do so throughout the year. #### **PUE & Energy Efficiency** During 2023, there will be an increasing recognition that PUE is not an appropriate proxy for data centre energy efficiency and that there is value in the other standardised KPIs within the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standardised metrics. Associated with this will be the increased focus on the energy efficiency implications of hosted applications, operating systems, ICT hardware and digital infrastructure generally. This comes with the recognition that digital infrastructure is the real consumer of power and where true energy efficiencies lie, rather than merely the buildings that they occupy. #### **European Legislation Requirements** In Europe, the impacts of the EU Commission EU Taxonomy and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements will become more apparent, along with the potential impact of the updated Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). #### **Energy Supply** Energy supply issues will be a dominant theme and ongoing concern during 2023. The effects of the war in Ukraine will clearly have an impact in this area so predictions are difficult, but the suggestion is that after a potentially difficult winter, prices will reduce, and availability will increase over time. The painful lessons learned in this period will have far-reaching consequences for the data centre sector and beyond, in terms of improved focus on energy efficiency, and alternative primary energy sources. --- To discover more of Mark’s 2023 predictions, you can find the full video interview with Joao Marques Lima from JSA [here](https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7005583486682112000/). **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Volunteer – Karl Luck](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-institution-of-engineering-and-technology-iet-volunteer-karl-luck/) **Published:** October 30, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** ![Ft karl | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FT-Karl.png "Ft karl | futuretech") Karl completed a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1982. He spent much of his early career working for the military, including as an electrical engineer on board various Royal Navy vessels around the world, followed by a design and procurement role in the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Chief Electrical Engineer positions at Foster Wheeler and Snamprogetti came next, after which he joined WSP to head up its Power Systems team. In February 2019 he became Design Director at Future Tech SCI Ltd, where he is the Technical Lead on critical infrastructure for data centres. ### Personal development journey Karl had joined the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) as an undergraduate. While working at the MoD in Bath, UK, he decided to become an IEE volunteer – this marked the start of a personal development journey. “I was quite introverted when I was younger and am a bit of a technical bon, to be honest,” he said. “Joining my local IEE Young Members Section denitely forced me out of my comfort zone: I got actively involved in planning and hosting events, which really boosted my self-condence. I progressed through the ranks and ended up as Chair.” This volunteer experience enabled Karl to develop a range of leadership, motivational, communication and teamwork skills that have served him well throughout his career. ### Maintaining high standards ![The institute of engineering and technology | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The-Institute-of-Engineering-and-Technology.png "The institute of engineering and technology | futuretech") After moving out of the Bristol area and into a challenging new job role, Karl put his volunteer activities on hold. In 2012, becoming an IET Fellow was the spark that re-ignited his passion for volunteering. “I felt that the time was right,” he said. “I was leading a multi-disciplinary team of around 40 engineers and we were finding it difficult to source new recruits with the requisite knowledge and skills for heavy power. I wanted to give back to engineering by helping to maintain high standards across the industry. I also wanted to help develop people, by bringing them into the industry.” Karl returned to volunteering as an IET Professional Development Accreditation Assessor. Working as part of a panel, he was responsible for assessing training programmes and awarding IET accreditation to those that demonstrated the provision of top-level learning, accompanied by support for professional development and career progression. It’s a role he continues to enjoy: “I have had quite a varied career. By sharing my own experience, I can help broaden their engineering horizons and highlight potential opportunities.” In 2014 Karl took things to the next level when he became a member of the IET Professional Development Operations Committee (PDOC), which reports to the IET Registration and Standards Committee. “My role involved visiting companies to assess their graduate and training schemes, to make sure they complied with the requirements of the Engineering Council,” he said. Five years later, he took up a further assessment role: IET Fellowship Assessor. “Two Fellowship panel members and the Chair assess each candidate’s application to check that it meets the necessary criteria. It’s very interesting, especially because it’s not restricted to engineers – it covers all disciplines.” ![Future tech | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FT-1200x628-Default-Social-Image-1-1024x536.jpg "Futuretech | futuretech")### Investing time and effort The IET’s three core values underpin all Karl’s volunteer activities: “Integrity is a big part of it because as volunteers we represent one of the world’s oldest professional institutions. We strive for excellence in everything we do. And teamwork is essential on IET assessment panels – we all rely on each other to make sure we have covered all the bases.” Karl believes firmly that in life, you don’t get something for nothing: you have to invest time and eort in order to reap rewards. Future Tech SCI generously gives Karl an additional week’s leave each year to carry out his IET volunteering activities. “On average, I spend around 15 days a year across my various volunteer roles, so the extra ve days from my employer are a big help,” he said. “I make up the difference in the evenings and at weekends. If I’ve used up my allowance, I’ll take annual leave to carry out assessment visits. “My advice to any would-be volunteers is to immerse yourself in volunteering and do as much as you can. There’s a lot of staff support available from the IET, as well as training. And there are opportunities to meet up with other volunteers, to share experiences and best practice. “I’ve been an IET Industrial Representative for around 20 years, first at WSP and now at Future Tech SCI. I provide a link between the company and the IET. It’s all about promoting the IET and its opportunities to the workforce, as well as providing feedback from the company to the IET as part of a continuous improvement loop.” ### A source of great pride One of Karl’s favourite volunteer roles is that of Professional Registration Advisor (PRA). “Candidates for professional registration contact me at any stage of their career,” he said. “It could be a case of giving advice to a new graduate on what to do next. Or I could be supporting someone who’s been in the industry for 15 years and wants to attain Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status. Each candidate is unique and needs a tailored response from me. “Most of the PRA role is done online these days. Candidates who are preparing to submit a registration form will send it to me for review. I give them advice on any gaps in their application and any wording they should rephrase. If I think they are not yet ready or are applying for the wrong registration category, I always tell them. “It’s a source of great pride to me when I learn that a candidate whom I have advised through the Professional Registration process has been successful.” To discover more about the [IET and the opportunities](https://www.theiet.org/) available. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The Global Data Centre Skills Shortage](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-global-data-centre-skills-shortage/) **Published:** January 11, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # The Global Data Centre Skills Shortage by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Jan 11, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![Data centre maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/iStock-1185935867-1080x675.jpg) We have a significant and well recognised problem in the data centre world – the fact that recruiting the right people to work in our data centres is an increasing challenge. This has been recognized by regular panel discussions and presentations at events around the world over several years, and continues to be a topic of debate, even in our current world of virtual events. It should therefore be recognised that this is not simply a national problem in any one country, it is very much a global issue. Whatever part of the world we may live or operate in, the challenges appear remarkably similar. **Contributing Factors** There are a number of reasons for the issues we face. One element is that we tend to require both experience and qualifications. With a relatively small number of people employed in our sector, it is relatively difficult to find those unicorns that have both, without simply recruiting directly from other data centre operators and service providers. We need to be far more inclusive and consider people from other disciplines and fields that may not have direct experience or directly relevant qualifications. For instance, the airline industry might be a good place to consider recruitment at the moment with the issues that the travel sector is facing. We tend to think that we are very different from other sectors, but the reality is that there is a great deal of overlap between sectors that have similar business critical ambitions. By perpetuating the unnecessary need for people with both directly relevant experience and qualifications, we are somewhat guilty of creating the problem ourselves. We also tend to look too closely at the hard skills required to operate a data centre, which are principally traditional engineering and ICT skills. These can be taught, albeit at a cost and only over time. What is often more difficult to find though is the right cultural fit. Those people who intuitively understand what it takes to run a business critical operation. The elimination of risks, the maintenance of redundancy and the focus on reliability required to consistently deliver service availability, the ultimate goal of all data centre operations. This is one of the reasons that a lucrative source of data centre industry operations has traditionally been those leaving the military or with a past military background. This remains a good source of data centre talent, but the supply of people with a military background and good engineering skills is relatively small and demand is high from multiple sectors. Frankly, at the moment we are all fishing in the same pond and competing with each other rather than bringing in new talent. This is great for the candidates as it means they have plenty of options available and higher salaries than many other more traditional engineering sectors, but this is an unhealthy situation for employers. I have even come across instances of data centre operators insourcing their Facilities Management and Operations team away from 3rd party suppliers purely to protect their investment in and their site-specific skills. **Inclusivity** Generally speaking, we should be far more inclusive, but this is not simply about gender or diversity – though that is extremely important as well. There are problems for diversity within engineering in general and not just data centres, which we as a sector cannot address alone, but there are initiatives we can support. This is more about openness to people with experience in other sectors though, as previously mentioned. We seem determined to only recruit people with data centre experience, which is relatively rare. Rather we should be looking for aptitude and attitude rather than direct experience. In order to highlight this, it is worth pointing out that many people now in their 60s are staring to retire. These are typically people who have now spent years or decades in the sector and do have a vast accumulation of skills and experience in the sector and are seen as leaders in our community. Nevertheless, the majority of these people were allowed to gain their initial experience by a back door route with very limited or no direct experience in the data centre sector (myself included!). Despite the pivotal roles and leadership positions that many of these people now occupy, this route to entry seems firmly closed by extremely unhelpful recruitment policies. The data centre sector still appears to be largely a career of chance rather than a career of choice for many, if not most, people entering our sector, and yet we still demand experience. It is hardly surprising that we find ourselves struggling to recruit! This is also despite the fact that salaries in our sector continue to be very favourable when compared with other sectors. It may be that this will change as people begin to see how resilient and robust our sector has proved to be in the current crisis. Covid-19 has thrown a very positive spotlight on our sector, raising our profile significantly but also bringing home to people just how dependent we all are on digital infrastructure in general, and data centres in particular. **Visibility** An additional aspect of the problem is that there is no useful definition of a data centre engineer or many other positions within the data centre sector. This means there is little to aim for in terms of suitable qualifications when people are considering a future career. Similarly, because we are looking for a mix of traditional disciplines, there are no school or college courses at the undergraduate or pre university levels that directly cater for a career in data centres. We require a mix of Electrical, Mechanical, IT, building services and service management skill sets but there is little out there to determine what that mix might be or how people might achieve that mix to be attractive to prospective employers. To make things worse we have no useful working definition of what actually constitutes a data centre. Those with an IT background have a very different view of what a data centre is than those with a more traditional engineering background. Again the lack of definition complicates things and leaves us at a disadvantage against other more established sectors with critical engineering talent requirements. Another challenge we face is that we are competing with other sectors for similar skills and yet we are firmly below the radar for most people; in the early stages of making their career choices and frankly totally unknown to those advising young adults on their possible career options. We therefore need to be making ourselves more visible, more attractive, and more obvious as a career choice as well as being more prepared to ‘grow our own’ rather than look for the perfectly qualified and experienced data centre person. **Raising Awareness** Those of us who have had a good career in the world of data centres and would like to give something back should consider what they can do to make us more visible, as well as making every effort to raise the profile of our sector with young people at schools and colleges. This would help these people starting out in their career at least appreciate that there is a wonderful career opportunity available in a sector that is growing (and has continued to both grow and be remarkably resilient even in times of global recession and pandemic). A sector that is also currently attracting significant investment and is set to develop rapidly over the next few years in areas of the world that have historically not had the same level of deployment of digital infrastructure as that in Western Europe and North America. **It is not just Data Centres!** The final point that is worth making on this topic is that it is not just data centres. The fact is that there are not enough people going into engineering generally. All areas of engineering are facing an increasing skills shortage. As mentioned, in the data centre sector we like to think that we are different. We are not! We are competing with others seeking engineering expertise in a diminishing pool of talent. There are multiple initiatives to encourage students or graduates to enter the data centre sector but frankly this is far too late. We need to be encouraging much younger people (and hugely importantly their parents), to see engineering generally as a wonderful career choice in order to increase the general engineering talent pool. This needs to happen well before they make their final choices about degrees or college courses. If they do not make to decision to go into engineering sufficiently early they are probably lost to us already. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Shared 6-Monthly Conservation Project Update From Mahubo, Mozambique](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/shared-site-6-month-update-mahubo-mozambique/) **Published:** May 12, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Shared 6-Monthly Conservation Project Update From Mahubo, Mozambique by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | May 12, 2021 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Eden-Project.png) At Future-tech we believe that we all have a huge responsibility as the current custodians of our environment and must consider our current environmental impact for future generations. Located in the district of Boane, Mozambique, the Mahubo site has an area of 402 hectares. The Mahubo site offers a unique mangrove ecosystem teeming with life serving the local population with vital fisheries. The local community comprises over 102,000 people, most of whom rely on agriculture for subsistence. The area has seen a massive loss of its mangrove forests due to resource poverty and the need for fuelwood. So frequently, the local populations of communities like this are exploited by larger businesses to use their resources unsustainably, all while paying extremely low wages. **Download the full article below** [Download here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Mahubo_sharedsite_6moupdate.pdf) ![Eden tree cmyk | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Eden_LogoV_RGB.jpg "Edentreecmyk | futuretech") ![Grouped images | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grouped-images.png "Groupedimages | futuretech") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Queens University Belfast – data centre optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/queens-university-belfast-data-centre-optimisation/) **Published:** May 29, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # Queens University Belfast – data centre optimisation by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | May 29, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) ![Future-tech's data centre survey for University of Queens University in Belfast](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy2-2-1080x486.jpg) Queens University Belfast is constantly striving to further improve the energy efficiency of its campus buildings. Initiatives such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for their P.E. Centre and the introduction of Voltage Optimisation Equipment across the whole estate have helped reduce carbon emissions and a campus wide strategy looks at any and all areas of potential improvement. ### THE BRIEF The University’s Estates Team commissioned Future-tech to carry out a Data Centre Optimisation Survey. This survey assessed the physical infrastructure that supports the data centre and provides a controlled environment for the servers and other IT equipment to operate in. The survey looked at three distinct areas within the data centre; power provision, environmental control and future expansion. The survey also highlighted current energy use, areas of inefficiency and elevated risk. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Although the data centre was performing well, changes in technology and best practice presented areas that could offer improvement with regard to the data centre’s energy efficiency and air flow. When the data centre was originally designed the application of high density blade servers was not on the horizon. When the University’s IT Team invested in this new technology it reduced the overall number of servers required, thus reducing energy consumption. However the new high density servers concentrated more heat load into a smaller area, resulting in hot spots in certain parts of the facility. As there was no air segregation within the data hall itself, supply and return air was mixing which reduced the potential return air temperatures within the system. These lower temperatures returning back to the air handling units resulted in the system operating at a less efficient level than possible. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Removing hot spots and increasing return air temperatures can both be achieved by introducing an aisle containment system. Aisle containment segregates the supply and return air plenums; this means cooled air can only return to the air handling units after travelling through a server. This increases energy efficiency as all the cooled air has to perform “work” before returning to the air handling units. Aisle containment is only part of the solution as the new air flow paths and increased return air temperatures means the entire system needs to be recalibrated and commissioned to ensure the very best performance can be achieved by the cooling system. Before the improvements were implanted PUE was 2.0, but then by increasing the return air temperatures and commissioning the system to its new parameters the data centre’s cooling system was improved by around 50%, taking the PUE to 1.5 or better. In real terms this translates to an energy saving of approximately £60,000 per year, giving the project a payback period of less than 12 months, which will also reduce the University’s carbon footprint by approximately 315 tones of CO2 per year. Future-tech provides us with the ability to expand our data centre in line with business needs whilst maintaining live IT services. They also ensure our data centres are as energy efficient as possible Steve Knibbs, Head of Hosting Services, University of London Computer Centre **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Our Project With IXAfrica In Kenya](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/our-project-with-ixafrica-in-kenya/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Our Project With IXAfrica In Kenya by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Aug 23, 2021 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-7.png) The IXAfrica Data Centre project based in Nairobi is Kenya’s largest hyperscale data centre project and is currently the largest in East Africa. Future-tech have been working closely with Guy Willner and Clément Martineau and the entire IXAfrica team to deliver this important and innovative data centre project. The IXAfrica team have not only worked on the construction of their Nairobi campus but are also working on building a culture that sets an example in the region. For more information on [IXAfrica Data Centre](https://ixafrica.co.ke/about/) please visit their site. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [My Grim Blog](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/my-grim-blog/) **Published:** February 11, 2013 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** My name is Richard Stacey and I recently completed my second Grim Challenge. The Grim Challenge, [www.grimchallenge.co.uk](http://www.grimchallenge.co.uk/), is an 8 mile run organised by Macmillan Cancer Research through Aldershot Military Tank Testing Range. All proceeds go to Macmillan. The course is designed to put the Tanks through every type of extreme terrain they would face in a war environment. This will ranges from hills, valleys, sand, mud, rivers, chest deep pools of water and swamps of sorts. It’s horrible. The Grim has historically been a 7km run for the last 10 years. When I decided to challenge myself physically last year it was as a personal goal as I’ve never run 7kms in my life. I knew the event was coming so I signed up and started mentally preparing myself for the training ahead. What I had missed when I signed up was in celebration of this being the 10th year of the Grim, they had increased it to 8miles. As the miles had increased my ‘friends’ who had agreed to run it with me decreased. So at 10am on the 1st of December in -1.0C I completed the Grim Challenge in 1hr 25mins and 5secs. Considering I had just wanted to finish and aimed for 2hrs, I went home a very proud man. The Grim Night Terror is an 8mile run that starts at 7pm and covers the same terrain, with a slightly different layout, but it is essentially in the pitch dark. On this occasion I actually managed to goad a friend of mine, Tom Everard, into accompanying me on the run. I had a very stringent training plan in place as I was very keen to beat my time from the Grim previous but this training plan was ruined by the Noro Virus and a chest infection. I can safely say my training regime consisted of 3 weeks of, 1 day on 1 day off, various sprint interval training, crossfit and cross training. As part of my preparation I decided to get sponsorship for a charity very close to my heart, CLIC Sargent. CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children, young people, and their families. It provides clinical, practical and emotional support to help them cope with cancer and get the most out of life. For more information, please visit [www.clicsargent.org.uk](http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/). All prepared and with one week to go the snow came and fell and fell and fell. The day before The Grim Night Terror they posted pictures of the course, its not exactly inspiring when they do something like this the day before but all Grimlings know what they’re letting themselves in for. The night before the Grim Night Terror the rain came and it fell and fell and fell however on the day the sun showed itself for the first time in a while. It’s difficult to explain the feelings on the day, watching what you eat, feeling nervous, excited, scared. I prefer the day Grim as there is no waiting around. Its wake up and Run. At 5pm I had my ‘athlete’s dinner’ of brown pasta and cheese, with some tomato ketchup. I followed that with a banana and went to pick up Tom. It was funny seeing Tom as he had that same nervous panic look I had when I did my first Grim Original. It’s that feeling of doing something you have never done before, not knowing how it will go, not knowing if it’s even achievable. People should really do it more often or at least give it a go once. It was 6.5degrees on the night but the water was still frozen and the rain came again followed by the wind. At 7pm the race began and Tom and I set off together with our headlamps on. Compared to the Grim Original the terrain was pretty bad and at points it was hard to get traction. The water was as cold as before and the floating lumps of ice left some pretty nasty bruises. However, we completed the race and even managed a sprint finish!! So on the 26th of January 2013 I completed the Grim Night Terror, raising £555 for CLIC Sargent, in 1hr 16mins and 44 secs. 3/100ths of a second faster than Tom, sorry buddy had to do it!!! I am once again a very proud man and will continue to put myself through various challenges as this year continues. I officially have the bug for it. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Maintaining the Edge...](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/maintaining-the-edge¦/) **Published:** October 17, 2019 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Maintaining the Edge Technology Strategy.** **What is the Edge?** Despite much discussion about Edge, the concept should really be considered a deployment strategy rather than a new technology as some are inclined to suggest. As a concept Edge is not new and has been around for multiple decides. Consider Akamai’s Content Distribution Network (CDN), which was being built in the late 1990’s and is a clear example of an Edge deployment in all but name. In reality ‘Edge’ is something of a marketing term used to describe a strategy using technology that is not necessarily new. It is also evident that ‘Edge’ means very different things to different people and organisations, depending upon their business requirements and technology base. Equipment deployments ranging from 20 Watts (a so-called Nano Data Centre), to over 5 MW have been described as ‘Edge’ sites. It could be argued that the term ‘Edge Data Centre’ does not really relate to a new phenomenon, but is rather a collective name for several different types of data centres which serve a number of different purposes, none of which are new, rather that these have been relatively unrecognised or ‘unclassified’, to date. These are likely to be relatively small remote sites which might include responses to increasing data sovereignty requirements, expectations for reductions in latency and proximal workload processing. Others would argue that the ‘Edge’ is entirely new and relates to very specific and separate elements within the ‘Cloud’, which offer new functions and features, particularly in relation to IoT and mobile services. Either way there is a clear perception that Edge sites are different to the more traditional ‘Core’ data centre and therefore need to be maintained and managed in a different way. This will vary depending on the technology deployed and an organisation’s business objectives and requirements. A better and more explanatory term for Edge might be ‘Proximal Processing and Storage’, with the intention being to place services closer to the end user for a variety of reasons which might include one of more of the following: application and network latency, network transmission costs, data sovereignty requirements, data protection requirements, advantageous taxation regimes and more widespread data gathering. **The Growth of the Edge** One driving factor is the fact that customers have become accustomed to (and expect) instant results or low latency connection to services no matter where they are located. The ‘˜Edge’ in this sense is computing facilitated by smaller satellite data centres often themselves supported by one or more larger Core Data Centres which might aggregate data and perform the deep analytics that businesses now expect and increasingly require. The increasing deployment of IoT devices will also drive a degree migration to the ‘˜Edge’ but this is by no means the only driver. The Edge as a concept will continue to grow shaped by the demand for Proximal Processing and Data Storage including data sovereignty and regulatory compliance as well as latency etc. For many businesses there is an increasing expectation and need to have processing power and data held locally to wherever their customers happen to be. This is potentially a major consideration in delivering increased service quality and ultimately increasing both customer satisfaction and providing new or significantly enhanced products. In this sense we could reference the terms ‘Competitive Edge’ or ‘Gaining an Edge’. This does not mean the death of the traditional core data centre though as some have predicted. Core Data Centres will still be required for core functions including the storage and processing of large volumes of data accumulated from Edge sites. This is being offered in different ways by Hyperscale, Large Enterprise, Colocation and Managed Service Providers. **Which are the Edge Technology Challenges?** Whatever the definition or type of Edge is being deployed there is one aspect that is somewhat being overlooked. We increasingly rely upon, and expect, high reliability of data centre site operations and high (24×365), availability of the services hosted within those sites. This high level of service is often delivered by sites with multiple levels of equipment redundancy, a very comprehensive preventative maintenance plan and dedicated data centre engineers based on site in shifts 24×7. The high (possibly unreasonable), expectations around uptime / availability cannot automatically apply to smaller, remote dark sites which are the standard edge model. How do we achieve this expected level of reliability without staff on site running traditional Planned preventative Management operations? Since Edge sites are typically remote and unmanned there needs to be a new industry approach to providing support for these sites in order to deliver the levels of reliability and availability that customers now expect. This can be achieved if all applications and data hosted within a site have multi-site resilience such as site failover or genuine Synchronous Replication, however this is not the case in all Edge sites. This therefore raises a challenge. How do we maintain the continued availability of Edge sites when they are remote and unmanned? One of the biggest overheads for data centre operators is its ‘on premise’ engineering teams and maintenance services. In the UK the typical support model is to employ a team of onsite engineers that work on shift patterns at a large cost to the business. Where a data centre is designed and built with a high degree of site resilience and correctly maintained it should be recognised that the risk to uptime is very low and a permanent team of engineers based on site is not necessary. **Data Centre Management – A Better Way to Operate** The typical Edge data centre will be unstaffed and follow a dark site operating model typically with a smaller footprint than traditional core data centres. In this scenario, without full time engineers on site, new operating models and predictive maintenance techniques need to be applied to ensure operational reliability in addition to the standard preventative maintenance plans. Edge sites should be seen as typically ‘dim’ or ‘dark sites’ where engineering support is performed remotely under contract by a third-party operator. This also has the great advantage of significantly reducing OPEX costs. Companies like Future-tech, who are already operating Remote Services for data centre companies on behalf of multiple customers, are therefore particularly well suited to those wishing to move to a ‘Dark Site’ Operating model in order to reduce the extremely high costs of onsite personnel, yet maintain site reliability and availability. We need to make more use of Predictive Maintenance, effective remote monitoring tools, intelligent management systems using Machine Learning and Analytics, as well as engineers and engineering teams with multiple skillsets including IT related skills. Routine site visits do need to be performed, yes, but with greater purpose and range of planned activities / upgrades / installations, depth of knowledge and insight rather than mere adherence to a rigid PPM Schedule. This new approach along with specially trained engineers who can perform tasks across multiple disciplines rather than the more traditional siloed approach to engineering delivery will ensure that the site infrastructure is kept in the optimal operating condition without the requirement for site-based staff. Additional predictive maintenance techniques ensure that any potential issues are highlighted and dealt with according to an agreed and scheduled plan before they develop into problems in order to maintain site operational effectiveness. **Finally** Maintaining the Edge means looking after Edge sites properly in order to maintain the operational availability and integrity that customers expect. This requires a different set of engineering skills and new approaches to the current traditional Facilities Management approach to operating of data centres. At Future-tech we take this on board to ensure that we are not only maintaining the Edge, we are also here to help you gain and sustain your competitive Edge. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Joined up Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/joined-up-data-centre-management/) **Published:** April 2, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** With Data Centre Managers waking up to the benefits of greener IT and Financial Officers becoming aware of the vast savings available to them by making changes to their existing facilities, now is an exciting time to be involved in the Data Centre Industry. With supplier led innovations in high density servers and more efficient cooling methods coming to the fore, it is important organisations approach their data centre management in a unified way. “The days of fragmented departments are numbered” No longer can Estates, Facilities and IT departments work separately to each other. Having spoken to many Data Centre Managers who are unaware of their data centre’s power consumption or exactly how their server room is cooled, and equally Estates Managers who are blissfully unaware of the changing requirements of their organisations network, it is becoming apparent a sea change is required and those organisations reluctant to embrace it will be left behind. To be successful in the 21st century a data centre needs a comprehensive strategy created with the input of all involved whether they be the operators and users or those who provide the servers, the software, the network, the power and the cooling. The European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency provides an excellent road map to help achieve this. The code defines best practice principles that will improve data centre efficiency as well as help provide a sustainable resource for the future. For more information on the European Code of Conduct, its benefits and how to join contact James Wilman at jwilman@future-tech.co.uk **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Introduction: The ISO/IEC 30134 Series of Standardised KPIs](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/introduction-the-iso-iec-30134-series-of-standardised-kpis/) **Published:** April 2, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** It is imperative that we underpin our global digital infrastructure with common internationally agreed standards and metrics. These are the tools needed to create consistent benchmarks which support better understanding and continued improvement of the delivery of digital services in terms of both reliability/availability and energy efficiency. Ultimately the use of these tools may be by wide voluntary adoption or potentially by reference to legislation and regulation, if as a sector we are not being seen to put ‘our house in order’. Currently the Data Centre standards landscape is very confused and difficult to navigate through. There are documents and frameworks in existence which are routinely referenced but are not true standards in that they are not recognised by either national or international standards bodies. There are also data centre standards that are recognised nationally but not internationally and for some countries there are even competing national standards affectively addressing the same areas. A number of national standards have been published which address design concepts for data centre infrastructures. For example, ANSI/TIA-942-B and ANSI/BICSI 002 are standards recognised by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), however both of these documents are only recognised as national standards within the USA and are not true international Standards. ![Design consultancy static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Design-Consultancy-static-1024x767.png "Designconsultancystatic | futuretech")Neither of these documents can be considered to define requirements that can be wholly employed (or “conformed to”) because of their specific requirements and linkages to other US Standards which may be incompatible with European or wider International practices. This lack of cohesion has resulted in a significant degree of competition for the very lucrative market for providing data centre ‘certification’. The article will address the issue of certification in subsequent sections, however it is worth pointing out at this stage that ‘certification’ is a far more complex issue than it might at first appear and is frequently misunderstood. This ongoing confusion has resulted in a lack of consistency in the application of benchmarks and a lack of common understanding across the entire data centre sector. Some significant steps have already been made to both truly standardise and globalise the data centre standards landscape and there are efforts underway to take this further by National and International Standards Organisations such as ISO (ISO is based in Geneva, Switzerland and is the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards. Members are the appointed national standards bodies of the 163 member countries around the world), and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). Unfortunately, these efforts are not well understood or recognised by many involved in the data centre sector and worse are even being wilfully contradicted by some seeking to sell their own proprietary ‘standards’. These significant achievements and the ongoing efforts that have been made in the area of data centre specific Standards are discussed in detail below. ### **Key Performance Indicators (KPI) – The ISO/IEC 30134 Series** What is perhaps surprising is that many in the data centre sector are not aware of the globally standardised Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which have already been defined and published by the International Standards Organisation (ISO). \] While many have heard of Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), and possibly even reference it on a daily basis, it seems that relatively few people realise that it is defined by ISO/IEC 30134-2:2018, and that reference to anything other than this standardised KPI is not genuine PUE. (Note: PUE was originally defined by The Green Grid but this organisation passed the ownership, development, standardisation and dissemination of this metric to ISO/IEC JTC1 SC39 WG1 several years ago). ISO works alongside International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), in the development of emerging international data centre standards and ISO/IEC JCT1 SC39 WG1 is the body responsible for the development of the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standardised data centre resource efficiency KPIs (Including PUE). it is important to differentiate between standards that support data centre design and those that may be used to improve their operation. The ISO/IEC 30134 series of standards are aimed at improvements in operation rather than design. The full list of standards in this series are listed below: ### **International Standard ISO/IEC 30134 Information technology — Data centres — Key performance indicators** **ISO/IEC 30134-1:2018** — Part 1: Overview and General Requirements **ISO/IEC 30134-2:2018** — Part 2: Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) **ISO/IEC 30134-3:2018** — Part 3: Renewable Energy Factor (REF) **ISO/IEC 30134-4:2017** — Part 4: IT Equipment Energy Efficiency for Servers (ITEEsv) **ISO/IEC 30134-5:2017** — Part 5: IT Equipment Utilization for Servers (ITEUsv) **ISO/IEC 30134-6**:**2021** — Part 6: Energy Reuse Factor (ERF) **ISO/IEC 30134-7**:**2023** — Part 7: Cooling Efficiency Ratio (CER) **ISO/IEC 30134-8**:**2022** — Part 8: Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE) **ISO/IEC 30134-9**:**2022** — Part 9: Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [International Standard for Data Centre Design and Built Infrastructure - ISO 22237](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/international-standards-for-data-centre-design-and-built-infrastructures/) **Published:** April 11, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The demand for a genuine globally consistent data centre standard has resulted in ISO/IEC JTC1 SC39 WG3 adopting the European EN 50600 standard as the basis for a new international standard designated as ISO/IEC 22237. The initial documents were published and made available from ISO as the first editions of the ISO/IEC TS 22237 series based on EN 50600. ISO/IEC JTC1 SC39 WG3 has since been devloping the original TS documents into full international standards, which are now largely published as full ISO/IEC Data Centre Standards. ![Operation maintenance static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Operation-Maintenance-static-1024x875.png "Operationmaintenancestatic | futuretech")It should be noted that the ISO/IEC TS 22237 documents were originally based on a direct copies of the EN50600 documents with exactly the same content and title, and were commented on and refined by all participating national standards bodies with membership of ISO. This has resulted in the publication of full ISO/IEC Standards, rather than the original Technical Specifications. The work on this commenced from the first publication of the TS documents and remains ongoing with new documents are being approved for publication periodically. Most of the series is now completed and additional documents are being added. Comments from the development of the ISO/IEC 22237 standard are being passed back to the European committee responsible for ongoing development of the EN 50600 standard to be incorporated into revised documents if appropriate. EN 50600 itself is a growing series of Data Centre Standards which is being continually updated and improved. Currently the following ISO/IEC Technical Specifications have been published as elements of the 22237 series; ### **ISO/IEC TS 22237 Information technology — Data centre facilities and infrastructures** **ISO/IEC 22237-1:2021** Part 1: General concepts **ISO/IEC 22237-2:2024** Part 2: Building construction **ISO/IEC 22237-3:2021** Part 3: Power distribution **ISO/IEC 22237-4:2021** Part 4: Environmental control **ISO/IEC TS 22237-5:2018** Part 5: Telecommunications cabling infrastructure **ISO/IEC 22237-6:2024** Part 6: Security systems **ISO/IEC TS 22237-7:2018** Part 7: Management and operational information **ISO/IEC TS 22237-30:2021** Part 30: Earthquake risk and impact analysis **ISO/IEC TS 22237-31:2023** Part 31: Key performance indicators for resilience Additional International ISO Standards for Data Centres beyond the ISO/IEC 22237 series are: **ISO/IEC TR 30133:2023** Data centres. Practices for resource-efficient data centres **ISO/IEC 21836:2020** Data centres. Server Energy Effectiveness Metric (SEEM) **ISO/IEC 23544:2021** Data centres. Application Platform Energy Effectiveness (APEE) Over time it is highly likely that more and more data centres will be referencing the ISO/IEC series of standards as a global reference for both design and operational benchmarking as well as marketing purposes. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Future-tech wins London Borough of Newham data centre design and build contract](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-wins-london-borough-of-newham-data-centre-design-and-build-contract/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Future-tech were awarded a contract with London Borough of Newham to design and build a new computer room. ### THE BRIEF London Borough of Newham was in the midst of a 10-year, £27 million IT systems upgrade, including blade servers, storage area network technology and a rolling four-year refresh of all desktop and laptop hardware. Key to the project was a state-of-the-art, modular, high-density data centre valued in the region of £400,000. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS When Newham were looking for a new high-tech state of the art modular equipment room, one of the challenges it set its contractors was to incorporate the solution within a pre-existing shell structure on a concrete base which used to be the site of an old cow shed. Future-tech was more than up to the challenge. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech’s turn-key solution saw the company design, build and equip the computer room with a unique air conditioning system to support the Council’s new blade servers, as well as providing electrical services, generator, fire systems, and environmental monitoring systems including door access and CCTV. The contract also included site supervision, project management, design and engineering, health & safety, operations and maintenance manuals, testing and compliance certificates. London Borough of Newham now have a very flexible, modular computer suite to support the delivery of IT services, not only to staff but also to the public as part of the e-Government initiative. Their computer room is housed within old tin sheds, which is very restricted space capable of supporting them for the next 10 years as they continue to expand their range of IT services. > Many relationships with suppliers are done on a contract, what I would say is the relationship with Future-tech is done on the spirit of the agreement. The team are first class STEVE KNIBBS, HEAD OF HOSTING SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON COMPUTER CENTRE **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Future-tech University of Brighton's new Data Centre contract](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-university-of-brightons-new-data-centre-contract/) **Published:** May 27, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** After a close run tender process the University selected Future-tech based on their competitive price combined with a detailed and innovative submission. Within the submission were imaginative solutions to different aspects of the room’s design and construction showing the selection panel that each stage of the project had been thoroughly thought through. This demonstrated an understanding of the University’s needs as well as Future-tech’s extensive experience in data centre design and build projects. Future-tech’s Lead Consultant on the project, said “working with Universities, Brighton included, is very rewarding as they tend to have a long term view and understand that investment in innovative solutions leads to greater sustainability and value over the life of the facility”. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech success with University of Hertfordshire Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-success-with-university-of-hertfordshire-data-centre/) **Published:** April 2, 2010 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # Future-tech success with University of Hertfordshire Data Centre by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | Apr 2, 2010 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Hertford-1080x486.jpg) During November 2009 the University of Hertfordshire released a tender for the total refurbishment of their existing campus data centre. After a rigorous selection process Future-tech’s bid was chosen as the most innovative and cost effective solution. Due to the need to maintain IT services during term and exams Future-tech will be working to a strict programme ensuring students and academics are undisturbed by the massive infrastructure changes happening right on campus. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech Staff Recognised With Covid Star Award](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-staff-recognised-with-covid-star-award/) **Published:** April 8, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Cambridge University Hospitals are thanking all their staff, partners and volunteers who worked during the Covid pandemic with a Covid Star award. In the shape of the Maltese Cross, the Covid Star award was specially designed to create a lasting way to thank workers and volunteers for their professionalism, dedication, courage and overwhelming kindness, playing a vital role in the nation’s response during this exceptional time. Each medal is handmade in Birmingham by specialist jewellers, Thomas Fattorini Ltd, who hold royal warrant to craft insignia and honours for Her Majesty the Queen. Amongst the 13,500 staff to receive this prestigious recognition, the hospital has chosen to include two Future-tech engineers for their key contribution to the continued delivery of services by the hospital to the public. ![Ft pic 1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FT-Pic-1.jpg "Ftpic1 | futuretech") Awards have been given to Martin Saban (Senior Service Engineer), and Antoni Di Vincenzo (Service Engineer / Site Supervisor). Overcoming all the difficulties associated with the period, Martin and Antoni jointly set up crucial infrastructure monitoring, implementing a Building Management System (BMS), in several remote comms rooms across the hospital campus. Antoni also routinely attended site to carry out scheduled maintenance and supervise third party Planned Preventative Maintenance activities (PPM) throughout the pandemic. This ensured the smooth running and continued operation of all critical systems throughout the hospital, which are dependent on the power infrastructure. ![Ft pic 2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FT-Pic-2.png "Ftpic2 | futuretech") Future-tech are proud of our team members, recognising Martin and Antoni’s dedication and personal commitment to our customers, including Cambridge University Hospitals, during this difficult period. Congratulations to them both. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech Staff Recognised With Covid Star Award](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-staff-recognised-with-covid-star-award/) **Published:** April 8, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Cambridge University Hospitals are thanking all their staff, partners and volunteers who worked during the Covid pandemic with a Covid Star award. In the shape of the Maltese Cross, the Covid Star award was specially designed to create a lasting way to thank workers and volunteers for their professionalism, dedication, courage and overwhelming kindness, playing a vital role in the nation’s response during this exceptional time. Each medal is handmade in Birmingham by specialist jewellers, Thomas Fattorini Ltd, who hold royal warrant to craft insignia and honours for Her Majesty the Queen. Amongst the 13,500 staff to receive this prestigious recognition, the hospital has chosen to include two Future-tech engineers for their key contribution to the continued delivery of services by the hospital to the public. ![Ft pic 1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FT-Pic-1.jpg "Ftpic1 | futuretech") Awards have been given to Martin Saban (Senior Service Engineer), and Antoni Di Vincenzo (Service Engineer / Site Supervisor). Overcoming all the difficulties associated with the period, Martin and Antoni jointly set up crucial infrastructure monitoring, implementing a Building Management System (BMS), in several remote comms rooms across the hospital campus. Antoni also routinely attended site to carry out scheduled maintenance and supervise third party Planned Preventative Maintenance activities (PPM) throughout the pandemic. This ensured the smooth running and continued operation of all critical systems throughout the hospital, which are dependent on the power infrastructure. ![Ft pic 2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FT-Pic-2.png "Ftpic2 | futuretech") Future-tech are proud of our team members, recognising Martin and Antoni’s dedication and personal commitment to our customers, including Cambridge University Hospitals, during this difficult period. Congratulations to them both. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-techs' Karl luck to Become the vice chair of the IET Profession Development Operations Committee](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-techs-karl-luck-to-join-iet/) **Published:** April 20, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Future-tech’s Design Director and Senior Electrical Engineer, Karl Luck, has been offered and accepted the role of the Vice Chair of the [Institute of Engineering and Technology](https://www.theiet.org/) (IET) Profession Development Operations Committee (PDOC). Karl is both a Fellow of the IET (FIET) and a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and has several volunteer roles with the IET supporting engineers in their career development and along the path to professional registration. He has also been involved with the accreditation of companies’ graduate training schemes for many years and has been a member of the PDOC on two previous occasions, each for three-year terms. Karl has now accepted the role of Vice Chair of the PDOC from November 2021. This will then develop in taking over as Chair from November 2023 through 2025. This is a significant commitment but goes to demonstrate his enthusiasm for assisting engineers in their career development and to the engineering profession as a whole. As an engineering led organisation Future-tech is very proud of Karl’s dedication in this area and is very happy to support Karl, the IET and the ongoing development of engineering as a profession. The IET is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions with more than 155,000 engineering and technology professionals in 148 countries. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech design 18MW IXAfrica site in nairobi, Kenya](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-design-18mw-ix-africa-site-in-nairobi-kenya/) **Published:** March 1, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** IXAfrica has broken ground on an 18MW data centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The data centre, with design by Future-tech, will also feature on-campus offices for new and existing businesses to win the custom of enterprises, government, and hyperscale operators. To read the full article, please follow this link to the DCD website: XAfrica breaks ground on data center campus in Nairobi, Kenya **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Future-tech complete computer room build-out for St George’s Hospital NHS](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-complete-computer-room-build-out-for-st-georges-hospital-nhs/) **Published:** May 29, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # Future-tech complete computer room build-out for St George’s Hospital NHS by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | May 29, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) ![Future-tech's data centre solution for St George's hospital NHS](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy6-1-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy6 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy6.jpg "Templateimagecopy6 | futuretech") When St George’s Hospital – the largest single-site hospital in London wanted to more than double the size of their existing computer room, they first approached Future-tech to provide a feasibility study to examine the options. Future-tech’s study led the company into the bidding process and a final contract to deliver the project – a fully-comprehensive maintenance contract. ### THE BRIEF Dating from the ‘80s, St. George’s computer room suffered from a poor original design and 15 years’ lack of investment during which the infrastructure had been allowed to degrade. The site had also suffered from limited preventative maintenance, and had a further drawback in that it was partitioned using solid breezeblocks. While Future-tech faced a significant construction challenge, the company also had to ensure that the hospital’s IT could be kept running throughout the entire refurbishment process. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Initial involvement was not a straight-forward refurbishment since Future-tech was initially asked only to provide a feasibility study. This outlined three possible layouts for expansion, together with outline budgets each following a carefully phased process. The Trust chose an option and Future-tech, working with the internal M&E department expanded the option into a Work Book, together with a full Scope of Works and detailed costings. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech’s first task was to produce detailed working drawings, a Health and Safety file and a detailed working program. The project was divided into two phases. First Future-tech carried out enabling works for Phase 1 involving temporarily bypassing the UPSs and removing them to a temporary, external plant room, the team also erected a robust dust barrier. Next the team moved the existing plant into approximately half of the finished room and relocated the cabinets into the completed section. The dust wall was re-erected and the remaining phase of the project was undertaken. The team carried out final integration testing, this was carried out in the presence of the client to demonstrate that the room and its associated systems and services were functioning to the original design specifications. Having completed the project on time and within budget, Future-tech delivered a formal handover together with full O&M documentation and a one-day awareness training programme for IT users. Subsequently, Future-tech was awarded a three-year, fully comprehensive (MEP/PPM) maintenance contract to ensure that the site remained in its original, pristine condition. **Categories:** Case Studies, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Future-tech & IXAfrica: Putting Kenya on the data centre leaders map](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-amp-ixafrica-kenya-as-data-centre-leaders/) **Published:** December 7, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** As design consultants working solely on data centre projects across the EMEA region, Future-tech has a unique perspective on meeting international standards and adopting best practices in a wide range of local markets. In the last five years, Future-tech and our partners have worked in 38 different countries across the EMEA region; from Helsinki to Lagos, each environment has been different and diverse! Our combined experience and expertise alongside in-country knowledge and relationships have allowed our clients to benefit from improved sustainability, lower overall cost, regionally sensitive procurement, and efficient programme delivery. Future-tech is proud to have partnered with IXAfrica on their latest project and report, highlighting Kenya as a data centre leader. IXAfrica Nairobi-One campus is a fine example of the combined international and local expertise data centre formula. Understanding the opportunities in East Africa’s growing technology epicentre, the Nairobi-one campus, IXAfrica not only caters to the rising energy demands but also paves the way for more greener data centre solutions. Kenya uses 90%+ renewable energy, a rate the UK can only dream about. The countries’ geothermal capabilities place it in the ideal position to benefit both data centre operators, clientele, and the environment, as we push for more sustainable energy solutions to cater for the increasing cloud data demand. Future-tech is proud of the relationship developed with IXAfrica, the success of the project and the opportunity to help shape this future tier 1 market – we can’t wait to see what the future holds for data centres and energy sustainability in Kenya. If you’d like to find out more on how IXAfrica has been putting Kenya on the map as a data centre leader, you can [read their full digital report – available now!](https://datacentremagazine.com/brochure/ixafrica-putting-kenya-on-the-map-as-a-data-centre-leader) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Flexible, scalable data centre design and construction for Greggs](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/flexible-scalable-data-centre-design-and-construction-for-greggs/) **Published:** August 26, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Greggs was provided with a flexible, scalable, energy efficient data centre design. Following a comprehensive tendering process, Future-tech, data centre specialists, acted as Main Contractor for Greggs’ turnkey data centre construction project, providing design, build and maintenance services. ### THE BRIEF The data centre solution had to be designed in phases that closely matched Greggs growing requirement for IT services in terms of both cabinet number and power density. Planning constraints, plant attenuation, access, health and safety, energy efficiency and operational sustainability all had to be considered to ensure a flexible and scalable data centre platform was delivered. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS (1) Each phase of the data centre design had to be as energy efficient as possible and always provide a low PUE even at partial utilisation. (2) The space allocated for the new data centre build was constrained so there was a significant requirement for innovative ways of reducing overall foot print whilst maintaining performance. (3) Greggs is a business that maintains a close control on cost to ensure their customers receive a quality product at an affordable price and this ethos goes through the whole business, with this in mind reducing cost whilst maintaining quality and performance was key. (4) As the data centre is located adjacent to an international distribution depot, airborne particulate from diesel engines had to be considered. (5) The construction had to be coordinated in line with set migration schedules for Greggs’ IT requirements. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION An innovative, space efficient and modular data centre facility was designed and built by Future-tech. The new secure data centre solution utilises an external modular shell and resilient power and cooling systems. Using Uptime Institute Tier III principles the project compromises of 5 phases which accommodate Greggs current data centre requirements, and intended expansion over the next 5 years. All expansion and maintenance works can be completed whilst maintaining live services. The result is a flexible, scalable and energy efficient data centre solution with 24/7/365 monitoring, support and ongoing optimisation provided by Future-tech, data centre specialists. The Greggs data centre build is one of more than 60 facilities supported and maintained by Future-tech. For more information about scalable, modular, energy efficient data centres, their design, construction and ongoing operation please contact our data centre team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [THE European Standard for Data Centre Design and Built Infrastructure - EN50600](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/european-standards-for-data-centre-design-and-built-infrastructure/) **Published:** April 5, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This is the second of three articles introducing International Data Centre Standards. Having presented the currently available standardised Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), published by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) this article will present the European Standards that reference data centre design and built infrastructures. EN50600 is now referenced in two sets of susatinability focussed European Legislation. The EU Taxonomy / Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Both came into force for reporting purposes during 2024. ### **Introduction to EN50600 – The European Data Centre Standard** European data centre Standards are developed and disseminated by CENELEC, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation. CENELEC is designated as a European Standards Organisation by the European Commission and is responsible for European standardization in the field of electro-technical engineering and with the objective of producing a set of standards for all shapes and sizes of data centre. These may range from one or more cabinets in an existing building to dedicated “stand alone” structures which may comprise multiple buildings. These standards also recognise the very diverse nature of data centre business models and the complexities of configuration and ownership of the information technology and network telecommunications equipment that may be hosted. CENELEC works alongside CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation within CLC Technical Committee 215 WG3, which is responsible for the development of the EN 50600 series of standards. This committee comprised of members from nationally appointed Standards bodies (Such as The British Standards Institute (BSI, in the UK), has developed the EN 50600 Standard Series. This series has been published and continues to be updated with many documents currently going through the second revision. ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Equipment-and-Solutions-1024x726.png "| futuretech")The fact that this is a European Standard does not limit its use to European data centres as the standard applies principles of design and management of data centres that are common globally. In addition, European standards are less prescriptive than many national standards as they need to work across all the different European nations. The result is that the key elements of this standard can be applied globally and consistently. The EN 50600 series enables the critical infrastructures within a data centre to be designated as having a defined level of “Availability”. EN 50600-1 references these designations in order to define an overall “availability” level. Other standards in the series simply require conformance to a set of requirements without an “availability” level designation. The full list of elements in the EN 50600 series of standards are listed below: ### **European Standard EN50600 Information technology – Data centre facilities and infrastructures** **EN 50600-1:** General concepts **EN 50600-2-1:** Building construction **EN 50600-2-2:** Power distribution **EN 50600-2-3:** Environmental control **EN 50600-2-4:** Telecommunications cabling infrastructure **EN 50600-2-5:** Physical security **EN 50600-3-1:** Management and operational information **EN 50600-4-1:** KPIs – Overview and general requirements (ISO/IEC 30134-1) **EN 50600-4-2:** KPIs – Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE – ISO/IEC 30134-2) **EN 50600-4-3:** KPIs – Renewable Energy Factor (REF – ISO/IEC 30134-3) **EN 50600-4-4:** KPIs – IT Equipment Energy Efficiency for Servers (ITEEsv – ISO/IEC 30134-4) **EN 50600-4-5:** KPIs – IT Equipment Energy Utilisation for Servers (ITEUsv – ISO/IEC 30134-5) **EN 50600-4-6:** KPIs – Energy Reuse Factor (ERF – ISO/IEC 30134-6) **EN 50600-4-7:** KPIs – Cooling Efficiency Ratio (CER – ISO/IEC 30134-7) **EN 50600-4-8:** KPIs – Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE – ISO/IEC 30134-8) **EN 50600-4-9:** KPIs – Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE – ISO/IEC 30134-9) **TS 50600-5-1:** Data Centre Maturity Model **TR 50600-99-3:** Guidance to the application of EN 50600 series It should be noted that EN 50600 references (mirrors) the standardised KPIs referenced from ISO/IEC 30134 within section 4 of the series. This ensures that true global standards dovetail without duplication of effort or confusion over which version to apply. ### **EN 50600 Series Explanation** The following information provides an outline of the framework offered by the EN 50600 series: EN 50600-2-2 defines four levels (1 to 4) for the design availability of the power supply and distribution system of the data centre; EN 50600-2-3 defines four levels (1 to 4) for the design availability of the environmental control system of the data centre; EN 50600-2-4 defines four levels (1 to 4) for the design availability of the telecommunications cabling systems of the data centre; EN 50600-1 defines the overall availability level of a data centre based on the lowest level of the three infrastructure elements detailed above. EN 50600-2-5 defines requirements for the maintenance of physical security of data centre spaces independent of the infrastructure level. In this way EN 50600-1, -2-2, -2-3, -2-4 and -2-5 provide a comprehensive framework for assessment of the design availability of a data centre. They are supported by EN 50600-2-1 and EN 50600-3-1 for building construction and operation respectively, but these are currently treated as subsidiary to availability objectives. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency Best Practices](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/european-code-of-conduct-for-data-centre-energy-efficiency-best-practices/) **Published:** March 23, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency Best Practices by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Mar 23, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FT-Best-Practices.png) The latest version (2022) of the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency Best Practices document has now been published and can be freely download from the following location: [2022 Best Practice Guidelines for the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/2022-best-practice-guidelines-eu-code-conduct-data-centre-energy-efficiency) The Best Practices document is updated annually following a meeting of stakeholders late in the previous year. Future-tech’s Mark Acton has chaired these meeting and edited the Best Practice document since 2013. The Code of Conduct was launched in 2008 with the aim of improving the energy efficiency in data centres, a sector of growing energy consumption. The Code of Conduct is a voluntary initiative, managed by the JRC, which sets ambitious voluntary standards for companies willing to participate (Participants). The Code of Conduct was established in response to increasing energy consumption in data centres and the need to reduce the related environmental, economic and energy supply security impacts. The aim of the Code is to inform and stimulate data centre operators and owners to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner without hampering the mission critical function of all data centres. The Code aims to achieve this by improving understanding of energy demand within the data centre sector, raising awareness, and recommending energy efficient best practice and targets. The Code of Conduct remains a voluntary initiative aimed to bring interested stakeholders together, including the coordination of other similar activities by manufacturers, vendors, consultants and utilities. Parties signing up will be expected to follow the intent of this Code and abide by a set of agreed voluntary commitments. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [European Code of Conduct - 2021 Update](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/european-code-of-conduct-2021-update/) **Published:** February 8, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The 2021 version of the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency has now been uploaded to the European Commission JRC website. This update is free to download and represents over 10 years’ worth of accumulated knowledge from across Europe in the management of energy efficiency within data centres. Future-tech are committed Endorsers of the EU Code of Conduct and recognise the value that these regularly updated practices can bring to any efforts relating to the improvement of energy in data centres. [Download your free updated version from the European Commission JRC website now.](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/2021-best-practice-guidelines-eu-code-conduct-data-centre-energy-efficiency) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Eden Reforestation Project Update - December 2021](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eden-reforestation-project-update-december-2021/) **Published:** December 16, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Eden Reforestation Project Update – December 2021 by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Dec 16, 2021 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grouped-images.png) ## **Mahubo Site, Maputo, Mozambique** Protecting our natural environment and fighting climate change is a significant issue to everyone here at Future-tech. We strive to adhere to sustainable working practices, as well as producing energy efficient data centre designs. As a company working on several exciting new projects in the African market, contributing to environmental conservation in African communities is very important to us and to our clients. To offer a contribution to global conservation efforts, Future-tech has partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects, an organisation whose aim is to offer fair employment to those living in impoverished conditions around the world and to advance global forest restoration. Future-tech contribute to a shared conservation in Maputo, Mozambique. In Mozambique over 45% of the population live below the poverty line, with nearly 70% living in rural areas. The people of Mozambique are reliant on the country’s forest and natural resources, with mangroves playing a particularly vital role. Mangrove trees not only provide resources that can be utilised, but also protect against coastal erosion, filter pollutants out of the water and offer a habitat for fish and other marine life. At the Mahubo site, Eden offers long-term employment to a team of 30 people, giving them a stable income, the opportunity to protect the environment, save money for the future and improve their overall well-being. As you can see in the photos below, one year later and the mangroves planted at the site with Future-tech’s support are growing into healthy young trees and have reached a height of 54cm. We are excited to watch them thrive and return these barren areas to their former robust mangrove ecosystems. ![Grouped images | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grouped-images.png "Groupedimages | futuretech") ## **Kitiligini Site, Kijabe Forest, Kenya** The Eden Reforestation Project started planting in Kenya 2 years ago, and quickly became the most efficient reforestation organisation in the country. Future-Tech work with Eden, contributing to the reforestation and restoration of the Kitiligini site in the Kijabe Forest. The Kijabe Forest is a 5,500-hectare forest located in the central highlands of Kenya and is relied upon by approximately 200,000 local community members for resources, as well as by the wildlife it provides habitat to. Over recent years the forest has suffered massive destruction, with loggers and charcoal burners being major culprits. The Kenyan Ministry of Environment and Forestry reported that the country lost an average of 21,000 ha of forest annually from 1990 to 2005. This devastation has not only led to a loss in biodiversity, but it has also left the locals at risk. The removal of large expanses of trees leaves areas open and exposed to both heavy rainfall and soil erosion. Without the tree roots securing soil in place and vegetation blocking the path of any moving debris, these areas are left vulnerable to the threat of potentially devastating mudslides. The deforestation also exacerbates flooding in the area, as the loss of trees and disruption to soil renders the land incapable of retaining water, leading to surface water runoff. These effects on the land are also believed to lead to a decrease in clean water access for locals. With such catastrophic events being a risk to the local communities and wildlife, Future-tech feel that it is imperative that the deforestation is addresses before the situation worsens. It is for these reasons that Future-tech have partnered with the Eden Reforestation Project. Eden have committed to planting a minimum of 125,000 native trees per year at the Kitilingini site on behalf of Future-tech. We are excited to see the progress of the saplings which have been planted with Future-tech’s support over the last year, as shown in the photos below, and look forward to watching them develop further in years to come. We believe that the work carried out by Eden will benefit the land and people alike. Through reforestation, we as partners are aiming to revive wildlife habitats and enhance climate reliance whilst protecting and improving the livelihoods of the local communities. Future-tech have worked on several projects within the country and have shared our goals and achievements regarding sustainability and reforestation with clients and contractors on the ground, who have offered very positive feedback. We hope that in doing so that we will raise awareness of the project and the positive work that Eden is carrying out. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Eden Reforestation Project – Kenya 2 Year Update](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eden-reforestation-project-kenya-2-year-update/) **Published:** December 19, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Eden Reforestation Project – Kenya 2 Year Update by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Dec 19, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FT-reforestation-project-update-collage-2-1000x675.png) ## **Kitiligini Site, kenya** Future-tech understands the responsibility we have as current guardians of our planet, and we are passionate about helping to protect our natural environment. While we strive to adhere to sustainable working practices and producing energy efficient data centre designs, we also wanted to contribute to global conservation projects that also have a positive impact locally.. We have partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects, an organisation that works to restore environments around the world by reforestation, while lifting local communities out of extreme poverty. One of the projects that Future-tech contributes to is the Kitiligini planting site in Kenya. Located north of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is the Great Rift Valley, known for its dry steep terrain and Afromontane forests. This unique forest is home to many pastoral communities who rely on the local ecosystem to sustain themselves and the local economy. Kenya is famous for its diverse wildlife and wide range of forest types, but in recent decades these forests have experienced extreme environmental devastation. A serious combination of charcoal burning, logging and illegal settling has contributed to over 90% of Kenya’s land being deforested. In the Kijabe area, deforestation events are primarily related to charcoal harvesting, highly degrading the land in the process. In 2019, Eden started working with the Kijabe Forest Trust to establish planting sites and nurseries. The Kitiligini project in the Great Rift Valley aims to provide habitat for wildlife, sustainable economic opportunities for local families, a reliable water supply and landslide protection. Each year, Future-tech receives a report on the progress of this project, and the fantastic efforts the Eden team are doing to improve local livelihoods and the environment with our support. Since the Kitiligini site first opened, Eden has worked with the ambition to reach the estimated number of almost 900,000 planted trees that are needed to restore this area, and then actively protect the site and replant any losses to ensure the native Afromontane ecosystem reaches its complete potential and is returned back to its former glory. Over the past year the site has experienced unpredictable rainfall. While the lack of water has led to reduced planting, the team has spent this time mulching and watering seedlings from previous growing seasons and creating holes for seedlings in preparation for when the rain starts up again. Thus far, Eden have planted 633,737 trees, and created over 1,500 employments during the reporting period. Not only is the project making great progress helping the ecosystem and reducing soil erosion, there’s also been a significant socioeconomic impact on the local community through employment at the site. Women’s empowerment is also a core principle and goal for the Eden team in Kenya – currently 49.1% of the Kitiligini team are female. Future-tech are excited to see how our contributions continue to help the Kitiligini reforestation project to regenerate a thriving ecosystem and in doing so improve the conditions for the local population. ![Ft reforestation project update collage 2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/FT-reforestation-project-update-collage-2.png "Ft reforestation project update collage 2 | futuretech") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Eden Reforestation Project – Mozambique 2 Year Update](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eden-reforestation-project-2-year-update/) **Published:** November 29, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Eden Reforestation Project – Mozambique 2 Year Update by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Nov 29, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FT-reforestation-project-update-collage-1-1000x675.png) ## **Mahubo Site, Maputo, Mozambique** Future-tech understands the responsibility we have as current guardians of our planet, and we are passionate about helping to protect our natural environment. While we strive to adhere to sustainable working practices and producing energy efficient data centre designs, we also wanted to contribute to global conservation projects. We have therefore partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects, an organisation that works to restore environments around the world by reforestation, while lifting local communities out of extreme poverty. One project Future-tech contributes to is the Mahubo planting site in Mozambique, which opened in October 2020. Located in the Boane district, the Mahubo site covers approx. 82km of land, near a local village of over 102,000 residents. The population of Mozambique are reliant on the country’s forest and natural resources, in particular Mangrove trees. Mangrove trees play a vital role in the environment – not only do they provide utilisable resources, but they also protect water quality, capture CO2, and provide natural infrastructure and protection from erosion and storm impacts. These trees are also extremely important to the wider ecosystem. This area has seen massive losses to its Mangrove forests, due to overharvesting for charcoal and timber. To tackle this issue, the Eden team are restoring the area by employing local people and planting a variety of species, including the native Rizhopora red, Ceriops spurred and Bruguiera large-leafed orange mangroves. When the Mahubo site was first opened, Eden intended to plant and nurture over 4 million trees to restore this area. Each year, Future-tech receives a report on the progress of this project, and the fantastic efforts the Eden team are doing to improve local livelihoods and the environment with our continued support. Since the site opened, Eden have planted 1,841,764 trees, and created over 1,500 employment days since 2021. Not only is the project making great progress helping the ecosystem, there’s also been a significant socioeconomic impact on the local community through employment at the site. Future-tech are excited to see how our contributions help the reforestation project to grow the Mahubo site into a thriving ecosystem and continue to improve conditions for the local population. ![Ft reforestation project update collage 1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FT-reforestation-project-update-collage-1.png "Ft reforestation project update collage 1 | futuretech") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Digital Infrastructure and Data Centre Security](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/digital-infrastructure-and-data-centre-security/) **Published:** June 23, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** With the increasing focus on Cyber Security, and the knowledge that state-sponsored actors and organised criminals are routinely and frequently targeting our information systems to both disrupt and take advantage, Future-tech feels that addressing this area from a data centre perspective would be useful. Applications and ICT hardware that provide information and data collection that our society increasingly depends upon, are clearly seen as vulnerabilities, and we are regularly advised by multiple agencies including banks, governments and industry experts, to protect ourselves and our organisations from this risk. What is less evident and less publicised, is the risk we face to the infrastructure underpinning our information systems, and the utilities we rely on that provide power and water to our data centres. It is these critical infrastructures that might be considered more vulnerable than the information systems themselves. IOT devices are significantly increasing the ‘Contact Surface’, and in many cases these simple devices are left with default configurations and passwords, yet are potentially open gateways to wider critical networks and control systems. The Project SHINE (SHodan INtelligence Extraction) Findings Report, based on intelligence gathered from the SHODAN search engine between April 2012 and January 2014, highlighted this issue in great detail, but many weaknesses still exist, and new deployments are repeating mistakes of the past. The [Shodan Search engine](https://www.shodan.io/) provides searching capabilities on internet-connected devices including IOT devices. Attention is typically focused on ICT devices using TCP/IP etc. but this report specifically looked at building infrastructures (HVAC etc.), and concentrated on areas such as SCADA Systems and Building Automation Control, using protocols including MODBUS and BACNet. The report concludes that ‘new regulations and legislation are needed to curb this behaviour, industry practices need to be modified, and diagnostic practices and configuration management schemes need to improve dramatically.’ The increasing use of IOT systems since 2014, for both monitoring and control in critical environments, has merely exacerbated this issue. On the back of this and within the data centre sphere, some notable DCIM tools have also been exposed as having vulnerabilities. Some of the biggest suppliers in this area have fallen short of the expected security standards(Device42, Schneider, Sunbird, Vertiv), with vulnerabilities being exposed in the following publication by Cyble: The conclusion from the publication is that ‘organisations spend billions of dollars to ensure the data centres do not face downtime and security breaches, yet there might be several security loopholes that adversaries could exploit.’ With the increased efforts in state sponsored cyber disruption, governments worldwide have started to publish warnings and guidelines to reduce the risks to our national critical infrastructures. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), in conjunction with Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), has recognised this and recently published [guidelines](https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/joint-security-guidance-offered-to-data-centre-operators-and-users#:~:text=The%20new%20guidance%20from%20the,and%20mitigate%20potential%20security%20vulnerabilities.) and recommendations for data centre operators and customers to help identify the issues involved, and offer practical advice and considered solutions to potential vulnerabilities. This is not an unknown issue, with well-publicised attacks on utility infrastructures having caused disruption on several occasions. The vulnerabilities and protection required for ICT systems is generally well understood and generally addressed in an informed manner, however those within our critical infrastructure, that ultimately underpin our ICT systems, particularly those within data centres are less understood, and we are generally more exposed in this area. One of the reasons is that those designing and managing critical supporting infrastructure in data centres (principally systems responsible for the delivery of power and cooling) are generally not aware of the issues involved or the potential threats posed. Typically neither outsourced or in-house Facilities Management providers will have the knowledge or expertise to identify or mitigate these vulnerabilities. Future-tech is well aware of this area of risk, and has both the understanding, expertise and capability required to ensure these factors are taken into account and mitigated during both the design and operations phases of the data centre lifecycle. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Developed Design Fly-By video – 20MW in Nairobi, Kenya.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/developed-design-fly-by-video-20mw-in-nairobi-kenya/) **Published:** March 1, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Type:** Master Planning of a 20MW campus in Kenya including BISRA/RIBA Stage 4 MEP design by Future-tech resulting in a fly-by video demonstrating component and phasing fly-in details. **Location:** Nairobi, Kenya. **Size:** 20MW IT Load. **Power:** 3 from 4 distributed redundant. **Cooling:** Indirect air cooling, concurrently maintainable with no single points of failure. **Type:** European style Hyperscale Design. **Date Completed:** Construction is ongoing. **Target Market:** International Hyperscale. ****Project Summary:**** IX Africa approached Future-tech to develop a Metro Edge type data centre to leading international standards and quality suitable for global Hyperscale customers. ****Project Scope:**** Future-tech acted as Lead Consultant and provided the management of an in country professional services team. This included Architectural, Structural and Civils for Phase 1 of the construction (4.5 MW). Future-tech also provided technical procurement for the MEP infrastructure including long lead items and evaluation of technical submissions from potential vendors. **Innovation:** Use of indirect air cooling in sub-Saharan Africa (Design PUE sub 1.3). Capable of accepting and installing pre-populated 55U racks including weight and height accommodation. The design offers Cloud ready Hyperscale power densities unique to the Kenyan market. **Sustainability:** Sub 1.3 design PUE in sub-Saharan Africa. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Designing and operating a micro-data centre for Bristol City Council](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/designing-and-operating-a-micro-data-centre-for-bristol-city-council/) **Published:** September 6, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Bristol City Council’s listed Head Quarters won the Innovation in the Micro-Data Centre Award at the 2009 Datacentre Leaders Awards. Most micro-data centres are situated in buildings designed primarily for purposes other than housing IT and this may accentuate the challenges of designing and operating a micro-data centre. Working with Future-tech, Bristol City Council achieved an elegant solution to a tricky problem. ### THE BRIEF The new data centre is housed in the basement of the listed ‘Council House’ in the heart of the City. While not as old as many other listed buildings – it was built between 1938 and 1948, the Council House was never designed to house modern IT equipment. While the project involved re-siting two existing UPSs, it was almost entirely a new-build using a modular room construction. As the room is below ground level, it was essential to ensure there would be no water ingress. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS There were several constraints in the brief that we needed to address, Bristol City Council required a low Power Utilisation Effectiveness (PUE) figure, and to have a low TCO measured over 10 years. Neither the construction nor the operational room could cause any noise problems in the council chamber – and everything we suggested needed to be approved by English Heritage, given the building’s listed status. The project involved a complete strip-out and refurbishment of the existing space and construction of the new modular room with raised access flooring. However, the aspect of the design that first won Bristol City Council and later the award judges’ attention was the air conditioning solution. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION The air conditioning comprises two water-cooled DX CRAC units which reject heat via a heat exchanger to the ‘Moat’ – an ornamental pond running along the front of the building. Meeting an important ‘green’ requirement for the project, this enables free cooling of the room for the vast majority of the year. There is also a back-up system of dry coolers with the external plant housed in a light well out of sight of anyone viewing the building from ground level. On day one the deployment in the new room was 12 cabs and a 60kW IT load. The room has enclosed hot aisles designed to run at 30°C (with scope to increase the running temperature to 35°C if required) thus reducing the need for cooling further. The solution is future-proofed and can be expanded to 24 cabs and a 120kW IT load at a future date. Future-tech delivered a very efficient and now award-winning data centre which has continued to be maintained by our service team. > Future-tech had the ability to listen to what we really wanted and provide what we really needed GEOFF ENDICOTT, ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME MANAGER, BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL **Categories:** Case Studies, Engineering --- ### [Design, Build and Maintenance of Perenco's business critical data centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-build-and-maintenance-of-perencos-business-critical-data-centre/) **Published:** August 26, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** ![Template image copy7 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy7-1024x444.jpg "Templateimagecopy7 | futuretech")Data Centre Design, Build and Maintenance of a business critical data centre located in central London. Perenco is an oil and gas exploration and production company who operate across 16 countries. When the decision was made to relocate its offices, a new data centre solution was required as part of the construction. Due to Perenco’s previous experience with generalist contractors delivering data centres, the Project Team decided to appoint a data centre specialist to provide an innovative solution. ### THE BRIEF The data centre solution had to be designed to support varying rack densities from passive to over 7kw within a stable and resilient environment. The facility had to be expandable in line with IT growth providing a resilient infrastructure platform for critical IT systems. The data centre facility also needed protection from potential liquid ingress. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS (1) Basement location gave logistic challenges for the data centre installation team. (2) Plant equipment had to be located 90m away, of which 70m was vertical; this gave challenges to the mechanical data centre design. (3) Limited plant and riser space adding further challenges to design and installation. (4) Very compressed construction program due to the requirement of IT systems deployment before building occupation. (5) Risk of liquid ingress due to basement location. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech, data centre specialists, provided a data centre solution with N+1 resilience in its cooling and power infrastructure, flood resistant, 1hr fire rated modular shell, VESDA and FM200 gas suppression. The data centre solution also includes monitoring of temperature, humidity and fault status of critical equipment. Power monitoring, in line with EU Code of Conduct for data centre Energy Efficiency guidelines was provided, allowing Perenco to measure PUE and understand power consumption at a granular level. Leak detection above and around the data centre is connected to the monitoring system to alert operatives of a flood before it can penetrate the facility. With the compressed timescale in place, Future-tech were able to fast track the project and complete ahead of programme. The result is a scalable and dynamic facility that adheres to today’s data centre design and build best practices. The Perenco data centre is one of more than 60 facilities supported and maintained by Future-tech. For more information about scalable, modular, energy efficient data centres, their design, construction and operation, please contact our team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Maintenance & Management --- ### [DCIM V2.0 – What is it?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/dcim-v2-0-what-is-it/) **Published:** January 27, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # DCIM V2.0 – What is it? by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Jan 27, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![Future-tech Data Centre Specialists](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Hero-APNG-1080x675.png) Since the introduction of the Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) concept to the general market by Gartner over a decade ago the concept has struggled to mature. Worse than that DCIM has become a term that is now considered tarnished by many following disappointing results from expensive DCIM deployments. Generally, DCIM has failed to deliver on the promises made and in many cases is merely a beefed up BMS or overpriced Asset Register! Nevertheless, experts are still predicting a 16% growth to 2024 with a forecast market value of over $3bn. Data centres are designed, built and operated for one purpose alone, and that is to reliably and securely host the Compute, Storage and Network resources providing the digital services upon which we are all now so dependent in our daily lives. In this statement lies an irony though. Traditional facilities management teams continue to manage and maintain the building and the critical supporting infrastructure within it. These elements provide the secure space and support the delivery of the critical power and cooling resources on which the installed IT equipment is totally dependent. These teams typically have no visibility of the hosted Information Technology equipment, or the expertise to understand the operation or management of this hosted equipment. On the other hand the Compute, Storage and Networking equipment in data centres tends to be looked after by traditional IT teams that have little understanding or interest in the critical infrastructure providing the power and cooling upon which their services depend. It is often the case that extremely expensive and limited power and cooling resources are squandered, exposing their organisations to significant additional costs, potential Corporate Social Responsibility criticism due to environmental impact and the ongoing threat of Business Continuity issues when limited critical resources become depleted or unavailable. This siloed approach to data centre management has persisted for decades now and continues to be the commonly applied operational structure in most data centres. This despite repeated expert advice from across the sector strongly advocating improved operating models for over a decade. In this context a true DCIM system is essential to enable these suggested new operating models. However the reality is that there can be no genuine DCIM system unless the gaps highlighted above are taken into account and the tools deployed include integration with the IT stack. Ultimately the IT load is the reason for a data centre’s existence so a true DCIM needs to cover more than just the building infrastructure alone. Without this integration the so called DCIM solution will merely be an overly complex and therefore overly expensive Building Management System or an unnecessarily weighty asset register. Moreover, the move towards distributed, digital infrastructures and hybrid environments is one of the most significant shifts in the data centre sector, which potentially necessitates the overview and orchestration of infrastructure environments across multiple unmanned remote (Edge), sites. A true DCIM system needs to seamlessly integrate all elements of the data centre into a single toolset which offers the required ‘Single Source of Truth’ view of multiple sites to all those responsible for data centre operations and the reliable delivery of digital services. One of the reasons that the siloed approach to data centre management is still the most common operating model is the fact that until recently we have not had suitable tools that offer integration and visibility of both the IT equipment condition and the operation of the critical building infrastructure in a single system with a single view of the entire data centre ecosystem. This also accounts for the continued dependency on the environmental envelopes defined by the IT equipment manufacturers via ASHRAE and within which ae are therefore required to design and build our data centres. From a cooling perspective the front of the server is where these two separate worlds meet and hand off in a very segregated way. This should not be the case, the transition should be seamless. Nevertheless this remains the prevailing highly inefficient method of managing data centres. It is easy to forget that in a data centre we are not trying to keep the servers at a specific temperature, we are actually trying to make sure that the chipsets within the servers are at an optimum temperature in order that they continue to function correctly. Not taking advantage of this information and relying blindly instead on the temperature at the front of the IT equipment is rather missing the point. The same is true on the power side. Currently the hand off between disciplines is typically at the cabinet/rack power supply or potentially (less commonly), at an intelligent power strip within the equipment rack/cabinet. Power usage monitoring is rarely performed on the basis of the power consumption information capable of being provided by the installed IT equipment itself. It is manifestly obvious that any system claiming to be true DCIM tool which does not offer integration with, and visibility of, the IT stack and the data that is readily available from that source is not really a DCIM system at all. It is at best merely a somewhat enhanced, data centre specific BMS. Real-time information from live systems is becoming increasingly available allowing real time decision making and even control where appropriate. This can lead to a reduction in manual error prone processes, a reduction in operational resources and access to far more accurate information. Because data is collected and stored in complex multi-layered and separated systems, gaining true value from this wealth of data requires the correct tools to be deployed using both greater integration and analytical techniques to take advantage of this information potential. This data-centric approach paves the way for true automation, machine learning and ultimately AI in the data centre (when AI becomes truly available beyond the dreams of marketing departments!). Automated provisioning is already possible with existing levels of real-time data from facility infrastructure to IT devices and even applications. Full stack integration is now available and is the key to both cost and operational efficiencies for a direct and tangible ROIs. Aligning IT, Facilities, and other business stakeholders produces a competitive advantage and allows the transparency necessary to be able to properly manage distributed and hybrid architectures. Increasingly these will include both public and private Cloud deployments, legacy infrastructure and systems, as well as remote unmanned Edge installations. Until very recently there were no tools available that could offer the full feature set of a true DCIM system. This is no longer the case. DCIM is now moving into the IT stack, as well as integrating with existing systems, such as ITAM, CMDB and cloud-based solutions. DCIM is now capable of offering the ability to analyse multiple data sets across sites and provide intelligent solutions for managing the data centre throughout the entire stack, from the BMS, to the IT equipment and through to application performance. True DCIM needs to address the major challenges that IT and Data Centre operators face today: - Ability to reference, monitor, maintain and manage complex hybrid digital environments - Support for Edge adoption and geographically remote ‘dark’ sites - Integration with an increasing number of data sources and existing toolsets - Increasing analysis of multiple data sets to produce useful information rather than just simple monitoring - The capability for rapid, genuine integration at low cost in order to create a Single Source of Truth’ for all sites and all asset types within the entire data centre stack (Both Facilities and IT) - A need for improved visibility, capacity / resource planning and management, particularly for remote unmanned sites - The ability to manage resources effectively. This should include traditional Space, Power and Cooling but also Compute, Storage, Bandwidth, Ports, Cabinets, Cabinet Use, Buildings, Energy, People, Costs etc. and increasingly sustainability goals - Automated provisioning based on company specific rules and requirements with the generation of detailed work orders that can be used by 3rd party contractors without supervision - The improvement of operational efficiency and cost reduction (Offering genuine ROI) All the above capabilities must be provided while maintaining the core focus on Uptime, availability and time to service. It is also worth remembering that the ‘M’ in DCIM stands for Management not simply monitoring, which is all that many available solutions offer. Tools that do not have a genuine management capability do not satisfy the criteria required to be a true DCIM solution. **Where to next and what to look for in a DCIM V2.0 toolset?:** In the section above we have highlighted some of the reasons that DCIM systems have broadly speaking failed to deliver and developed a tarnished reputation despite the potential promise that they offer. The reality is that until recently the functionality required simply did not exist. A true DCIM system is far more than a nice graphical interface for an asset management system or an expensive adjunct to a standard BMS system. Rather it is required to be a single tool set that monitors and allows management of all data centres resources in the context of the data centre’s purpose, which again is to reliably host the IT equipment delivering digital services, This service delivery is critically dependent on the effective management of available capacity and the efficient consumption of limited and costly resources. One of the key challenges in true DCIM implementation has been integration. This refers to both the discipline specific tools deployed in a data centre, as well as the operational process and procedures that allow effective day to day management and importantly when and how to automate. This integration is critical to effective management and historically has either been impossible or too technically or financially challenging to implement to the point that it has been actively discouraged. In addition, the increasing move towards distributed, digital infrastructures and hybrid environments has been one of the most significant shifts, which now necessitates the overview and orchestration of digital infrastructure and environments across multiples sites. A true DCIM should be a single source of truth based on an integration ready approach offering the ability to share data across multiple disparate systems. This needs to be made available without the effort needed for integration being a barrier to rapid deployment and speed to use. An integrated approach should not aim to be all things to all people however, but rather look to seamlessly hook into existing systems, taking advantage of those unique capabilities and data sets that may already be in place. Currently we collect a lot of data within data centre but rarely turn in into useful management information to make predictions or inform solutions. This needs to change for DCIM to be widely adopted. Historically this level of integration has been technically impossible or too financially challenging, nevertheless the increasing shift towards distributed, digital infrastructures and hybrid environments requires an unambiguous overview and simplified orchestration of complex infrastructures across multiples sites. In a world where IT systems are becoming more distributed, Edge deployment is increasing and IoT is making its mark, data centre operators should be taking advantage of the data they are collecting by taking a data-centric approach to managing their sites, both local and remote. Siloed thinking and operational management no longer have a place in the modern data centre: Facilities and IT managers need to work together, alongside a multitude of vendors who also need to align and integrate their offerings, sharing data to better accommodate their clients’ needs. What is required are open integration capabilities that allow data centre operators to pull their own bespoke solutions together, without racking up expensive development bills. It is now commonly accepted that the IT stack should be integrated into any genuine DCIM system and it should also connect to other business systems, such as CMDB, ERP and finance systems etc. It is also increasingly recognised that Facilities, IT and ‘the business’ frequently do not work well together or understand each other. The lack of integrated of information and tools across multiple disciplines and sites remains a barrier to both cost and resource efficiency. Recent newer DCIM solutions without legacy overhead have recognised the shortfalls of previous generations of DCIM solutions and have implemented the expected features described above. These features are the catalyst essential to getting all Data Centre stakeholders to work together around core business processes that involve people, Facilities and IT infrastructure, as well as the assets and costly critical resources deployed across the data centre ecosystem. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Data Centre predictions for 2022](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-predictions-for-2022/) **Published:** February 11, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** # Data Centre predictions for 2022 by [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/ "Posts by Mark Acton") | Feb 11, 2022 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![Future Tech Advisory and Feasibility](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/advisory-feasability-static-1080x675.png) The use of digital services, from streaming sites to calls with colleagues, has been the forefront in data centre growth across the world. Whilst data centre design and build will continue to evolve as designs are improved and refined have over the years, there is a fresh impetus to data centre use and development with organisations using ever greater amounts of cloud applications and data centre based services since the beginning of the pandemic. As a result our data centre predictions evolve around growth, development and adaptation to new work structures and future thinking. **Data centres continue to develop and evolve** During the last 18 months, organisations have been moving to innovative solutions and adopting more hybrid IT environments to maintain business operations whilst their workforce may still work remotely. By changing the focus on how IT is delivered throughout their businesses, data centre operators will modify their services to support these changes. As a knock-on effect, data centre designs will adapt to meet the changing requirements and usage patterns of their clients. In a study by [Gartner](https://www.gartner.com/doc/reprints?id=1-248BY1B3&ct=200924&st=sb), they predict by 2025 85% of infrastructure strategies will integrate on-premises, colocation, cloud and edge delivery options, compared with 20% in 2020. As we see a more flexible approach to working remotely and in the office, 2022 will be the year that companies will really evaluate their IT infrastructure models and evolve to support modified methods of working . **Edge infrastructure will grow more with demand** Following from Gartner’s 2025 predictions on infrastructure strategies, we will see a continued growth in Edge delivery options. These smaller data centres operated remotely but located near the populations they serve will offer several advantages to their users such as low latency, scalability, and data security. Whilst this deployment strategy provides clear benefits, Edge will also result in operational and sustainability issues to be resolved as a result of the increased number of sites, remote operation and smaller scale buildings, all of which need to be considered properly. **Sustainability will be an increasingly hot topic** Sustainability issues are a high priority feature on many companies agendas. According to some figures data centres may be responsible for up to [3% of global power consumption](https://www.worldfinance.com/strategy/green-data-centres-are-at-the-core-of-sustainability-strategy-for-business#:~:text=The%20most%20sustainable%20data%20centres,and%20waste%20management%2C%20and%20more.). The requirement for large amounts of power and potentially water is resulting in far greater negative comment in the media and greater attention from governments and potential regulators. New innovative data centre design and build solutions to create more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient data centres sit at the core of improving environmental impact. Data centre design consultants such as Future-tech are rising to the challenge of creating more sustainable designs using more energy-efficient systems, reducing greenhouse gas output and increasing renewable energy usage alongside proposing practices and improving operational management in order to reduce resource consumption. Transparency is key as organisations look increasingly at sustainability criteria in making their choice of data centre supplier and location or data centre design services that will support their vision and intended solution. Site selection will continue to be important, with some data centre operators seeing increased to their facilities due to [climate change](https://journal.uptimeinstitute.com/climate-change-more-operators-prepare-to-weather-the-storms/). Having a [site survey and selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) process in place supported by a team of experienced and dedicated data centre engineers, such as those and Future-tech will minimise any risk in the decision process. **Increased demand for data centres** Research undertaken by [JLL](https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/research/data-center-outlook?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=em-uk-corp-data-center-q221&utm_content=em-uk-en-corp-data-center-trends-search-leadgen-phrase-q221&utm_term=data%20centre%20trends&gclid=Cj0KCQiArt6PBhCoARIsAMF5wahJr7ZRWj21h6Rxhwkp_GoWbr3L74gmkWpTya2lImqLdu--y7ibO_MaAjGbEALw_wcB) in 2021 found there was a strong demand for data centres in Europe, with London remaining as the top location in demand. This was largely driven by cloud companies, and the rise in data usage and remote connectivity throughout the pandemic. This growth is set to continue to increase over the next 5 years as companies turn to cloud based or hybrid solutions. In a recent [report](https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/2228038/internet_data_centers_global_market_trajectory?utm_source=BW&utm_medium=PressRelease&utm_code=kr8ftq&utm_campaign=1584983+-+Global+Internet+Data+Centers+Market+Report+2021%3a+Market+to+Reach+%24143.4+Billion+by+2027+-+Explosion+of+Big+Data+Creates+Opportunities&utm_exec=chdo54prd)**,** the global **data centres market is estimated to reach $143.4 Billion by 2027.** These increases not only spark questions surrounding data centre sustainability (as mentioned in an earlier prediction), but also a growing community interest over the impact of this infrastructure on their doorstep. Whilst conflict might come from those in the immediate vicinity to the centre, sometimes the lure of local investment and other proposed benefits can win over opposition. This has resulted in demand for new sites in Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations with previously undeveloped areas near population centres now being considered as suitable for data centre sites. Developers building on land previously holding large industrial facilities with significant power supplies get less resistance to new builds. Repurposing industrial space with sustainable data centre designs benefits local communities, has less environmental impact and supports the increase in data centre demand. **How Future-tech can help** As a leading global data centre innovator, Future-tech will work in partnership with you to understand your needs and requirements to ensure the final result meets all expectations for your data centre project. Our experience as a data centre engineering-based consultancy service will build the solid foundations needed to deliver resilient, efficient, and more cost-effective data centres through pioneering design and build. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Data Centre Management and Remote Monitoring in 2021 (Part 1)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-management-remote-monitoring/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In this first of 2 articles, we discuss data centre management, specifically remote monitoring, looking into the Edge model and remote dark sites. Data centres are designed, built and operated for one purpose alone, and that is to reliably and securely host the Compute, Storage and Network resources providing the digital services upon which we are all now so dependent in our daily lives. This high level of service is often delivered by sites with multiple levels of equipment redundancy, a very comprehensive preventative maintenance plan and dedicated data centre engineers based on site in shifts 24×7. The high (possibly unreasonable), expectations around uptime / availability cannot automatically apply to smaller, remote dark sites which are the standard Edge model. As Edge deployment gathers pace it is important to recognise that these sites are typically remote and unmanned. ![Operation maintenance static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Operation-Maintenance-static-1024x875.png "Operationmaintenancestatic | futuretech") We therefore need to consider new approaches in data centre management through providing support for these sites – allowing us to deliver the levels of reliability and availability that customers now expect from their digital services. This can be achieved if all applications and data hosted within a site have multi-site resilience such as site failover or genuine Synchronous Replication, however this is not the case in all Edge sites. This therefore raises a challenge. How do we maintain the continued availability and expected level of reliability of Edge sites when they are remote without staff on site? This consideration becomes even more important when there are not only no permanent staff onsite but also all site-based activities are being outsourced to a 3rd party. The inevitable response to this to this leads us directly to the requirement for more effective remote monitoring tools and intelligent management systems which can provide the information detail and accuracy to achieve the levels of reliability and availability that all customers demand. The increasing move towards distributed, digital infrastructures and hybrid environments incorporating Edge has been one of the most significant shifts in the data centre management sector recently. This complex estate can only be properly managed with access to accurate and reliable information to manage all sites, especially remote sites. This requires the use of more effective remote monitoring tools and intelligent management systems incorporating advanced features such as 3D simulations, knowledge-based algorithms, trending and prediction of potential problems or impending capacity constraints. All using Machine Learning and Analytics to gather vital data, interpret and accurately display the resulting information. Genuine ROI also remains a hugely important factor. These systems cannot be more expensive to buy, install and operate that the savings or benefits that they offer. Historically this has been the case but is increasingly no longer true in the case of the more recently developed lightweight solutions. Intelligent systems with significant predictive capability and automation built in as standard offering genuine insight and useful resolutions to issues detected are now available and affordable. ![Design consultancy static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Design-Consultancy-static-1024x767.png "Designconsultancystatic | futuretech") In a world where IT systems are becoming more distributed, Edge deployment is increasing and IoT is making its mark, data centre operators should be taking advantage of the data they are capable of collecting by taking a data-centric approach to managing their sites, both local and remote. Facilities and IT managers need to work more closely together, using shared data sets with common management and monitoring tools from a number of vendors who also need to align and integrate their offerings, sharing data to better accommodate distributed management needs. Aligning IT, Facilities, and other business stakeholders using effective remote monitoring and management tools can also produce a competitive advantage and allows the transparency and information necessary to be able to properly manage hybrid architectures and solutions. Increasingly these will include both public and private cloud deployments, legacy infrastructure and systems, as well as remote unmanned Edge installations. **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Data centre management part two: operations and maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-management-part-two-operations-and-maintenance/) **Published:** November 28, 2017 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** The effective management of any data centre requires a coherent operational philosophy backed up by accurate and current documentation. As detailed in [part one of this series](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-management-part-one-drivers-and-disruption/), innovative design and construction is only half the story when it comes to data centres being resilient and fit for purpose. The discipline of effective data centre management and maintenance is referred to by various names but operations and maintenance (O&M) is one accepted term. A properly developed and implemented O&M programme is critical in order to reduce risk, lower costs and improve performance. However, despite its importance, aspects of effective O&M are often overlooked. For example, as an engineering design specialist, Future-tech is often brought into assess operational facilities as part of due diligence for potential acquisitions. Our assessment process should be made easier by being able to refer to accurate and current O&M information but all too often the information is inaccurate or out of date. This can make assessment of a facility more challenging and, more importantly, is a potential indicator of the O&M team’s competence and management culture. **Definition** O&M can be difficult to define. Broadly it is set of best practices, or ‘operational philosophy’, for the effective management of the facility as well as guidance on how to deal with incidents and emergencies. Specific areas include: – Health and safety – Maintenance management – Asset management – Change management – Documentation management – Quality management – Energy management These procedures may also be referred to as standard operating procedures (SoPs), methods of procedure (MoPS) and emergency operating procedures (EoPs). This procedural information is combined with accurate asset information detailed in physical manuals or other forms of documentation. O&M information can also extend to other aspects of facilities management including staff training and financial planning. **Documents and resources** O&M documents should be created during the design, fit-out and commissioning of a facility. These documents should then be handed off to the operations team to provide detailed guidance for day-to-day as well as strategic management. The O&M information should be continually updated to reflect any changes in the mechanical and electrical (M&E) design and other fundamental alterations to the facility. The O&M documents should include the following elements: ***Basis of design document.*** This includes crucial information such as the original clients brief as well as a clear description of the operational plan or philosophy for the site. Other information could include descriptions of power loading and levels of redundancy ***Commissioning records.*** Records from the commissioning process should verify and record that the design consultant’s design meets the client’s brief and what has been installed operates as intended ***Drawings and diagrams.*** Including electrical single line diagram, plant room layouts, cable routes, rack layouts, final sub-circuits. Inaccurate or missing drawings and layouts can introduce additional time and risk into maintenance procedures. Downtime incidents can often be traced back to poor and inaccurate O&M information. For more detail read [Data centre CSI: Investigating facility downtime](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/) ***Protection discrimination study.*** This study calculates and records the settings of the circuit breakers used within the electrical system. ***O&M manuals of package suppliers.*** Suppliers of major components of the electrical system will all provide their own O&M manuals. These will often be generic rather than specific to the site and need to be updated during the commissioning process. **Opportunities and challenges.** Maintaining a coherent and effective O&M programme is challenging for a number of reasons: ***Not prioritized.*** O&M information is crucial from a strategic perspective in keeping the site running optimally. However the myriad of tactical and short-term tasks may distract staff from the importance of creating accurate O&M records and keeping them current. ***Staff turnover.*** Although O&M information is meant to be recorded and kept current, in practice a lot of specific maintenance information may not be recorded at all but retained by specific employees or contractors. If those team members leave the organization then crucial O&M information may be lost. ***Different teams.*** The sheer number of different teams and organizations involved in the design, construction and operation of a facility makes creating coherent O&M documents very challenging. O&M information is usually created by the design team then handed off to operations. If communication is poor during this hand-over then the documents and practices may not be fit for purpose. Often the design team tasked with implementing on-going upgrades and changes may not be the same as the team that designed the original site. Having up to date records to use as reference and then updating these to reflect the changes is vital. ***Document formats**.* A lot of potential O&M information is recorded in formats such as .pdf that can be difficult to keep up to date. Record drawings should ideally be handed over in Revit, Autocad or similar format to allow on-going updates. Software tools can help with the recording and updating of this information. There are a number of approaches that can help ensure O&M best practice and accurate documentation. ***Choosing the right design team.*** Proactive design consultants will create accurate O&M information and then work with the operations team during a handover period to ensure it is fit for purpose and easily updatable. ***Certification.*** Organisations such as the Uptime Institute, with its management and Operations (M&O) certification scheme, can provide third-party guidance and oversight of O&M procedures and documentation. ***Facilities management services.*** Third-party FM providers are able to provide guidance on O&M best practice to internal facilities teams or if necessary take on the facilities management, in person or remotely, of the entire facility. ***Software tools and automation.*** As described in the first part of this series, a new generation of software tools are emerging that can help to automate some O&M tasks as well as the creation of the new documentation. This includes so-called Datacentre Operations Management (DCOM) tools but also cloud-based data centre monitoring software known as data centre management as a service (DMaaS). These tools can enable operators to introduce predictive and preventative maintenance procedures. **Future direction** As detailed in part one of this report, there have been a number of new technologies, regulatory changes and other factors that are changing the way facilities are designed and managed. However, improvements in data centre management ultimately depend on better communication and integration between all players involved from design and operations teams to IT and facilities. **The importance of up to date O&M information should not be underestimated. If you would like an independent review of your O&M information or already know it could be better and requires updating, contact us on** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Data centre management part one: drivers and disruption](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-management-part-one-drivers-and-disruption/) **Published:** November 15, 2017 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Data centre management and maintenance practices continue to evolve driven by factors including new business requirements and emerging software tools. There has been a lot of innovation in data centre design over the past 7 or so years. From the relentless focus on energy, capital and operational efficiencies of some hyperscale operators to flexible and agile micro-modular ‘data centres in a box’, innovation has been rife. New forms of cooling, innovative rack designs, power distribution methodologies, mechanical and electrical (M&E) equipment and management software have all been refined and improved. However, inventive design and construction is only half the story when it comes to data centres being fit for purpose and maintaining uptime. Just as the performance of a Formula One car depends on the driver and pit-crew as well as the car itself, the effectiveness of any data centre ultimately rests with how it is operated and maintained. Good management practice can often be overlooked if the data centre operator has not established the correct culture around operations and maintenance (O&M).Importance There are a number of reasons why data centre owners and operators should develop a coherent and standardised approach to facilities management: **Uptime and availability** Operators invest huge amounts of capital to ensure that facilities are as resilient as possible. However, this is not a safeguard against poor management. Up to 70% of unplanned downtime is due to human error according to Uptime Institute. This is often the result of underdeveloped and unenforced O&M procedures and documents rather than isolated mistakes by individuals. ([For more see our article on engineering forensics](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/)) **Efficiency** A significant proportion of the total cost of ownership of a facility across its lifecycle is operational rather than capital expenditure. A lot of costs are sunk in during construction and fit-out but there is also ample scope to realize efficiencies during the operational phase. For example, a one-degree change in cooling set points can result in a 2% gain in operational energy efficiency of a cooling system. The installation of high quality aisle containment may allow supply air temperatures to be increased from circa 18°C to circa 24°C and in some installations this will provide a circa 12% increase in energy efficiency. **Business drivers** The business model of commercial operators, including multitenant data centre (MTDCs) operators, depends on the ability to meet, and hopefully surpass, the service level agreement (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) of customers. To that extent, effective data centre management is critical to an MTDC operator’s business model. The same is true for facilities management (FM) services providers that will take-over the management of all aspects of a client’s data centre from security to basic IT hardware maintenance. **Staff development and retention** Effective data centre management also depends on having skilled and qualified staff. Uptime Institute, for example, recommends that one to two qualified staff is needed on-site at all times to support the safe operation of a Tier III or IV facility. Part of the operational regimen for any facility is tracking staff training requirements and professional qualifications. This is also linked to the requirement to bring in third-party contractors for specific management tasks. Training and development is also key to staff retention. **Innovation and change** The roadmap for effective data centre management is outlined in operations and maintenance (O&M) procedures and documents. However, looking more widely there is a broader set of drivers and specific trends that affect how data centres are designed and managed. These include: **Hybrid IT** The move from predominantly enterprise owned sites to hybrid IT models where organizations may maintain on-premises infrastructure, a presence in colocation as well as hosting workloads in private or public cloud has implications for data centre management. Under this hybrid model, data centre managers may be required to not only oversee on-premises equipment but also negotiate contracts and service levels with third-party providers. There may also be a requirement to develop monitoring and management software that can span all types of infrastructure to provide a holistic view of an organizations facilities and IT equipment. **New data centre types** The emergence of new data centre form factors such as prefabricated modular (PFM) designs including small-scale micro-modular data centres (MMDCs) will also require organisations to develop new data centre management practices. For example, some MMDCs, for example to support the Internet of Things (IoT) applications – may be deployed outside of conventional whitespace in generalist buildings. This could require data centre facilities procedures to be integrated with those for standard office space and other more generalist locations. **Data centre management software** The direction of travel in data centre management is towards greater automation and instrumentation. This could include the use of building management systems (BMS) or datacentre infrastructure management (DCIM tools to help with asset management, monitoring and control. There are also specific Computer Maintenance and Management (CMMS) tools that can automate some facilities management tasks. Another category of tools, sometimes referred to a data centre operations management (DCOM), is also emerging and can help to automate the updating of O&M procedures and asset information. Developed by suppliers including MCIM and Icarus Ops these tools have a range of capabilities from maintenance scheduling and tracking to management of and access to documentation. Looking longer term, a number of data centre technology suppliers have developed cloud-based data centre management software also known as data centre management as a service (DMaaS). These tools allow data centre equipment to be monitored in a similar way to on-premised DCIM. However data from equipment (owned by the supplier and the customer) can then be pooled and analysed in the cloud to enable features like predictive maintenance or be fed into the supplier’s R&D process for the development of new equipment. The end game could see more centralised monitoring and automated management of facilities with features such as sophisticated predictive maintenance reducing the need for manual on-site management. It’s also expected that artificial intelligence (AI) will be embedded into these tools to automate some data centre management tasks. Some equipment makers are developing so-called ‘asset as a service’. This effectively means leasing equipment to customers bundled with remote monitoring and services such as preventative maintenance. The customer no longer owns the equipment or is responsible for its maintenance. **Lights-out management** The idea of a ‘lights-out’ data centre is not new, but it is evolving. It is based on the concept of using remote monitoring and management to reduce, or entirely replace, the need for dedicated on-site staff. Operators such as colocation provider EdgeConneX have integrated a lights-out approach into the fabric of its business. The approach has a number of benefits. For example, staff costs are kept to a minimum, facilities can also be effectively managed in edge locations where qualified staff may not be available. Couple this with the industry’s skill shortage and there are clear benefits. EdgeConneX has developed its own EdgeOS data centre management software to automate and standardise a variety of management processes. **Future direction** The trends and technologies covered in this article will continue to be developed and refined with significant long-term implications for data centre management and maintenance. It’s likely for example that the amount of direct human intervention in facilities will continue to decrease over time with greater use of remote monitoring and automatic control for both IT and facilities infrastructure. But there will still be a strong requirement for design-stage information to be integrated into operations procedures even if those operations are increasingly conducted remotely. Part 2 of this series will look at specific developments around operations and maintenance (O&M) procedures and documents. **Future-tech provides a range of design and management services. If you would like to learn more about effective operations and maintenance practices please contact us at **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Data Centre Maintenance and Remote Management in 2021 (Part 2)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-maintenance-and-remote-management-in-2021/) **Published:** January 20, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In this second of 2 articles, we look at data centre maintenance and management, specifically from a remote perspective. What are the benefits of remote? Why should it be considered? It is remarkable how reliable and resilient digital infrastructure, including data centres, has proved to be during the global pandemic despite significant growth in usage and restrictions imposed on travel, site access and data centre maintenance activities. This Covid spotlight begins to question the need for the traditional 24×365 staffing models currently considered standard. Lessons and experience gained in the current crisis can inform the models needed for remote unmanned Edge sites as dependency on these sites increases. To support this it is certainly the case that a well designed and built data centre has an increasingly low risk of failure so a permanent team of engineers based on site may not be necessary. Additionally one of the biggest overheads for data centre operators are 24×365 site engineering teams. Covid restrictions have increasingly shown that these may not be necessary, providing the right monitoring and management tools are available. This is also exactly what we need to effectively and reliably manage remote dark sites as would normally be associated with an Edge deployment. The typical Edge data centre will be unstaffed and follow a dark site operating model with a smaller footprint than traditional core data centres. Covid has demonstrated that even large sites can be reliably operated with restricted access and reduced personnel as proved by the resilience of our digital infrastructure though a very difficult period. ![Delivery implementation static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Delivery-Implementation-static-1024x780.png "Deliveryimplementationstatic | futuretech") Without full time engineers on site, detecting potential problems simply by being there and walking the site (feeling increased temperature in certain areas for instance), new operating models and predictive maintenance techniques need to be applied to ensure operational reliability in addition to the standard preventative maintenance plans. However, predictive data centre maintenance can really only successfully be deployed if the correct level of monitoring is available that also has the insight, trending and analytical capabilities which allow reliable prediction of failure or impending capacity constraints. This is especially important in unmanned remote site where there may be a significant delay in responding to a problem and getting an engineer on the scene. Site visits will still need to be performed but with greater purpose and range of planned activities / upgrades / installations, depth of knowledge and insight based on far more effective data gathering, analysis and accuracy than would be required for traditional manned data centre sites. These systems need to be so much more than an enhanced Building Management System (BMS). Rather than merely offering alerts or allowing the changing of set-points based on human calculation or experience, as with a BMS, these systems require the intelligence to not only predict issues but also to provide recommendations and solutions. Offering the correct set-point values rather than trying (typically unsuccessfully) to balance these manually based on limited information. As well as being more than a simple BMS new monitoring and management systems overcome the difficulties associated with using ‘embedded’ software systems remotely due to security concerns, limited functionality, lack of integration (and age) of those incumbent systems. ![Design consultancy static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Design-Consultancy-static-1024x767.png "Designconsultancystatic | futuretech") BMS and other types of traditional systems are typically wired into a network and often need expensive and cumbersome local client software to offer remote access, whereas the newer, more lightweight and recently developed software platforms can be accessed via simple browsers and subject to that the security restrictions typically applied to this type of access. These newer systems can also be air gapped from the onsite systems to alleviate security concerns, and are available anytime, even if the facility is physically inaccessible due to Covid restrictions, distance, travel disruption, even terrorism etc. These tools offer genuine ROI and minimal management resource overhead while solving problems rather than merely alerting. Despite the reduced cost and overhead these remote monitoring and management solutions are still able to offer a consistent interface across the entire estate and same level of granularity from very small rooms to the largest data centres making all sites easier to manage. Allowing fewer people to manage far more, even at a distance. [Remote Monitoring and Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-management-remote-monitoring/) tools with the attributes described in these articles are also a catalyst in getting all the stakeholders to work together around core business processes involving people, facilities and IT infrastructure. The benefits include reduced operating costs, improved utilisation of deployed resources and assets, increased reliability, improved energy savings and deferment of capital costs. **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Data centre design, build and maintenance for the University of Brighton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-design-build-and-maintenance-for-the-university-of-brighton/) **Published:** August 18, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** ![Template image copy3 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy3-1024x444.jpg "Templateimagecopy3 | futuretech")Class leading energy efficiency, greater resilience and the ability to support high density computing was the requirement set by the University of Brighton for its new data centre build. Through innovative data centre design, Future-tech provided a data centre solution that achieved all three whilst maintaining live services to the existing IT equipment. ### THE BRIEF To design, build and maintain a data centre that adheres to current best practice and European Code of Conduct for energy efficiency guidelines. To support fluctuating and dynamic cabinet densities of up to 25kW using an autonomous management system. For the facility to have a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) ratio of under 1.22 at full load and below 1.45 at 25% load. For all refurbishment works to be completed around live, business critical IT equipment. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The location selected for the Data Centre build was a busy occupied campus building that was to remain operational throughout the works. Any impact on adjacent areas had to be kept to an absolute minimum with very close attention to health and safety and access control during the construction phase. The building housing the data was not designed to contain such a facility with the result of the external plant space being very limited. The refurbishment had to happen around live, business critical IT system where no downtime could be accommodated. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech, data centre specialists, provided an innovative and resilient data centre solution that autonomously flexes and adapts to the live IT load in the facility in real time. This ensures maximum energy efficiency at all times. In order to address the high density cooling requirement of the data centre design, and keep foot print minimised, rear-door heat exchangers were selected paired with dry air coolers and chillers. The dry air coolers provide 100% free cooling when external ambient air is 16°C and below. Partial free cooling starts at 21°C. The resulting PUE is 1.18 at full load and 1.41 at 25% load. The power and cooling solution ensures an energy efficient and flexible infrastructure platform that can flex and adapt to accommodate the University of Brighton’s changing IT requirement on a short and long term basis. The data centre solution houses 28 cabinets that can support up to 25kW each. The facility is remotely monitored and maintained by Future-tech. If your data centre needs refurbishing to accommodate higher densities and a changing requirement, please contact one of our team on 08459 000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 6 – IT Infrastructure Environmental and Operational Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-6-it-infrastructure-environmental-and-operational-management/) **Published:** April 6, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the sixth in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight those basic best practices which are essential for effective cost and energy efficient management of deployed IT infrastructure within a data centre. In addition to close communication and liaison between the separate teams responsible for data centre operations and ongoing service continuity, it is essential to have an accurate understanding of the IT equipment installed and how this relates to the management of the environment in which they reside. This is particularly important from a cooling, power supply continuity and ongoing energy efficiency perspective. These best practices should be applied by the facility engineering / operations teams and IT hardware management teams. **IT Infrastructure Environmental and Operational Management** In order to maintain continual improvement in energy efficiency and data centre environmental management it is worth considering regular internal checks against EU Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency Best Practice recommendations. This best practice document contains recommendation taken from experience in a wide variety of data centre sites across Europe, all of which have proven to be effective in the reduction of energy usage in data centres. This document (2021 version), is free to download from the following location: [2021 Best Practice Guidelines for the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/2021-best-practice-guidelines-eu-code-conduct-data-centre-energy-efficiency). Beyond the recommendations of the EU Code of Conduct the next key element to address is the management of Data Centre airflow. The locations of cooling systems and airflow paths are critical, as are the locations of cabinets, cable trays, IT equipment layouts, and partitioning or containment, as well as basic room layout. Management of airflow and the removal of hot air is at least as important as the delivery of cold air. In a data centre it is vital to remove the hot air without allowing it to mix with the incoming cold air in order to maximise cooling (and therefore energy), efficiency. Avoid low Delta T Syndrome (inefficient operation of cooling equipment), by maximising the difference between the supply and return airflow. To improve energy efficiency make sure that room temperature settings are correctly optimised for the equipment installed. Consider increasing the Delta T (the temperature difference between the incoming cooling supply air and the returning heated exhaust air), of the cooling system to more closely match IT equipment specifications. This may allow a reduction in total airflow, while meeting the same cooling capacity. This will reduce operational costs by improving cooling system demands. In general a higher return air temperature is preferable and it is possible to maximise return air temperature by supplying air effectively to the IT equipment loads. Cooling air should be supplied directly to the IT equipment air intake as recommended by ASHRAE TC9.9. Unlike office spaces, the average room temperature is not a critical parameter and should not be used in either SLA’s or for cooling control. Temperature sensing and monitoring should be in line with ASHRAE TC9.9 recommendations. Do not allow policy or set points be dictated by “ambient” temperature / humidity measurement or based on data from the Hot Aisle. Hot areas in a Data Centre are not always a bad sign, providing they are in the correct place, i.e. the Hot Aisle. With effective Airflow Management in place seeing hot air in the Hot Aisle is a sign of a well managed data centre. With the above in mind be aware of the potential for Short Cycling from AHU / CRAC units and always be vigilant for Temperature Acceleration and Hot Air Bypass. It is also worth noting that increasing the velocity of cooling air distribution by increasing fan speeds can often reduce cooling effectiveness rather than improving it. Increasing fan speeds also consumes significantly more energy based on the Cube Law (This relationship means that a small increase in speed requiring proportionally far more energy to operate. Conversely a reduction in fan speed can result in beneficial energy savings). Beyond the IT equipment rooms / data halls the cooling equipment outside of these spaces should also be reviewed for their air flow conditions and operational status. These include external condenser and/or chiller units etc. It is not uncommon to find that external units sit in a compound or area with limited airflow. This may allow temperature build up in these locations such that the installed equipment is required to operate beyond design parameters. This can lead directly to both equipment inefficiencies and risk of cooling failure. Consider consulting with cooling specialists for complex implementations and to maximise energy efficiency gains. Intelligent tools are now available to help with cooling and airflow management, not just to highlight problems but also to offer intelligent solutions based on machine learning and built in expertise. It is also extremely important to conduct regular IT asset / inventory audits and CMDB accuracy checks to verify that capacity and performance data is reliable. This is vital for both capacity planning and the trending of data centre resource utilisation (primarily space, power, cooling). During these audits additional visual checks should include confirmation that blanking plates have been installed in empty spaces within cabinets in order to prevent supply / return air mixing / bypass. Cable management in the rear of cabinets should be examined to identify any restrictions or impediments to effective hot air exhausting. Checks should also be conducted to ensure that vented floor tiles are not placed where they are not required. If there is no equipment in the immediate vicinity to be cooled there should be no vented floor tiles present (This includes the Hot Aisle!). If issues of this nature are spotted vented floor tiles should not be relocated without first consulting Data Centre Management and having formal change approval. Regular checks should highlight any inconsistencies in hot aisle / cold aisle separation. Consider that the use of empty cabinets or partitioning to fill gaps between cabinets to reinforce hot aisle / cold aisle layout or containment. The regular audits should confirm the accuracy of records of room layout, equipment locations and IT equipment details. This should include information on equipment manufacturer, model, installation date, purchase date, manufacture year, power requirements, space requirements, cooling requirements (temperature, humidity and airflow volume), equipment and application owner, warranty information, etc. Within equipment cabinets should confirm the fact that the load should be properly balanced with the highest power rated equipment at the bottom of the cabinet (assuming cold air supply is via and under floor plenum). Less power consumptive hardware should be placed at the top of the cabinet with increasing equipment power requirements moving down the cabinet. If no automated monitoring system is in place checks should also confirm that cabinet and PDU breaker loads are kept within agreed tolerances. Generally electrical infrastructure loading should be monitored and understood in the context of both overall capacity and the potential impact upon power supply redundancy in the event of a failure (E.G. N+1). Insist on a documented process for managing the installation and removal of IT equipment from the computer room, which anticipates the impact on the power and cooling infrastructure and capacities. Equipment installations or removals should never be rushed through as an expediency and without adherence to standing procedures. Housekeeping policies should enforce a technical environment free of contaminants such as dirt and debris or stored items including combustibles, cleaning equipment, shipping boxes, paper-based documentation or personal items. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 8 - General Data Centre Operational Best Practice](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-8-general-data-centre-operational-best-practice/) **Published:** June 1, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the eighth in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we highlight general data centres best practices which are considered beneficial to all sites regardless of size or location. These practices are based upon lessons learned by Future-tech during decades of operational experience while delivering high availability services. The overall aim of data centre operations management is to minimise risk of service interruption and to maximise IT service availability, while allowing the maximum possible utilisation of available site resources at the minimum cost. This article focusses on key tried and tested practices that help to achieve these goals. **General Data Centre Best Practice** Effective communication and co-operation between IT and Facilities Management (FM) / Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) Engineering is essential to service reliability and availability. Having both the IT and facilities teams trained in the basic principles of ITIL Service Delivery and Service Management framework is a good way to achieve the clear and unambiguous communications essential to ensuring robust and reliable data centre operations. This includes reliable and consistent reporting with timely delivery of accurate information from diverse areas of responsibility. Clear communication fosters a close working relationship within the data centre and helps to establish clearly defined areas of responsibility between the disparate teams involved in operational reliability and consistent service delivery. This is vital to avoid misunderstanding, reduce risk, avoid potential conflict and eliminate dangerous assumptions. If ITIL is deployed within an organisation facilities and engineering departments should wholeheartedly embrace ITIL language, concepts and goals in order to actively use the framework to apply rigour to IT deployment and management in the data centre. The same is true of corporate wide ISO standards, KPIs and Metrics. ITIL can be also be used as first step to towards the implementation of a truly integrated IT and facilities management team by using a common language and integrated tools. This can unify site operations and eliminate potential issues related to interdisciplinary misunderstandings or poorly defined responsibilities. **Resource and Capacity Management** It is essential for any data centre operation that the wider business fully understands and endorses the chosen risk profile for the site(s). Understanding the business appetite for risk is an essential element in achieving stakeholder satisfaction and successful operational delivery. It is key that the business has fully understood and defined the appetite for risk for each of the services being delivered from the data centre as well as the true cost of either risk mitigation or acceptance. It is imperative to talk to the application owners about deployed services and equipment. Application owners drive the demand for IT services and consumption of data centre resources, In far too many cases though, the application owner ‘forgets’ to inform operations when the equipment is no longer in use, or approaching end of life. Conversely anticipated projects or predicted increases in demand are often not passed to those responsible for managing data centre capacities. Without effective and accurate asset tracking and resource management tools regular power and thermal audits should be performed to ensure that site resources are being efficiently utilised and that capacity is not being wasted. New systems, upgrades, and room changes can have unanticipated consequences if not planned correctly, so it is important to monitor and fully understand airflow, temperature, and other environmental factors. Extremely effective and intuitive tools incorporating expert knowledge are now available to minimise the overhead of performing this ongoing management exercise. **Financial Management** In addition to the above cost control should always be a significant consideration, especially in relation to improved efficiency and the reduction of power and cooling costs. Critical to achieving this is the maintenance of accurate IT and Mechanical & Electrical infrastructure asset registers. (95 -100% accurate), which also include projected lifecycle replacement plans and projected costs. In lieu of effective asset tracking tools and policies registers should be audited at least twice per year to maintain accuracy and contribute to a reliable ‘Single Source of Truth’ upon which disparate systems can rely for well informed decision making or even control where appropriate. The ‘Single Source of Truth’ is likely to be based on federated data sets which might involve multiple systems including those collecting real time information. Critical operating and capital budgets should be separated from non-critical facilities and not pooled with other buildings or groups of buildings. This should include a documented process to ensure that funding levels are sufficient and available to support the site infrastructure according to business expectations at all times. **Effective Capacity Utilisation** Deployments in data centres should be in accordance with an established a master plan based on predicted capacity utilisation. This will potentially involve different deployment strategies based on specific usage and equipment density models. The effort required in this area can be reduced using intelligent tools to establish the optimum cabinet, cabling, IT, network and storage equipment layouts. These tools are also able to offer automatic provisioning, accurate recording of assets and locations and the creation of work orders to support and co-ordinate both local and remote provisioning activities. Guidelines and procedures for power and thermal management should become an integral component of daily data centre operations. All elements from temperature and humidity settings to new system and cable deployments should follow well established and understood guidelines and policies that optimise available power utilisation as well as cooling efficiency and minimise airflow obstructions and hot/cold air mixing. If a data centre contains equipment with significantly differing environmental and cooling requirements (E.G. Tape Storage, Tape Silos, Mainframes, Telecoms Equipment, Batteries etc.), locate this equipment in separate areas with individual environmental controls to avoid compromising the cooling across the entire data centre. **Co-ordinated Management** Prevent any unplanned installations and ensure that all equipment installation is only completed following Change Management approval preceded by detailed space planning and equipment specification. All under floor access should be subject to Change Management approval. Facilities should participate in IT Change Management planning and approval and vice versa. This should be accomplished through an integrated set of IT and Facilities Management (FM) / M&E Engineering Change Management, Incident Management, Capacity planning procedures. IT and FM / M&E Engineering should both be included in technical space capacity planning and sign off for all IT equipment installations. From the outset IT, FM / M&E Engineering and management personnel should all be involved in the design process to achieve solutions that save energy and meet reliability, performance, cost control and other requirements. The wider teams built from this inclusive engagement should use life-cycle costing as a primary decision-making tool with both IT and FM / M&E Engineering having common goals, objectives and incentives within an aligned management structure. **Standards are Important** Understand and introduce the concepts from genuine global standards such as the ISO/IEC 30134 Series and the emerging ISO/IEC TS 22237 Series. For example, if PUE is being used or reported all measurements and reporting should comply with ISO/IEC 30134-2. Anything other than reporting based on the requirements of this global standardised KPI is not true PUE. Reference and apply voluntary industry best practices such as the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency which is freely available from: [2020 Best Practice Guidelines for the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/2020-best-practice-guidelines-eu-code-conduct-data-centre-energy-efficiency) **Building and Equipment Maintenance** The purpose of maintenance it to maintain the data centre site in a “like new” condition. This is to both reduce operating risk due to equipment failure and also to ensure that operational efficiency remains high in order to reduce electrical consumption and therefore energy costs. Effective maintenance starts with a full and comprehensive commissioning programme which is vital to ensure that the site infrastructure functions according to the design specifications at the outset. Employ predictive (Condition based), as well as preventative maintenance where possible. This practice should employ trend analyses and lifecycle analysis as well as the regular audits highlighted above. Operating in this way can both reduce costs and results in more effective risk reduction. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices - Introduction and Background](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-introduction-and-background/) **Published:** December 3, 2019 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Introduction to Data Centre Best Practices** The single most important reason for a data centre’s existence is to maintain the availability of the services hosted within it and distributed from it. Data centre services are based on the IT equipment located within the building which requires four key resources including [security](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/security-systems/), network resilience, and continuity of [power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/power-systems/) and [cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/cooling-systems-and-solutions/). There is an imperative on the data centre operator to maintain this service availability in the most energy efficient and cost effective manner possible. The following series of articles presents tried and tested practices focussed on attaining this goal. The intention is to highlight industry leading best practices, best known methods and behaviours that should be applied consistently across any data centre site in order to achieve this aim. **Data Centre Operations and Management** As described above a data centre is a building or a segregated area of a building whose sole purpose is to provide secure, highly available, and reliable IT services. In order to achieve highly available data centre services, the site infrastructure and operations need to be closely synchronised, extremely well understood and documented with policies, procedures, staff and training that both identify and mitigate any risks that may potentially cause a service interruption or threaten service continuity. In order to achieve long term reliability, it is imperative that data centre facilities are operated and maintained to high standards and that all potential [risks are identified](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professional-services/audit-risk-analysis/), recorded and have a plan in place to provide an appropriate level of mitigation. Operating risk is difficult to model and quantify as it relates directly to the competency of operating personnel, the adequacy of the training they receive and the effectiveness or processes in place. To minimise operating risk, operating and maintaining personnel must be suitably qualified to operate the equipment contained within the facility. Quality of[ maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-maintenance/) is critical to the reliable operation of any data centre. All maintenance activities should be fully documented and mean times between failure (MTBF) and mean times to repair (MTBR) records should be kept for the purposes of lifecycle analysis. Suppliers should be asked to keep records of such information and make such records available on request. This will increase the accuracy of risk analyses and performance trending studies. **People** The Data Centre Operations Team is typically made up of individuals from multiple organisations or departments, each with its own scope and responsibilities. It is vital to successful data centre operations that these roles and responsibilities are very clearly defined and documented. Divided or uncertain responsibility increases risk, particularly in complex operational environments. Therefore all areas of responsibility, reporting lines and escalation mechanisms should be very clearly documented at the outset and made clear to all parties. All responsibilities relating to specific building areas (offices / plant rooms etc.), should also be very clearly defined and detailed. These should extend to all IT, Security and Facilities staff and key suppliers. The clear determination of responsibilities and organisation remains an integral part of the overall regime of Operational Best Practice so the clear definition of responsibilities of the various individual, groups, departments and organisations with an interest in site operations is vital to operational performance. All site operations personnel should be well trained and well practiced, confident and competent to operate the site infrastructure including at all times even during events that may be highly stressful such as equipment failure that may potentially result in loss of service. Specifically, personnel should be trained by the suppliers of the equipment installed on site to ensure the highest level of training and understanding. It is important that this is taken into account within tenders for [new equipment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/). A well run data centre will always consider Human Factors in relation to site operations and management. **Availability and Reliability** [Availability and Reliability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professional-services/availability-class-and-tier-level/) are central to any data centre operations but how are these defined and measured? The section below offers some basic insight in this area. **Reliability** The probability of failure-free system operation over a specified time in a given environment for a given purpose. **Availability** The probability that a system, at a point in time, will be operational and able to deliver the requested services Always measured in terms of percentage of uptime vs. downtime; the closer to 100% the better. Availability, in its simplest form: **A = Uptime / (Uptime + Downtime)** Availability is the percentage of time when system is operational. Availability of a component can be obtained by the formula below: **Availability and Reliability – related but distinct** Availability takes into account the time that the system is out of service Unreliable systems can have a high availability if there is a short restart time (Not useful in data centres particularly in relation to power supply) Availability gives information about use of time. Reliability gives information about the failure-free interval. Both are described in % values. **Downtime** Downtime per year is a more intuitive way of understanding the availability. The table below compares the availability and the corresponding downtime. 90% (1-nine) – 36.5 days/year 99% (2-nines) – 3.65 days/yea 99.9% (3-nines) – 8.76 hours/year 99.99% (4-nines) – 52 minutes/year 99.999% (5-nines) – 5 minutes/year\_ 99.9999% (6-nines) – 31 seconds/year Note that 99.9999% Availability (6-nines) allows for 31 seconds per year of downtime. This might equate to a single 31 second outage or potentially 31 x 1 second outages, or even 62 x .5 second outages etc. If % availability is used to inform an SLA on power supply continuity it is unlikely to be of any great value in terms of operational availability without a great deal of qualification. Read our second in the series of Data Centre Best Practices articles [here.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-2-general-planning-and-design-best-practices-for-data-centres/) Future-tech have been [designing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/design-and-build/), [building](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/construction/) and [managing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/new-build-data-centres/construction/) business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 5 - IT Equipment Deployment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-5-it-equipment-deployment/) **Published:** March 11, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the fifth in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight the basic best practices for deploying IT hardware in a data centre in order to maximise the available resources and minimise the potential for introducing problems. The key essential element in all of these practices is to ensure close communication and liaison between the separate teams responsible for data centre operations and ongoing service continuity. This specifically relates to the facility engineering / operations teams and IT hardware management / installation teams. **IT Equipment Deployment** Facilities Management (Mechanical & Electrical Engineering) teams should participate in, and sign off on, IT equipment selections to make sure the selected equipment can be properly hosted in the site chosen and within space allocated. It is especially important that appropriate power and cooling supplies are available in the specified location. Change control activities for IT Moves, Adds and changes should always include the FM / M&E team with their participation in the appropriate Change Advisory Board (CAB). FM / M&E teams should always participate in, and sign off, all IT equipment installations once completed. All new deployments should include a strict adherence to capacity planning projections, corporate equipment purchasing and deployment policies and site resilience/ redundancy policies as well as being the subject of formal Change Approval. Deployment and capacity planning should be performed well ahead of any intended use of the space and be completed according to established best practice, ideally using a space planning / asset management tool. Once developed floor plans and cabinet layouts should be rigidly adhered to. Space and capacity planning ensures the best use of the available resources within the data centre by optimising equipment and cabinet layouts The use of Space Planning (and Capacity Planning), is essential to maximise the usage of the available space within the data centre to its ultimate potential. Equipment floor plans and cabinet layouts should be completed and available in accordance with site standards and operational best practice in order to maximise the available capacity of the data centre site. Cabinets should always be built with side panels to encourage front to back air flow with limited bypass. Empty cabinets or partially filled cabinets should always be blanked off with suitable blanking plates to prevent air bypass through empty gaps. In non-contained aisles there should be at least 1 metre clearance between the top of the equipment cabinets and the ceiling and overhead cable trunking should not impede the return flow of hot air. Under floor cabling (both power and data), and pipe work (such as that for chilled water), should not impede under floor air flow if cold air is supplied through an under-floor plenum. Minimise all under-floor obstructions to maximise airflow if cooling air is being supplied in this way. Under-floor cabling should ideally be laid out below the intended hot aisles if cold air delivery is via an under-floor plenum in order to allow free air flow into the cold aisles. Cable trays should be wide and shallow where possible and set at consistent heights within the underfloor area. Locate cabinets with highest equipment densities in the areas of the room most effectively supplied with cooling. The most effective cooling areas will coincide with the greatest areas of under floor static pressure. When downflow units are installed these areas are usually found in the centre of well designed data centres where opposing air flows meet in the middle of the under-floor plenum. The areas of most effective cooling can be properly determined during the course of CFD analysis at the design stage however the use of CFD during operation post deployment is expensive and is of less value compared to cost in an operational environment. Thermal Mapping representing real time data is more beneficial during live operation All holes or vents in the floors, walls or partitioning within the under-floor area should be sealed. Openings or vents into other areas of the building can contribute to significant amounts of leakage from the under-floor void and a consequential reduction in under floor static air pressure. This is normally a requirement of fire zone sealing. Leaks or holes should be discovered during statutory pressure testing. Any cut outs created should be sealed with grommets or approved foam to minimise under floor pressure loss. Cuts in floor tiles should be protected with permanent plastic trim strips to prevent cables from rubbing against rough edges and should also be sealed with grommets once cables have been installed. Leakage from floor tile cuts can significantly reduce floor pressure and lead directly to inefficient cooling. If a raised floor is present and intended to be used as a supply plenum remember that is essential to maintain a constant and even Static Pressure under the raised floor to achieve effective cooling through the vented floor tiles. Consider the use of pressure sensors to balance under floor static pressure if used as a supply plenum. Use of phases must be balanced across the UPS(s) in distribution to IT equipment within cabinets. Failure to do so could risk a phase imbalance and a potential trip of the UPS. Power phase loading at the UPS level and across the site should be monitored and kept balanced during IT equipment installation. Assuming single phase devices are deployed within an individual cabinet all should use supplies from the same phase to prevent the potential for greater than 230 volts in the same cabinet. Only supplies from the same single phase should be provided within any individual cabinet and power supplies should never be “Daisy Chained” either within or between cabinets. It may also be that adjacent cabinets are required to be on same phase to prevent line to line voltages between cabinets. Equipment requiring 3-phase supplies within a cabinet should be clearly labelled as using 3-phase and the supplies into these cabinets should not be used to power adjacent cabinets. To correctly protect supplies into cabinets “D” type Breakers are recommended to be used on cabinet circuits and all cabling (power and comms), should be clearly and accurately labelled. It is worth noting as a guide that a typical single 32 Amp supply @ 230 Volts can deliver about 7kW per cabinet (Assuming Power Factor corrected equipment and N+1 redundancy if the cabinet has twin power supplies). It is also common to use a 16 Amp supply @ 230 Volts which can deliver about 3.5kW per cabinet. IT equipment should always be purchased according to agreed standards and specifications for power, cooling and resilience etc. IT equipment selection should consider the appropriate ASHRAE environmental set points and energy efficiency expectations. Always select energy efficient IT equipment when specifying and purchasing new and replacement IT equipment. As a minimum this should be according to current Energy Star specifications. Ensure that the Delta T of the cooling system is closely matched to IT equipment specifications. This may allow a reduction in total airflow, while meeting the same cooling capacity and reducing operational costs by optimising cooling system efficiency. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 7 – Data Centre Project Acceptance and Operational Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-7-data-centre-project-acceptance-and-operational-reporting/) **Published:** April 30, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the seventh in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight those basic best practices which are essential to ensure that a new project or entire site is truly ready for live operation and customer service delivery. The intention is to prevent handing an unfinished project to the operational delivery and site management teams and in order to avoid reliability problems and stakeholder or customer dissatisfaction. Failure to have all the elements listed below in place may result in direct risk to the operational reliability of the site and may also lead to long term reliability issues. These best practices should involve all site management teams including, but not limited to, facility engineering / operational management and IT hardware management teams. **Project or Building Acceptance** No responsibility for “completed” construction areas should be taken on by the site operational management team(s), without the formal acceptance of the project, area or building according to pre-defined criteria. This should include a formal sign-off and handover process involving the team(s) who will be responsible for site operations and ongoing site reliability. should include the following elements as a minimum: The handover of an authorised Practical Completion document with all outstanding issues (Snagging List), noted and agreed with a complete and accurate asset list made available to the site operational teams. A full commissioning programme that has been successfully completed up to and including Integrated Systems testing (IST), with all commissioning records fully updated and made available. All new systems are fully integrated, properly commissioned and proved to be working correctly in conjunction with existing systems. The handover should include all commissioning records and operational documentation as well as all control system details and maintenance requirements. All new systems should be proved to be functioning correctly and properly maintainable with accompanying maintenance schedules and maintenance procedure documentation. All hard and soft copies of O&M, H&S manuals and CDM documentation must be up to date, correct and made available in their entirety prior to the site Operational Management team before they take any operational responsibility. Acceptance testing may be required by a by the operational teams to confirm maintainability and the operational teams should not undertake any management responsibility until they have been properly trained on the new systems and satisfied themselves that these systems are working and able to be properly maintained. The site management team(s) should have the opportunity to recruit and train staff well before live production operations commence. Ideally the core site operations staff should be present during commissioning. **Documentation** The following is a list of key documentation should be made available to site management team(s) prior to handover into live operations: o Up to date and accurate “As-Built” records o Engineering single line drawings o A full set of O & M manuals, including SOPs, MOPs, EOPs, escalation procedures etc. o Comprehensive Commissioning Records o An up to date and accurate Asset Register o A documented Planned Maintenance Schedule and a full set of maintenance records o All documentation required for compliance with statutory regulation (QHSE etc.) o All documentation required for compliance with voluntary standards and certificates o Authorisation / Certification and Staff Training records o A complete roles and responsibilities matrix across all departments o Customer and supplier contract details, OLAs and SLAs etc. **Operational Reporting** Reporting is a key element of data centre Operations and Management and should always consider both the type of information required by the business and the audience for the reports produced. There is little point in reporting merely for the sake of it and yet accurate and focussed reporting is essential to monitor and manage operational performance. The types of reports produced typically include; 1\. Internal Data Centre Operations Team Management Reports. These are the most detailed reports and provide Data Centre Operations management with the information needed to both fine tune ongoing site operations according to business requirements and to manage external suppliers and contractors. These reports would normally also include references to capacity and resource utilisation as well as energy, cost and general performance metrics. 2\. Senior IT Management Reports. These will typically provide information on how effectively the Data Centre is being run and managed at a high level. Whilst there will be fixed elements to the report; run-rates, response times, failure rates, SLA compliance, costs and energy efficiency etc. 3\. Reporting overhead can be reduced by introducing using “Reporting by Exception”. This allows the reduction in detail and resource overhead by proving information on the basis of exception according to a clear and well defined set of metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). These will typically include noted outstanding risks to site operations, equipment failures, health and safety incidents, supplier performance issues, customer complaints, critical outages or major planned work items etc. These exceptions can usefully be presented in the form of a simplified dashboard format. Reporting will always form an integral part of the overall framework of site operations and management. With this in mind it is recommended that a reporting schedule is established prior to formal handover and the commencement of live operations. The schedule should establish both the detail to be included and regularity with which reports are delivered. It is likely that reporting will be based on a weekly and monthly schedule with supporting daily bulletins depending on the content required and deemed to be appropriate. The agreed schedule should always consider the resource overhead involved in creating and disseminating these reports. It is also suggested that regular Service Review Meetings are held on a monthly basis to examine the overall level of service across the data centre site(s). These should include reference to both the Delivery of Service to customers or internal stakeholders as well as external suppliers or contractors as measured against contractual requirements and agreed SLAs. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business-critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 4 - Critical Facilities Operational Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-4-critical-facilities-operational-management/) **Published:** February 11, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the fourth in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight the basic best practices associated with operating a data centre from a Critical Facilities Management perspective. This involves the Monitoring, Management and Maintenance of the building infrastructure which ultimately supports the install IT load and the services it provides. The essential element in this is to ensure the continuity of the services hosted by the data centre and ensure the proper functioning of the infrastructure on which these services depend. These practices should be applied in order to achieve the intended levels of availability or resilience for which the site was designed. It should be noted however that no amount of Monitoring, Management or Maintenance can achieve levels of availability or resilience if the site has not been designed, constructed or previously maintained to the levels required to sustain the levels of availability required by the business. **Facilities Operational Management** The site Critical Facilities / Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering team should be installed on site at least 6 weeks prior to live operation to ensure that all documentation is complete and accurate, that site processes and procedures are robust and tested and that the team has had the opportunity to reconfigure and operate the site infrastructure without live load attached. With the above in mind if possible, provide the opportunity to involve the site team in the design process to guarantee the potential for reliable site operations and maintenance. Additionally have the site team involved in the commissioning process to verify the correct operation of installed infrastructure and also allow the site engineering team to have the opportunity to be involved in the development of site snagging lists and final sign off for correctly completed work. Once Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manuals have been handed over by the contractor, it is imperative that all internal staff, contractors and suppliers keep these documents up to date and accurate. Additionally, “As Built’ record drawings should also be continually updated to reflect the latest state of the installation to reflect any changes or additions that are made to the site. Method statements should be produced and agreed with all parties including service customers prior to all maintenance or project activities. For the purposes of their own notification requirements it is important that customers are made aware of any site maintenance or project activities. This includes the precautions that are to be taken to maintain service agreements or inform of any potential disruption or risk to service that may result. Critical site budgets should be ring-fenced and separated from non-critical site budgets to reduce the chances of funding being eroded without an understanding of the inevitable consequences. All new site staff or visitors should be trained in the specific rules and safety aspects related to the site in addition to detailed training on any system(s) they will be responsible for operating or maintaining. To make sure this is in place a fully documented and regularly updated training programme should be available for all site staff. An organisation chart showing command chain and responsibilities should be available detailing all interfaces between the Facilities Management, IT, and Security groups. This should include a roles and responsibilities matrix covering all activities at the data centre as well as critical facilities job descriptions. A comprehensive document library should be readily available for site staff to reference and be constantly updated. This should include up to date “As Built” drawings, commissioning records, maintenance records, training records and certifications, accurate O&M manuals, site policies and procedures etc. A complete, accurate and regularly updated list of critical spares should be maintained including key supplier details and re-supply order point notifications. The site operator should agree with their suppliers an inventory of critical spares which are most likely to fail and therefore be held against this eventuality. Such practices can dramatically reduce the Mean Time To Repair (or Recovery, MTTR), figures used in reliability and availability calculations. Additionally, maintenance contracts should incorporate guaranteed maximum call out times. Ensure the adoption and maintenance of an accurate and constantly updated Risk Register. This should include a comprehensive record of risk notifications and risk mitigations as well as the potential risks themselves. Clear, accurate and comprehensive labelling of all infrastructure components should be in place which readily allows identification and tracing of distribution paths. This should also include normal position indicators for valves, switches, breakers, indicators etc. (magnetic buttons or cheap coloured stickers to indicate normal operating status. Intended to highlight expected position to provide an immediate view of something that may have changed during an event). A visual indicator highlighting current site alert status should be displayed in a visible place for all site staff. Examples would be exposure to increased risk during maintenance, customer site visits, terrorist threat, running on generators etc. A rigorous planned maintenance and inspection programme should be in place which includes an element of Predictive and Condition based maintenance. This may include; Thermal / IR Scans, Vibration analysis, regular analysis of lubricating fluids, water, fuels, coolant, air quality etc. along with trending analysis of maintenance records and equipment performance and condition. An example of scheduled maintenance and inspection programme would be the regular cleaning and/or replacement of air filters The purpose of maintenance it to maintain the data centre site in a “like new” condition. This is to both reduce operating risk due to equipment failure and also to ensure that equipment operational efficiency remains high to reduce electrical consumption and therefore energy costs. Ensure that Emergency Operating Procedures are available, visible and easily accessible in all critical equipment plant rooms, along with appropriate contact numbers and escalation points. To aid with this place wall mounted single line drawings and schematics in all plant rooms. Defined procedures and should exist for all switching operations and maintenance activities, these should be used and followed consistently. In addition, a governance process should be in place that validates both the quality and proper completion of any maintenance activity prior to sign off. Preventative Maintenance task completion rate should be greater than 95%. Data should be recorded to allow trending and analysis on equipment performance over time including (but not limited to), energy efficiency, reliability and maintenance overhead. This should lead into a lifecycle planning process for scheduling and funding the replacement of equipment based on either performance degradation / increasing maintenance costs or anticipated end of life. Records of all Saves, Near Misses, Incidents, Critical Events and any service impacting outages should be kept which include dates, times, people, equipment involved, results of root-cause analyses and any lessons learned. This should result in the ability to predict, identify and mitigate risks or take corrective action to prevent reoccurrence. Generator starting upon the failure of utility power is potentially a weak point in the continued operation of a data centre site. It is therefore critical important that the generator is well maintained and tested. The generator batteries should be checked and the generator started on a regular and pre-determined schedule according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Generators should be run on full building in a simulation of a total utility power supply failure on a regular basis, at the very least annually. This is often referred to as a “Black Building Test”. Many operators shy away from this test due to the perceived risk, however not performing this test and guaranteeing the correct operation of these systems has proved to be a far greater risk for many data centres. There have been several very well publicised outages as a direct result of not performing this test. Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 3 – General Planning and Design Best Practices (Environmental Control)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-3-general-planning-and-design-best-practices-environmental-control/) **Published:** January 27, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the third in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight the starting points for any data centre project in relation to Environmental Control and lay down the basics for success in both the Build and Use phases. Environmental Control directly relates to Cooling and Humidity management in data centres and represents one of the areas where Best practice can have a major impact on both Energy Efficiency and Cost Reduction during operation. When planning or designing a data centre there is an onus on all of the disciplines involved to make sure that the site involved is able to be as energy efficient and therefore also as cost efficient as possible for the particular level of availability / resilience required. **Environmental Control Best Practices** The following section details general practices should be considered relating to environmental control in particular. As a minimum arrange cabinets in rows to establish Hot and Cold Aisles. Cabinets should be aligned front-to-front along cold aisles, and back-to-back along hot aisles. Within each row, cabinets should be connected side to side with no gaps. This is the most basic first step to achieving cooling efficiency and for this strategy to work, cold air must be delivered to cold aisles and hot air extracted from hot aisles. Hot exhaust air and cold supply air should not be allowed to mix as this causes short cycling of the cooling system. Use empty cabinets or partitioning to fill gaps between cabinets to reinforce hot aisle / cold aisle layout or containment if installed. Build rigid enclosures / containment to fully separate the heat rejected from the rear of IT equipment from the cool air intakes on the front. Hot aisle containment is the most effective for a variety of reasons. Alternatively use flexible strip curtains in legacy sites to improve the separation by blocking any open spaces above the cabinets. Standardise on cabinets designed for High-Density Environments. Standardising on an appropriate cabinet design makes it much easier to establish and enforce effective power and thermal policies. Avoid shallow cabinets to make sure in-cabinet cabling does not obstruct airflow. Select equipment cabinets that do not have an internal configuration that would obstruct smooth cooling airflow through the installed IT equipment. Overhead return plenums need to be sized to allow for the large quantities of air flow that is required. Common obstructions such as piping, cabling trays, or electrical conduits need to be accounted for when calculating the plenum space required. Blockages can cause high pressure drops and uneven flow. In non-contained aisles there should be at least 1 metre clearance between the top of the equipment cabinets and the ceiling. Insufficient ceiling height will obstruct the delivery of efficient air cooling technologies such as raised floor, suspended ceiling or ducts within the data centre. If a raised floor is present and intended to be used as a supply plenum remember that is essential to maintain a constant and even Static Pressure under the raised floor to achieve effective cooling through the vented floor tiles. The equipment cabinets should be laid out perpendicular to the Air Handling Units to minimise the recirculation of hot air returning over the top of the cabinets. Air Handling Units within the room should be located in opposing pairs at each end of cabinet rows / contained aisles with a maximum distance between the pair of units being in the order of 20m. The cold aisle should be a minimum of 2 floor tiles wide (using a gap of 3 tiles may be more effective at high densities). If deployed, humidification should be centralised and not included in individual CRAC or AHUs. Reference ASHRAE TC9.9 for details on environmental parameters and how these should be employed and measured. A very condensed version provided by ASHRAE as an errata to the current published documents is available here and free to download [Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments](https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/Technical%20Resources/Publication%20Errata%20and%20Updates/90577_errata.pdf) Remember that temperature and humidity measurements should be at the front (supply side) of the equipment cabinets (the Cold Aisle), and that measurements in the Hot Aisle are relatively unimportant providing the heat is being removed effectively. The days of “˜Ambient Temperatures’ or “˜Room Temperature’ have long been superseded and are likely to result in problems. CRAC units or AHUs should have temperature monitoring and control on the supply side. Return temperature monitoring (which was standard 20 years ago when data centre airflow management was poorly understood), is only useful for more sophisticated monitoring of cooling efficiency rather than to maintain environmental conditions or support SLAs. SLAs or environmental monitoring / control based on a very limited number of sensors placed randomly in a room will almost inevitably be contradictory and very likely to be extremely misleading. Nonetheless this still in place in many smaller legacy sites. Reference The EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency for further information on Energy Efficiency Best Practices (This document is free to download) [Data Centres Code of Conduct](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/communities/data-centres-code-conduct). Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Data Centre Best Practices Article 2 - General Planning and Design Best Practices for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-best-practices-article-2-general-planning-and-design-best-practices-for-data-centres/) **Published:** January 21, 2020 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** This article is the second in a series of Data Centre Best Practice articles provided by Future-tech Ltd. In this article we seek to highlight the starting points for any data centre project and lay down the basics for success in both the Build and Use phases. **General Planning and Design Best Practices** Before commencing any data centre project it is vital that the purpose of the data centre is fully understood in terms of supporting the business and mitigating any potential operational risks faced by the business. The purpose of any data centre is to accommodate the IT equipment supporting business services and to maintain the level of service availability suitable for that business. Not all businesses will require high availability or fault tolerant services so the additional cost of obtaining these will be a waste. Conversely a data centre that cannot support the business expectations or mitigate potential risks to achieve the appropriate level of business continuity is ultimately not fit for purpose. It is apparent that this step is missed in many data centre projects with decisions being made about a particular data centre design or solution without fully understanding the implications of that design or the potential business impact it may have. It is vital to ensure that IT and Facilities infrastructure is appropriate for the specific business risk profile rather than a generic level of resilience. For this to happen it is essential that an integrated IT and Facilities culture within the business is in place from the outset and that decision are made jointly. Following this it is key to ensuring that business expectations in terms of risk and expected mitigations are properly translated into the site infrastructure and operational platforms. **General Design and Management Principles** The following section details general practices should be considered as a matter of course in any data centre project. Minimise construction and operating costs by introducing energy optimization at the earliest phases of design; avoid excessive/redundant “safety margins” and right-size to trim first costs. Right-sizing power and cooling infrastructure is one of the most effective ways to reduce capital and operational costs in the data centre. Work to understand lifecycle requirements and size infrastructure accordingly. Track vendor innovations, and, whenever possible, move toward more modular, flexible, and standardised solutions that improve agility and scalability. It is generally worthwhile to spend more for infrastructure components that run efficiently at anticipated loads. Power loss in uninterruptible power supplies, power distribution units, cooling systems, etc., merely add to thermal load. In summary try to avoid low partial loads on all infrastructure equipment. All Electrical and Mechanical systems should be designed and installed with the ability to easily operate, maintain and replace without impact during site operation. Sufficient space and access should be provided for risk free maintenance activities and to facilitate delivery and installation or replacement of large components. Adequate provision should be made for the receipt of new equipment, removal of packaging, storage of equipment and documentation, assembly and testing. There is often insufficient space for these activities in many data centres with the result that the technical floor space is used inappropriately. Additionally make sure that floor loadings, doorways and goods lifts are suitably sized to accommodate the equipment anticipated to be installed. This is particularly true for pre-installed cabinets such as OCP deployments which may have individual cabinet weights of over 1 tonne/ton. Include integrated monitoring, measuring and environmental controls in the facility design. Sufficient space should also be made available for BMS/BAS monitoring and operations, IT operations and control centre, maintenance equipment and tool storage, critical spares, engineering workshop, meeting and training rooms. Do not share cooling or power delivery systems with other (non-critical areas of buildings. Office areas should always be on separate systems to ensure that both reliability and efficiency of the critical areas are not compromised. Select and deploy mechanical and electrical equipment which does not require mechanical cooling. The site design, cooling system operational set-points and IT equipment environmental control range should allow the data centre to operate without mechanical cooling for the maximum amount of time practical for the location. Consider the use of Power Factor corrected mechanical equipment to improve efficiency, however it should be noted that IT equipment can have a leading power factor so there may be a net cancelling effect across the site if properly planned. Consideration should be given to the provision of connection points, tap offs, supports for future infrastructure equipment installations in order to increase capacity or site load. Minimise the impact of insolation on the data centre by utilising effective insulation and suitable wall and roof coverings. Do not have external windows in the data centre. Light coloured equipment cabinets should always be used to reduce the amount of lighting required and minimise energy costs. Always use Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelling to design data centre technical space and validate IT deployments prior to construction or major refurbishment. The outside of the building should also ideally be modelled to make sure that exhaust from generators does not enter the building and that any heat rejected from the building does not build up around cooling equipment impede the operation of the cooling systems. The overhead and work involved at this stage in minimal compared to construction costs can pay big dividends. The use of CFD during operation post deployment is expensive and is of less value compared to cost in an operational environment. Thermal Mapping and analysis is more appropriate and cost effective during live operation. Reference The EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency for further information on Energy Efficiency Best Practices (This document is free to download) [Data Centres Code of Conduct](https://e3p.jrc.ec.europa.eu/communities/data-centres-code-conduct). Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in the data centre sector from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Developed Data Centre X Design Fly-By Video – 10MW in Africa](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-data-centre-x-design-fly-by-10mw-in-africa/) **Published:** April 30, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Summary:** This case study shows a data centre developed design produced by Future-tech and demonstrated in a fly-by video clip. Based in Africa site is designed to support 10MW of IT Load. **Location:** Africa **Size:** 10MW IT Load. **Basis of Design:** 4 x 2.5MW Data Halls. **Power:** 3 from 4 Distributed Redundant. **Cooling:** Fan Wall with cooling towers (N + 2 Redundancy). **Type:** Wholesale Metro-Edge Design. **Date Completed:** 2021 **Target Market:** Wholesale and retail combined facility. 1.25MW and 2.5MW leasable modules. Each providing 2.5KW per m² power density. **Sustainability:** Trim chillers to reduce energy use. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Concept Design Fly-By video – 96MW in Europe.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-design-fly-by-video/) **Published:** April 6, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Type:** BSRIA/RIBA Stage 2 Concept Design by Future-tech. **Location:** Tier 1 European Market. **Size:** 96MW IT Load. **Power:** 5 from 6 Block Redundant. **Cooling:** Fan Wall with trim chillers (N + 2 Redundancy). **Type:** European Wholesale Cloud focused design. **Date Completed:** November 2021. **Target Market:** Hyperscale Cloud. ****Project Summary:**** An international operator approached Future-tech for a Concept Design and Outline Planning for a new European Data Centre Campus. This video clip is a visualisation of the design that was created by Future-tech. **Innovation:** White space power density designed to 4kW per m² (Cloud focused density). **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Developed Design Fly-By video – 10MW in A Developing Market.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-design-fly-by-video-12mw-in-developing-market/) **Published:** February 17, 2022 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Type:** BSRIA/RIBA Stage 2 Developed Design by Future-tech. This file is a data centre concept design produced by Future-tech and demonstrated in a fly-by video clip. **Location:** Tier 1 Developing Market. **Size:** 10MW. **Basis of Design:** 4 x 2.5MW Data Halls. **Power:** 3 from 4 Distributed Redundant. **Cooling:** Trim Chillers and Fan Wall (N+2 redundant). **Type:** Retail Colocation with the ability to service wholesale clients. **Date Completed:** May 2021. **Target Market:** International Cloud providers plus international and domestic enterprise customers. ****Project Summary:**** Future-tech delivered a Developed Design for a data centre with associated Technology and Innovation Hub for an International software and cloud services provider. **Innovation:** White space power density 3kW per m² capable of supporting the delivery and installation of fully populated 55U Racks (Cloud Ready). Design developed according to industry leading international design standards. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Concept Design Fly-By Video - 18MW In an emerging market](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-design-fly-by-video-18mw-in-an-emerging-market/) **Published:** March 12, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Type:** Concept Design by Future-tech. **Location:** Emerging Market. **Size:** 18MW IT Load. **Basis of Design:** 6 x 3MW Data Halls – Each Hall 1000m² **Cooling:** Indirect Air to Air. **Type:** European Wholesale Metro-Edge Colocation Design. **Date Completed:** 2021 **Innovation:** First time use of Indirect air to air cooling in a completely new market. **Target Market:** Wholesale Metro Edge **Sustainability:** Market Leading PUE for the region **Power:** 3 from 4 Distributed Redundant between 2 x 9MW cells. Site power sub-stations were included in the design. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Concept Design Fly-By video – 48MW in Scandinavia](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-design-fly-by-video-48mw-in-scandinavia/) **Published:** March 12, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Type:** Concept Design by Future-tech. **Location:** Scandinavia. **Size:** 48MW IT Load. **Basis of Design:** 4 x 12MW Data Halls. **Power:** 3 from 4 Distributed Redundant. **Cooling:** Fan Wall with cooling towers (N + 2 Redundancy). **Type:** European Hyperscale Design. **Date Completed:** 2020 **Target Market:** Hyperscale. 3MW leasable modules. Each providing 3kW per m² power density. **Sustainability:** On-site power generation with waste heat being exported to local district heating system. **Innovation:** Produced site feasibility reports for power and fibre provisioning. Supported local planning submission and approval. Including connection to local district heating system capable of delivering 52MW into local heating system. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Concept Design Fly-By video – 72MW in the UK](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/concept-design-fly-by-video-72mw-in-the-uk/) **Published:** March 12, 2021 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** **Project Summary:** A leading Global operator engaged Future-tech for a fast moving land acquisition for a Data Centre in the UK. Future-tech produced a Masterplan, Concept Design and animated 3D renders. **Project Scope:** Future-tech were given the task of finding the maximum optimisation of space on a land plot in the UK. For this a stage 2 Masterplan design with new form factor was required to be produced which included 3D renders and animated fly-by. This was produced within 14 days in order to meet timelines required for options on purchasing the land. **Location:** UK **Size:** 72 MW IT load across 4 buildings **Basis of Design:** 4 x 3MW data halls giving 12MW buildings. 6 buildings in total. **Power:** 3 from 4 Distributed Redundant. **Cooling:** Fan Wall with air cooled chillers (N + 3 Redundancy). **Type:** Metro Edge **Date Completed:** December 2020 **Target Market:** Hyperscale Clients with a power density of 2kW/m². **Sustainability:** Market leading PUE **Innovation:** Speed of delivery. Concept design and animated 3D renders produced in 10 working days from receipt of site information and building requirements from client. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Building a self-contained unit for The Open University](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/building-a-self-contained-unit-for-the-open-university/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** The Open University is Britain’s largest University and is the UK’s leading distance learning provider, with more than 200,000 people studying its courses at any one time. In today’s Web 2.0 world, the Computing Services division plays a critical role in supporting the mission of The Open University, a decision had to be made whether the new computer room was to be built as a self-contained unit – essentially becoming a room within a room, and Future-tech provided the perfect data centre solution. ### THE BRIEF Computing Services Division ran two computer rooms on their Milton Keynes campus. Both needed major upgrading, but the University ruled out attempts to upgrade in-situ early in the project as the risk to services was too great for comfort. They required a design that would meet their needs in terms of providing a modern, robust, resilient, high-density data centre environment with plenty of spare capacity, it also had to be resilient to low-level building works, and the ensuing dust and disruption that would be going on around it. Plus, unusually, the specification required a weatherproof, watertight data centre for when the building’s roof was being replaced. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The best option for The Open University was a new facility, especially as their students study at unusual hours and with the increase in international students running 24/7, it was imperative that Future-tech provided continuous reliable access around the clock. The University had decided to continue to maintain two separate computer rooms, each capable of delivering all essential University services in the absence of the other. During normal operations the load is shared across both computer rooms with a common virtualised SAN providing resilient data services to both rooms. The new room became the first phase of a wider project which will also upgrade the second room on campus. OU Estates led a project team with key players from Computing Services to guide the design and implementation of the solution. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech proposed a fire resistant dual wall, steel room that could be built within the existing space. Power would be provided to the room from dual power supplies backed by an independent generator. Flexibility was a key aspect of the room and was put to the test within weeks of handover. Initially, Future-tech installed upgradeable 16Amp power circuits. However, the University purchased a high performance disc backup unit requiring a 32Amp circuit, necessitating a painless upgrade. Every rack in every bay also has dual power supplies along with environmental sensors (VESDA) that allows them to spot a failing component and change it before it turns into an electrical fire. While the technical team plan to turn the power off in either computer room from time to time, the sophisticated electrical arrangement means that the SAN will never need to be powered down. Much of the electrical switch equipment also includes embedded thermal imaging devices that allow them to be non-invasively inspected, further reducing downtime. Future-tech continues to support The Open University’s mission and since have successfully completed over 150 projects in the last 10 years. > Many relationships with suppliers are done on a contract, what I would say is the relationship with Future-tech is done on the spirit of the agreement. The team are first class STEVE KNIBBS, HEAD OF HOSTING SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON COMPUTER CENTRE **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Award-winning data centre design and build for the University of St Andrews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/award-winning-data-centre-design-and-build-for-the-university-of-st-andrews/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # Award-winning data centre design and build for the University of St Andrews by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | Jun 9, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Design and Build for University of St Andrews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/StAndrews-1080x486.jpg) ![Standrews | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/StAndrews.jpg "Standrews | futuretech") Award-winning data centre design and build at the University of St Andrews. The old ICT infrastructure and approach was not always fit for purpose in an era of growing organisational dependence on IT, the demand for innovative service delivery and value for money. ### THE BRIEF University of St Andrews were awarded a grant from Salix to help build a new high efficiency “green” data centre. This project is part of a larger campus development scheme and will provide the critical IT infrastructure needed to maintain St Andrews status as the world leading university. The University required a data centre that could support up to 12kW in any cabinet and an average IT load of 9.6kW per cabinet, providing a flexible and dynamic infrastructure platform, with class leading energy efficiency and 99.99% uptime with maintainability of major plant items. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The utilisation of the data centre on day one was to be less than 25%, however the data centre had to have a PUE of better than 1.45. Although utilisation would be gradual due to budgets, all the infrastructure for the final day had to be installed on day one, rather than using a phased approach. The new data centre build is located within 100 meters of the sea. This means there is a very high saline content in the air precluding the use of direct fresh air cooling. Also the area designated for the data centre build was two disused squash courts. This area had to contain all cabinets, UPS, AHUs, generator, network room, build room, external plant and entrance lobby, therefore space was a constraint. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION The Future-tech data centre solution has provided St Andrews with N+1 resilience on power and cooling and a PUE of 1.2. Along with this efficient cooling system, heat from the dry air coolers are used to help maintain the backup generators idle temperature, easing the load on the unit’s crank case heater, saving money and CO2. Although the energy consumption was a primary influencer in the data centre design there were further environmental factors such as noise and the status of the St Andrews Campus to take in to account. To keep noise from the dry air coolers and generator to a minimum they are housed within a small building with acoustic louvres either end. This allows the correct level of air flow through the space whilst providing acoustic protection to the surrounding area. The data centre installation and supporting infrastructure took Future-tech fourteen weeks resulting in a facility that is energy efficient, sympathetic to its surroundings and is able to support the university for the next decade. The facility was awarded the CEEDA Gold Accreditation, the Data Centre Dynamics Innovation IT Optimisation Award and Uptime Institute Special Recognition. Future-tech continues to work with the University of St. Andrews providing PPM Maintenance and Optimisation Services. **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Award-winning data centre delivers flexible, green data centre solution for Trinity College Dublin](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/award-winning-data-centre-delivers-flexible-green-data-centre-solution-for-trinity-college-dublin/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # Award-winning data centre delivers flexible, green data centre solution for Trinity College Dublin by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | Jun 9, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) ![Future-tech's green data centre solution for Trinity College Dublin](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Trinity1-1080x486.jpg) Award winning data centre that delivers an ultra-flexible, ultra-green physical infrastructure platform. This new facility will help support Trinity College Dublin for the next 15 – 20 years, delivering reliable uninterrupted IT services to its 20,000 students and staff. ### THE BRIEF Trinity College Dublin wanted the data centre construction to be built to Tier 3 specifications that would be designed to provide 99.999% uptime, flexible data cabinet densities from 0 to 25kW, world leading energy efficiency operations and with PUE under 1.2 at partial IT capacities. The building was constructed in the 1950’s and was never intended to house a data centre, which caused several constraints. These ranged from data centre energy efficiency, planning permission, space allocated for the data centre and the construction of the building itself. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Trinity College, Dublin Campus is ranked by Forbes as the sixth most beautiful in the world and is one of Dublin’s most popular tourist attractions, therefore both visual and noise planning constraints apply. These strict regulations resulted in all external plant equipment being located on the roof of the Aras Phiarsaigh building, which resulted in the closure of one of the busiest roads in Ireland, Pearse Street. Like most Universities and Colleges space is at a premium so the data centre design had to fit into the smallest foot print possible. As the data centre needs to support the College for the next 15 – 20 years and budget restrictions were in place, lean provisioning for power and cooling was essential to this project rather than wasting space set aside for projected growth. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech, data centre specialists, proposed a cooling solution that uses active direct, back of cabinet heat exchangers connected to an elevated temperature chilled water circuit. This system monitors the IT load in each cabinet and continually adjusts the chilled water system to ensure maximum efficiency is maintained in real-time. By using high water temperatures the system can maximize the compressor free cooling window presented by the ambient weather conditions experienced in Dublin. By combining this high efficiency data centre cooling system with a robust and resilient electrical infrastructure the facility benefits from maximum uptime and minimum energy consumption. Future-tech and Trinity College Dublin are still working together to maintain the facility as it is felt that even greater levels of efficiency can be achieved. Sustainability and carbon reduction sits at the heart of Trinity College Dublin’s future strategies and on completion the project became the winner of the Tech Excellence Award. Having a data centre we can rely on for all our critical services is vital to the University IAN MCDONALD, TECHNICAL & INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES MANAGER, ST ANDREW’S UNIVERSITY **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [A purpose built data centre facility for NHS Kent & Medway Trust](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/a-purpose-built-data-centre-facility-for-nhs-kent-medway-trust/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** # A purpose built data centre facility for NHS Kent & Medway Trust by [Richard Stacey](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/richardstacey/ "Posts by Richard Stacey") | Jun 9, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/engineering/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Facility for NHS Kent and Medway Trust](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Kent-1080x486.jpg) A new data centre facility to provide a central location for all IT systems at a NHS hospital. The selection was made by Kent and Medway Health Informatics Services who provide a full range of IT services to all of the Health Trusts in Kent. ### THE BRIEF The decision was made to replace the existing server room at the Medway Hospital with a purpose built data centre facility. It was essential that the new facility had to be as energy efficient as possible within the constraints of the designated space. Also, the data centre provides critical system to the Hospital, therefore, the power and cooling infrastructure had to be as resilient as possible. The environmental criteria also needed to have specific set points to be maintained within the data centre along with, considerations of noise and planning as the wards and patients were within 5 meters of the construction space. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The constraints that influenced the project were firstly, the space designated for the new facility which was previously an office, had to be converted to a “clean room” environment that was fire rated for 1 hour and pressure sealed. Also taking special care to ensure no disruptions were made to the staff and patients due to being in close proximity was imperative. Finally, the cleanliness of the new data centre space is directly to adjacent towards dust therefore it had to be kept to an absolute minimum. Future-tech overcame these challenges and constraints with a practical solution. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION The data centre design solution proposed by Future-tech utilises front discharge of direct expansion air handling units coupled with hot aisle containment. The front discharge solution was chosen as it was difficult to accommodate a conventional raised modular floor in the data centre without impacting on free space. As the UPS batteries are stored in the data centre space, a hot aisle containment has been used to ensure the facility is free of hot spots and remains at a constant 22°C degree. Also a direct expansion system was selected as it provides resilience as a result of independent circuits of each unit, cost-effective installation and ongoing maintenance. The new data centre was delivered without any disruption to patients or staff. It was delivered on time, on budget and boasts an annualised PUE of 1.48, which helps the hospital with sustainability and targets for future activity. Many relationships with suppliers are done on a contract, what I would say is the relationship with Future-tech is done on the spirit of the agreement. The team are first class STEVE KNIBBS, HEAD OF HOSTING SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON COMPUTER CENTRE **Categories:** Case Studies, Engineering --- ### [The Death of the Corporate On-Premise Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-death-of-the-corporate-on-premise-data-centre/) **Published:** November 17, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The rise of Public Cloud services has undoubtedly transformed the digital landscape, but claims of the corporate on-premise data centres’ demise are premature and unfounded. While Public Cloud remains the favoured choice for new businesses seeking agility and scalability, it may not be the best fit for organisations with legacy applications, complex licensing dependencies, or massive data volumes. In this blog, we explore the realities of the data centre landscape and the future of corporate on-premise data centres. ## **Challenges in Embracing Public Cloud** Public Cloud’s allure may not hold universal appeal for established organisations. Migrating legacy applications to the cloud can be both intricate and costly, making it an impractical option for some. Additionally, touted advantages like multiple site resiliency and failover require applications to be specifically designed and developed to take advantage of this, often at additional expense. The benefits of Public Cloud are not always automatic; they demand meticulous planning and investment. Done incorrectly they can cost more to operate than the services they replace. ## **Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story** While data indicates a shift in favour of Public Cloud, especially new businesses with no legacy issues, it does not signal a decline in the absolute terms of on-premise data centre capacity, usage, or expenditure. In their 2023 annual survey, Uptime Institute observed that, on average, 58% of their organization’s IT workloads were hosted in corporate data centres, but in 2023, this percentage fell to 48%, with respondents forecasting that just 43% of workloads would be hosted in corporate data centres in 2025. This decline in percentage does not mean that on-premises data centre capacity, usage or expenditure is shrinking in absolute terms. For example, in 2022, the Uptime Institute’s Data Centre and IT Spending found that 62% of respondents reported increased budgets for data centre facilities. The corporate data centre’s share of all workloads may be dwindling, but budgets and workload volumes are still increasing. It is no surprise that the public cloud accounts for a growing proportion of workloads today, with a share of 12%, up from 8% in 2020. By 2025, respondents of the survey forecasted that 15% of their organisations’ workloads will be hosted in the public cloud. The trend towards Public Cloud is evident, but it does not foretell the extinction of corporate data centres. ## **Hybrid Solutions Gain Ground** As companies navigate the Cloud journey, many are opting for a more hybrid approach. They retain private cloud platforms or maintain non-cloud core systems within their own data centres. This hybrid strategy allows for cost control, addresses migration complexities, ensures compliance, and supports optimal performance. ## **Public Cloud Reconsideration** Some studies highlight instances of customers “insourcing” away from the Public Cloud due to unfulfilled cost reduction commitments and licensing issues. Furthermore, growing concerns about energy efficiency and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices raise scepticism about the claims made by Public Cloud providers. Transparency and accuracy in sustainability practices and reporting are being increasingly requested. ## **Looking Ahead** Despite the evolving landscape, the corporate on-premise data centre is far from extinct. While the number of corporate data centres may decline, they will remain a substantial part of the data centre population for years to come. The path forward includes a careful balance of on-premise and cloud solutions, tailored to each organisation’s unique requirements. ## **Conclusion** The evolution of data centres is underway, with Public Cloud services playing a significant role in modernising IT landscapes. However, the demise of the corporate on-premise data centre is far from imminent. Instead, the future lies in hybrid solutions that combine the best of both worlds. Organisations must assess their specific needs, compliance obligations, performance requirements, and cost considerations to chart a course that ensures longevity and efficiency. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [5 Points to Look For When Choosing a Colocation Facility](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/5-points-to-look-for-when-choosing-a-colocation-facility/) **Published:** September 11, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Selecting the right colocation facility is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s reliability and resilience. To ensure you make an informed choice, we’ve compiled five key points that demand careful consideration during the selection process. Let’s dive into the essentials of choosing the perfect colocation partner. ### 1. **Resilience and Reliability: Look Beyond Claims** Don’t be swayed by bold claims of resilience and reliability from colocation providers. Instead, seek expert engineering-based reviews of potential sites to validate their claims. Remember, Uptime Tier III certification only determines the opportunity for concurrent maintenance, not overall site reliability. Engaging a specialist engineering consultant can be invaluable in understanding these intricacies. ### 2. **Check Critical Infrastructure History and Condition** This is no different from buying a car – would you buy one without a service history or a check on the mileage? Make sure to inquire about the maintenance history and age/condition of the critical infrastructure. Avoid colocation facilities with critical infrastructure older than 15 years or batteries exceeding 7 years, as they may pose potential risks. Additionally, examine service records and incident logs to verify Uptime and Availability claims. This is again something of a specialist area, so seek expertise from in-house staff or specialist consultants for thorough analysis and informed decision-making. ### 3. **Is There an Active Risk Register?** If you are putting your business-critical systems in a 3rd party colocation site, you are effectively buying an insurance policy. A trustworthy colocation provider will have an active Risk Register that addresses potential risks your critical systems and services may face – has the provider considered all the risks your critical systems and services may face? This ongoing assessment and mitigation process are crucial in safeguarding your valuable assets. A provider that neglects this aspect may not offer the level of protection your business requires. ### 4. What SLA’s **are They Prepared to Support, and How are These Worded?** Thoroughly review Service Level Agreements (SLAs), particularly in terms of compliance with ASHRAE TC9.9 environmental recommendations and power availability measurement. How and where are these measured and being reported? Expert knowledge is essential in navigating these complex areas, ensuring your colocation partner meets your business’s unique requirements. ### 5. **Power Considerations and Green Initiatives** While energy efficiency and ESG issues are vital concerns, prioritise the primary reason for using a data centre – maintaining highly available 24×365 services. Assess the location and type of power available to align with your business requirements and corporate standards. The adoption of Energy Efficiency best practices, such as the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy efficiency or the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standardised KPIs and ISO 50000 can be valuable indicators of a provider’s commitment to sustainability. ### **Conclusion** When it comes to choosing a colocation facility, informed decision-making is key. By focusing on resilience, critical infrastructure conditions, risk assessment, SLAs, and power considerations, you can find the ideal colocation partner that aligns with your business needs. Stay vigilant in your selection process, seek industry guidance from experts like [Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/), and remember that energy efficiency should complement, not compromise service availability. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Data Centres & The Media](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-the-media/) **Published:** August 31, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In the wake of negative media portrayal and the BBC Panorama programme criticising the data centre sector, it is essential for us all associated with the industry to help put the record straight and foster better understanding among the media and governments worldwide. In this blog, we’re here to unravel the truth about data centres and their role in powering the digital age. ### **Digital Demands & Media Irony** Ironically, even the BBC frequently promotes its ‘on demand’ iPlayer service, delivering programmes, including the Panorama Programme, on a service hosted in at least one data centre, they overlook a crucial fact – data centres themselves are not the problem. The real issue lies in the energy consumption of the digital infrastructure within data centres. As a society, we cannot ignore the increasing demand and ongoing use of digital services while simultaneously criticising data centres for their energy consumption. Energy demand will increase the more digital services we offer and consume, so we have the responsibility to make these services as energy-efficient as possible. It’s a delicate balancing act, we can’t have it both ways. ### **A Wake-Up Call at a Data Centre Conference** This issue was nicely illustrated by a protest that occurred at a data centre conference in Ireland. Environmental activists disrupted the event to protest data centre power consumption. What escaped their notice was the irony of their actions – almost every protester was holding up a phone to capture photos and videos, no doubt for wider distribution via a data centre, unknowingly contributing to the very issue they were protesting! It’s time for increased awareness and education to bridge this gap in understanding. ### **The Real Culprit: Inefficient Digital Infrastructure** Let’s redirect the blame where it belongs. Data centres are vital enablers of the digital world as they host the digital equipment that provides the services we use both professionally and socially, but the real problem lies in the fact that the digital infrastructure being hosted is typically highly energy inefficient. Addressing this issue is a critical step towards true sustainability. As a society, we must recognise that consumption of digital services comes with an energy cost, and we bear a collective responsibility to both understand the cost of the choices we make and to push for improvements in the efficiency of the digital infrastructure we have come to rely on. It is not the data centres themselves that consume the energy – they merely add a delivery overhead to the digital services being offered by the customers hosted within data centres. If you are consuming digital services of any kind, you are part of the data centre energy consumption issue. ### Embracing Energy Savings & Environmental Benefits While we acknowledge the need for energy efficiency, let us also highlight the positive impact of digital services provided by data centres and the services they host. As we increasingly rely on online tools for meetings and communications, the reduction in travel and face-to-face interactions results in significant energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions – especially crucial in a post-Covid world. ### Conclusion It is time to demystify the relationship between data centres, digital consumption, and energy efficiency. Instead of casting blame in the wrong direction, we should be working together to address the challenges and seize opportunities for a more sustainable future. By educating the media, governments, and the public about the true dynamics at play, we can pave the way for responsible digital growth and environmental consciousness. Let us steer the conversation towards positive change and appreciate the invaluable role data centres play in shaping our digital landscape. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [How is the Rapid Development & Uptake of AI Affecting the Data Centre Sector?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-is-the-rapid-development-uptake-of-ai-affecting-the-data-centre-sector/) **Published:** August 25, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In the fast-paced world of technology, one revolutionary force has been reshaping industries and transforming the way we interact with machines – Artificial Intelligence (AI). In September’s issue of [Inside Networks](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/sep23/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue&utm_content=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue+CID_d0e3e5b75c8ef26f0011db5bc3e8c653&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Inside_Networks%20Sep%2023 "Inside Networks"), they posed a pressing question: **How is the rapid development and uptake of AI affecting the data centre sector?** **Will the facilities that are currently operating be able to support this growth for much longer, and how can data centres be designed, built and operated to accommodate the computing power demands AI puts on them in the future?** Amongst a panel of industry experts, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton sheds light on the dynamic landscape of data centres and their role in supporting the exponential growth of AI applications. Read an extract from Mark here: > “With the attention gained by ChatGPT etc. performing impressive creative tasks, it is easy to overlook the significant amounts of power needed to enable these tools. > > Some researchers involved in the development of these platforms are already saying that use of the current large language models (LLMs) is unsustainable in terms of energy consumption. Where do these platforms sit? In data centres of course!” Read more from Mark on **page 20** of Inside Networks’ September issue, available [here](https://www.insidenetworks.co.uk/magazine/sep23/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue&utm_content=Inside_Networks%20September%2023%20issue+CID_d0e3e5b75c8ef26f0011db5bc3e8c653&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Inside_Networks%20Sep%2023). **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Is AI Growth and Investment Sustainable in the Data Centre World?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/ai-growth-in-data-centres/) **Published:** August 20, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The rapid advancement and uptake of artificial intelligence (AI) has resulted in a significant increase in projected demand and subsequent investment in data centres. Questions are now being asked about the sustainability of such investments, the accuracy of demand projections, and the true implications for future growth. Concerns include whether the current level of data centre investment driven by AI growth is sustainable, the impact of growing scrutiny over the projected AI workload power demand from data centres, and whether this demand is manageable or even possible within existing and future energy frameworks. On this basis, we thought it would be interesting to ask AI itself, in the form of ChatGPT, what it thought of this topic and its potential outcome. To do this we asked our Head of Technical Due Diligence, Mark Acton, to come up with a couple of questions that would test ChatGPT’s take on the future of AI concerning the viability of data centre investments, based on AI demand projections. ## **Is the Current Amount of Investment in Data Centres Based on AI Demand Resulting in an Investment Bubble, and Will That Bubble Burst?** ### ChatGPT: There are signs that the current investment in modern data centres driven by AI demand could form a bubble, such as rapid growth and high expectations. However, sustained AI demand, technological advancements, and diverse applications could stabilise the market. Risks to a data centre include overcapacity, economic downturns, and regulatory changes, but the market might stabilise rather than burst if these factors are managed well. Therefore, while a bubble is possible, these stabilising factors mitigate the likelihood of it bursting. ### Mark Acton: Although brief, overall I agree with the response from Chat GPT. I would however add the risk factor that if the way we do AI changes significantly, either on the hardware or software side, this could result in reduced demand for both space and cooling at data centre facilities. It is well known that very intensive research is being conducted to achieve improvements in this area. ## **Is the Projected Power Demand by Data Centres Based on Increasing Power Usage by AI Workloads Sustainable?** ### ChatGPT The sustainability of the projected power demand by data centres, driven by increasing AI workloads, depends on several key factors: 1. Energy Efficiency Innovations: Advances in energy-efficient hardware and cooling technologies can help manage power consumption. 2. Data Centre Renewable Energy Adoption: Increasing the use of renewable energy sources can offset the environmental impact of higher power usage. 3. Optimised AI Workloads: Improvements in AI algorithms and more efficient data centre management can reduce energy requirements. 4. Regulatory and Policy Support: Government policies promoting sustainable practices and renewable energy use can help ensure long-term sustainability. While the projected power demand is significant, its sustainability depends on technological advancements, renewable energy adoption, optimised AI workloads, and supportive regulatory frameworks. ### Mark Acton: A key point about the response above is that the word ‘sustainable’ was interpreted in the environmental sense. The intent of the question was really directed in the growth sense, i.e. can the current and predicted rates of growth continue? The response touched on this to a degree but largely focussed on the environmental aspects. I clearly need some AI prompt training! However, there are a few points where I disagree with ChatGPT: 1. The use of renewable power does not reduce power demand from network infrastructure, it merely reduces the environmental impact as the answer suggests. What is not considered is the availability of this power to support data centre growth (other industries need it too!), plus the challenges in overcoming the intermittency of many commonly used renewable power sources. 2. Energy efficiency improvements will certainly help in this area but focussing on cooling alone will result in diminishing returns, whatever technology is employed. Energy-efficient IT hardware, software, improved algorithms and optimised workloads as suggested above will have a far greater impact. Power demand is driven by the IT hardware and data centre services that are hosted within the building, regardless of the workloads being supported. The building does not create that demand, it merely satisfies it. If we reduce the demand from the IT infrastructure we reduce the demand by the data centre, ultimately reducing environmental impact and allowing more services to be delivered for the same power usage. 3. The huge potential of moving away from current chip limitations, based on a silicon substrate and the advent of new processing techniques for all workloads, not just AI, is not really included in the answer. These could vastly reduce power demands for all types of data centre facilities, and significantly reduce both power and space demands. ## **How can Future-tech Help?** The rapid growth of AI has spurred significant investment in data centres, raising questions about sustainability. Using Future-tech’s expert [advisory and feasibility services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/), our data centre consultants can help your organisation ensure your data centre projects are viable, addressing concerns about potential investment bubbles, and managing power demands within energy frameworks. Our expertise in optimising AI workloads and sustainable practices is crucial for your data centres’ long-term success. For more information, [contact our team today](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/). ## **Epilogue** Since this article was written, the stock market adjustments worldwide on the 1st/2nd of August off the back of announcements by Intel and others suggest that the question being asked was a little more prescient than expected, and ChatGPT’s response was rather more bullish than accurate! The path to real financial benefit from AI is a great deal more complex than the initial hype would suggest. In this context, it is worth remembering the wisdom of the late Roy Amara, whose ‘law’ applies to AI at present and states that ‘We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short term and underestimate the effect in the long term.’ **Categories:** Articles, Consulting, Markets --- ### [Exploring The Rapid Growth And The Future of Data Centres in Africa](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-of-data-centres-in-africa/) **Published:** June 28, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The future of data centres in Africa is exciting. The African data centre market has grown exponentially over the past few years and continues to do so. This growth is being accelerated by the rapid digital transformation taking place across various sectors and the resulting need for increased digital infrastructure to support that demand. To help you understand the key trends and developments in African markets over the past 12 months and provide predictions for the next 12-18 months. I will share valuable insights into market growth, investment trends, infrastructure developments, and the future outlook of the booming data centre market. - [Introduction](#aioseo-introduction) - [Market Growth Over the Past 12 Months](#aioseo-market-growth-over-the-past-12-months) - [Key Data Centre Locations](#aioseo-key-data-centre-locations) - [Data Centre Design Considerations](#aioseo-data-centre-design-considerations) - [Role of Renewable Energy](#aioseo-role-of-renewable-energy) - [Improving Pan-African Connectivity](#aioseo-improving-pan-african-connectivity) - [Attracting Hyperscale Players](#aioseo-attracting-hyperscale-players) - [The Role of AI Workloads](#aioseo-the-role-of-ai-workloads) - [The Road Ahead](#aioseo-the-road-ahead) - [The Future of Data Centres in Africa](#aioseo-the-future-of-data-centres-in-africa) - [Want To Discover More?](#aioseo-want-to-discover-more) ## Introduction The African data centre sector is rapidly evolving to meet the growing demand for digital services across the continent. Data centres are the foundation of a digital economy and are essential to support the growth of various industries such as finance, healthcare, e-commerce, and telecommunications. The increased demand for digital services across the continent and the recognition of the value of the data that this produces is driving development in areas that have not traditionally been considered as opportunities for investment. Over the past 3 years, the market has accelerated with increasing investments across Africa. These investments go beyond the initial foothold in [South Africa](https://www.datacenters.com/locations/south-africa), which currently accounts for the majority of data centre space on the continent. There is growing confidence in the market potential, especially with new subsea cables along the African coast driving data centre growth and increasing recognition of the importance of data sovereignty. In this blog post, I summarise the key insights on the future of data centres in Africa. Covering growth drivers, key locations, infrastructure design factors, sustainability, renewable energy, connectivity, hyperscale demand, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. ## Market Growth Over the Past 12 Months The African data centre market has seen continuous growth and acceleration over the past year. This can be attributed to the following key factors: - **Increasing investment** – There is a growing confidence and attention of investors in African countries. Various companies are now building and investing in data centre projects across the continent. - **Spread beyond South Africa** – While South Africa was the initial foothold, we now see data centre development across sub-Saharan Africa, in countries like Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Mozambique, and Nigeria. - **Connectivity driving growth** – The recent progress in fibre optic subsea cables along the African coast has given a huge boost to data centre growth and attracted interest from hyper-scale players. - **Untapped market potential** – Africa presents a huge untapped market with a relatively underdeveloped digital infrastructure. The pandemic, coupled with the proliferation of smartphones, underscored the need for digital services and data centres to power technology. - **The value of data** – Data sovereignty is another driver of local development based on the increasing recognition of the value of data and the importance of being in control of nationally important information. - **Acceleration to continue** – The growth, interest and business opportunities will only continue as confidence builds across Africa. The next phase is extending network infrastructure beyond coastal regions into the continent’s interior. ## Key Data Centre Locations Data centre growth is distributed across Africa, especially in coastal regions. The Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA) has a [great map](https://map.datacente.rs/africadatacenters/) highlighting the regions where centres are located. In summary : - **North Africa –** Morocco and Tunisia are emerging data centre hubs with growing interest. - **South Africa** – A well-established base and initial foothold for expansion across Africa. - **East Africa** – Kenya is a major growth area with massive development around Nairobi. - **West Africa** – Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast are seeing an increasing focus on investments and new projects. - **Beyond the coasts** – The interior of Africa is the logical next phase for the expansion of data centre operations. The key driver for location growth is the demand for digital services from businesses and governments across Africa. Data centre investments follow digital service demand. Locations with connectivity, power, real estate, and other key resources will attract new data centre infrastructure. ## Data Centre Design Considerations Data centre development in Africa has to account for the continent’s diverse climates, temperatures, humidity, altitude and other environmental factors. Key design considerations include: - **Sustainability** – Businesses have a focus on being sustainable. Renewable power sources are crucial for sustainability and ESG credentials. Locations with solar, hydro, wind, etc. are ideal and available in many African regions. - **Power density** – AI and HPC workloads require high-density, high-power designs that are very different from generic colocation. - **Cooling Requirement**s – The wide temperature and humidity variations across Africa require localised cooling designs and engineering solutions. - **Water usage** – Data centres must be conscious of available water resources and conservation needs, particularly in areas where there is pressure on water supply. - **Energy reuse** – There may be opportunities to use the heat generated and typically rejected by data centres to provide a cheap energy resource to local populations and businesses to give back and support local communities. - **IT equipment constraints** – SLAs and IT equipment warranties limit the flexibility in data centre environmental designs. The designs are constrained by the equipment installed within the data centre. - **Customer needs** – Hyperscale and co-location customers have very different data centre requirements. In summary, one size does not fit all data centres, in Africa or elsewhere. Sustainable data centre designs must be tailored to location, climate, customer needs, and workload requirements among other factors. Sustainability and renewable power sources are increasingly being prioritised wherever feasible. ## Role of Renewable Energy Africa has tremendous potential for renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, onshore wind power, and hydroelectricity. With the huge energy consumption of data centres, the data centre industry is beginning to recognise the availability and value of the renewable energy sources across Africa. Conversations are happening with governments on renewable power investments. However, developing renewable energy infrastructure requires substantial capital and long timelines. I believe awareness does now exist across Africa, but funding and partnerships will dictate the pace of adoption. There are some notable examples of large renewable energy projects for powering data centres, like the [iX](https://ixafrica.co.ke/)[Africa data centre](https://ixafrica.co.ke/) in Nairobi, Kenya, using 100% renewable energy. One of the largest benefits of renewable energy is that it cuts down on the reliance on Africa’s grid network, which is historically unreliable and can be a barrier to data centre investment. ## Improving Pan-African Connectivity While subsea cables have significantly improved connectivity and internet access along the African coasts, extending connectivity into the continent’s interior remains challenging. I see this as the next key phase of infrastructure development in Africa. The scale of the continent and diverse geographies make interior connectivity expensive. Innovative solutions and substantial investments are necessary to connect central Africa beyond the coastal regions. However, national governments have a strong drive to improve their digital economy, infrastructure and services. So, I expect to see a continuing focus on improving pan-African connectivity. ## Attracting Hyperscale Players Hyperscale data centre players are showing increasing interest in Africa, encouraged by the new subsea cables and increased data centre investments. Their need for reliable, ideally renewable power makes a compelling case for self-sufficient campus-style data centre facilities. Such campus data centres with on-site renewable power generation and the ability to use waste heat can benefit both hyperscale data centres and surrounding African communities. This model will gain traction not just in Africa but globally. In addition, legacy constraints can be reduced in order to satisfy high-density hyperscale, HPC and AI workloads if power needs are met. ## The Role of AI Workloads AI workloads are certainly driving the data centre landscape in Africa and globally, requiring high-power density designs. The GPU-powered inference engines need abundant, cheap power, making locations like the Nordics and major renewable energy sites in Africa ideal. However, it’s worth noting that not all AI applications need intensive processing power, and the majority of AI development work is not wide area latency-dependent. So, AI workloads may be processed anywhere suitable power is available. This flexibility creates opportunities for African sites with cheap, readily available renewable power to host large AI-driven data centres. ## The Road Ahead Over the next 12-18 months, I expect to see continued growth across the African data centre industry: - **The pace of development will increase** – Across new countries, led by continued interest from hyper scalers and large colocation operators. - **The geographic spread will continue** – With an influx in investor interest, expanding beyond coastal regions deeper into Africa’s interior to connect currently under-served regions will become an increasing focus. - **Larger facilities** – Data centres will scale above and beyond 10 megawatts as confidence and demand grows. - **Managing talent** – Ensuring skilled workforce development and importantly, retention within the continent will be key as talent will invevitably get drawn overseas. In summary, as digital services continue to drive data centre growth and demand , the sector’s future across the continent is promising. The opportunities are immense for international investors, operators, governments and local communities to participate in and benefit from this growth. ## The Future of Data Centres in Africa The African data centre market is showing tremendous growth already, with more potential set to be realised. Africa is on the cusp of a thriving digital infrastructure boom. This will promote job creation, economic growth and investment opportunities across all African regions. My predictions indicate that we can expect to see accelerating investments, geographic expansion, larger facilities, and innovative approaches in the coming months. There will be challenges related to connectivity, power, talent retention, and more. But the growth momentum is undeniable. It’s an exciting time for the African data centre industry. Local and international data centre operators are well-positioned to benefit from this rapid growth market if they understand the unique regional conditions and opportunities. ## Want To Discover More? If you want to learn more about my thoughts on the future of data centres in Africa, then I’ll be at the[ ](https://www.datacentres-africa.com/)[Pan ](https://www.datacentres-africa.com/)[African Data Centre](https://www.datacentres-africa.com/)[s Exhibition & Conference](https://www.datacentres-africa.com/). The conference is being held from 16th to 17th July and I’ll be attending with the Future-tech team. If you would like to meet with us, then get in touch at the show or on our[ ](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/)[contact page here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Eden Reforestation Project Partnership Update](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eden-reforestation-project-partnership-update/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** Future-tech are proud to be continuing our support as Grove Level partners of Eden Reforestation Projects, an organisation working in some of the world’s most remote locations to enable reforestation projects and local community development. Putting the local community at the centre of Eden Reforestation Project’s work is key to their success thus far. Eden uses a ‘bottom-up’ approach, building relationships with these communities and their leaders, who then in turn lead the planting projects and offer a chance to build citizens’ commitments to restore and protect their local environment and forests. By working with local communities, it inspires a sense of ownership to not only commit to reforestation in their country, but to also help protect their environment for future generations as well as providing each community with much-needed employment opportunities. ![20190821 mozambique 0048 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20190821_Mozambique_0048.png "20190821mozambique0048 | futuretech") Future-tech understands [the importance of protecting our natural environment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/sustainability-csr/) for ourselves and future generations. We strive to both adhere to sustainable working practices and energy efficient designs in the data centre world, and to contribute with a global conservation project to further help our planet. The success of Eden’s projects and the communities’ success are inextricably linked; with the support of organisations such as Future-tech, Eden can continue to help create livelihoods for thousands of local people and protect landscapes on a large scale. Future-tech supports two specific Eden Reforestation Projects: The Mahubo site in Mozambique, and Kitiligini site in Kenya. We have enjoyed watching these projects grow and flourish over the last couple of years, with their focus on restoring vital local forests for the benefit of biodiversity and livelihoods. As we continue to support Eden Reforestation Projects, we look forward to hearing about their progress over the rest of 2024. If you’d like to find out more about Eden’s other global reforestation projects, and see the local communities in action, watch the video below, and [visit their site](https://www.edenprojects.org/) today. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [2024 EUROPEAN CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DATA CENTRE ENERGY EFFICIENCY BEST PRACTICES](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/2024-european-code-of-conduct-for-data-centre-energy-efficiency-best-practices/) **Published:** March 18, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The 2024 Best Practice Guidelines for the EU code of conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency is now published and ready to download! Backed by the European Commission, this annually updated free guide shares the latest technological developments and best practices to further improve an organisations’ understanding of energy demand within data centres, raise awareness and recommend best practices for optimal data centre energy efficiency. Access and download the free guide here: Since its launch sixteen years ago, over 500 data centres have joined this voluntary initiative to improve their energy efficiency. Future-tech has been actively involved in the development of the code of conduct since its creation, with an active leadership role on the Best Practice Committee and the EU Taxonomy reporting framework. [Contact the Future-tech team](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) directly for more information on the EU Code of Conduct. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Top 10 data centre predictions for 2024](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/2024-data-centre-predictions/) **Published:** January 5, 2024 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** During 2023, the most significant events for the sector were without doubt the emergence and rapid proliferation of Generative AI, plus the associated power demands along with the publications of the European Commission CSRD and EED requirements documents. These will both have long-term impacts and continue to influence the sector throughout 2024 and beyond. The focus on ESG and sustainability generally will continue to grow throughout 2024 and beyond, with sustainability frameworks relating to digital infrastructure becoming increasingly developed and adopted. Alongside the focus on ESG and sustainability, Future-tech’s Head of Technical Due Diligence Mark Acton, shares his top 10 predictions for 2024. ## 1. **#EED & #CSRD reporting requirements** New #EED and #CSRD reporting requirements will come into force during 2024, which will promote significant discussions within the European Union and beyond. Sustainability frameworks and compliance are already being discussed by many within the data centre sector. ## **2. Complying with ESG reporting** Interest in #DCIM and #BMS systems capable of complying with ESG reporting requirements will rise significantly! These will become increasingly valued and important as the human resource burden associated with demanding sustainability and energy efficiency reporting rises dramatically. ## **3. Use of #AI & #ML** There will be an increasing use of #AI and #ML in data centre operations and particularly for energy efficiency improvements this year. However, this will not be to replace people, but rather help to better predict and manage the systems supporting data centre services, and supply the accurate information that is increasingly being required for performance optimision and ESG related compliance. This will enable the move to tools offering more than basic alerting to those that enable true energy efficiency and resource optimisation alongside the provision of useful management information. Those tools already using #AI and #ML will be in the ascendency. ## **4.** **Powering data centres in traditional markets** Lack of power availability in traditional Tier 1 (FLAP-D) markets will drive the discussions around alternative power provisioning, as well as provide impetus for the continued growth and development of Tier 2 and 3 markets during 2024. ## **5. Cabinet power density growth** As seen by the release of the Nvidia GH200 Grace Hopper chipset, there will be a genuine growth in cabinet power densities based on #HPC and #AI workloads, and an increasing power consumption by large GPU-based chipsets. ## **6. Repurposing crypto mining sites** During 2024, crypto mining sites will continue to be re-purposed as data centre colocation sites for non-latency dependent #HPC and #AI workloads. ## **7. Latency & Locations** The importance of latency will increasingly be called out as a myth for many applications, which will lead to different location options for some elements of service, especially for those regions that offer cheap renewable power and cooler climates helping to reduce cooling power consumption. This will result in the continued rise of the Nordics in Europe as a choice data centre location. ## **8. Water usage** The focus on water usage will continue to increase this year, albeit with more sense being applied to consider the type of water being used, and only questioning the use of evaporative cooling in areas where water resources are limited. ## **9. IT stack efficiency** There will be an increasing focus on the energy efficiency of the IT stack (including software), rather than merely the building and the associated uptake of tools to both report on, and manage, in this area. ## **10. A rise of private & hybrid cloud** Dissatisfaction with Public Cloud platforms will increase due to costs, concerns over loss of control, and the lack of transparency and honesty concerning energy usage and sustainability. In 2024, this will lead to an increase in the use of Private Cloud and hybrid solutions. … Out of Mark’s top 10 data centre predictions, which ones do you think will come true? We’ll find out as 2024 unfolds! If you need expert data centre advice or services, [contact the Future-tech team today](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) – we’re here to ensure your data centre is operating at its very best capacity. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Replacing existing disparate computer rooms for Research Councils UK](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/replacing-existing-disparate-computer-rooms-for-research-councils-uk/) **Published:** May 27, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Replacing existing disparate computer rooms for Research Councils UK by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 27, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/consulting/) ![Future-tech's data centre design and build for Research Councils UK data centre refurbishment in Swindon](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy11-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy11 1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy11-1.jpg "Templateimagecopy11 1 | futuretech") Future-tech were awarded the contract with Research Councils UK to plan and deliver a total refurbishment and extension to their existing data centre in Swindon, the largest of its five data centres. ### THE BRIEF RCUK is a strategic partnership through which the UK’s eight Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support. The Research Councils are the main public investors in fundamental research in the UK, with interests ranging from bio-medicine and particle physics to the environment, engineering and economic research. RCUK works alongside the Office of Science & Innovation (OSI) to support academic researchers in the UK and to ensure the best investment of public money in research. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS When RCUK began a rationalisation process, one of its main planned outcomes was to consolidate its existing five computer rooms into one main data centre at its Swindon offices. Data centre specialists, Future-tech won a six-way open tender process for the £600,000 contract. At the core of Future-tech’s challenge was the fact that this was a multi-phased project which involved working around an existing, live data centre environment. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION As part of the solution, Future-tech made use of data centre free-cooling technology to reduce RCUK’s carbon output and to lower the cost of maintaining its computer room facilities – traditionally made more expensive by the use of power intensive air-conditioning. This project proved to be very complex which involved major construction work being conducted around an existing computer facility. Future-tech took an ambitious approach to the brief, but one that has resulted in large cost savings. The harnessing of free-cooling technology to account for some of the data centre’s cooling requirements was to fulfil RCUK’s sustainability agenda. By utilising the cool outside air during the winter months to regulate the temperature of the data centre they are able to lower their carbon emissions and reduce the amount that would have been spent on traditional cooling methods. Over the life of the new data centre this will inevitably equate to a significant overall cost saving. The project was completed by Future-tech on time and within budget, providing RCUK with a sustainable and cost effective facility. **Categories:** Case Studies, Consulting --- ### [Bracknell Forest – Low cost green solution delivers fast Return on Investment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/bracknell-forest-low-cost-green-solution-delivers-fast-return-on-investment/) **Published:** May 29, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Bracknell Forest – Low cost green solution delivers fast Return on Investment by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 29, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) ![Future-tech's low cost, energy efficient data centre solution for Bracknell Forest Borough Council - Cold Aisle Containment cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy7-1-1080x486.jpg) ![G | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/g.jpg "G | futuretech") The pressure is on in local government both to reduce costs – and improve energy efficiency. So, when Future-tech approached Bracknell Forest Borough Council with a proposal for Cold Aisle Containment, the Council’s IT team was more than happy to listen. The resulting data centre retro-fit to the five year old computer room will save an estimated 42 tonnes of CO2 each year, with a return on the initial investment of £12,000 in less than two years. ### THE BRIEF Bracknell Forest has worked with Future-tech since 2004 when the specialist contractor built the Council’s computer room in an existing underground car park. Since then, the council has been faced with a demand to reduce its costs significantly and also meet the requirements of the Nottingham Agreement to cut CO2 emissions in local governments. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Bracknell Forest Council have virtualised much of their IT over the past few years meaning they required fewer racks in the computer room. This meant that they were wasting energy by cooling the whole room. Future-tech approached the Council to talk about cold aisle containment and showed them how they could save considerably on their costs by re-configuring their racks into a contained cold aisle. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech proposed a professional low-cost, data centre solution. As Bracknell Forest Council we were under pressure from the business to reduce costs, Future-tech used a simple retro-fit into the existing room that enabled them to warm the room from 21°C to 24°C and turn off one of their air handling units. The room is bisected by a boxed-in gas pipe which restricts the airflow, so the solution was only going to work when the Council was able to reduce the number of servers it used. Fewer racks enclosed in one aisle were bound to improve the data centre energy efficiency – and it’s now perfectly acceptable to run the room warmer than it would have done in the past. Future-tech have installed meters as part of the retrofit so that the Council can see and verify the energy (and cost) savings immediately. This may not have been one of Future-tech’s bigger projects, but it having an immediate impact is very gratifying. **Categories:** Case Studies, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Back-up & disaster recovery for Bradford Metropolitan District Council](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/back-up-disaster-recovery-for-bradford-metropolitan-district-council/) **Published:** June 8, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Back-up & disaster recovery for Bradford Metropolitan District Council by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jun 8, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Innovation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/innovation/) ![Future-tech's data centre upgrade for Bradford City Council - back up and disaster recovery data centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bradford-1-1080x486.jpg) ![Bradford | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Bradford.jpg "Bradford | futuretech") Having completed the upgrade of their main Data Centre in Bradford City Centre, the City Council turned their attention to their back-up and disaster recovery requirements with only one company to look to, Future-tech. ### **THE BRIEF** Working with computer industry leaders IBM and Future-tech to construct the new facility, Bradford City Council needed a solution that would dissolve their problems and provide them with a secure and efficient facility. Some challenges and constraints were identified throughout the project but were overcome by the Future-tech solution. ### **CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS** The council had a number of properties which could potentially house the new data centre and selected one on the outskirts of the city which met all the requirements in terms of geographical separation from the primary data centre, freedom from risk of flooding, access etc. There were however two potential issues with the proposed building: it was on an industrial estate in an area known for problems of vandalism and the power supply to the building was not adequate for the final day load. ### **THE FUTURE- TECH SOLUTION** Future-tech’s solution to the security concerns was to take all the equipment that would normally be sited externally, such as standby generator and air conditioning condenser units, and put this inside the building. This provided physical protection and also meant there was no indication externally that the facility was there. The building already had steel shutters in place and further security was provided by discreet CCTV monitoring. The answer to the power issue was to incorporate switchgear that would allow the incoming mains supply to be up-rated as and when required without having to shut down the room. The turn-key project, which has a capacity of 80 racks and 160kW IT load, included air conditioning, electrical services, generator, fire systems, and environmental monitoring systems including door access and CCTV. The contract also included site supervision, project management, design and engineering, health & safety, operations and maintenance manuals, testing and compliance certificates. The use of a semi-prefabricated modular room resulted in a very fast build which also allows for future expansion beyond the original brief of 80 racks. This could prove financially attractive as it would enable the Council to offer data centre space to other organisations. Due to everything being internal there were no planning issues and the Council’s concerns about security were addressed. As an unexpected bonus, housing the condenser units internally means heat can be recovered in winter to heat this and the adjacent warehouse unit, also owned by the Council. **Categories:** Case Studies, Innovation --- ### [Future-tech wins University of Bath data centre design and build contract](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-wins-university-of-bath-data-centre-design-and-build-contract/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech wins University of Bath data centre design and build contract by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jun 9, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech Awarded Data Centre and Design for University of Bath](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Bath-1080x486.jpg) ![Bath | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Bath.jpg "Bath | futuretech") Contract awarded to design and build a new high density data centre at the University of Bath. The purpose of the new data centre was to maintain Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity, along with centralising the departmental servers to gain higher energy efficiency. ### THE BRIEF Due to the relatively high IT load of 20kW per rack, Bath University initially envisaged an in-row cooling data centre solution; however the tender they released left the design specification open. Innovation was key for them, along with having the most cutting edge data centre solution available. The area chosen for the new data centre build had several constraints that affected the layout and final data centre design solution. These ranged from structural pillars throughout the room itself, research laboratories above the room, and a relatively small area for the external plant. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The constraints which influenced the final data centre design were, firstly the structural pillars within the room which seriously hampered the use of an in-row cooling system as this solution limited the data centre design possibilities. The aisle containment required for this solution would have to be totally bespoke and detrimentally affecting both its manufacturing, time and price. Also another challenge faced was the limited number of cabinets that could be provided with an in-row solution. The in-row solution could only populate a total of 24 cabinet’s final day, however, Future-tech used their initiative and produced a resulting data centre solution that was energy efficient and above all innovative. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Part of the Future-tech data centre design process is to look at each potential design solution and make a comparison between them, comparing their benefits and disadvantages. On this occasion Future-tech suggested that a rear door cooling solution would offer greater benefits, and better address the requirements of the tender. This also made it possible to populate a total of 35 cabinet’s final day and provide a better vision for expansion. The data centre build project was carried out in two phases, this was to facilitate scalability and flexibility. At day one the IT load accommodated 300kVA however, on completion they reached a capacity of 510kVA. To add greater resilience to Future-tech’s solution a negative pressure leak prevention system was added to the chilled water circuit. This system uses a venturi effect to suck water around the system rather than pump it, therefore, if a leak was to occur air would be sucked into the system rather than water coming out. Future-tech also proposed a sealed modular ceiling for the total area so the data centre would be safe from potential water leaks from the laboratory above. The data centre construction was completed and with population well under way the University of Bath are very pleased with their new innovative facility. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [100% Free Cooling @ 35°C Ambient for UK Based MSP](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/100-free-cooling-35c-ambient-for-uk-based-msp/) **Published:** August 16, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ![Template image copy13 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy13-1024x444.jpg "Templateimagecopy13 | futuretech")The innovative, class leading data centre design with power and cooling system that pushes the limits of performance and ensures 100% compressor free cooling all year within a legacy building envelope and constrained environment. ### THE BRIEF To design, to RIBA stage 3, an energy efficient data centre cooling system, that was completely compressor free, and power system within a legacy, ex-MOD building. Critical data centre infrastructure had to be concurrently maintainable and scalable, allowing the facility to grow in 30 cabinet modules. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAIN (1) Extremely limited floor to ceiling height (2) Limited external plant space (3) Limited external wall area (4) Provisions of 100% compressor free cooling 24/7/365 within an environment that experiences a 20 year high temperature of 35.5°C ambient (5) Local environment that can experience high concentration of air borne particulates ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION It was an absolutely vital requirement of the project that the data centre solution is cooled compressor free all year round however, due to the constraints both direct and indirect air based cooling systems could not be used. This meant the Future-tech data centre design team had to opt for a water based cooling system. By using the physical size of the space available and the 35.5°C high temperature as two fixed points the Future-tech team designed a cooling system that provided 100% free cooling all year round whilst overcoming the constraints associated with the building and its location. The result is a data centre design that creates the environmental envelope depicted in the graph. By using dry air coolers with an evaporative function the data centre environment can be kept within ASHREA allowable conditions for the vast majority of the year. During very high ambient conditions, above 32°C, the data centre supply air temperature will exceed the standard’s upper supply air temperature allowable limit. This was the only way to achieve the client’s requirement of 100% compressor free cooling, come what may. The client went back to its IT hardware manufacturers and asked whether they would warranty their equipment within this extended environmental profile. The 20 year extreme weather data showed the facility would only experience minutes in this very upper range and due to the cooling system being indirect, relative humidity would remain within the ASHEA recommended range at all times. In view of this information the IT equipment manufacturers stated they would warranty the equipment. This meant the project could continue with 100% free data centre cooling system. The data centre solution is a facility that operates within the top 1% of data centres globally for energy efficiency, although it is not in a very low ambient environment, and utilizes an indirect air to water system. Together with the cooling system Future-tech designed an Uptime Institute Tier II aligned electrical system that grows in modules to match IT requirements. All drawings, technical specifications and descriptions were provided by Future-tech as part of the service delivery. The client engaged with specialist individual contractors to complete the works, with Future-tech attending site throughout the construction and signing off installation works. If you want to achieve a data centre that pushes the limit of performance, incorporates innovative design concepts and results in a facility that breaks with traditional expectation please contact our team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Innovation --- ### [Technical Data Centre Design & Procurement for Leading Research Organisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/technical-data-centre-design-procurement-for-leading-research-organisation/) **Published:** April 26, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ![Template image copy12 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy12-1024x444.jpg "Templateimagecopy12 | futuretech")Future-tech provided concept and developed designs for mechanical, electrical, data, security and BMS infrastructure, together with performance specifications and procurement services for a new 350 cabinet, 4.8MW high density data centre design. ### THE BRIEF To help the client create a strategic project brief and facility performance specification. Then to develop a vendor neutral concept data centre design and develop it, with the client, to ensure business, technical and security objectives were met. To provide a robust and objective procurement process enabling the selection of equipment manufacturers and associated specialist service contractors. To present the procurement evaluation data and conclusions in a report showing the evaluation criteria and results of each works/equipment package. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS (1) Unfortunately the overall footprint for the building was fixed before the internal data centre design was started, this resulted in the internal and external space being limited in relation to the performance specification requirements. (2) Due to the nature of the client’s industry the security specification was challenging within the fixed building footprint (3) High cabinet densities within a constricted space ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION By working closely with the client during the project’s early stages the data centre design team were able to gain an acute understanding of the project requirements and drivers. This helped create clear outcomes and performance specification. The data centre design team then provided a number of potential concept designs which they down selected, with the client, using the strategic project brief. As the building footprint was predetermined and smaller than ideal some compromises had to be made, however, by working closely with the client the project’s business and technical outcomes were still achieved. The resulting data centre design provides a flexible high density data centre that conforms to required business impact levels and physical security. Capacity and energy efficiency were maintained despite the physical constraints through the innovative use of space and technology. If you are embarking on a data centre design project engaging with Future-tech, data centre specialists, early will result in a facility that is more closely aligned with your organisations strategic outcomes. For more information regarding data centre planning and design please contact our team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Data centre audit and appraisal across 5 European sites](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-audit-and-appraisal-across-5-european-sites/) **Published:** June 26, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Data centre audit and appraisal across 5 European sites by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jun 26, 2018 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/consulting/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Audit Across 5 European Sites - Blue Skies Over City](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy11-2-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy11 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy11.jpg "Templateimagecopy11 | futuretech") Audit and appraisal of 5 sites totalling 30MW – Western and Central European locations ### THE BRIEF To provide technical appraisal of a number of data centre facilities across a number of European locations. The appraisal had to address potential commercialisation of the data centres and their suitability in terms of the accommodation of IT equipment now and over the next 8 years. Assessing the resilience of the data centres, and their ability to achieve market expected uptime, energy efficiency in relation to the competitor facilities in each location and expected standards. Findings to be presented in a report with high level “red flag” summary for investors. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS (1) Limited time in which to complete the report (2) Limited time at each location for physical inspection (3) Incomplete technical information ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech provided assessments of both the physically facilities and their associated O&M information. Short falls were highlighted in the data centres’ ability to support higher density equipment and support IT systems in the future. Further points were raised concerning electrical resilience, single points of failure, Tier level, ageing infrastructure and data centre design irregularities, all of which affected the commercialisation of the facilities, cost associated with bringing the facilities in line with market expected specifications and, ultimately, the value of the business as a whole. Further assessments were made regarding data centre energy efficiency and operational overhead in line with current competitors and new competitors who were planning to establish themselves in the specific cities. A technical due diligence report was submitted together with a power point presentation providing key points for data centre investors. For more information regarding technical due diligence for M&A, co-location selection and other projects please contact our team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Consulting --- ### [Data centre design solution increases resilience for Major Sub-Saharan Telco](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-design-solution-increases-resilience-for-major-sub-saharan-telco/) **Published:** August 26, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Data centre design solution increases resilience for Major Sub-Saharan Telco by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Aug 26, 2018 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Solution For African Telco](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy9-2-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy9 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy9.jpg "Templateimagecopy9 | futuretech") Future-tech’s data centre design review increased resilience, reduced cost and improved energy efficiency. Future-tech, data centre specialist, was appointed by a major African Telco to provide a design review for the new Sub-Saharan data centre. Future-tech’s industry leading design team employed a thorough and pragmatic approach ensuring all areas were rigorously assessed and improvements holistically embraced the project’s strategic outcomes. ### THE BRIEF To improve resilience, operational sustainability, energy efficiency and the costs associated with the data centre construction and operation of a 650 cabinet, 4MW data centre. To work through the project brief, design and strategic project objectives with a view to provide alternative data centre solutions and improvements. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech worked in accordance with the Uptime Institute and EN50600 standards to provide an unbiased appraisal of the data centre design which had been completed by a third party design consultancy. Future-tech’s amended data centre design removed single points of failure, increased energy efficiency throughout the facility, most markedly in the cooling infrastructure, and reduced data centre construction costs by 8-12%. The revised data centre design solution provided the client with a different selection of Air Handling Plant, Transformers and Generators, which all contributed to lower construction cost, greater operational resilience and improved energy efficiency. Future-tech introduced a mixture of traditional and leading edge technical solutions together with an innovative data centre design philosophy. **James Wilman** *Engineer Sales Director* “It was great to engage with the project while it was still in the design phase. This meant our recommendations could be accommodated easily and without affecting programme. The traditional, non-specialist, building services design consultancy was open to our ideas and specialist data centre knowledge. The two teams worked in a collaborative way and the project was a resounding success.” **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Design and construction audit for Tier IV data centre investment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-and-construction-audit-for-tier-iv-data-centre-investment/) **Published:** November 26, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Design and construction audit for Tier IV data centre investment by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Nov 26, 2018 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/consulting/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Design and Construction Audit for Tier IV Data Centre, Milan](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy-10-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy.jpg "Templateimagecopy | futuretech") Assessment of data centre design solution, construction and operational costs and projected P&L associated with a new 40MW Tier IV data centre solution. ### THE BRIEF (1) To provide a data centre design peer review and comment with regard to the design and technical data centre solutions proposed by the developer. (2) Assess resilience, Tier level, appropriateness of design and energy efficiency. (3) Review the construction costs and compare against industry benchmarks and provide comment. (4) Review the operational cost schedules, P&L projections and business plan by making comparisons with industry bench marks and providing comment. (5) To provide market intelligence referring to the current providers in the market place, their technical and commercial offerings and how the proposed data centre solution compared. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS (1) Limited time to complete a full and detailed appraisal of each area and to engage with other operators. (2) Gaining suitable information from other operators in the geographic area was challenging as many of them were reluctant to provide transparent comparable pricing and meaningful technical information. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech Consulting Engineers provided a detailed appraisal of the data centre design documents. Assessment of power, cooling, security, fire and data systems was completed. A detailed report was provided with red flags and summary section specifically written for the Investors whose knowledge was not engineering. Full assessment of the data centre construction cost schedule was made making comparisons to European bench marks. Together with a detailed report a summary document was created with attention directed at particularly high and low figures. Full assessment of the operational cost model was completed. This included energy consumption and MWh costs, water usage and staffing. This was combined with an assessment of the P&L model and business plan reviewing sales projects against industry and regional bench marks. The overall financial information was evaluated and a report flagging potential issues was created. Assessment of the fibre optic network was included showing network and carrier diversity and links. Together with the written output Future-tech joined a number of calls to explain quickly and succinctly the findings and answers questions directly from the Investors in-house due diligence team. For more information regarding technical due diligence for Investment, co-location selection and other projects please contact our team on 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Consulting --- ### [Future-tech Client Testimonial: ULCC](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-client-testimonial-ulcc/) **Published:** May 24, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech Client Testimonial: ULCC by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 24, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![University of London Computer Centre Data Centre Design and Build from Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy10-1-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image copy10 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image-copy10.jpg "Templateimagecopy10 | futuretech") University of London Computer Centre discusses their new facility by Future-tech’s data centre design and build, specialists. ## University Managed Service provider builds new data centre **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Future-tech Client Testimonial: PRS](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-client-testimonial-prs/) **Published:** June 8, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech Client Testimonial: PRS by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jun 8, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![Future-tech's data centre solutions for PRS for Music](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-1-1080x486.jpg) ![Template image | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/template-image.jpg "Templateimage | futuretech") PRS for Music talk about their 20 year working relationship with Future-tech’s team of data centre specialists benefits it has brought the organisation. ## PRS client testimonial **Categories:** Case Studies, News --- ### [Mission critical data centre design and build](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/mission-critical-data-centre-design-and-build/) **Published:** December 20, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Mission critical data centre design and build by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Dec 20, 2019 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech data centre design and build for engineering and construction giant](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy-4-1-1080x486.jpg) Engineering and Construction giant understands the benefit of working with a data centre specialist and select Future-tech to design, build and maintain its new mission critical data centre. ### CLIENT & PROJECT OVERVIEW A global multi-discipline engineering and construction company required a new data centre at its head offices in North London. The mission critical facility houses SAP systems. Due to the organisation’s success and growth its head offices were being extended and refurbished. As part of these works a new data centre design was required. Although the company provides engineering and construction services the IT and Facilities teams understood the benefits associated with engaging a data centre specialist to design and build their mission critical environment and Future-tech was selected. ### THE BRIEF Design and build a 20 cabinet facility with concurrently maintainable and redundant power and cooling infrastructure able to support up to 6.8kW peak draw per cabinet. The construction of the data centre’s external shell was undertaken by the client in line with Future-tech’s data centre design requirements. Once completed Future-tech carried out the installation of the mechanical and electrical services, BMS and security. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The primary challenge during the project was meeting the required go live date. Due to other activities involved with the building’s extension and refurbishment, the delivery, testing and migration of new IT equipment, and systems, in to a fully operational data centre build was challenging. Through close liaison with the client, manufacturers and third party contractors and with coordination of critical path items and activities optimised the deadline was met and the environment handed over successfully. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION After detailed discussions with the client our data centre Designer Engineers understood the technical requirements, business drivers and constraints associated with the project. With this information we were able to challenge the client’s internally produced data centre design and demonstrate that our proposed solution better met the project’s requirements and objectives. The data centre design solution produced by Future-tech was more space efficient, provided more cabinet positions, delivered more power and cooling capacity and was more resilient. This was all achieved at a reduced capital cost verses the client’s internally produced design. Future-tech Design Engineers presented the proposed data centre design to the project stakeholders and after a number of discussions it was agreed that the new data centre design solution had significant advantages. The UPS system was designed in an N+1 configuration. The power system utilised primary and secondary systems ensuring concurrent maintainability and increased uptime. Fire suppression and security systems including CCTV and access control were also part of the final delivered data centre solution. The UPS and cooling was modular allowing the client to grow the facility’s capacity in line with IT system expansion. Due to the critical nature of the facility an environmental monitoring and alert system was incorporated. This system ensures any fluctuations in environmental conditions or status of critical equipment is flagged and the relevant personnel notified by email, text and auto dialler. This data centre site is monitored and maintained by Future-tech’s Facilities Services Team. Our Data Centre Services Engineers oversee quarterly planned preventative maintenance visits, provide 24/7/365 monitoring and emergency response and ensure the environment is continually optimised. The data centre Team provide a single point of contact and manage all third parties, visits and life cycle planning needs. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [The Problem with PUE](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-problem-with-pue/) **Published:** September 8, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** In the world of data centres, Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) has long been touted as a metric for measuring efficiency. However, it’s time to challenge this conventional wisdom and unravel the real complexities surrounding PUE. Let’s take a fresh look at the data centre landscape and explore the true factors affecting energy consumption. ### **The Limitations of PUE** Contrary to popular belief, PUE is not an all-encompassing measure of data centre efficiency. Using it as a proxy in this way is simply inappropriate and can distract us from addressing the actual issue of data centre power consumption. Instead of falling into the PUE trap, we need to shift our focus towards more meaningful solutions that can help improve overall data centre energy efficiency. ### **A Shift in Perspective** Let us set the record straight: A data centre does not consume power; it merely adds an overhead to the energy consumed by the digital infrastructure it houses. One goal should certainly be to minimise this overhead to the greatest extent possible – precisely what PUE aims to measure. However, this is only part of the overall picture. While we can improve PUE by increasing the IT load relative to the building load, it doesn’t address the bigger picture of overall energy efficiency. In some situations, it is possible to make the PUE value smaller (theoretically ‘better’), and yet increase the number of kW/h consumed, something that would not normally be considered to be an efficiency gain. ### **The True Culprit: The IT Load** To achieve substantial energy efficiency gains, we must turn our attention to the heart of the matter – the IT load hosted within data centres. It’s no secret that low server utilisation, overprovisioning of capacity, outdated servers, and energy-inefficient applications are common challenges in data centres and yet they can make PUE numbers look better. Removing these issues and consuming less energy can make PUE look worse. Instead of chasing increasingly elusive improvements in PUE, we should prioritise reducing energy consumption at the IT level, which will naturally lead to a proportional reduction in building overhead (PUE). ### **Consistency and Recognition** One of the glaring issues with PUE lies in its inconsistent measurement and reporting practices. Many references to PUE lack awareness that it should be calculated and reported using standardised KPIs from the International Standards Organisation (ISO), specifically ISO/IEC 30134-2, which among other things requires PUE to be an annualised average, not a point in time taken during the coldest part of the year. Anything else is simply not true PUE and design PUE, Partial PUE or point measurements should not be used to represent true PUE. Interestingly, this same standards series includes metrics for Water Usage (WUE), Carbon Usage (CUE), Energy Re-use (ERF), and Renewable Energy Use (REF) – untapped opportunities for benchmarking and standardised reporting that the sector has been slow to recognise and utilise. ### **Embracing the Real Opportunities** Let’s veer away from the PUE fixation and embrace the real opportunities for energy efficiency within any data centre. By focusing on the IT stack rather than solely blaming the building, we can unlock the true potential for reducing energy consumption and improving environmental sustainability. ### **Conclusion** It’s time to re-evaluate our approach to data centre efficiency. PUE might have been a stepping-stone, but we must recognise its limitations and shift our focus towards the IT load as the primary driver of energy consumption. By acknowledging the importance of standardised measurements and exploring untapped metrics, we can navigate the path to a far more sustainable and energy-efficient future. **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation **Tags:** Energy Efficiency, PUE --- ### [Data Centre Maintenance, According to ChatGPT!](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-maintenance-explained/) **Published:** February 24, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** ![Gettyimages 1354126692 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1354126692-1024x568.webp "Gettyimages1354126692 | futuretech")With all the current buzz about ChatGPT, the team at Future-tech thought it would be interesting to see what it made of [data centre maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/), an area of significant focus for us. We therefore asked the model 2 questions highlighted below. The answers that came back were interesting, in both the topics they highlighted and the suggestions they offered. Nothing new or ground-breaking, unfortunately, but nonetheless fascinating in what was picked up and included, particularly in response to the second question. **Question 1: ‘Explain data centre maintenance’** **ChatGPT Answer:** Data centre maintenance refers to the various activities performed to ensure that a data centre is running efficiently, reliably, and securely. It involves several tasks aimed at maintaining, repairing, and upgrading the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that make up the data center. Some common maintenance activities include: 1. **[Preventive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/)**: This involves regularly scheduled inspections, cleaning, and maintenance of the data center equipment and infrastructure. This is to ensure that everything is in good working order, and to prevent potential problems. 2. **Software Upgrades**: Keeping the data centres’ software up to date is critical for security, performance, and compatibility with other systems. Regular software upgrades help to ensure the data centre is running the latest versions of operating systems, applications, and security software. 3. **Hardware Maintenance**: This entails cleaning, repairing, and replacing parts of the data centre equipment such as servers, storage devices, and network components. It also includes ensuring that backup power systems, such as generators and UPS units, are working properly. 4. **Network Maintenance**: Network maintenance includes monitoring and troubleshooting the data centres’ network infrastructure, including switches, routers, and cabling. Maintenance may also involve upgrading or reconfiguring the network to meet changing demands. 5. **Physical Security**: Ensuring the physical security of the data centre is critical to prevent unauthorised access, theft, or damage to equipment. Regular maintenance activities may include checking and repairing locks, cameras, and access controls systems. These activities help to ensure the smooth operation of the data center and prevent downtime or other issues that can negatively impact the availability and performance of the systems and services it supports. **Question 2: ‘How can we improve data centre maintenance?’** **ChatGPT Answer:** Improving data centre maintenance involves making changes to the processes, tools, and techniques used to maintain the data centre. Here are a few ways to improve data centre maintenance: 1. **Automation**: Automating routine maintenance tasks, such as software updates and backups, can reduce the chance of human error and increase efficiency. Automation tools can also help identify potential issues before they become serious problems, leading to faster resolution times. 2. **Standardisation**: Implementing standardised procedures for maintenance activities can ensure that all tasks are completed consistently and to a high standard. This can also help to reduce the chance of human error and increase efficiency. 3. **[Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/)**: Implementing comprehensive monitoring and logging systems can provide real-time visibility into the performance and health of data centre systems. This can help identify potential issues before they become serious problems, leading to faster resolution times. 4. **Training**: Providing ongoing training and education for data centre personnel can help ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to perform maintenance tasks effectively. This can also help to reduce the chance of human error. 5. **[Partnering with Experts](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/)**: Partnering with experienced data centre maintenance providers can help ensure that the data centre is maintained to the highest standards. These providers can provide additional resources, expertise, and best practices that can help improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the data centre. By implementing these and other best practices, organisations can improve the overall efficiency and reliability of their data centres and reduce the risk of downtime or other issues that can negatively impact their operations. **The Future-tech Perspective:** We felt that ChatGPT’s responses to the second question were surprisingly insightful. Putting automation at the top of the list is probably a function of the ChatGPT algorithms and the amount of attention that is being placed on this area at the moment. Our view is that we have some way to go in terms of automation in many areas of maintenance, particularly on the Mechanical and Electrical infrastructure side, but it is nevertheless clear that this area is developing rapidly. On the remaining items, I think we would all agree about the importance of using standards and standardised approaches, as well as effective monitoring and well-informed responses to alerts. Training is definitely of paramount importance also when it comes to reliable data centre operations, preventative maintenance, and of course we are going to wholeheartedly agree with the final point of Partnering with Experts! On this point, the entire team at Future-tech is in total agreement with ChatGPT that partnering with experts is key to success in this area, and is exactly where we feel we have an edge over others. We only work on data centres and nothing else, so feel that our expertise in this area is unparalleled. [Contact us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) today to find out more. **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [Top Mistakes When It Comes To Data Centre Maintenance Pt 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/top-mistakes-when-it-comes-to-data-centre-maintenance-pt-2/) **Published:** June 16, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** Following the first set of common mistakes I highlighted in Part 1 when it comes to data centre maintenance, here are some additional top mistakes I have seen over the last decade when it comes to Data Centre Maintenance and Management, and how they can be addressed with industry best practices: **Asset Sweating** Most data centre equipment has a life cycle of 10 – 15 years from the date of installation. UPS systems, fans and capacitors are areas where this differs, with batteries lasting 5 – 7 years depending on how well they are looked after. With that in mind, why would you continue to run a data centre on equipment that is 12 or more years old? The simple answer is that if spare parts are available, units should be able to perform if there has been and remains a good Planned Preventative Maintenance schedule in place. This is based on the individual piece of kit, the operating environment and how well it has been maintained. Equipment will show you signs that it needs replacing when lots of smaller components begin to fail, or one piece of equipment has more repairs on it than another. This equipment has probably run harder than the others and will ultimately fail again, which is a good indication that the unit is past the end of its reliable operating life. If equipment lifecycle changes have been budgeted, the kit will last 10 years if a proper PPM schedule is in place. If you do decide to sweat the assets, just be understanding that lots of small issues on a unit will build up to a larger critical failure – lots of small repair bills do add up. Be aware that parts are not always available. Most OEM suppliers do continue to run parts after a unit is discontinued, but this is not indefinite. When the objective is to ensure uptime and availability of a business’s critical data centre, a proper PPM provider like Future-tech will have that difficult conversation with you when it comes to throwing good money after bad – I’ve had it many a time. The provider will also make sure that appropriate lifecycle budgets are in place so that lack of budget does not become an issue for the replacement of problematic systems. **Price** A customer once said to me ‘Nobody in the business will care about the money I saved if the data centre goes down’ – it is a quote I will never forget. When it comes to data centre failures, a lot of issues arise when something that has been highlighted as a potential problem, and even quoted for repair, has been deemed ‘too expensive’. I am not being dismissive of people’s spending or budgeting, but you wouldn’t buy a car if you had no money to put petrol in it would you? If the data centre supports your business-critical operations – see where I’m going with this analogy now – then you need to ensure you have money for its repairs, operating costs and general maintenance to ensure a smooth, reliable and continuous operation. When you buy new data centre equipment it will come with a warranty which, and in most cases will cover parts and labour from the OEM. The minute you don’t keep up with the Planned Preventative Maintenance schedule this warranty is null and void. So, the end user will budget for new equipment, budget for Planned Preventative Maintenance but then not budget for repair bills? When you put it in black and white it makes no sense at all but believe me, it happens on a routine basis and has been the root cause of many very public data centre failures over the years. How much should I budget for I hear you cry? Well, that is the easy part – have a look or ask your PPM provider to tell you how much you spent the previous year on emergency callouts and equipment repairs, and that will give you a good starting point. You are going to renew the PPM contract, so why not allocate a budget to the smooth operation of the data centre as well? It really is as easy as that. **Human error** More than 70% of data centre outages are caused by human error and not by fault of infrastructure design. Furthermore, “mistakes” that lead to an outage can often be traced to poor decision-making by senior management and institutional failure, rather than simply errors by individuals… Let that sink in. I often find myself in meetings with people who do not design, do not build and do not maintain data centres as a full-time job with many years of experience, and yet I am frequently told how it is! As someone who’s often the expert in the room, who in any given year could have been in 116 data centres (Yes, that is how many Future-tech look after), have built three or four new data centres or reviewing a design for a 324MW campus, I say trust the true experts! So, what has this all taught me? **Robust processes and documentation** Data centres should have an established and well-documented site-specific operational process, control methodologies and procedures. While this creates a standardised approach to operations, every operational procedure carried out in the data centre should be completed in accordance with the appropriate documented, validated, and well-practised procedure in line with specific RAMS. Creating, documenting, and maintaining these processes properly can consume a lot of time and resources, which is why Future-tech does this as standard for all our data centre clients. The benefits are a dramatic reduction in the risk associated with human error. **Staff training** Mandatory data centre-specific employee training is standard for all Future-tech Data Centre Engineers and goes a long way towards helping to eradicate human error. This ensures our engineers are data centre risk management and maintenance experts, which is imperative when it comes to an emergency callout to a data centre. In an emergency, it takes a calm and well-trained expert to identify the root cause of a problem and take the correct action. Alternatively, send a plumber and hope for the best. **Inspections** Regular manual inspections are vital for continued operational reliability. Monitoring systems are not always accurate, so Future-tech data centre engineers take time to physically walk through and inspect all M&E systems in each data centre facility. An AC engineer will only look at the mechanical cooling, a UPS engineer will only look at the UPS, bypass, and batteries. A data centre engineer will conduct a documented inspection of all systems, data centre environment and operation conditions in one holistic view. This will help the end user to identify and manage easily correctable issues on a proactive basis and prevent larger-scale problems. **Physical security** It is important to limit data centre access to authorised personnel only. This helps reduce employee contact and conditions where human error can take effect without impacting the mission-critical functions of the rest of the organisation. Those without training and experience should never be allowed into a data centre unless escorted and properly supervised. This also reduces the risks of malicious damage or security breaches resulting from the ability to physically connect to systems behind protective firewalls. **Keep it clean and tidy** Data centres have sometimes been referred to as ‘clean rooms’ with the objective of being hermetically sealed and fireproof. So why leave a cardboard box, cable clippings, plastic wrap from server boxes, wooden pallets, polystyrene, and COFFEE CUPS in the data centre? Even small data centres can cost hundreds of thousands to build and will contain double or treble that amount of IT equipment. It is good practice not to have desks chairs and people regularly resident in the data centre spaces. Allowing this invites the storage of flammable materials, a build-up of dirt and rubbish and the greatest sin of all, bringing liquids into an environment with sensitive electronic equipment and high-power circuits. These are just a few small things that can help to reduce costly issues with your data centre. I’ll leave you with a final example. A new build data centre was being populated with new IT equipment, and an unknown member of staff did not put the fire system manual into practice when bringing in a large pallet of IT equipment. While unpacking the IT equipment, particulates were released into the data centre and the fire system went into alarm. Instead of pressing the fire hold-off button, the staff member chose to leg it either out of ignorance or fear. The gas inevitably discharged and a £20k bill was presented to the client to replace the discharged gas. This incident could’ve been avoided if it wasn’t for human error based on a lack of awareness and suitable training. …. Richard Stacey is the Director of Operational Infrastructure at Future-tech, an accredited Uptime AOS Specialist who’s been working in data centres for over 10 years. **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [EU Taxonomy and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eu-taxonomy-and-corporate-sustainability-reporting-directive-csrd/) **Published:** March 28, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The EU Taxonomy establishes the European Commission sustainability reporting requirements for a number of industry sectors including the data centre sector. To do this, it references the European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency (EU Code of Conduct), maintained and published by the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) as well as TR 50600-99-1, which is part of the European EN50600 series of data centre standards and broadly replicates the Best Practices detailed in the EU Code of Conduct, in a standards-based format. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will therefore use elements of the EU Code of Conduct for reporting and compliance purposes, with a plan to include 3rd party auditing and verification of reporting accuracy. In order to achieve this the European Commission requested that a drafting group and steering committee create an auditable framework based on the 2022 version of the EU Code of Conduct. This document was published during early 2023 and can be freely downloaded from the EU JRC website at: The 2023 version of the EU Code of Conduct was published in February 2023 and is now freely available at: The current status is that CSRD was approved by the European Parliament on 10/11/2022 and ratified on 28/11/2022. The reporting standards are currently due to be published during June 2023 with reporting to commence in 2024 for the previous 12-month period. The Assessment Framework based on the EU Code of Conduct in relation to Activity 8.1 in the Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act was published in mid-March 2023 and is freely available at: Non-EU companies with substantial activity in the EU, and turnover greater than €150 million, will also have to comply, as well as all EU-based companies. There is currently no plan by the Commission to audit submissions, but those failing to do so will struggle to access Sustainable Investment from European Investors. Although the Commission will not be auditing submissions, it has been suggested that all reporting will be required to be audited by qualified 3rd party auditors. More details can be found at the following links: [https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/tools-and-standards/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities\_en](https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/tools-and-standards/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities_en) [https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting\_en](https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en) CSRD is a more rigorous improvement on the existing Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), and bases its reporting requirements on the EU Taxonomy and applies to the following organisations: - Companies already subject to the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) and those that fall within the additional requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). - Financial Market Participants subject to Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), including pension providers, offering financial products in the EU marketed as environmentally sustainable. ### **ISO/IEC 30134 Series of Standardised KPIs** It is becoming increasingly important to understand the published ISO/IEC Standardised data centre metrics as these will underpin the coming reporting requirements required by the European Commission, for compliance with Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) coming during 2023, and potentially the revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). ISO works alongside International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), in the development of emerging international data centre standards, and ISO/IEC JCT1 SC39 WG1 is the body responsible for the development of the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standardised data centre resource efficiency KPIs (Including PUE). It is important to differentiate between standards that support data centre design and those that may be used to improve their operation. The ISO/IEC 30134 series of standards are aimed at improvements in operational performance and sustainability rather than engineering design. Elements of this standards series are also mirrored (reproduced) within the European EN50600 series of data centre standards. The full list of standards in this series are listed below with publication dates included: **International Standard ISO/IEC 30134 Information technology — Data centres — Key performance indicators** **ISO/IEC 30134-1:2018** Part 1: Overview and general requirements **ISO/IEC 30134-2:2018** Part 2: Power usage effectiveness (PUE) **ISO/IEC 30134-3:2018** Part 3: Renewable energy factor (REF) **ISO/IEC 30134-4:2017** Part 4: IT Equipment Energy Efficiency for servers (ITEEsv) **ISO/IEC 30134-5:2017** Part 5: IT Equipment Utilization for servers (ITEUsv) **ISO/IEC 30134-6:2021** Part 6: Energy Reuse Factor (ERF) **ISO/IEC 30134-7** Part 7: Cooling Efficiency Ratio (CER) **ISO/IEC 30134-8:2022** Part 8: Carbon Usage Effectiveness (CUE) **ISO/IEC 30134-9:2022** Part 9: Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) ### Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) – Update The Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) is currently being updated with stakeholder meetings starting in late 2022 and continuing early in 2023. It has been suggested that the updates will potentially require the creation of National databases listing all data centres greater than 500kW. It will also require reporting against the criteria established in the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standardised KPIs and are likely to include kW/h, WUE and ERF as a minimum. The updated document should be completed during 2023 for publication in 2024. --- Mark Acton, the author of this article, is invited to the EED stakeholder meetings, an editor of the [EU Code of Conduct](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/european-code-of-conduct-for-data-centre-energy-efficiency-best-practices-2023/), and participated in the steering committee responsible for the creation of the Assessment Framework for CSRD in the context of Activity 8.1 in the Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [The Importance of Data Centre Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-importance-of-data-centre-maintenance/) **Published:** April 20, 2023 **Author:** Richard Stacey **Content:** One of the biggest areas of contention when it comes to data centres, is ‘who looks after it?’ – is it Estates, the IT department, or somebody else entirely? In reality, this doesn’t matter; what does matter is that maintenance is done properly and that a Data Centre Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule is created to ensure operational uptime and efficiency is optimised throughout the life of the data centre. My good friend Scott Roots from Uptime Institute helped me with some interesting data, that emphasises the importance of Planned Preventative Maintenance in data centres: ![Importance of data centre maintenance picture1 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Importance-of-data-centre-maintenance-Picture1.png "Importanceofdatacentremaintenancepicture1 | futuretech")Poor, or no, data centre maintenance is one of the main causes of unplanned downtime for businesses. If a business cannot operate for an extended time, the financial impact of a data centre outage on a business is somewhere between £100,000 to £1 million, in both direct and indirect costs. It is estimated around 45% of data centre failures could have been avoided if Planned Preventative Maintenance had been implemented. ![Importance of data centre maintenance picture2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Importance-of-data-centre-maintenance-Picture2.png "Importanceofdatacentremaintenancepicture2 | futuretech")Regular data centre maintenance is an essential part of data centre operations. When deploying a data centre, ongoing care should be as essential as the deployment, and not an afterthought once constructed. Even if you have a legacy data centre, you should still implement Planned Preventative Maintenance to ensure an older facility still operates as originally designed. In fact, the older a data centre becomes, the more important the maintenance becomes as critical equipment ages and approaches the end of reliable life. In short, a well-planned and proactive data centre maintenance schedule is essential to keep any data centre operating efficiently and effectively. ### **What are the benefits of Planned Preventative Maintenance?** These are listed below: 1. PPM will ensure any new equipment maintains its warranty status. 2. Prevent small problems from escalating into larger issues or outages. 3. Maximised equipment lifecycle and reliability and make the best possible use of the capital deployed. 4. Improve energy efficiency and operating expenditure. 5. Ensure that the data centre continues to operate as originally designed. 6. Keep up to date with the latest software and firmware updates, systems technology, and emerging data centre best practices. 7. Better sleep at night. While I joke about better sleep at night, Future-tech maintains over 100 data centres across England, Ireland, and Scotland, with the purpose of ensuring our client’s data centres operate at peak performance according to their original design parameters. A Data Centre is a complex thing and is generally built to provide reliability and resilience for business operations, so it is essential that it operates correctly in order to properly support business-critical services. Do you have the experienced electrical and mechanical engineers required to run a data centre, and do you want to directly take on the business risk of managing a data centre without the correct skills and experience? The purpose of Planned Preventative Maintenance is to catch small problems early and avoid them escalating into much bigger ones; while ensuring that if an issue does occur it is resolved quickly, efficiently and by Data Centre qualified engineers. If you are not already doing this, [contact Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/); we will help you find a suitable solution to ensure that you do not suffer unexpected downtime in your data centre. **Next in the series ( next week / Month / Year ): Equipment-Specific Maintenance** **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [EUROPEAN CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DATA CENTRE ENERGY EFFICIENCY BEST PRACTICES - 2023](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/european-code-of-conduct-for-data-centre-energy-efficiency-best-practices-2023/) **Published:** March 8, 2023 **Author:** Mark Acton **Content:** The latest (2023) version of the European Commission-backed European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency is now published and free to download at: The EU Code of Conduct is a free-to-download set of best practice recommendations endorsed and published by the European Commission, that are proven to reduce data centre power consumption if applied correctly. These recommendations are now referenced in the EU Taxonomy and form the basis of the European Commission’s non-financial Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) reporting requirements for data centres in Europe. Future-tech has contributed to the development of this document since 2008 and continues to be actively involved in the annual updates, with an active leadership role on the Best Practice Committee and the EU Taxonomy reporting framework. For more information on the EU Code of Conduct, EU Taxonomy, or CSRD implications for the data centre sector, please contact us directly. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Data Centres Africa part one: Digital development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-one-digital-development/) **Published:** November 24, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The first of a two part series on the African data centre market looks at how digital development is driving demand for new capacity across the continent. The majority of the 54 nations that make up the Africa continent have historically been stymied when it comes the development of, and use, of IT. Poverty, political corruption, conflict, and lack of infrastructure have all contributed to low levels of IT penetration. A lot of these factors continue to hold the region back. According to the Intentional Telecommunications Union (ITU) Measuring the Information Society report 2016, the average level of ICT development across Africa was half that of the global average. However there have been considerable advances over the last 20 years and clear indications of a growing level of technological sophistication across the continent. A lot has been made of innovations in mobile technology and other aspects of Africa’s technological development are now catching up. For example, Africa-based telecoms company Liquid Telecom has built out more than 50,000km of fibre across the region stretching from Uganda to Cape Town. According to Disrupt Africa tech start-ups raised funding in excess of US$129 million in 2016, with the number of start-ups securing funding up by 16.8 per cent compared to the previous year. There is also expected to be significant growth around ecommerce and other forms of digital business. For example, the e-commerce sector in Nigeria is expected to grow to more than US$10 billion over the next ten years. That digital growth is translating into growing demand for new data centre capacity including commercial colocation and even some cloud facilities. Being able to meet that demand still means overcoming some historical hurdles. And this may be partly achieved by employing new technologies and techniques, including prefabricated modular (PFM) – for data centre design, construction and operation. **(These will be examined in more detail in part two of this series)** **Regional analysis** Any analysis of economic or technical development in Africa is complicated to some degree by how best to describe its different regions. The term Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), as with a lot of descriptions of the continent, comes with a certain amount of colonial baggage. Lumping together all of the countries below the Sahara under the term SSA may be an artificial delineation but it’s still used in some market analysis. For example, according to industry analyst Ovum, the data centre services market in SSA will be worth more than $900m by 2020. **Growing demand** A less controversial way to dissect the continent is just to divide it into North, South, East and West Africa as an increasing number of organizations now opt to do. However you decide to categorize the region, it appears that there is latent demand for new data centre capacity across the continent. A 2016 report from research company Xalam Analytics entitled ‘The African Data Center Rises: Colocation Demand, Supply, Forecasts & Business Models’ states that there is growing demand for data centre colocation services. “Recent data centre expansion in Africa has been strong and has come in spurts. Data centre colocation white space is now 2.5 times larger than 2010 levels, with the incremental upticks coming in 2012, and most particularly 2014 as new data centres became operational in the continent’s largest markets, South Africa and Nigeria,” the report states. Research organization BroadGroup has also analysed the commercial data centre market in 16 African countries and estimates that there are around 74 colocation providers operating more than 90 data centre facilities. The researcher argues that although change has been slow, there are signs that growth is quickening, and new data centre operators are discovering innovative solutions to provide services for their customers. It seems that the current supply of data centres is not sufficient to meet the expected demand, according to Xalam Analytics. But demand is also not linear, and there are periods where supply temporarily exceeds demand in some locations. Some of the demand is from hyperscale and cloud service providers that may have self-built huge amounts of capacity in the US, Western Europe and Asia but have been reluctant, for a variety of reasons, to follow the same model in Africa. Microsoft however is planning two facilities in 2018 to support its Azure cloud services in South Africa. Data centre capacity is also not evenly distributed across the continent. South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya represent around 95% of available colocation white space in SSA, according to Xalam Analytics. The group also estimates that Africa’s large-scale colocation data centres currently only touch approximately 30% of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). **Obstacles and opportunities** As touched on already, there are a number of historical as well as more recent factors that have slowed technological development, and specifically data centre build outs, across the region to date. These include: **Grid stability.** The grid in many African states is notoriously unstable and fragmented. According to International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates more than 600 million people in Africa aren’t connected to their national grids. That instability requires operators to invest in resiliency, and on-site generation, to an even greater degree than other regions driving up capital costs. But as BroadGroup points out, there is a potential upside as grid instability could essentially force some enterprise users into colocation rather than invest the considerable capital required for self-build with the required back-up generation. **Lack of infrastructure.** The lack of other infrastructure such as paved roads in some African countries, especially in rural areas, also contributes to a lack of technological develop and makes accessing and servicing data centres outside of large cities more challenging. **Latency/connectivity**. Energy grid instability might be considered one of the main inhibitors to bringing on new data centre capacity. However, according to Xalam, network connectivity is a big issue, especially for colocation providers. The cost and availability of fibre connectivity is a significant issue in countries such as Nigeria and Tanzania, according to the researchers. However there are also a number of reasons to be optimistic about future growth in data centre demand across the continent: **Untapped markets.** One of the most positive aspects of the African data centre sector is that it is a relatively untapped market with plenty of opportunity for new and innovative players. For example, operators such as edge data centre specialist Etix Everywhere are building out capacity in a number of sites across the region. **Lack of legacy tech**. As PWC puts it in its Disrupting Africa report: “One of the great advantages Africa has over other continents in riding the disruptive wave is that there’s far less legacy to get in the way than in other regions, creating a clean sheet on which companies can develop their own distinctive business models.’ **Resource rich**. According to BroadGroup although grid stability is an issue some African countries actually have a power surplus that they are exporting. **New technologies**. Investment in on-site generation technology such as solar panels and fuel cells as well as energy storage technologies could help operators overcome some of Africa’s grid issues. Similarly, with the right investment 5G could also provide some answers to connectivity shortfalls. **Future direction.** Despite a range of obstacles and impediments, demand for new data centre capacity across the African continent appears to be inevitable. Cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Nairobi are likely to see new capacity as well as emerging locations such as Accra, Dar es Salaam, Ibadan and Port Harcourt. Research group Xalam expects somewhere between 10,000 to 20,000 square meters of new colocation space to be brought onto the market over the next five years. If shell-only, non-equipped space is also included the amount of new capacity could be considerable higher. However, building out new facilities in some Africa countries presents specific challenges that will be met by new technologies and construction methods. These will be explored further in part two of this report series. **To read part two of Data Centres Africa click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-two-efficiency-and-resiliency/).** **Future-tech has helped clients with data centre projects at variety of stages including feasibility and design to supply chain management and construction in markets across the African and APAC regions. For more information contact us at: **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Micro Data Centre Construction Project: Week 3](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/micro-data-centre-construction-project-week-3/) **Published:** January 1, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Welcome to the third installment of my blog giving you a behind the scenes look at what it is like to work with Future-tech. Happy 2013 everyone, I hope you all had a good break over Christmas and are looking forward to the coming year. The following article is in reference to my last visit to site before Christmas, I had planned to have this out during the first week of January, however this year started incredibly well and this is the first opportunity I have had to sit down and work on something other than live projects and enquiries. Not the gentle ease in to 2013 I was expecting but a brilliant start none the less. When I last visited site the installation had really moved on from the empty 1hr Fire Rated Modular Room we had constructed a couple of weeks before. All of the major components were delivered and positioned however the space was still a construction site in every sense. As a little re-cap, here is a list of what was in position at that point: - Composite modular shell - Raised access flooring - 3 x Stulz AHU - 2 x Borri UPS - 6 x APC NetShelter Cabinets - Power distribution boards - Custom made fire riser - Fire suppression pipework - And lots and lots of wiring Since then the following have been installed: - 1hr fire rated split 80-20% doors - Cabinet up stands and aisle containment - Ceiling tiles and grid creating a return air plenum - Fire suppression bottles - Air handling unit up stands completing the closed air circuit - Finishes and the completed fire riser The biggest change was that the facility now looked less like a construction site and more like a clean technical white space. The next stage in the process was the commissioning and testing of the Air Handling Plant. Normally at this stage we are very close to completion and hand over, however just before the break Perenco IT required a change in specification and design. Due to requirements from Paris an additional two cabinets were needed on site before any migration could take place. This can happen with projects as the timelines involved are often quite long, generally around 12 months from initial conception to completion on a data centre of this size. The fact is things change within organisations and as the IT department supports the whole business, changes can affect requirements and capacities. Sometimes I hear people say this is why it is impossible to design flexible facilities that can deal with these kinds of changes however this is not the case. By engaging early with Future-tech, Perenco staff were able to discuss the potential changes on the horizon and the potential requirement for more capacity. With this in mind we designed the facility around the final day requirement but built it in line with the day one needs. This reduced the initial capital outlay for Perenco but meant if any further capacity was required it could be accommodated without interrupting the data centre’s live services. It just so happens this requirement was realised before construction was even finished. Although this is a micro facility and phasing is quite simple, this approach can and should be adopted on all facilities no matter what their size. Starting at the final day point and working back in phases is a design philosophy that we have applied with data centres as large as 800 cabinets. As I say, with good planning this is how everyone should approach their data centre design and build projects. Most clients are set with a budget when approaching a project of this nature. It is no secret that when we were invited to bid on the new data centre Future-tech was up against an incumbent builder who had offered a significantly cheaper, albeit lower specification, [data centre solution](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/what-we-do/data-centre-solutions "data centre solutions"). So why didn’t Perenco go with that solution? In this instance Perenco was more interested in the resilience, energy efficiency and phased flexibility of the facility rather than the initial bottom line. Perenco wanted a solution that complied with its specification as a minimum rather than maximum and they wanted to work with a company that could provide the correct expertise at the design and implementation stages, as this resulted in a lower total life cost. This is a perfect example of why picking the cheapest solutions is not necessarily the best financial decision in the long run. It’s too often people lose sight of what a data centre is all about and many good ideas and designs are missed due to initial capital cost being the biggest decision making factor. Sometimes as little as 1 or 2% and a project or solution is dismissed, even when this can deliver greater resilience or savings over the life of a facility. It’s food for thought when your next data centre project comes around, that maybe it’s worth a little extra time to hear why one solution is a little more expensive than another. It could save you a lot more in the long run. My final installment should, time permitting, follow next week as I am visiting the site on Thursday the 24th. Due to the additional cabinets the final full load testing and commissioning will be carried out then and Perenco will take ownership of their facility. If you have any questions surrounding the design and construction of data centres or would like a consultation on your data centre feel free to contact me at **Categories:** Case Studies, Engineering --- ### [30 Years of Data Centre Design and Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/30-years-of-data-centre-design-and-construction/) **Published:** February 11, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** With 2012 done and dusted and 2013 moving along at a lightening pace it occurs to me that Future-tech has been designing and building IT facilities for 30 years now. It is with this in mind I feel it would be a good time to look back at what’s changed (and what hasn’t) since 1982. Future-tech’s earliest projects came from providing the close controlled environments required by mainframe computers built by the likes of Concurrent Computer Corporation (then part of Perkin Elmer). Most hardware was free-standing with only the telecoms equipment installed into racks. When cabinets were first introduced they exhausted warm air out through the top and were placed in rows all facing the same way, known to many as “row of soldiers”. Conditioned air was supplied through a ventilated ceiling and extracted through the floor with the whole room kept at a constant 20°C and 50% relative humidity. Tolerances were very tight, sometimes as close as +/- 0.25°C on temperature and +/- 2.5% on R.H. As “servers” became the norm, discharging hot air straight out the back, the hot air from one row of cabinets went straight into the intake of the row behind causing over-heating problems which led to the adoption of the “hot aisle” / “cold aisle” layout we recognise today. Power densities have grown and grown to the point where direct liquid cooling, originally developed in the ’60’s for “super-computers”, is now being considered for servers, although for most data centres the cooling medium through the IT equipment is still air. We still generally maintain the air supply to the equipment at around 20°C (the cold aisle temperature) but physically segregate the hot and cold aisles, allowing the hot aisle to be much warmer and greatly improving energy efficiency. Close control of humidity is also less of a requirement now that paper tape has long gone, the accepted window of operation is now 20-80% RH. On the power side UPS’s are much more compact and their energy efficiency, particularly at partial loads, has improved enormously. Batteries are still mainly of the lead-acid type and generators haven’t really changed that much. The biggest change is probably in data transmission speeds. In the ’80’s most data cabling, at least in the facilities we built, was copper, with fibre-optic technology still in its infancy. Today’s 100Gigabit Ethernet is 10,000 times faster than the 10BASE-T twisted pairs we used to install, allowing such essentials of modern life as video streaming and online gaming. 1982 was also the year that the first cellular telephone network licences were granted in the UK although it was 1985 by the time the first networks, Vodafone and BT Cellnet (now O2), went live. I was heavily involved in the roll-out of the Vodafone network and interestingly the cooling of the base stations was by fresh air free-cooling which is of course enjoying a revival of late. As a company Future-tech has grown steadily and over the last three decades we have worked on many hundreds of data centres, including sites in most European countries and a few further afield. We still concentrate on our core business, of building resilient, reliable and efficient ICT environments, and we still have a number of clients and staff members who have been with us since the ’80’s. So here’s to the next 30 years: I’ve noticed that whereas even the biggest facilities in the 80s were called “computer rooms” the terminology has changed and now they are all called “data centres”, but call them whatever you like, we’ll still build them and they are here to stay. Over the coming months we will be producing a number of blogs that look in more detail at how some elements and operations have changed and what impact that has had on the data centre industry. We’ll be covering the following: - UPS solutions and efficiencies - Humidity and temperature control – what’s changed and what are the benefits - The emergence of metrics such as PUE and WUE - Global networks, the internet and our dependency on data centres Writer bio: My name is Frank Wilman and I was one of the founders of Future-tech back in 1982. I worked on my first “data centre” in 1973 and have design and installed almost every cooling solution available over the years. My passion is mechanical cooling systems as they give us an opportunity to be truly innovative and continually push the boundaries of resilience and efficiency. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Future-tech's Knowledge Exchange](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-techs-knowledge-exchange/) **Published:** February 15, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** One of Future-tech’s guiding principles is to share knowledge and try to help empower the people it works with, whether that is staff, clients or contractors. We feel well informed people, who have gained knowledge from different sources, are better placed to make decisions regarding their data centres and the projects they work on. It is with this in mind that Future-tech held its first Knowledge Exchange in November last year. The purpose of this event was to provide a broad spectrum of industry related information within a non sales environment. Having been to many events myself, where manufactures and vendors are speaking, I am well aware that presentations can often become a sales pitch for the products or services the company represented offer. This was something we were totally committed to avoiding. Although Future-tech is principally a design, build and operation specialist there is much more to the data centre industry than just the power and cooling infrastructure that keep facilities operating. So we invited speakers from all aspects of the data centre industry to try and give a holistic offering of presentations and information. During the November event we had the following presentations: **Leeds University – Jon Summers** Jon’s presentation looked at the data centre industry from its conception, the introduction of the internet and why we, and rapidly the rest of the world, are dependent on both. **DWF Solicitors – Julie Simms** The presentation delivered by Julie highlighted some of the pit falls associated with building lease contracts and how these can affect a data centre’s certification and operation. Julie also provided a check list for legal, environmental and planning issues that can arise. **Reality Finance – Peter Howells** With organisations focussed on lowering CAPEX and utilising OPEX orientated financial models, leasing data centres and other IT equipment can be attractive. Peter talked about the benefits of this in terms of cash flow and some of the current tax breaks that make leasing a very attractive option. **The Siemon Company – Richard Fowler** Richard’s presentation covered data cabling, best practice and some of the benefits of different structured cabling methodologies. **Data Centre Alliance – Steve Hone** Steve’s presentation tackled standards such as BSI, ISO and EN, and how these will shape the facilities of the future. Steve also talked about getting graduates in to the data centre industry and the work the DCA is doing to help facilitate this. **Future-tech – James Wilman** My presentation focussed squarely on the different cooling solutions that currently sit in the market place. Rather than focussing on individual manufacturers the presentation looked at each of the heat rejection and air handling methods available and what their strengths and weaknesses are. **ARC:MC, Building Information Modelling (BIM) – Paul Fields** Paul’s presentation introduced BIM as a concept and how it benefits all forms of construction and facility operations. BIM is coming in to standard use for public sector projects from 2016 and much of the private sector is waking up to the benefits. The event itself was scheduled to last two and a half hours, however being our first, we did overrun. This was fundamentally down to having one too many speakers on the evening and not being strict enough with running times. Having learnt from this we will be limiting the next events to five speakers with 20 minutes slots, and these slots will be adhered to! Although a five minute question time is allowed for after each presentation, we also understand many delegates may prefer to speak with presenters one to one. This means a fundamental part of the Knowledge Exchange is an informal networking opportunity afterwards. The networking section of the event runs from close of the presentations at 1830 until around 2100. Future-tech provides a buffet and a few complementary drinks during this period. Our first Knowledge Exchange saw over 35 delegates attend from a huge variety of sectors including retail, property development, the NHS, Local Government, manufacturing and education to name a few. The next Knowledge Exchanges will be happening on the following dates: **Spring:** London – 24th of April Leeds – 30th of April **Summer:** Birmingham – June London – July **Autumn:** Edinburgh – October London – October Below are some of the topics speakers will be covering during 2013. The list below is neither exhaustive nor set in stone and we welcome suggestions from delegates and potential speakers. If there is something you’d like to learn more about or a subject you can speak about that is relevant to the data centre industry please email us at [info@future-](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk)[tech.co.uk](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) Due to positive feedback from November’s delegates some of the presentation above will also be repeated, however others will include: **Data centre performance metrics** – there are now many metrics in use in the data centre industry such as PUE, DCIE, WUE and CUE. This presentation will look at these and discuss some of the advantages, limitation and suitable applications for these. **Physical server and facility migrations** – whether it is an internal migration from one cabinet to another or an external migration between facilities, many organisations will have to move their physical servers at some point. This presentation looks at some of the key considerations and actions that can be taken to mitigate unnecessary risks. **ISO27000** – more and more data centre operators are looking to achieve this international data security standard. This presentation will look at some of the show stoppers and how your organisation can improve its chances of compliance. **EN50600** – is the new data centre design, build and operation standard currently under review. This presentation will look at the standard and introduce delegates to sections and compliance. **Accreditations** – there are a growing number of data centre accreditation such as the BCS CEEDA available to owner operators. This presentation will look at these and the benefits they can bring to facilities and organisations. **Uptime and Tier ratings** – there is much confusion in the industry around tier ratings and achieving desired levels of uptime. This presentation will look at how uptime and resilience is achieved and how owner operators can achieve a tier rating that is suitable for their business needs. **Hardware recycling** – when your organisation undergoes a hardware refresh what can you do with your old servers and storage? What do you need to consider in terms of data security and who has a use for your redundant systems? **Data centre design** – how a project is approached from the outset can have a huge impact on the speed, cost and success of delivery. This presentation shows how Future-tech approaches data centre design and build projects. For more information about Future-tech’s Knowledge Exchange events please contact us at . **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [What do Data Centres do for you?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-do-data-centres-do-for-you/) **Published:** February 27, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Over the past couple of years the words “data centre” have begun to be used in the general media. With events such as Super Storm Sandy’s flooding of some East Coast facilities and the mass adoption of Mobile Devices the general public has been introduced to the terminology, and given some idea of the purpose they serve. Despite this the vast majority of people I speak with, outside of the industry, have no idea what data centres are or how modern life is totally dependent on them. When speaking at business seminars I often find myself defining what a data centre is and how we are serviced by them. After a presentation at a recent event, I was taken aside by a Senior Executive of a technology and communications business who said he broadly understood what a data centre was but not the extent of our personal, and his business’s dependency on them. I do understand why this is the case though, like much of what happens in IT Departments most users/employees only see what happens on their desktop or mobile device. IT services are only thought about when things aren’t working properly. They function as an enabler and in some ways are hidden in plain sight. So for those of you that know what data centres are and what they do for us it’s your time to switch off and for the uninitiated welcome to a whistle stop guide to data centres and what they do for you. **WHAT IS A DATA CENTRE?** If you take the European Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency’s official definition a data centre is any facility that houses computing equipment that is supported by its own dedicated power and cooling infrastructure. Wikipedia says the following – A data center or computer centre (also Datacenter) is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems. It generally includes redundant or backup power supplies, redundant data communications connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression) and security devices. Businessdictionary.com – Computer facility designed for continuous use by several users, and well equipped with hardware, software, peripherals, power conditioning and backup, communication equipment, security systems, etc. All the definitions above describe the same type of installation. The thing to take from these is that none of them define a physical size or capacity. There is no minimum or maximum size for a data centre. Most of the talk in the general media, and within the data centre industry itself, is about the big projects; facilities the size of multiple football pitches and housing thousands of cabinets. However most data centres are considerably smaller than this and many organisations operate their own business critical facilities in-house. ****WHAT DO DATA CENTRES DO FOR US?**** Certainly here in Britain we are totally dependent on data centres. In fact modern “life” as we know it would cease if we were to switch them all off. Quite literally everything and anything you can think of will have a level of dependency, so here’s a few to get you started; all mobile technology, phones and tablets etc, all forms of electronic payments for your groceries, your wages, your direct debits, mortgage, rent, council tax etc, etc. All centralised transport systems, the Underground, air travel and trains. Your utilities, water, gas, broadband, etc. THE INTERNET and all that is does for us, such as banking, eBay, amazon, Facebook, Linkedin, Wikipedia, YouTube and the list goes on and on and on. The television and radio programs we watch and listen to. Absolutely anything associated with the “Cloud”. Any imported goods whether by sea or air. This is just a few but you get the idea. Just before Christmas I was speaking at a data centre conference in Africa and I wanted to explain how even countries with GPD’s predominantly based in agricultural production have a growing dependency on data centres, and to a degree are already tied in to the services they provide. In researching before the event I found out that Kenya, for example, is one of the world’s largest exporters of cut flowers and the industry employs a significant number of people. To ensure these products get to market fresh and vibrant they are air shipped to their destinations. This whole industry relies on data centres to both get the planes in the air and to complete all the financial transactions associated. The dependency deepens as mobile payment services are growing across the whole of the African continent incredibly quickly and many organisations now pay staff using their mobile phones, which rely on data centres to support this service. *Data centres use lots of electricity.* In short, yes they do. Compared with a normal office block or residential property data centres use vastly more electricity. The average household in the UK uses approximately 5000kWh of electricity over 12 months, in comparison a micro data centre with just 20 moderately loaded cabinets and a PUE of 1.4 uses 981,120kWh in the same time. A large facility housing 1000 moderately loaded cabinets with a good PUE of 1.2 uses 42,048,000kWh. This is the equivalent of 8,409 households. Although the numbers above are pretty big and there is no denying data centres, through their energy consumption, do produce a lot of CO2 let’s put the numbers in to perspective. The highest estimates for Northern Europe’s data centre energy consumption are around 65tWh, this produces around 32,500,000 tons of CO2 per year. In comparison the lowest estimates for CO2 produced by Europe’s air travel is 125,000,000 tons of CO2 per year. This means almost all the CO2 produced by all of Europe’s data centres could be “off set” by grounding 1 in 4 flights. Food for thought. **WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A DATA CENTRE?** This will depend on the owner operator’s motivators and drivers but as a generalisation the most import aspect of a data centre is its ability to stay “on”. This is usually referred to as uptime. Most facilities are designed to provide the highest level of availability or uptime they can, within certain constraints. The major constraint often being budget. Uptime is achieved by building resilience into systems. Resilience is achieved by building in redundancy. This means essentially having more elements such as pumps, chillers and other services than is required to operate the data centre. This means should one element fail there is enough capacity in the remaining functioning elements to maintain live services. Uptime is often represented with a percentage. Below are some examples; 99% = 87 hours of down time in a year 99.9% = 8 ¾ hours down time in a year 99.99% = 52 minutes down time in a year 99.999% = 5 ½ minutes down time in a year The resilience built in to a data centre is expressed with a Tier Rating. There are fundamentally two sets of Tier Ratings. One set by the TIA and the other by the Uptime institute. The TIA structure assesses the resilience of the whole facility from security and operation to power and cooling. The Uptime ratings are more focussed on, as the name suggests, uptime. We will be producing a blog in the next few weeks that looks at Tier specifications in more detail. **WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR DATA CENTRES?Â** Put simply data centres are here to stay. As we and the rest of the world become more dependent on technology, and in particular mobile technology, data centres will sit at the heart of everything we do. Cloud services will become the norm, with domestic users utilising public clouds to store photos, music, etc. Business users will continue to use a combination of in-house and 3rd party systems and solutions. The number of data centres will continue to rise, some of which will be very large, others very small and some in the middle. The fact is one size does not fit all. The perfect solution for one company or group of users will be totally wrong for another. Very small data centres can be just as energy efficient or inefficient as big facilities. It all comes down to how they are designed and operated. Future-tech has completed a true Tier 3 specification micro data centre that only houses 24 cabinets. This facility has an annualised Power Utilisation Effectiveness (PUE) ratio of 1.16 at full capacity and 1.3 at just 20% capacity. This is class leading energy efficiency no matter what size facility it is compared with. The thing I would like to see in the future is a focus on reusing the heat produced by the IT hardware and the use of renewable energy technologies to power data centres. Future-tech has designed and built three data centres that can reuse the heat they produce. We are also designing two separate facilities that aim to operate solely from a renewable power sources. With the decommissioning of power stations around the UK the Electricity Industry as a whole needs to find better more sustainable ways of keeping our lights on. If you’d like to learn more about data centre design, how to ensure energy efficiency and provide less carbon intensive IT services contact us at **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Micro Data Centre Construction Project: Final interview](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/micro-data-centre-construction-project-final-interview/) **Published:** April 11, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Welcome to the final installment of my blog giving you a behind the scenes look at what it is like to work with Future-tech. Firstly I apologize for the delay in producing the final installment of my blog. It has been a busy beginning to 2013 and the client, Jon at Perenco, has not only had a new Data Centre completed and populated but completed a full migration of systems, completed an office move and let the dust settle. Since my last installment the testing and commissioning has been completed, the room has been handed over and the client has migrated all systems to the new facility. The room has been operating as the primary Data Centre since February 2013. Jon has agreed to a short interview on what it was like to work with Future-tech and complete a major Data Centre design, build, population and migration project: **RS.** How long have you been with Perenco and in your own words what is your role at the company? **JC.** I am the IT manager for Perenco Holdings and I have been with the company for 10years now. **RS.** What is Perenco’s business? **JC.** Perenco is an independent oil & gas company with operations in 16 countries across the globe, ranging from Northern Europe to Africa and from South America to Southeast Asia. Perenco is involved in operations both onshore and offshore. **RS.** What were the reasons for Perenco needing a new Data Centre? **JC.** Perenco was in the process of moving offices so a new Data Centre was going to be part of that larger project. Aside from this our original Data Centre was due a refresh on the network side, this also naturally led to looking at the Data Centre hardware as well, and since the M&E is designed around the hardware it supports we found ourselves at a good point to review the whole system. Our legacy room was over 10years old so we were pleased to be engaging in an update of M&E systems **RS.** How did you hear about Future-tech and what made you contact us? **JC.** I found the Future-tech company website online. The website left a good impression and after looking through the case studies and accreditations I decided to make contact via the ‘contact’ link. **RS.** Why did you choose to use Future-tech? **JC.** I chose Future-tech due to a number of reasons; the initial meeting with James Wilman and Richard Stacey made a good first impression. This combined with a site visit to a Future-tech designed and built Data Centre made me feel very confident in the company’s abilities. The reason for choosing Future-tech was also based around my desire not to have the Data Centre built by a traditional building services contractor. I wanted to work with a company whose business focus was purely Data Centres and nothing else, a company who could lead the project and whose best interests were for the Data Centre. **RS.** How did Future-tech’s approach differ from others? **JC.** Future- Tech responded quickly and Richard’s level of professionalism was above the competition from the start. They focused purely on the Data Centre rather than the facility being viewed as a small part of a larger office fit out project being delivered by a building contractor. The company’s knowledge of different solutions and their suitability to the constraints experienced by my project was also impressive and reassuring. **RS.** How did the project go? **JC.** Extremely well. I couldn’t fault any of the work carried out by Future-tech, they were extremely responsive when the additional cabs were required mid project. The project was on time, on budget and even when the additional cabinets were required mid build the project did not deviate from program. After completion of the project Future-tech was still happy to come back to site and help with small requests. In my mind you have seen the project through to an absolute finish. **RS.** What did you learn from the project? **JC.** I would definitely use Future-tech again, there is no doubt in my mind. I would never approach a project of this nature and leave it with a traditional building services contractor, from now on I will always speak to Future-tech. Seeing the room completed compared to the original 10 year old room was quite an eye opener, there really is no comparison. Now Perenco has a brand new facility everything is labelled, all cabling is managed correctly, everything is diagrammed, everything is IP addressable and everything is monitored from the AHUs to the UPS and cabinet power supplies. The only monitoring we had in the legacy room was for high temperatures. **RS.** What would you do differently if you could do the project again? **JC.** I just would have liked to have started it earlier in order to get the comms links in quicker, that is no reflection on Future-tech, just planning and sign off our end. BT needed the room to be complete before they could install the new comms links. I also didn’t realise how many extras were available with the APC cabinets! So I would have liked to have looked into that a bit earlier in the process. **RS.** What’s your favourite part of your new Data Centre? **JC.** The neatness and the quality of the build, it’s all interlinked and all components are specifically chosen and located to carry out a purpose. It is a complete design and it’s been done to a high specification. Also the fact that we don’t actually have to go in there a lot is great. **RS.** If the opportunity arose would you work with Future-tech again and why? **JC.** Yes, definitely because of your professionalism and your knowledge. Future-tech’s balance between knowledge and genuinely caring is perfect, and goes from the top to the bottom of the business. The Project Manager, Jason, was excellent, I can tell Future-tech want things done right and the passion is obvious. The high quality of the staff there, really everyone I’ve met has been very professional, very knowledgeable, not wanting to cut any corners. I get the impression some others in the industry are prepared to cut corners to make their lives easier. Future-tech will do the right thing for the client and the Data Centre and will maintain the highest standards. **RS.** Do you have any advice for people beginning to plan their next Data Centre build? **JC.** It’s very important to start the process early because the comms links take the longest amount of time, the Data Centre needs to be ready before these can go in. Plan for growth, as mid way through the project we had to add cabs. Thankfully this was factored in as a possible from the beginning. We weren’t expecting to use them so soon but it was planned for and this saved time and money in the long run. I know not everyone can do it but invest in good kit, because it’s going to have to last, invest in a good Data Centre for the same reasons. No one in the business would care if I had managed to save £20k on the build if we lost the room. When planning and creating budgets you have to consider the impact to the business if you we’re to lose the Data Centre. If you can give a business 100% uptime, you can’t ask for any more than that. If you would like to visit this or any other Data Centre designed and built by Future-tech then please don’t hesitate to contact Richard Stacey at or on 08459 000 127. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Humidity in Data Centres – Part 1](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humidity-in-data-centres-part-1/) **Published:** April 15, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### Humidification – do we still need it? I’ve heard it said recently that, with the more relaxed guidelines for humidity now being adopted for data centres, humidification is no longer a necessity but is this really the case? It is true that ASHREA’s latest guidelines for data centres (2008/2011) allow much wider ranges for humidity than was previously the case, and that they do give scope for energy savings by reducing the amount of humidification required. The lower limit is now defined as a “recommended” minimum of 5.5°C dew point (DP) or an “allowable” minimum of 20% relative humidity (RH) where previously there was a recommended minimum of 40% RH. ### So just what do these terms mean and how do they affect data centres in the real world? “Humidity” is the amount of water vapour (moisture) in the air. Any given mass of air has a maximum amount of moisture it can hold which depends upon its temperature and pressure. For data centres the pressure is atmospheric pressure which changes very little for each location and so the amount of moisture the air can hold is for all practical purposes directly related to its temperature. For example, air at 21°C can hold a maximum of 0.0156kg of water vapour per kg of dry air: at this condition it is said to be “saturated” and it has an RH of 100%. If it contains only 0.0078kg of water vapour i.e. half of what it could hold then it has an RH of 50%. Air at 10°C can hold only 0.0076kg/kg of moisture so if the air at 21°C and 50% RH with its moisture content of 0.0078kg/kg is cooled to 10°C some of the moisture will start to condense out and this is said to be the “dew point” (DP). If the air is cooled further, to the recommended minimum DP of 5.5°C at which the maximum moisture content is 0.0056kg/kg, then even more moisture will condense out. If this air is then reheated to 21°C with no moisture added back it will now be at 36% RH (0.0056kg/kg actual divided by 0.0156 kg/kg maximum). So the ASHREA recommended minimum of 5.5°C DP is equal to 36% RH at 21°C. At different data centre temperatures the same 5.5°C DP will give different levels of RH, as follows: Air temperature °C RH to equal a 5.5°C DP 18 43% 19 40% 20 38% 21 36% 22 34% 23 32% 24 30% Alternatively we can use as our minimum the much easier to measure “allowable” figure of 20% RH. ### And how does this affect our data centre? In autumn, when the outside temperature starts to go to low single figures most of the moisture is condensed out and the RH is frequently at 100% with droplets of condensation in the air (i.e. fog). Once the air gets below freezing the amount of moisture it can hold is very low and at -10°C, which is usually taken as the minimum design ambient for the UK, it is just 0.0016kg/kg. When this air is brought into a data centre and warmed to 21°C then unless moisture is added the RH will be 10%, below even the “allowable” minimum of 20%. One way around this problem is to run the data centre cooler in winter which, because RH is dependent on temperature, means the RH will be higher. In fact air brought in at -10°C and 100%RH would have to be kept below 11°C if is not to fall below 20% RH and would therefore be below the allowable minimum temperature. Of course -10°C is very uncommon, (although it does occur) so it is perhaps better to look at the problem the other way around and say that if we keep to the ASHRAE allowable minimum temperature of 15°C then for how many hours a year will the RH drop below 20%? The answer for central England, based on Met Office records taken over 10 years, is an average of 40 hours a year. So the answer to whether you can do without humidification and still stay within ASHREA allowable guidelines is: not quite. You may of course take the view that only 40 hours per year is not enough to worry about and as long as this doesn’t give you any warranty or hardware support issues, and you are prepared to operate your data centre at 15°C for part of the year, this may be acceptable. In my view 15°C is pretty chilly if you have to work in it for any length of time and a better solution is to use energy efficient humidification, which will be the subject of Part 2. If you’d like more information about data centre humidification and how its management can improve your facilities energy efficiency contact us at Writer bio: My name is Frank Wilman and I was one of the founders of Future-tech back in 1982. I worked on my first “data centre” in 1973 and have design and installed almost every cooling solution available over the years. My passion is mechanical cooling systems as they give us an opportunity to be truly innovative and continually push the boundaries of resilience and efficiency **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Humidity in Data Centres – Part 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humidity-in-data-centres-part-2/) **Published:** April 18, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### Humidification – the cost effective way In Part 1 of this blog we looked at why, if we are going to stay within ASHRAE guidelines, we do need some means of adding moisture to the air in a data centre i.e. a humidifier. This is because in winter the outside air has a very low moisture content and when this warms up to data centre temperatures it will translate into a very low relative humidity (RH), as shown in the table below: Air temperature °C Dry Bulb / Wet Bulb (typical for central England) RH at 21°C (if no moisture is added) -10 / -10 10% -5 / -5 16% 0 / -2 16% 5 / 0 11% 10 / 6 25% In most data centres constructed over the last 30 years the means of adding moisture was with an electrode boiler type of humidifier (often referred to as “kettle” humidifiers). These are very effective but also consume a lot of power, so why did they become so ubiquitous? It was partly because electricity was (relatively) cheap, partly because unless you have direct fresh air free cooling the numbers involved are very small and partly because if you wanted to run your data centre at 21°C and 50% RH, which were typical design conditions for the time, you really didn’t have much choice. Before the advent of segregated hot and cold aisles the return temperature to the CRAC units was around about the same as that for the data centre space in general e.g. 21°C. The supply air temperature would have been around 10°C and to achieve this and the cooling coil temperature would have to be about 5°C. As we covered in Part 1, air at 21°C and 50% RH has Dew Point (DP) of 10°C so if you try to put the moisture in on the inlet side of the coil most of it will condense out again when it hits the cold surface. So you have to put the humidifier after the coil but here the air is at 10°C and virtually saturated. The only way to add more moisture is as vapour which means supplying energy to the water, i.e. boiling it, before it is introduced to the air (hence the “kettle”). Today, however, the situation is very different. With segregated hot and cold aisles we are likely to have a return temperature to the CRAC units of 30°C or more and a supply of 20°C or more. We are also now only trying to achieve 36% RH if we opt for the ASHRAE “recommended” envelope or 20% RH if we choose the lower “allowable” humidity limit. There is now sufficient energy in the air to do the evaporation for us and we no longer need to supply energy to the water in the form of electricity. Indeed using the air to do the evaporation has an added benefit in that this cools the air giving us a little bit of free cooling in the process (this is exactly the basis on which evaporative or adiabatic cooling works). ### **So how big a humidifier do you need and how much will you save?** This depends upon two factors, firstly, what RH do you want inside your data centre and secondly, how much fresh air are you bringing in? Although ASHRAE now allows for the RH to go down to 20% and although most hardware manufacturers are happy with this, it is, in my personal opinion, a bit low as a set point. I would suggest aiming for 30% RH with an alarm at 25% so as to remain comfortably within the allowable range. The amount of moisture to be added to bring air which was at -10°C and saturated (our worst case in the UK) up to 21°C and 30% RH is 0.003 kg/kg. This brings us to our second factor: how much fresh air are you bringing in? Unless you are using a direct fresh air free cooling system, which we will come to later, you will probably be bringing in a relatively small amount of fresh air. The amount of fresh air required under building regulations and CIBSE guidelines is based on the number of occupants but as most data centres are “lights out” they do not have an “occupancy” on which to base this. Typically the designer will have calculated perhaps 1 or 2 air changes an hour for fresh air. What this equates to in kg of air obviously depends on the volume of your particular data centre but very roughly if you multiply the floor area in m2 by 3 that will be equal to the kg per hour for 1 air change an hour. So if we have a 500m2 data centre with 2 air changes an hour that will be 1,000 kg per hour of fresh air. Therefore our 0.003kg/kg of moisture to be added requires a humidifier capable of delivering 1,000 x 0.003 =30kg per hour. The energy required to produce 30kg per hour of water vapour is 22kW and in a typical winter you can expect this to be running for about 500 hours so that’s 6,600kW hours per year. An evaporative humidifier, in contrast, uses heat from the air to do the evaporation and the power used is minimal, just a small pump consuming a few hundred watts. However as mentioned previously these numbers are small, if you are paying a typical 12pence per kW hour (including carbon tax) then that 6,600 kW hours is only costing you £792 p.a. so not worth worrying about. ### **What happens if you have direct fresh air free cooling?** Free cooling systems of all types have had a great resurgence in recent years and understandably so. If you have an indirect system, either air or water based, then there is no change to the humidification load. If however you are using direct fresh air then the situation is very different. Let’s say for example that our 500m2 data centre has an IT load of 500kW. To cool this using direct fresh air when the outside is -10°C (our best case for free cooling efficiency but our worst case for humidification) will require 12.5kg/sec (based on a hot aisle temperature of 30°C). The moisture required to bring this to our desired RH of 30% in the cold aisle is 135kg per hour. Using electrode boiler humidifiers this will use almost 100kW of power which is about 6 times what the fresh air supply fan is using to do the cooling! Your fantastically low PUE of 1.03\* has just become 1.23. \*this is an instantaneous PUE and is relevant ONLY for the comparison given The good news is that an evaporative humidifier can add the moisture you need using minimal power and at the same time cool the air thus reducing the fresh air volume required and further improving your PUE. The even better news is that if you are using evaporative (adiabatic) cooling you already have the equipment you need because an evaporative cooler is the same thing as an evaporative humidifier. The bad news is (you know there had to be some) is that in many evaporative cooling systems the evaporator is in the wrong place! To be able to humidify the evaporative element has to be in the tempered air i.e. after the recirculation duct, where the air is mixed before entering the data centre (see diagram). If you already have an adiabatic fresh air system, or are considering one, check to see where the evaporator is installed. As long as the evaporator is in the tempered air you can have the best of both world’s, evaporative cooling in the summer and evaporative humidification in winter. Take care though, direct evaporative cooling when applied to data centres can give rise to problems at the upper end of the humidify range. How to avoid these will be covered in Part 3 of this series of articles. Writer bio: My name is Frank Wilman and I was one of the founders of Future-tech back in 1982. I worked on my first “data centre” in 1973 and have design and installed almost every cooling solution available over the years. My passion is mechanical cooling systems as they give us an opportunity to be truly innovative and continually push the boundaries of resilience and efficiency. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Humidity in Data Centres – Part 3](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/humidity-in-data-centres-part-3/) **Published:** April 23, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ## De-humidification in data centres – why and how? Just as there are claims that the more relaxed ASHRAE guidelines for humidity mean humidification is no longer a necessity there are claims that de-humidification is also no longer essential, so let’s look at whether this is really the case. ASHREA’s latest guidelines for data centres (2008/2011) set an “allowable” upper level for humidity at 80% RH with a maximum dew point of 17°C. The recommended levels are 60% RH and 15°C dew point. As previously explained, “humidity” is the amount of water vapour (moisture) in the air and “relative humidity” (RH) is the amount of moisture in the air as a percentage of the maximum amount that the air could hold at the same temperature and pressure. For data centres the pressure is atmospheric pressure and the amount of moisture the air can hold is for all practical purposes directly related to its temperature. Excess humidity is a problem in summer because the warm outside air can hold high levels of moisture which, when the temperature is lowered in the data centre, result in excessive levels of relative humidity. For example, air at 27°C can hold a maximum of 0.0228kg of water vapour per kg of dry air: at this condition it is said to be “saturated” and it has an RH of 100%. If it contains only 0.0114kg of water vapour, i.e. half of what it could hold, it has an RH of 50%. This is a fairly typical RH in the UK when the temperature is at 27°C. When this air cooled to a cold aisle temperature of 22°C the RH will be 68% and the dew-point will be 16°C so we exceed our ASHRAE recommended limits but are within the allowable guidelines. However if the air had instead been at 27°C and 60% RH, then when cooled to 22°C it would be at 82% RH and 18.7°C dew point so would exceed both the recommended and allowable guidelines. Even if the air is not cooled, as for example with a direct fresh air cooling system, the dew point is over 17°C so it still does not meet ASHREA requirements. Such conditions do occur in the UK and in fact there are over 500 hours a year when de-humidification is required, even with latest more relaxed guidelines. The above analysis is based on there being no moisture added to the outside air. In highly populated spaces, e.g. offices, the moisture added by the occupants (from breathing and perspiration) can be significant and needs to be taken into account. In a data centre however the occupancy level is never going to be high enough to be an issue and so in most cases there will be no moisture added within the space and the only de-humidification load is due to outside air. Unless you have a direct fresh air cooling system then the amount of outside air coming into the data centre will be small, never-the-less some moisture will need to be removed or the RH will gradually creep up until it exceeds the allowable limits. If you do have a direct fresh air cooling system, unless it is of the evaporative type, it will not be adding any moisture to the air but the volumes of air involved mean the de-humidification load can outweigh the benefit of the lower dry-bulb temperature. There is a point where it is more economic to shut-down the fresh air system even though the outside air is cooler than the hot aisle. Theoretically the optimum point to shut down the fresh air free cooling and go to re-circulation is when the enthalpy (i.e. the total energy from both temperature and moisture content) of the outside air exceeds that of the hot aisle. In practice however, because of the 17°C maximum allowable dew-point, it is best to shut-down the fresh air any time its dew-point exceeds this. If you have direct fresh air and it *is* of the evaporative (adiabatic) cooling type then the situation is very different indeed. The evaporation upon which these systems rely is adding significantly to the humidity of the air coming into the data centre. Taking our previous example of outside air at 27°C and 50% RH, if this is cooled to 22°C using evaporative cooling the resultant dew-point will be 18.2°C, exceeding the allowable guidelines. Some argue that the number of hours a year that these conditions exist means it not something to be concerned about but, as previously stated, with any system there are over 500 hours a year when de-humidification is required and the use of evaporative direct free cooling increases this to over 600 hours a year. Of course it is possible to allow the cold aisle temperature to rise and thus reduce its RH but consideration does have to be given to the hot aisle which is likely to be at least 10°C warmer than the cold aisle. In any case there will still be 300 plus hours when, irrespective of the cold aisle temperature, the dew-point will exceed 17°C. Others argue that the humidity guidelines can be ignored but in my view these upper levels really are the maximum that should be considered. As anyone offering data centre design services will know, the “allowable” levels are an upper limit and the ASHRAE 2011 guidelines actually state: “the typical mission-critical data center must give the utmost consideration of the trade-offs before they opt to operate with relative humidity that exceeds 60%”. The reasons given are that above this there is a dramatic increase the incidence of corrosion of copper components. You also ignore the high dew-point limit at your peril. If a piece of equipment is brought into a data centre and its temperature is below the dew-point then condensation will occur (a phenomenon familiar to anyone who wears glasses if they have been outside in the cold for any length of time and then walk indoors into a humid space). It is quite feasible that equipment could be stored in a warehouse where even in warm weather the temperature might be 18°C and so it can be seen that the maximum 17°C dew-point is a sensible precaution. Direct fresh air free cooling, with or without evaporative cooling, is a good way of improving PUE and reducing energy bills but it will add to the humidification and de-humidification loads. Indirect free cooling systems don’t add to the loads but nor do they eliminate them entirely and these systems, as well as data centres with no free cooling, will still need a means of adding moisture in cold weather and removing it in warm humid weather. Energy efficient methods of humidifying are readily available as described in part 2 but as yet de-humidification is still an energy consuming process. “Dessicant de-humidifiers”, which dry the air by absorbing moisture using a drying agent such as silica-gel, are available but while they use minimal energy in drying the air, once the silica-gel is saturated this then has to be dried. To do this on a continuous basis requires heat which requires energy. Also this is an extra piece of equipment to be purchased and maintained whereas the usual method of de-humidification uses the air conditioning units which you will most likely have anyway (even with a free cooling system we would generally recommend a mechanical cooling system for back up). In my view a means of de-humidifying the air is essential for any data centre and this is best done using mechanical cooling. The best way to minimise the running costs is to minimise the amount of fresh air coming in when that fresh air is above the desired moisture content. If you have any questions relating to data centre humidification or any other aspect of mechanical design and operation please feel free to email Writer bio: My name is Frank Wilman and I was one of the founders of Future-tech back in 1982. I worked on my first “data centre” in 1973 and have design and installed almost every cooling solution available over the years. My passion is mechanical cooling systems as they give us an opportunity to be truly innovative and continually push the boundaries of resilience and efficiency **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [What impact does your XBOX have on the world's Data Centres?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-impact-does-your-xbox-have-on-the-worlds-data-centres/) **Published:** May 2, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** With January well and truly over and Christmas a distant memory I asked myself the question, “what impact does all the game consoles and games sold before Christmas have on the global data centre market?” With allegedly 57.8 million Xbox 360s and 14.5 million copies of Halo 3 sold alone to date, the numbers of people engaging in on-line gaming is immense. This phenomena appeals to people for many reasons, gamers get to “socialize” on-line without leaving there homes, getting of the coach or straying to far from the pizza. Joking aside though, playing other humans rather than computer programs often presents more of a challenge and, undoubtedly, more satisfaction for gamers. Games like Call of Duty and Halo allow gamers to play against, and beat, other real people. With the assistance of headsets and mics gamers can interact with each other adding insult to injury throughout hours and hours of gaming sessions. On-line games have no borders and gamers can find themselves interacting with team mates and competitors from all round the globe. This would probably offer a great conduit for world peace if not for the fact we are all totally focused on blowing each other away in a number of different historical, contemporary and futuristic backdrops. While musing upon this subject I was emailed by Natalie, since the subject was at the forefront of my mind I asked her the very question. As Natalie is always keen for a challenge she took up the gauntlet and went about finding out what this impact is. So let me pose the question again and hand you over to Natalie’s answer. ## “What impact does all the game consoles and games sold have on the global data centre market?” Gamers demand a lot. Today’s gaming enthusiasts demand superior graphics and audio, very responsive reaction and easy communication among players. Latency, the time it takes the game to respond to the gamer’s actions, is crucial in playability. Slow response times mean the difference between winning or losing, and for gamers the stakes are high. It’s a matter of pride, and for a growing number of gamers, a matter of money. Globally, there are a total of 509,147 data centers, according to Emerson Network Power, but it is unclear how many of these are dedicated to gaming. Larger gaming developers, such as Blizzard, own multiple data centers around the world, while smaller companies depend on third-party servers to support their games. This means there is a lot of overlap and it’s impossible to determine how many servers are dedicated to gaming and how many share data centre resources with other businesses and activities. World of Warcraft alone requires 10 data centers around the globe, comprised of no fewer than 20,000 systems and a mind-boggling 1.3 petabytes of storage space, according to Blizzard executives Allen Brack and Frank Pearce speaking at a recent gaming convention in Austin, TX. All together, data centers around the world take up the same amount of space as 5,955 football fields, Emerson reports. Smaller gaming companies depend on data centers such as Switch in Las Vegas. Switch is a massive data center located in the Nevada desert. A prime location in one respect as there are virtually no natural disaster threats here that could knock out services, not so good for compressor free cooling though I think. Switch manages many gaming operations, in addition to services for eBay, Yahoo! and other worldwide corporations. Gamers around the world spend three billion hours a week gaming on every device from TVs to multimedia notebooks, according to Reality is Broken author Jane McGonial. Half a billion people in the world play games at least one hour per day, with a whopping five million Americans spending more than 40 hours per week playing online games. Combine this tremendous demand with the high expectation of users in terms of player experience, and it amounts to more computer power than the average person can comprehend. Canada leads the world in money spent on gaming, with the United States coming in second, according to comScore. These countries are followed by the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Italy, Sweden, Australia and France. As the Middle Eastern countries garner more expendable income and gain widespread access to the Internet, gaming popularity is on the rise there, as well. The resilience level of a data centre is determined by its Tier. A tier 1 data center is considered the least reliable, though these data centers experience 99.671 percent uptime. Tier 2 data centers enjoy 99.741 percent availability, tier 3 claim 99.982 percent availability and tier 4 boasts 99.999 percent availability. What is the difference in 0.324 percent reliability? Ask an avid Call of Duty player who is minutes away from entering Prestige Mode on multi player right before the game crashes and you’ll get a pretty good answer. Now before I get too “fragged out” I’ll sign off. If you want to know more about data centres, uptime and Tier ratings we’ll be releasing further blogs through the year. In the meantime if you have any questions on the subject please feel free to email info@future-tech.co.uk. References: [Why Pro Gamers Don’t Play Call of Duty](http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2012/11/call-of-duty-esports/) [Data Center](http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/data-center-standard-overview/) [The Top 11 Countries That Spend The Most Time Online](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/10/countries-most-time-spent-online_n_834326.html#s252060&title=11_India_) Bio: Natalie Bracco is a freelance tech writer and an amateur gamer. When she’s not busy gaming on her mulitimedia notebook. She enjoys answering tough questions like the correlation between gaming and global data centres. Follow her on Twitter @NatalieBracco. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Investors in People Accredited](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/investors-in-people-accredited/) **Published:** May 14, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Successfully obtaining accreditation for Investors in People is more than just an accolade. For me, it confirms that we at Future-tech are successfully working toward a better future for our workforce as well as our clients. Investors in People is more than just training; it covers a range of good business practices that helps the company as a whole. These include: - Business Strategy - Learning & Development Strategy - People Management - Leadership & Management - Management Effectiveness - Recognition & Reward - Involvement & Empowerment - Performance Management - Learning & Development - Continuous Improvement Assessors need to see more than forms, matrixes and a collection of certificates, because all that proves is that you have a lot of paperwork. Investors in People is something more. The assessment is carried out by interviewing a cross section of employees at Future-tech, from senior management to apprentices and new starters. It’s all about the people, and that counts for everything. We have an amazing collection of very talented, exceptional individuals, so before we embarked on Investors in People, I knew that our processes for learning and development worked. Our efforts to attain the Investors in People accreditation was not for the badge, but more a confirmation that Future-tech is committed to moving in the right direction. Every day I am surrounded by an intelligent, hard-working and dedicated team of individuals and gratification in their achievements at Future-tech is paramount. Every employer knows that it takes time for new employees to learn the job. Whether they are an apprentice or seasoned professional, new starters will need to learn the company’s systems and practices. This is an investment because the benefit to the business is realised once they have understood and embraced these practices, but why should it stop there? Investors in People recognises that true value is gained when a company continually develops the individuals within its workforce. At Future-tech everybody knows their role and contribution to the success of the company. Everybody is engaged with our clients, so it is important that we all understand our vision, our mission, and our values. Our industry is forever developing and as Data Centre Specialists, we develop with it. Gaining Investors in People means a great deal to everyone at Future-tech. Carl Mills – Managing Director of Future-tech **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Compressed air power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/compressed-air-power/) **Published:** May 21, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** We are always looking at, and thoroughly investigating, new data centre solutions and products. The last five years in particular has seen data centre power and cooling solutions change dramatically. With the cost of energy continuing to rise, organisations like ASHREA broadening the recommended environmental conditions for data centres, Hardware Manufacturers relaxing the parameters they are happy for their equipment to operate in and very environmentally sensitive equipment like tape storage disappearing from most facilities, the pressures on data centres and their design is changing. One of the solutions that has been on the radar for a while and seems to be in the news recently is compressed air, so we have been looking at this as an alternative to battery back-up on UPS’s. The attraction of the compressed air system is that it can be stored at temperatures above 25°C (unlike lead acid batteries which deteriorate rapidly above this temperature and ideally should be kept at around 22°C). This made compressed air look particularly useful as we are currently designing a number of data centres to run on free-cooling and were hoping to avoid the need for any compressor based cooling at all. Unfortunately the cost of the compressed air system is prohibitive at the duties we require of 150 – 250kW for these particular projects, it being around 7 times the cost of a battery system for a similar autonomy. At higher duties, say 1 MVA upwards, and especially when comparing with a diesel rotary (DRUPs) system, compressed air is competitive on price as well as offering higher efficiency and lower maintenance costs. Other compressed air news has come from Peugeot-Citroen, who are developing a hybrid power system which will use the momentum of the car to charge a compressed air cylinder (regenerative braking). A compressed air driven motor will then assist the petrol engine, helping to achieve a claimed 80 mpg and CO2 missions of just 69 g/km. Launch is planned for 2016. TATA Motors, in collaboration with French engineering company MDI, are also developing a compressed air powered vehicle which will be refilled from charging stations in a similar manner to battery powered cars. Of course compressed air powered transport is not new and has been around since the 19th century, one of the early adopters being the Paris tram system (possibly a reason for the current “French Connection” with Peugeot-Citroen and MDI). The one I particularly like though is inventor Jem Stansfield’s air powered motor cycle which has a top speed of 18 mph, a range of 7 miles and re-charges “in a few seconds” (he says). The principle reason for the resurgence of interest in compressed air and other re-chargeable power systems is that the problems associated with storing electricity continue to hamper the development of electric cars. To bring us neatly back to the world of IT and data centres, Dr Fred Schlachter of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories said at a recent symposium on scalable energy storage that “there’s no Moore’s Law for batteries”. Apparently, unlike the seemingly never-ending increases in computer processing power, improvements in battery performance are slowing. The present technology, based on Lithium-Ion, has its limitations and Schlachter believes that any break-through will only come with a change in chemistry. So in summary if your data centre is under a 1MVA IT load and cost is any kind of driver compressed air UPS are probably not the best route to take. However if your facility has over a 1MVA IT load and especially if you are entertaining a diesel rotary UPS solutions then compressed air is definitely something to investigate further. Bio. James Wilman is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Future-tech EMEA. He sits on the British Standards TCT/7/3 expert panel which is working on the new data centre design, construction and operation standard. James has a passion for resilient energy efficient data centre design and operation. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [An engineer, and a gamer's, view of the Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/an-engineer-and-a-gamers-view-of-the-data-centre/) **Published:** October 24, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** I am going to take a break out from my normal engineering malarkey to talk about something very close to my heart, online gaming. Specifically, the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG or “mu-morpaguh”) Eve Online. I feel presently, that it is the right time to highlight this particular game, as on Monday it has reached the mainstream news outlets for having the most concurrent users in the one place at the one time ever. Shooting each other with lasers, missiles, drones, and other such marvellous weapons of galactic destruction. While the reality of having over 4000 users in the one place at the one time to wage interstellar war is an incredible feat of organisation, forward planning and monetary cost, the Eve commentators and even the [BBC](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23489293 "Eve players stage giant online space battle") have more than adequately covered the blow by blow events, and the wonderful achievement it has been for online games. However I want to discuss something fundamental to this. The Data Centre, and the online games we know and love/hate/are indifferent to. As a little bit of background, CCP, the developers of Eve Online have been reinventing and moulding the game for over 10 years, in fact, it has recently reached its 10 year anniversary since its single shard server Tranquillity, was brought online and users could mine, trade, shoot or scam their way in the Eve online universe. Originally the system was a small system with a couple of cabinets, but on the 23rd July 2010, CCPs new data centre was built and as of the 10 year anniversary, over 500,000 subscribers are served from here. But then I had a thought. 500,000 subscribers, and when I jump online, around 40,000 users online on average at the same time, and one battle with 4000 players blowing each other up at the same time, in the same place. Those are big numbers. They’re HUGE numbers. Eve online is a hugely social game, with player run corporations and player driven economy. The games economy is so diverse, CCP employ its own economist Dr. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, to oversee and monitor it. And all of this is hosted from a high density 12 Cabinet cluster of servers. The community is so vast, that every year CCP hosts Fanfest in their hometown of Reykjavik, Iceland where thousands of people from all over the world spend thousands of dollars, pounds and euros to make the trip for socialising, seminars and exploding spaceships. This is a community born from a Data Centre. And it’s the online community that keeps me coming back for more. In terms of online hosting of competitions there are hundreds, Eve Online’s own Alliance Tournament XI, Call of Duty Elite eSports, a multitude of Starcraft 2 tournaments. The list is extensive, and is only ever going to get longer. And it all has to be hosted somewhere. Online tournament TV is available through services such as Twitch TV, for those who want to watch the tournaments live from their computer. Then, let’s stretch the imagination a bit. Back in 80AD, the Colosseum in Rome could hold 50-80,000 people to watch the blood sport of their choice. Currently in Ireland, our national sports stadium, Croke Park, can cater for 82,000 people. For a hurling game, that’s all those thousands of people watching 30 players duke it out for their county. England’s own Wembley Stadium can seat 90,000, to watch 22 players go at the UK’s national game. Essentially since the dawn of time we have sat together and watched two people/animals/objects in competition to find a victor, for sport. But now, there is a new forum. A new way of spectating, a whole new type of competition and interaction. In my opinion, The Data Centre is the new Hippodrome, a digital Circus Maximus. Now instead of having 22 players, we have thousands, all made available through the Data Centre. People from all over the world can log on, and watch these thousands of players, or, if they feel like it, participate. All elements of the experience are available to the spectator. In our current digital age, it’s akin to jumping out of the stands onto the pitch and nailing a volley into the back of the net. To coin an often used term in Eve, “internet spaceships are serious business”. **Related articles:** [What impact does your XBOX have on the world’s data centres?](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/what-impact-does-your-xbox-have-on-the-worlds-data-centres/ "What impact does your XBOX have on the world's data centres?") **Bio:** Sean Halpin is an Electrical Services Design Engineer at Future-tech EMEA. He has a passion for energy security, diversity and sustainability and has a keen interest in uninterruptible power supply technologies and efficiencies. Sean is currently engaged in a Masters for Energy and Sustainable Building Design, once completed he aims to progress for CEng status. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [An Introduction to Power Factor](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/an-introduction-to-power-factor/) **Published:** October 24, 2013 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **kW vs kVA – An Introduction to Power Factor** Why is it in the data centre business, (and in electrical engineering in general) we constantly jump between kilo-Watts (kW) and kilo-Volt-Amperes (kVA). On one hand you have an I.T. load, say 20kW, and on the other, a 30kVA UPS. How is this correct? What is the correlation between the two completely different values? How much I.T. load can I actually connect to my data centre’s UPS? When it comes to explaining any engineering principle there is both a long, or complete, answer and a short one. You will be delighted to know that here; we will deal in the short version or at least an engineer’s version of a short one. Just keep in mind that there ARE other factors at play here, however this is a basic introduction to power factor. This blog post is intended for the layperson, in order to put into perspective, the terms banded around by their data centre designers and installation engineers. **The Nuts and Bolts** I would, however, be remiss in my duties as an engineer not to give SOME FORM of background. In terms of *electrical* power (measured in Watts) there is Active & Apparent power. Active power (or REAL power) is essentially the “useful” power distributed throughout an electrical network. This is the power (Watts) used to satiate your electrical equipment’s need for electricity in order for it to operate. Apparent power (Volt-Amperes) is the same amount of active power, but includes the amount of “effort” it takes to get that power around the network. That “effort” is as a result of the resistive, capacitive and inductive properties of a circuit, the additional power required to build up magnetic fields to engage an electrical process. The inductance and capacitance combined are known as Reactance, with Reactance and Resistance known as Impedance. Power Factor is always denoted as a value between 0.0 and 1.0, and is a ratio of the Real Power (kW) to the total Apparent Power (kVA). **So how else can I explain this?** Below we have a diagram showing the relation between Real, Apparent and Reactive power, and where power factor sits between all three. You may even remember the calculation above from those trigonometry classes from back in the day. Though, if you are like me, you like a more real world comparison, so let’s get the 13:00 train from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. Here we are on the train, speeding through the countryside. The track is flat and level, but the train will encounter resistance (i.e. wind). In terms of power factor, this is known as Unity power factor, or a value of 1.0. In this case, there is no reactance. Here, you only encounter resistive losses. A short while into the journey however the train has to travel uphill. In order to cover the same amount of distance in the same amount of time as it would on a flat track, the engine will need to do additional work. In fundamental terms, the higher the incline, the more work is required to travel the same distance. In Power this “incline” is power factor, and the additional “work” required is to power its own electrical processes. In electrical terms, if the Real Power requirement of the load is 80kW (I.T. equipment) and the power factor of the circuit is 0.8 (output side of the UPS), then the Supply requirement is 100kVA (size requirement of the UPS). **What does that mean for you the Data Centre or IT Manager?** In essence, the lower a power factor (a figure less than 1.0) any piece of electrical equipment has, the less “usable” energy you get out than you put in. As in our example above, a 100kVA UPS @ 0.8pf will deliver 80kW, however, a 100kVA UPS @ 0.9pf (closer to unity) will deliver 90kW (per se). Other factors such as efficiencies at particular % loadings are also involved, as well as the power factor of the load but that is a lesson for another day. Power Factor is not exclusive to UPS’s however, it is present in some form or another in all electrical equipment that requires a magnetic field to operate, be they Generators/Motors, Pumps or Fans. It is common for some facilities to install Power Factor Correction units in parallel to a reactive load to ensure supply cables do not need to be oversized to allow for the reactive load. ***Now that we have covered the bare essentials on power factor, my next blog will cover:*** ***“How you can calculate how much power is needed through your data centre’s electrical infrastructure if the power rating of your IT equipment is in kW, kVA, or Amps?”*** ***Within the following blog I will tackle Nameplate Ratings and dual power supply servers. Both of which, when misunderstood, result in data centre power systems being oversized.*** **Keep the following in mind**, - The closer a Power Factor is to 1.0 the better. It results in smaller cables and through other factors, reduced losses. There was a time when the Electrical Utility would charge you for poor power factor, and while they still will for very bad power factor, they don’t actively measure your power factor. - Most manufacturers publish their UPS’s ratings in kVA, however some have now begun publishing them in kW rating for ease of reference, but also because they claim their UPS’s are hair-thin close to unity. It is still worth enquiring what their units Power Factor is. - Efficiency is not the same as Power Factor. Power Factor is the same no matter what the load is, while efficiency can change given a particular load. - A clamp meter will measure current “flowing” in a cable, but will not give you the power factor, so it is a reading of “x” amps Apparent and does not give kW. - The following calculation shows the ratio: **Power Factor (pf)= (Watts (W))/(Volt-Amperes(VA))** **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Data Centre Contingency – Risk of flooding](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-contingency-risk-of-flooding/) **Published:** February 17, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** With the south of the UK in dire straits over the unprecedented winter rain storms it is a major concern for those companies reliant on data centre infrastructure located in high risk areas. London and the surrounding area is a major data hub particularly for industries that require superior connectivity. Datacentres in and around the Capital are supporting many of our financial services as well as the operations of a multitude of other industries. With these unprecedented floods there are questions over the safety of the facilities in the Capital and along the Thames Valley. Because of this 221 year record rain fall the Thames Barrier has been closed for a record number of consecutive tides. Even with this protection water finds its own path and those businesses with prime riverside office space and infrastructure are getting nervous. Many firms organise their building’s space in a logically financial/status way; office space in the upper floors and infrastructure in the less desirable, but more “functional”, areas below street level. We often joke that datacentres and comms rooms are often the most critical areas in a building but they are always assigned to the spaces no one else wants, because who wants their office in the basement? For many, the flooding has been catastrophic on a personal level and businesses have also been affected. With the threat to London, the Thames Valley and South West, businesses need to be aware of contingencies for such extremes. Taking lessons from the “apocalyptic” weather event that was Super Storm Sandy in the US, is a good way to understand the implications. Companies such as Verizon and Datagram have major services based in buildings in Manhattan which bore the brunt of the water surges as Sandy reached land. Typically they had their switching centres, diesel tanks for emergency back-up generators and other significant infrastructure located in the basement floors of their buildings, all of which were flooded. Not just flooded but filled with water, even the lobby of the Datagram building was waist deep in water. The services provided by these data rich companies were under considerable threat. It was of primary importance that client’s data was kept online and accessible. As the electricity grid had been shut down staff concentrated on ensuring hosting hubs in Connecticut and New Jersey, which had been sold as secondary back up for many of their larger customers, could be switched to maintain continuity of services for all. It took a week for these high profile companies to get mobile generators in place and resume “normal” service. This was due to restrictions on movement and other safety orientated red tape. Meanwhile the broader clean-up operation got underway. Cloud capabilities are only as good as the data centres they operate in and their connectivity to your staff and business. As cloud traffic increases connectivity is slowed and with switch sites and POPs potentially lost to flooding even more traffic is forced through the remaining network. So how would your business hold up? This is about business continuity and the business continuity strategies of your third party providers. At Future-tech we provide [Risk Assessments, Audits and Reports](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/data-centre-consultancy/audits "Datacentre Risk Assessments") for you and your third parties data centres. We also provide business continuity testing and strategy development. Ensuring they are correctly in place and stress tested before they are needed will help your organisation stay ahead should it be affected by and extreme weather event. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Effect of Smartphones on Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/effect-of-smartphones-on-data-centres/) **Published:** June 17, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **What is the effect of mobile devices on data centres?** There is a high chance you are reading this blog on a smart phone or a tablet. Mobile devices have been a growth industry for a number of years now. Although smartphones have enjoyed the lion’s share of mobile internet traffic, they have now been [surpassed by tablets](http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalmarketing/digital-marketing/tablets-trump-smartphones-in-global-website-traffic/ "surpassed by tablets"). Mobile devices are now estimated to account for 8% of all internet traffic. Internet users in the UK are the most likely to surf using a tablet with a substantial 12.2% of the nation’s mobile traffic share, exceeding that of the US and Canada with 9.1% and 8.7% respectively. Source: [Adobe Digital Index](http://blogs.adobe.com/digitalmarketing/digital-marketing/tablets-trump-smartphones-in-global-website-traffic/ "Tablets trump smartphones in global website traffic") With the market on a sharp incline, the usage of mobile devices and cloud computing is a relationship that needs some consideration. Many end-users do not consider how the cloud works or where their data is saved. They take the cloud analogy at face value, but the data is there somewhere, floating around in the ether. This is the marketing win for the data market. Users do not need to know where their data is being stored so long as the trust bond is there between them and their provider. Recently there was an issue for Vodafone customers due to a [breach in their network security](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24063621 "breach in their network security") on a server in Germany. The issue was resolved and service resumed, but if a telecoms giant like Vodafone can experience a problem to that magnitude, it could equally happen anywhere. **What does this mean for the data centre?** Each of the mobile providers have vast datacentres housing the data, photos, emails and subscribed apps that each of their millions of users rely on every day. The amount of traffic zipping through the channels must surely have a connectivity impact. Larger data centres must innovate not only to minimise their energy footprint, but to rebuff the malware and security attacks they face. As technology moves on at rapid speed, the advent of mobile tech such as Google Glass may also add further impact to the data traffic by using predominantly rich data. While observations are mainly focused on the personal data and social interactions, adding enterprise-driven ‘[big data’](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/glossary#bigdata "big data") on a global scale will have an enormous impact on the market. Nobody has a full understanding yet of how big this market will become. As companies choose their data partners, the infrastructure will be required to increase, as will the number of quality locations with connectivity hubs to ensure the speeds, signal and capacity can accommodate the traffic. [London, Manchester and Edinburgh](https://www.linx.net/ "London, Manchester and Edinburgh") are understandably the main hubs at present, however further hubs may be required as services spread through the country. Managing regional data centre partners is certainly higher in the minds of [CIO](http://www.cio.co.uk/ "CIO")s after the adverse weather conditions and terror threats in recent times. **The key to the future is flexibility** The key to moving into the future with the growth in smartphone and tablet usage is to think flexibly. Projecting expected growth and building in line with one vision of bigger external datacentre provision will only provide constraints. Moving forward, business leaders should contemplate the data market as a duel approach. Considering innovation internally while maintaining cloud capacity would ensure that the continuity of data is maintained using security proportionate to the threats of malware, terror and acts of force majeure. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Does your Data Centre have Asthma?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/does-your-data-centre-have-asthma/) **Published:** July 14, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Back in April 2014, London experienced elevated levels of air pollution, reaching the apex of the government’s air quality index. But what effect does this have on data centres? If you have a closed circuit system such as DX, Water Cooled or Indirect Air, then you can sit back and relax when it comes to the operational safety of your facility. However, with the push to become more energy efficient, there has been a growing trend towards direct fresh air cooling solutions. **WHEN IS A SOLUTION NOT A SOLUTION?** Many companies often opt for fresh air cooling to reduce their operational costs and carbon footprint. However, when the environment in which it has been deployed has not been considered, the solution can instead be a problem. London’s air pollution levels reportedly reached crisis point in April, further compounded by unusual atmospheric conditions blowing up dust from the Sahara desert. The Met Office forecast of a level 10 on air quality prompted them to issue warnings that London could experience the worst smog seen in years. Unusual atmospheric instances like this are often unforeseen. However, [ASHRAE](https://www.ashrae.org/ "ASHRAE"), a globally respected society that educates through research and standards writing in the built environment, recommends that data centres should be kept clean to ISO Class 8. What this means is that the facility should ideally employ control over the level of contamination allowed within the data centre. This can be achieved by using MERV 8 filtration to continuously filter the room air or by using MERV 11 or MERV 13 filtration to filter any air entering the data centre. But, does every direct fresh air solution comply with such stringent filtration guidelines? The quantity of dust contamination can usually be identified by visual inspection of the IT equipment, as well as the frequency in which the filters are replaced. If this is proven to be the case within a facility, then it could already be a problem. The corrosivity of dust can be estimated by determining the deliquescent relative humidity, at which the dust becomes wet and therefore conductive. Dust with high deliquescent relative humidity is generally more benign, while dust with low deliquescent relative humidity is generally more corrosive. When contemplating the use of direct fresh air cooling within a data centre environment, one should always consider where that air is being drawn from. When Future-tech has proposed and built direct fresh air solutions in data centres, we often need to change the standard filters that come with ‘off the shelf’ units. As a minimum, EU4 and EU8 bag filters are commonly used together to provide protection from air born particulates. Considerations like this make the solution more suitable, not only for minimising contaminates in the data centre, but for reducing the ongoing costs of filter replacement. It can often be difficult to justify why direct fresh air is not the ideal solution when the alternative could be two or three times more expensive. However, when one considers the long-term outlay of hardware replacement, the cost in terms of operational expenditure becomes easier to quantify. Location plays a large role in the construction of data centres and while free air cooling might be beneficial to the environment, it may not always be beneficial to your infrastructure. What has not been discussed here is the presence of dissolved solids, such as sea salt, and gaseous contaminants, such as chlorine, both of which will enter a data centre through EU4 and EU8 filtration. These two contaminants in particular will cause significant and rapid damage to IT equipment. If you would like to know more or have any questions relating to the affects pollution has on data centres please contact [Future-tech ](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)today. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Considering direct fresh air free cooling..?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/considering-direct-fresh-air-free-cooling/) **Published:** July 21, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** With the cost of energy representing one of the largest operating overheads associated with data centres, finding more energy efficient ways of supporting IT systems is a major driver for our industry. Ancillary systems, most markedly power and cooling infrastructure, present one area of tangible improvement and these systems have seen huge gains in energy efficiency over recent years. The creation of metrics such as PUE and DCiE have not only given us an easy way of tracking improvement within existing data centres but has also given Marketeers a simple way of comparing one facility or solution to another. As most of you reading this will know the aforementioned professional group have, in some cases, abused these metrics. However what their wholesale use has done is bring the concept of data centre energy efficiency to CFOs, CEOs, COO and end users in a simple and accessible format. This can only be a good thing and over the last 10 years data centres have seen average PUEs fall from 3 to sub 1.5 in all types of facilities, from enterprise to micro. ****So what has this got to do with choosing direct fresh air free cooling?**** As a vendor neutral data centre designer there are a huge number of products and solutions available to help me reduce a data centre’s PUE. Often an effective place to start is by incorporating compressor free cooling. These cooling systems fundamentally fall in to two camps, direct and indirect. Indirect systems use cooling coils or heat exchanges to transfer a data centres waste heat to atmosphere. These cooling systems maintain separation between the data centre’s clean environment and the outside world. Direct air systems remove the data centre’s hot air by replacing it with cooler air from outside. Direct fresh air cooling systems have been used for many years and there is no doubt they can be very energy efficient. Future-tech has installed a broad range of these systems over the years and achieved annualised, full facility, PUEs of 1.12. Many of these solutions have been retro fitted to existing live data centres resulting in significant energy savings for their owner operators. Although these systems have worked well it should be noted that direct fresh air solutions are definitely not a silver bullet for energy efficient data centre cooling. Over the last 5 years I have seen a number of direct fresh air systems installed by data centre design companies and owner operators who have not thought the risks through properly. Where this has gone wrong has been with regard to external contaminants found in the local environment and the inability for standard filtration to remove such contaminants. The most common contaminant I have experienced has been sea salt. I have met and spoken with a number of data centre owner operators with facilities located up to 5 miles from the sea who have experienced high saline levels in their data centre’s incoming air. Some of these data centres have been located further from the coast but within a similar distance of tidal estuaries or rivers. When talking about the risks presented by high saline levels it is often difficult to provide “real world” evidence. This is because organisations that have experienced such problems don’t really want to make it public knowledge. On this occasion, though, an organisation has. The photos below were provided by an organisation who, against Future-tech’s advice, installed a direct fresh air system and, although they will remain nameless, wanted to get the evidence out there to help other owner operators avoid the same issues. Below is the result after just 3 years of operation in an area that is not deemed to be a “maritime environment” and has a moderate saline content. Obviously this is pretty scary stuff. If a powder coated cabinet can look like this within 3 years imagine what the inside of one of those server must be like. The problem is standard filtration such as EU4 and EU8 will not effectively remove saline contamination form the incoming air. Other contaminants such as pollen and diesel particulates can also cause issues but with correct filtration (EU4 and EU8) these issues are normally only operational. By this I mean the filters get blocked quickly and require frequent changing. If the filters are not changed the static pressure of the cooling system will increase. This will make the fans work harder and use more energy. If incorrect filtration is used these foreign particulates will make their way in to your data centre and IT equipment. I have visited data centres with this problem and on one occasion seen pollen caked onto the front of cabinets, much like the salt on the photos above. However the owner operator in question was not willing to allow me to take photos. If your organisation is looking for ways to make its data centres more energy efficient, whilst avoiding potential risks, please contact [Future-tech](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact-us "Contact Us") on 0845 9000 127 for some impartial advice. **Bio**. James Wilman is a Data Centre Design Consultant at Future-tech EMEA. He is represented on the British Standards TCT/7/3 expert panel which is working on the new data centre design, construction and operation standard. James has a passion for resilient energy efficient data centre design and operation. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part 1](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-1/) **Published:** July 28, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **Social Media in Business** The data centre as we know it today is the fundamental component of the world’s technology infrastructure. Fortresses packed with vast and complex systems that can range anywhere up to over 1 million square feet. They are the unsung heroes that operate behind the scenes to give each and every one of us the power to access information. We have become so reliant on them that it is hard to imagine how different the world would be without them. Telling younger generations that you were born before the internet existed could simply leave them flabbergasted. To truly appreciate the data centre, we must look at its evolution. Back in the 1960’s, computer use began to develop commercially. We had large mainframes stored in equipment rooms that today we now refer to as ‘the datacentre’. These mainframes were state-of-the-art and cost astronomical amounts to maintain, and yet they were responsible for one of the greatest achievements in human history. On the 20th July 1969, these mainframes put a man on a moon with less computing power than you have on your smartphone. Fast-forward to modern day and the data centre has become more than just a space for servers; it is the primordial ooze of the online community. Most of the world is now connected via the power of the internet, and nothing exerts influence over the way people share information quite like social media. Until recently, social media was merely regarded as a hub for personal interactions, but now we see organisations embracing the platforms to connect with the consumer market. The likes of Facebook and Twitter provide businesses with an intimate stage to engage customers on a personal level and offer transparency into how they operate. Furthermore, these platforms can help to shape their brand by offering the company an insight into their market reach by building their online community. Perhaps the most enticing attraction for businesses embracing social media, however, is that it can build brand awareness for very little capital expenditure. For many small businesses advertising campaigns simply aren’t a feasible option, but there have been many success stories born out of social networking. One notable example is the Cambridge Satchel Company. From humble beginnings, Julie Deane grew the company from her kitchen with a budget of just £600. Using social media to engage with fashion bloggers and consumers, the internet became her key to success. This is what the data centre facilitates. No matter your market, no matter where you are in the world, the internet has the capacity to take your business to gargantuan heights. Keep an eye out for Part Two of our Social Media blog series ‘The Power of the Internet’ next week. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-2/) **Published:** August 6, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **The Power of the Internet** In part one we talked about how social media has changed the way that businesses operate, but let’s look at the effect it can have on the individual. Everyone who has an internet connection can access platforms to engage with others from far reaches of the globe. Many of them have even made careers out of it. Some of the biggest household names in the world found their fame by way of YouTube. While not every entertainer on YouTube will experience the same stardom as the likes of Justin Bieber however, there is one entertainer that has summed up just what social media can do for the individual. His moniker is “Boogie2988”. While he makes his livelihood talking about gaming and current affairs in the media, he chose to do something a little different for his milestone [1,000th video](http://youtu.be/4s75kWVEduw) upload. Instead of it being a set piece episode, the entertainer took the time to say how grateful he was to his fans and how YouTube drastically changed his life. It’s something that gives you pause for thought. In a building services career, people outside of the industry are always interested to hear about the work we do on culturally well-received buildings. However, the words ‘data centre’ often make people think of rows of sterile cabinets and they gradually lose interest. In most cases this is the physical reality, but Boogie’s musings are a reminder of how the internet is one of the largest culturally-defining manifestations since the advent of the calendar. The global network of data centres define who we are as a society now. Information, of any sort, is available on hand. Communication between separate corners of the earth is effortless and once inconceivable communities, in terms of scale and diversity, are now commonplace. The world has become a lot smaller with the growth of the data centre. With all those packets of data streaming around the world, we are able to educate ourselves further. We are able to access news without the need for multinational broadcasting channels. Political movements have been started by way of social media as seen with the Egyptian Revolution. In some cases, people are even using social platforms to offer free education to students in less developed countries. As long as you have an internet connection, you can touch the lives of millions of people globally. Something that was previously only achievable through mass media or word of mouth. Today, everything is achievable “through the power of the internet”, or as we know it, the data centre. Keep an eye out for the final part of our Social Media blog series ‘This Rise of Social Media’ next week. To read Part One again please[ click here.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-one/ "What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part one") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part 3](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-3/) **Published:** August 14, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **The Rise of Social Media** In 2013, trends in social media showed the rise in popularity of visual mediums. Services such as Instagram and Pinterest are becoming the prevalent platforms with their photo- first agendas, so it’s no surprise that new social networks are emerging all the time. Not every platform will hit the ground running, mind. Many start-ups find that building a large, data-driven business by offering free web services to a fast-emerging user base costs money, a lot of money. The promise of scalable storage capacity for very little upfront capital is a beneficial and cost-effective method for growing a social media platform, and that is where data hosting companies can take advantage. One of the most noted examples is Netflix that still use Amazon’s web services even as it scales to colossal heights. By the end of 2013, Netflix reported a staggering 33 million subscribers to its platform in the US alone. However, it is also not unheard of for a start-up to leave web hosting behind when upon mass adoption. It soon becomes apparent that there are many reasons not to remain in the cloud. The cost of building complex high-performance web applications on a virtual infrastructure may simply no longer be beneficial. Many of the larger social media platforms will opt to lease or build their own datacentres to deliver an always-on, always-optimised user experience that is critical to the success of their business. In 2014, up-and-coming social networking sites such as Pheed, Sulia, ShareBloc and Learnist are platforms that experts are watching closely. It wouldn’t be unanticipated for these companies to consider building their own data centres should they reach mass adoption. In most cases, data centres are a sign of success, and some of the largest, most technologically advanced data centres in the world belong to the likes of Facebook and Google, who famously spent billions of dollars to build them. With the social media phenomenon continuing to gain momentum, it is little surprise that data centre companies such as Telecity and Interxion have seen their share prices rise with it. One thing that social media companies have in common is that they require data centre specialists to design, build and maintain the nucleus of their business. Specialists like Future-tech. So, while data centre hosting benefits from upcoming social media platforms, data centre construction benefits from the ones that take off. Where there is a future for social media, there is a future for the data centre. Click the links to read [Part 1](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-one/ "What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part one") and [Part 2](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/what-social-media-means-for-the-data-centre-part-two-2/ "What Social Media Means for the Data Centre: Part Two") again. If you have any questions relating to what social media means for the data centre please contact [Future-tech](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") today. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Adopting the Cloud](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/adopting-the-cloud/) **Published:** August 15, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **Why only half of Europe has embraced the technology A global [survey](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/pr/2014/07/09-14-35.html "Acronis Global Survey ") on smaller businesses by Acronis found that 65% of companies now use cloud-based storage, with 93% of US companies leading the march. However, while cloud adoption continues its ascension around the globe, it would seem as though not everybody is as eager to embrace it. Citing security concerns as one of the reasons not to use cloud storage, only 59% of organisations in Western Europe have adopted the platform. In lucrative markets like Western Europe, adoption of new technologies is often considered a competitive advantage. So, why hasn’t the progress of cloud computing taken off in this part of the world in the same way as others? One reason is that Europe is comprised of many diverse countries, each with their own laws with regard to data privacy, security and legislation. It is highly likely that by using cloud services in Europe, data may cross national borders. Data centres could be located in another country, and that adds a level of complexity that may dissuade organisations from embracing the cloud. Many companies have policies that prevent certain data leaving the premises, let alone the country. Moreover, some of those policies may not be in harmony with those of the cloud provider. It raises more questions than answers and many will feel that the safer option is to simply store and back-up critical data on in-house servers instead. That’s not to say that the physical security of an in-house data centre is necessarily the easier option. To ensure that the data is kept safe, access to the facility is often restricted to designated personnel. Surveillance will run at all times and, in advanced data centres, biometric authentication may be in place. Aside from the physical security, network managers and experts are often in place monitoring the infrastructure to certify that the data cannot be accessed through security breaches. With the level of detail that goes into safeguarding the data, it isn’t hard to see why some organisations would prefer not to hand over such an enormous responsibility to a third-party. So then why have US companies made the jump to the platform? They will likely share the same security concerns as businesses in Europe. The same applies to those in other parts of the world. Perhaps the other reason is arguably the simplest, money. The cloud seems to be more beneficial from a financial standpoint across the Atlantic. European countries, akin to the aforementioned laws, all have their own national carriers. There are a plethora of benefits that the cloud offers, but the costs associated with wide area networks across Europe is certainly not one of them. We’ve all made a call to an international phone number before and braced ourselves upon receiving the bill. The case here is largely the same due to the cost of international lines being significantly higher than those within a country’s borders. International law and financial benefits are seemingly where Europe is at a disadvantage in terms of cloud adoption, and could very well be why we have yet to jump on board with it. **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [A British Digital Success Story](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/a-british-digital-success-story/) **Published:** August 16, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In recent news, it was predicted that the UK’s economy will become the second-largest in Europe by 2020, overtaking that of France. There are many, many factors that contribute to this projection but how does the data centre fit into all of it? ****THE INTERNET BOOM**** During the global recession in recent times, many industries in the UK have suffered. Construction, manufacturing, retail, hotels and restaurants experienced the most pain. None more so than the real estate sector, which endured the most casualties with over 12,000 enterprises entering insolvency between Q2 2008 and Q4 2009 alone. However, there was one sector that defied the trends, boldly tending the flame of progress while the world around it descended into economic chaos. In 2010, research assessing the internet’s economic impact in the G20 made an extraordinary discovery. Not only is the global internet economy on a rising trend to reach [$4.2 trillion by 2016](https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/media_entertainment_strategic_planning_4_2_trillion_opportunity_internet_economy_g20/#chapter1 "The Internet Economy in the G-20"), but the UK is firmly leading the march. A report from the Boston Consultant Group showed that the UK’s internet economy accounts for more than 8% of our GDP. Following behind were South Korea (7.3%), China (5.5%) and Japan and the US (4.7% each). It was forecast that by 2016, that figure will grow to 12.4% in the UK, contributing £225 trillion to the UK economy. ****LEADING THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION**** In 1985, the first .uk domain was registered. So quietly so that Nominet, the .uk registry owner, forgot what the domain was. Today the country stands as the largest per capita e-commerce market on planet Earth. Around 60% of the internet’s contribution to the UK economy is down to the amount that users spend on online shopping and connections to the web. In fact, for every £1 spent online to import goods, £2.80 is exported. To put that into perspective, the BCG report showed that the offline economy is very much the reverse, where for every £1 imported, just 90p is exported. In 2011, the government launched the ‘East London Tech City’ initiative to entice new tech start-ups to the area. It has since thrived, becoming the 3rd largest technology start-up cluster in the world after San Francisco and New York City. In 2008, there were around 15 media and high-tech companies close to the Silicone Roundabout, which forms the heart of Tech City. In just 4 years, over 5,000 firms were believed to be occupying the surrounding areas due to a rapid increase in interest in the cluster. ****THE UK’S TECH CAPITAL**** Despite the high cost of real estate, London stands as the largest single data centre market in Europe, with raised floor space forecast to increase to 300,000sqm by 2015. Giants such as Google, Facebook, Equinix and Telehouse Europe have capitalised on London’s interconnected ecosystem on which new datacentres are built. But London is just the start. The M4 corridor has long dominated Britain’s tech economy. A [report](http://www.kpmg.com/UK/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/PDF/Market%20Sector/Technology/tech-monitor-uk.pdf "Tech Monitor UK Report") from Tech Monitor UK showed that the Silicone Roundabout was not in fact the UK’s tech capital, but instead a small market town in Berkshire. With the highest employment rate of technology professionals in the UK, Wokingham boasts a proportion that is five times the national average. Being home to the UK headquarters of [Future-tech](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Future-tech+SCI+Ltd/@51.4063107,-0.8469779,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xfd0532ee92ad9aa4 "Future-tech UK Headquarters") and global giants such as Microsoft and Oracle, tech companies seemingly share the same optimism about the UK’s digital economy. With consistently more job opportunities available than any other sector, it would appear that the UK’s digital economy not only survived the recession, but thrived in it. ****SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?**** The UK has long been viewed as a global technology hub, and as the evidence suggests, there are no signs of that changing. With the rapid increase in data centre builds, technology start-ups and global corporations now calling the UK home, it would appear that the march toward an unparalleled internet economy is only just getting started. **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Bitcoin and the Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/bitcoin-and-the-data-centre/) **Published:** September 8, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In the last five years we have seen one of the most significant advancements in the evolution of currency. On January 3rd 2009, Bitcoin was introduced to the world and it has since become the most intriguing phenomenon to hit cyberspace since the advent of P2P (peer-to-peer) networking. ****WHAT IS BITCOIN?**** Bitcoin is a software-based online payment system used to transfer bitcoins person to person via the internet. Unlike the modern banking system, Bitcoin is without a central repository, making it the world’s first decentralised digital currency. At the time of writing this, there are over 13m Bitcoins in circulation with just 1 Bitcoin equating to £283.30. However, Bitcoin was created and lives in the virtual world, so accrediting it with an intrinsic value has been widely debated around the globe. With physical money, governments choose when to produce and distribute it, whereas Bitcoins are generated by ‘miners’. Mining is employed by users who utilise specialised software to solve mathematical problems and process Bitcoin transactions. In turn they are rewarded with Bitcoins, thus providing an incentive for more miners to join the network. ****RAPID GROWTH LEADS TO AN ARMS RACE**** Mining Bitcoin is an intensive CPU activity and the need for computing power increases as the network grows. In the early days of the platform, miners would use the processing power of their personal computers to solve the mathematical problems, but soon found that graphics cards were much more suited to the task. The problem was that graphics cards, while capable, required more electricity and produced much more heat. As the network grows, the Bitcoin algorithm automatically adjusts its difficulty higher, making it increasingly challenging to profitably mine Bitcoin. What it has led to is an arms race with miners building powerful computers and custom mining rigs in Frankenstein fashion to stay ahead of the curve. The issue with this is that the energy consumption and costs associated with implementing these powerful set-ups soon start to become prohibitive. In fact, the obsession to take advantage of the rising trend is so vast that there have already been court cases over the use of it. A gaming company was fined $1m when one of their employees covertly [turned their user base into a Bitcoin mining colony.](http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2013/11/19/brilliant-but-evil-gaming-company-turned-players-computers-into-unwitting-bitcoin-mining-slaves/ "Brilliant But Evil: Gaming Company Fined $1 Million For Secretly Using Players' Computers To Mine Bitcoin") ****WHERE THE DATA CENTRE CAN CAPITALISE**** Companies who specifically cater to Bitcoin mining have dedicated server space in data centres equipped with specialised cooling hardware. Recently CoinTerra, a major player in the Bitcoin-mining ecosystem, has become a tenant at one of CenturyLink’s data centres. However, the data centre demands for a bitcoin mining enterprise are a little different from the norm. Whereas most data centre builds are focused around a reliable infrastructure with minimum downtime, mining companies do not consider this as an important factor. Downtime does not really impact the business of a company like CoinTerra, but the capacity for extreme power densities and tight deployment deadlines does. As Bitcoin continues to grow there is a huge opportunity for data centre providers, but due to the specialised requirements, many are not in a position to seize it. Over $600m is expected to be invested on Bitcoin mining infrastructure in 2014 and the digital currency’s worth is predicted to rise dramatically. What this means is that we could see a significant portion of venture capital flow into Bitcoin mining start-ups, all of which will require a very different kind of data centre. If you have a requirement for high density computing, “lean” data centre design or Bitcoin mining suitable facilities contact Future-tech today at [info@future-tech.co.uk](mailto:info@fututre-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Crypto-Currency & Blockchain --- ### [The Silver Linings of Cloud Security](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-silver-linings-of-cloud-security/) **Published:** October 1, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The cloud gets a lot of attention these days, but it has recently been in the press for all the wrong reasons. Of course, we’re not referring to the visible mass of condensed water vapour floating in the atmosphere that we Brits often like to complain about. We’re talking about cloud computing. The delivery of computing as a service whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to devices as a utility over a network. Or perhaps, as it is now more famously known for, a place for celebrities to store racy photographs. The internet is awash with the term “cloud computing”, with a Google search yielding 192 million results at the time of writing. However, the origin of the term is unclear. References of cloud computing can be traced back to 1996 in a [document by George Favaloro](http://www.technologyreview.com/sites/default/files/legacy/compaq_cst_1996_0.pdf "Internal Solutions Division Strategy for Cloud Computing ") accurately predicting that applications will no longer be a feature of hardware, but of software. However, the popularisation of the phrase is largely owed to a [Google strategy conference](http://www.google.com/press/podium/ses2006.html "Google Search Engine Strategies Conference 2006") and [Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud introduction](https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2006/08/24/announcing-amazon-elastic-compute-cloud-amazon-ec2---beta/ "Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud ") a decade later. In computer network diagrams the internet is [depicted as a cloud](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_network_diagram#mediaviewer/File:Sample-network-diagram.png "Computer Network Diagram"), in which servers are shown connected, yet external, to the cloud. Of course, the physical appearance of the cloud it is not a white fluffy watery vapour mass floating in the sky. It is a large data centre, firmly attached to the ground, comprised of an air handling plant, power supplies, UPS, cabinets, aisle containment, raised floors and enough cables to make your head spin. There is nothing fluffy about it. In terms of simplicity, it is a third party data centre whereby the information normally stored on your own server is managed by somebody else, such as Apple’s iCloud. The recent hack of Apple’s cloud services brought the term firmly into the limelight highlighting the security issues that surround third-party data centres. In the science community, the expression ‘cloud’ is aptly used to describe “any set of things whose details are not inspected further in a given context”. So just how safe *is* our data exactly? Celebrities such as Jennifer Lawrence, whose private images were recently made public, might be able to tell you. If it is true that Apple’s iCloud was hacked, it was not a simple case of going in and casually picking out a few (hundred) photos. It means that the facility in which *all* cloud information is stored was breached. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Tim Cook, Apple CEO, denied that the celebrity photo hack was due to a security failure on Apple’s part, citing that the celebrities’ iCloud accounts were compromised because they may have fallen prey to a phishing scam. There are still a lot of calls for the cloud to be a total data centre solution, negating the use of small private data centres. There is still a use for the cloud, certainly, but would you put feel comfortable putting *your* sensitive information on it? It’s worth considering. There is, however, a silver lining to the otherwise dark cloud that looms over Apple. The now infamous intrusion of privacy has led to the company [tightening security measures](http://m.us.wsj.com/article_email/tim-cook-says-apple-to-add-security-alerts-for-icloud-users-1409880977-lMyQjAxMTA0MDAwNDEwNDQyWj?mobile=y "Apple: Security Alerts for iCloud Users") around their services. It’s undignified that it requires a high-profile security breach to urge companies to bolster security, but it may just be the thing to push Apple and other cloud service providers to more aggressively protect the people using their services. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World: Introduction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-introduction/) **Published:** October 2, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Human history has been governed by centuries of technological advances since the dawn of time. The ancient Sumerians gave us the wheel. The Babylonians gave us the abacus, and the Chinese gave us the compass. From the instant a rock was formed into the first sharp-edged tool to the conception of the International Space Station, technology has consistently shaped our lives on planet Earth. We are living in what is referred to as the Information Age. An era whereby our economy has shifted from traditional industrialisation to an information-intensive industry on which its foundations are built ‘online’. Like a modern day Library of Alexandria, the internet is one of the largest and most significant libraries on earth. It holds an immeasurable expanse of human knowledge that is freely available to every man, woman and child with an internet connection. However, this is not the first Information Age humanity has lived through. Back in Medieval Europe, the rise of Christianity in the West led to thousands of texts being burned and Europe’s state of literacy was somewhat left to be desired. Fortunately, our Muslim neighbours were more partial to *reading* books and carefully preserved the knowledge that Europe had discarded. As Islam spread across the West, the influx of classical texts led Europe to realise just how much it had lost. It brought an immediate demand for information so vast that there was simply no way to meet the sudden thirst for knowledge. However, it wasn’t until 1450 when German metallurgist, Johannes Gutenberg, developed a machine based on the typesetting technologies of Ancient China that the solution was found. Gutenberg’s Printing Press was so efficient at [spreading literature](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_spread_of_the_printing_press "Global spread of the printing press") that it propelled Europe headlong into the *original* information age, the Renaissance. It was an age that cultivated some of history’s greatest artists and shifted an economy based on agriculture to one based on craft and trade. It opened markets for every citizen, wealthy or poor, to capitalise on new business. There was a desire to create a better quality of life that left a permanent mark across Europe. In fact, Europe’s most beautiful cities owe their appearance to the prosperity of the 16th century brought on by Gutenberg’s Printing Press. A machine so proficient that it remained largely unchanged until the 19th century, an age otherwise known as the Industrial Revolution. You could say that this all sounds similar to an invention of our time; arguably the *greatest* innovation of our time, the World Wide Web. It has reshaped our world in ways unimaginable, and yet more people probably know who invented the Printing Press than they do about the origin of the World Wide Web. Its impact on our global society is similar to that the Printing Press had, but ironically, in this age of information Sir Timothy Berners-Lee is not a household name. A lot of people don’t realise that the internet and the web are [two separate entities](https://www.webopedia.com/insights/web-vs-internet/ "The Difference Between the Internet and World Wide Web"). The internet, a global system of interconnected computer networks, predates the web by around thirty years. The advent of the World Wide Web didn’t come around until 1989 when Sir Berners-Lee was working at CERN, home of the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. There was a demand to have physicists globally connected to each other. Sir Berners-Lee had already devised the concept of [Hypertext](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext "Hypertext Definition") nine years prior at CERN, and almost a decade later successfully united it with the Internet. And so, the greatest technological advancement of our time is essentially a by-product of quantum-physics. It is this kind of innovation that has consistently driven humanity’s thirst for knowledge throughout history, but it is the last 100 years where that thirst has seemingly gone unquenched. The 20th century stands out as a time when humanity made extraordinary leaps in terms of technological achievement. In addition to the internet, we took to the skies with man-powered flight. The arrival of antibiotics extended our lifespan and cured disease. We transmitted our voices over radio waves and images via television. Computers became a staple of our everyday lives and rocketry put a man on the moon. Each one of these innovations drastically changed the world and our lives within it. Today, some of the largest, most innovative corporations in the world who capitalized on Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s invention are looking to continue the trend. Who will find the next big thing? From IBM’s famous Watson super-computer to Google’s secret research lab, through this series we will be looking at some of the tech giants that are continuing to shape our world through technological innovation. With all the advancements we made in the last hundred years, the 21st Century has one heck of an act to follow. Could we make the 21st century another golden age of innovation? Keep an eye out for the first part of our ‘Tech Giants’ blog series ‘Part one: Apple’ coming soon. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 1: Apple](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-1-apple/) **Published:** October 3, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **“Tech Fashion”** Apple stands as one of the world’s most recognised tech companies, famed for its cutting-edge design with a plethora of widely-adopted products. It recently announced the launch of the highly anticipated ‘iWatch’, but oddly enough, they have dropped the infamous ‘i’. Why? According to legend, Apple started out in a basement and went on to produce some of the finest personal computers until the 1990’s, when the company’s sales declined due to the increase in competition. Apple had struggled to launch anything that captured the imagination of the public in years and in 1997, the company was 6 months from bankruptcy. Enter Steve Jobs. LA advertising agency TWBAChiatDay received an invitation from Jobs to see their new consumer product. A radical, translucent, teardrop-shaped machine [designed specifically for the internet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BHPtoTctDY "The First iMac Introduction"). Jobs asked the advertising agency to [develop a name](http://www.cultofmac.com/20172/20172/ "The Man Who Named the iMac and Wrote Think Different") that referenced the Macintosh brand, and the agency delivered. The result was the iMac. With this, the company reinvented itself and the iconic product designs have helped Apple to pioneer a cultural shift in which technology is actually deemed fashionable. It’s quite profound when you think about it. Emphasis on design shares equal significance as the function of a product, if not more. A product that immediately exhibits what the consumer believes themselves to be, or how they want to be perceived. A product that consumers are willing to pay a premium for, much like in the fashion industry and nothing demonstrates this more than the launch of Apple’s latest product, the Apple Watch. With Apple [next big thing. The ‘i’ prefix originally stood for internet and went on to be applied to a range of products such as the iPod, iPad and the iPhone.](http://www.redmondpie.com/apple-iwatch-might-be-a-fashion-statement-as-company-invites-fashion-editors-to-its-event/ "Apple's iWatch Might Be A Fashion Statement As Company Invites ") There have been many imitators who have adopted the ‘i’, although some of them have wildly missed the mark. The infamous prefix is so widely used now, that Apple actually risk facing a legal dispute every time they launch a new product. But is it a question of copyright disputes or is there something else at play here? Could it be that Apple is targeting a different audience with its latest innovation, or has the ‘i’ simply become so worn-out that it is no longer *fashionable?* Apple’s place in technology is undisputed, but the notion to bring a smart watch to market seems a little contrived. Since the passing of Steve Jobs, the company’s direction has been met with some scepticism and its famed reputation for innovation [called into question](http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2014/03/13/why-apple-cant-be-insanely-great-after-steve-jobs/ "Why Apple can't be insanely great after Steve Jobs") over predictable product lifecycles. Consequentially, the Apple Watch almost feels like a half-baked attempt by the tech giant to evade slipping into a state of stagnation. It is hard to believe that it will become iconic as other items in the firm’s catalogue because its purpose is unclear. You need to pair the watch with an iPhone. Considering that many people use their phone to check the time instead of wearing wristwatches, the idea of it being used as a timepiece is somewhat redundant. The watch’s function as a gadget is just as ambiguous as it simply doesn’t do much more than your regular smartphone is capable of. Sure, there may be a few new features for fitness buffs, but it’s not exactly revolutionary. So if it’s not primarily a timepiece, nor a gadget, what is it? Simply put, it’s a fashion accessory. That’s what a watch is. Starting at $349, the Apple Watch is positioned as a luxury item and luxury watchmakers like TAG Heuer and Patek Phillipe will tell you, timepieces are less about time and more about image. Does Apple have a place in the fashion industry? For the company to march toward new a frontier is not hard to conceive. After all, who would have thought 20 years ago that a computer manufacturer would be at the forefront of the mobile phone industry? Apple has demonstrated that it is more than capable of breaking into new markets with a fashionable product. The company has drawn the lines between technology and fashion closer, reshaping our perspective on the world of technology. It will continue to do so. The Apple Watch might be seen as a bold and risky attempt to break into the fashion industry, but they are not marketing time. They are branding lifestyle. To read the introduction to our blog series “tech giants’ please [click here.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/the-technology-giants-shaping-our-world-introduction#.VC1WYfldWVM "TheTechnology Giants Shaping Our World Introduction") **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 2: Amazon](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-2-amazon/) **Published:** October 27, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **Amazon: “High Street to High-Tech”** Back in August we wrote about the UK being the [largest per capita e-commerce market in the world](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/a-british-digital-success-story#.VBcCSPldXg8), but what affect has that had on our high street? There is a distinct correlation between our preference for web markets and the impact that it has had on our high streets. Online retailers like Amazon have become household names while 12% of our high street stores lie empty. In recent years, some of our famous stores like Woolworths and Comet have tumbled into nonexistence. Even titans like Tesco and Marks & Spencer have proven to be vulnerable having seen a drop in sales. By way of contrast, Amazon, sells 120 million products and has UK sales of £4.3 billion. If you are a traditionalist, you may be pointing fingers at the tech giant by this point. In reality, Amazon is not responsible for our high street troubles, we are. We Brits do more online shopping than any other nation, [annually spending £1,175 each on average,](http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/cmr/cmr13/icmr/ICMR_2013_final.pdf?_ga=1.122417611.159558789.1412333746) £300 more than the next highest-ranked country, Australia. 73 percent of us with a web connection purchase products online at least once a month. It has become so ingrained in our way of life that many of us have not stopped to ask the question, is online shopping actually killing the high street, or is it in fact *saving* it? It’s peculiar to see it in this light considering the predicament of our high street stores, but e-commerce is not a new thing. In fact, twenty years have passed since the arrival of e-commerce. Let’s rewind. The date is 11th August 1994. Forest Gump has just grossed $24,000,000 at the US box office. The Channel Tunnel has just been built, and in four months, Sony will launch a little grey box that will go on to change the video gaming industry forever. The offline world is in full swing. However, on this day, there is one individual who will take the first leap into the unknown. They are about to purchase a music CD of ‘Ten Summoner’s Tales’ by Sting, an album that will go down in history as the [first item ever to be bought via e-commerce](http://news.cnet.com/E-commerce-turns-10/2100-1023_3-5304683.html). This purchase marked the start of what would become a retail revolution. In that very same year, a month earlier, Jeff Bezos had quit his job and launched Amazon out of his garage. By 1999, he had been named Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” for popularising online shopping. While Amazon may be famed for selling everything from A to Z, it is the company’s ambitious ideas that have labelled it a tech giant. In 2007, Amazon launched the original Kindle, a tablet device with a focus on e-books. It was so popular, that even Amazon had underestimated it. The device sold out in a matter of hours and immediately put Amazon on the back foot, scrambling to keep up with demand. The decision to step into the e-book reader market made sense for the company. It already held an advantage owing to their enormous investment in acquiring the digital rights for many of the paper-form books it was already selling. The label of being a tech giant does not end at the e-book revolution, of course. On 1st December 2013, Jeff Bezos appeared on 60 Minutes to unveil the company’s plans for a futuristic delivery system. Branded as Amazon Prime Air, the goal is to deliver packages to customers within 30 minutes using unmanned aerial vehicles. Amazon has an R&D team dedicated to conceptualising new ways to make shopping more accessible for the consumer via the power of the internet. So how exactly could online retailers, like Amazon, be saving our high street? We are seeing an evolution of the high street, for there are certain things that the internet cannot offer. Independent stores are gaining traction through local business. There are signs that the high street is returning to its roots, away from the monotony of being unable to turn a corner without seeing anything but international chains. Backed by a [government policy introduced in 2012](https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/improving-high-streets-and-town-centres), the high street is starting to become a social place with a vibrant nightlife and niche local businesses. The boarded-up shops and disused properties that echoed a war of extreme capitalism have now created an opportunity to start fresh. Businesses such as Blockbuster and HMV fell because they couldn’t adapt to the internet economy, Britain’s largest economy, whereas the likes of John Lewis has thrived with ‘click and collect’ services. Rebuilding a productive economy based on alternative economic models could very well create thriving high streets once again. Amazon may just be another retailer, but it is a retailer who has fused technology and retail in ways that have changed the world forever. To read part one of our blog series “tech giants’ please [click here.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-one-apple#.VE4yvPmsW2U) **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 3 : Microsoft](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-3-microsoft/) **Published:** October 29, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **Microsoft** December 1974. Paul Allen, a 21-year-old college dropout, purchased the latest issue of hobbyist magazine *Popular Electronics* from a newsstand in Harvard Square and ran six blocks to the college. At Harvard College, Paul found his close friend Bill Gates and handed him the magazine. The two had long desired writing an operating program using the BASIC computer language, but Bill wanted to hold off until someone had developed a computer with a fast processor. The moment they had been waiting for had arrived. On this day, Microsoft was born. Microsoft went on to become the world’s number one software provider for over thirty years. 90% of all computers on the planet run a version of Windows OS, and the company’s workforce has as many employees as the population of Jersey. However, the company’s success became somewhat turbulent at the turn of the millennium. Plagued with internal knife-fights and a slew of questionable managerial decisions, Microsoft had lost its way among the rising influence of rival tech firms. Despite this, Microsoft still retains an undeniable influence over not only the computer industry, but our world. Like our other tech giants in this series, their presence extends beyond that of computers. However, there is one particular arena where Microsoft is staking its claim. In 2010, the company launched a peripheral for their Xbox gaming console that utilised motion-sensor technology. It wasn’t that long ago when gesture-based technology was limited to laboratories and sci-fi films, but that technology is here. It is called the Kinect, and its use extends far beyond the realm of gaming. The Kinect is an innovative combination of cameras, microphones and software that essentially turns your body into a video game controller. It uses something called point-cloud technology, which consists of projecting points of infrared light to construct three-dimensional images. The device is so accurate that it can lip read, so it’s no wonder why the technology is being adopted for military purposes. Yes, the military. It may sound like war is becoming more like a game of Call of Duty, but the Kinect technology is so advanced that it transcends gaming peripherals. Along the borders of North and South Korea, the Kinect is being used a surveillance tool. Over two miles wide and 160 miles long, the Korean DMZ is an uninhabited no-man’s land. It is an area laden with fortified fences, landmines and listening posts of two nations that remain at war. Despite the security measures in place, in 2012 a defecting North Korean soldier simply walked across the border undetected and rapped on the door of a guard post. The incident came at a time when the South Korean army was supposedly on high alert due to rising military tensions with the North. Unlike CCTV, the Kinect can actually determine the difference between animals and humans and since the incident; it has been employed to patrol the border. The technology’s capability for military use does not stop at surveillance, mind. Post-injury war veterans now use the Kinect as a tool for rehabilitation. The affordability of the device means that it is far cheaper for the user in comparison to numerous hospital visits. At present, the Kinect is used with ReMotion360 physical therapy software, which scans the user’s body and asks them to mimic the figure on-screen. Furthermore, and likely closer to what players may experience in flight simulators, is that the Kinect is being used to control aircraft. Although the concept is still in its infancy, the US Army has been considering “Minority Report” style virtual displays for the next generation of flight cockpits. Using the Kinect as a platform, the technology will help pilots to identify targets and even monitor the physical and health levels of an individual. It would seem, at least for now, that Microsoft has turned the page. No longer looking at what it did wrong in the past, but what it can do right for the future. No more controversies. No more internal conflicts. No more foolish decisions. Wars in the real world are inevitable. They have shaped our world since the dawn of time. While bravery may take you to the most dangerous of places, a technological advantage may see you safely through them. Microsoft will continue to fight its own wars against rivals in the cut-throat technology industry. However, ensuring that the brave men and women that protect the rest of us are in safe hands themselves has arguable the biggest impact on the world we live in. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 4: IBM](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-4-ibm/) **Published:** November 26, 2014 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Few enterprises have been around as long as IBM has. When we think of modern tech giants, we only have to look back a few decades to trace their origins. IBM is different. Few know that the tech giant’s roots can be traced back to the Victorian Era, long before the advent of electronic computing. Back in the 19th century, the effects of the Industrial Revolution led to more people working for large factories as opposed to running their own businesses. Overheads of labour, raw materials and logistical operations needed to be closely monitored and analysed to maximise an organisation’s profits. More emphasis was put upon punctuality and employees’ working hours were recorded in handwritten logs. Both time-consuming and prone to error, it soon became evident that accurate records of working hours were of paramount importance to running a successful operation. As with any technology, invention was inspired by necessity. Between 1888 and 1894, three time-recording machines were invented. Willard Bundy’s Bundy Key Recorder, Dr Alexander Dey’s Dial Recorder, and Daniel M Cooper’s [Rochester Recorder](http://www.google.com/patents/US528223). All three used clocks to print a time on an employee time card, stating arrival and departure times. By 1911, biplanes dotted the skies. The world was lighting up with the spark of light bulbs, and in a Belfast shipyard the largest passenger ship seen by man was being built, the Titanic. The booming economy was creating a new hunger for information, a new renaissance. Into the fray stepped Charles Flint, a financier that rubbed shoulders with the giants of politics and business. At the turn of the millennium, Flint had started building a number of trusts by merging several small companies, one of which was in time clocks. It was called the International Time Recording Company. Time recording was not the only market that Flint had built trusts in, however. He had also merged several companies that made computing scales to form the Computing Scale Company of America. These two companies grew moderately in their respective industries, but they were only two pieces of Flint’s puzzle. Searching for a way to improve the fortunes of the companies, Flint realised that both were built on a shared foundation, data. At their core, ITR and Computing Scale were about collecting, quantifying and analysing information. In 1911, Flint found the final piece to the puzzle. Back in 1887, the US had finished processing the results of its 1880 census, at which point were obsolete. Due to the growth of the US population in the 1880’s, it was estimated that the 1890 census would take thirteen years to complete. Since the US Constitution mandates a census every ten years to allocate taxes between states, this posed an enormous logistical problem. In the latter part of the decade, Herman Hollerith invented a tabulating machine that recorded data on a machine readable medium. It was used to process the results for the 1890 census. [It took just 6 weeks to return the population statistics.](http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/spring/1890-census-1.html) By 1896, Hollerith founded the Tabulating Machine Company. Its products were used by many major census bureaus around the world to record, quantify and analyse data. It was the perfect fit for Charles Flint, who saw the machine’s potential. The Tabulating Machine Company, Computing Scale, ITR and what was left of Bundy Manufacturing merged and in 1911, the [Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company was born](http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F05E4DC1E3EE233A25753C1A9609C946096D6CF). However, despite the progress the tabulation machine was making, as predicted by Flint, the diversified businesses of the company proved difficult to manage. CTR had stalled just five years after the headline merger. Flint needed a new general manager, and found one in a [convicted criminal](http://www.atariarchives.org/deli/think.php). A year prior to becoming the general manager of CTR, Thomas J. Watson had been convicted of various antitrust violations for his role in a widespread National Cash Register scheme. After 11 months, the Appeals Court ordered a retrial. It never took place and Watson was promoted to the position of President at CTR. It turned out to be the most inspired move the company would ever make. Watson’s changes brought a dawn of prosperity to the company, cultivating a thriving culture through investment in its employees and education. The company’s trajectory was on the rise, and on 14thFebruary 1924, CTR formerly changed its name to reflect the company’s mission. It became International Business Machines Corporation, or as we call it, IBM. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 4: IBM Part 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-4-ibm-part-2/) **Published:** January 20, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In 2011, IBM celebrated its centennial anniversary. 100 years in business is a significant achievement for any company. For one in the turbulent tides of the technology industry, it is otherwise unheard of. In its time of operation, IBM has seen technological advances that fundamentally changed major aspects of our world. These advances include automated traffic signal timing. Magnetic stripes as seen on credit cards. UPC Bar Codes. Personal computers. Real-time airline reservation systems. Dynamic random-access memory. Fractal geometry. Relational databases. Systems network architecture. Laser printers. FORTRAN. Laser Eye Surgery. ATMs and even the advent of Social Security. The fact that IBM was around long before any of this existed is an impressive achievement. The fact that it [pioneered every one of them](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39jtNUGgmd4) is monumental. Sure, IBM has an extremely impressive portfolio, but how is the company influencing our lives today? Let’s start with cognitive computing, or more specifically, IBM’s Watson computer. Named after the man that propelled the company into prosperity, the Watson computer is essentially an extension of what humans can do at their best. It can read and understand natural human language, analysing data through hypothesis generation and evaluation to generate accurate responses when asked a question. The more it is used, the smarter it becomes, tracking feedback from its users and learning from successes and failures. It is so intelligent, in fact, that it [demolished contestants on Jeopardy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6oS64Bpx0g) Of course, referencing back to how Watson is influencing our lives does not squarely rest upon its success on a televised game show. However, the potential of this machine is clear to see and is on course to revolutionise medicine. In the same way that pilots interface with computer systems to operate aircraft, physicians can now bridge the gap between scientists generating knowledge and the people putting those insights into practice. In effect, it is going to put the world’s collective knowledge to work in the practice of everyday medicine. However, if history has told us anything, it’s that IBM’s thirst for innovation cannot be quenched by focusing on just one game-changer at a time. While IBM has a plethora of patents for new technologies, such as [traffic lights that shut off car engines](http://phys.org/news194070050.html), one of the most astonishing breakthroughs has come in energy-efficient computing. The company has developed the world’s first commercially viable, electronic-photonic integrated chip. If that doesn’t mean much, another option would be to refer to Moore’s Law. Every couple of years, computing power doubles and just as we’re getting used to the idea of gigabytes, we start hearing about terabytes. At time of writing, terabytes are not uncommon, but it wasn’t long ago that we were all swooning over having 500GB’s of disk space. Well prepare yourself, because your new terabyte hard drive is about to seem very substandard. IBM’s new chip is [already capable of moving Terabytes of data in seconds](http://www.extremetech.com/computing/142881-ibm-creates-first-cheap-commercially-viable-silicon-nanophotonic-chip), but it is expected to scale to not just Petabytes, but Exabytes. Yes, an Exabyte. For a sense of scale, take that aforementioned terabyte hard drive of yours, it’s one million of those. And if that’s hard to visualise, [5 Exabytes is the equivalent of all words ever spoken by human beings](http://highscalability.com/blog/2012/9/11/how-big-is-a-petabyte-exabyte-zettabyte-or-a-yottabyte.html). How is this possible? Well, after more than a decade of research, IBM has finally cracked silicon nanophotonics. By fabricating a chip from a single crystal of silicon that integrates both electrical and optical components, data can be transferred, quite literally, at light speed. It is almost certain to revolutionise not only computing power, but energy efficiency, something that those of us in the data centre industry are acutely aware of. IBM is continuing the trend it set over a century ago, and yet it remains humble. It operates in the background, innovating where others aren’t. Unlike some of the other tech giants in this series, IBM is not in our face everywhere we look. We may see the odd advert on television now and then, but IBM was not the first tech giant that sprang to mind when compiling this series. The company’s passivity toward the spotlight sometimes makes us forget that it is not only shaping our world today, but started doing so long ago. In the world of technology, the search for innovation has never ceased. New businesses rise out of nothing to tread where giants have fallen. But in a century that saw [two world wars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_during_World_War_II), [immeasurable advances in technology](http://www.research.ibm.com/featured/history/) and a [man step foot on the moon](http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/mainframe/trends/whatsnew/IBM-Mainframe-Assists-Apollo-11-Landing/), IBM has a hand in it all. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World Part 5: Google](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-part-5-google/) **Published:** January 27, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Google is an organisation that needs no introduction. It is the world’s most valuable company, overtaking Apple back in May. In the Oxford Dictionary, considered to be the most authoritative dictionary on the English language, ‘Google’ is now a verb. Whether it’s the search engine itself, YouTube, Android, or one of a plethora of other subsidiaries, there’s a strong chance that the tech giant is embedded in your life. Google is an organisation that needs no introduction. It is the [world’s most valuable company](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2635043/Move-Apple-Google-worlds-biggest-brand-Company-valued-158-BILLION-40-rise-2014.html), overtaking Apple back in May. In the Oxford Dictionary, considered to be the most authoritative dictionary on the English language, ‘Google’ is now a verb. Whether it’s the search engine itself, YouTube, Android, or one of a plethora of other subsidiaries, there’s a strong chance that the tech giant is embedded in your life. Google has data centres in Taiwan, Singapore, Finland, Belgium, Ireland and seven more across the United States. However, the world’s most valuable company came from very humble beginnings. It all started in a college dorm room in 1995. Students Larry Page and Sergey Brin were studying for their PhDs at Stanford University. They decided to undertake a project, in which the mission was to provide context and organisation to links and pages on the World Wide Web. The search engine was named Google, a play on the word “googol”, a mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeroes. The colourful logo we all know today reminiscent of the company’s first server rack, which was [built using Lego](https://infolab.stanford.edu/pub/voy/museum/pictures/display/0-4-Google.htm). Containing 10 4GB hard drives, this DIY storage space allowed Page and Brin to not only build their ‘digital library’ but to scale their server in a cost-effective way as more drives were added. By 1998, Google Inc. became official when Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim wrote a cheque for $100,000 to the entity, which until then didn’t exist. So how did a search engine grow to become a tech giant that has dominated the globe? Before 1995, search engines relied on databases of textual keywords to return relevant results. Unfortunately, the process did not always return logical results. What Google did was follow links from page to page, known as “crawling” and sorted the results by their content and other factors using specially-designed algorithms. All of it is kept track of in what is referred to as “The Index”. But this was just the start. As Google became the world’s most popular search engine, the tech giant invested in other companies, including their famous [$1.65 billion purchase of YouTube](https://venturebeat.com/2006/10/09/they-did-it-youtube-gets-bought-by-gooogle-for-165b-in-less-than-two-years/). One of the subsidiaries that began to have a major impact in the real world was Keyhole, a tool that would become Google Earth. The virtual globe and geographic data of Google Earth has become a vital instrument for disaster response, most notably after Japan’s 2011 earthquake. The difference between Google and most other organisations is a way of thinking. If history has taught us anything, it’s that every now and then humanity takes a giant leap forward by making the impossible, possible. In 1795, Napoleon offered a reward to anybody that could devise a safe and reliable method of preserving food for his travelling military. After 15 years of experimenting with preserving boiled foodstuffs in wax-sealed glass bottles, confectioner Nicolas Appert submitted his piece de resistance. Appert’s innovation was quickly built upon, paving the way for commercial canning and modern food preservation. This is how Google thinks. Not in small steps, but giant leaps forward. At the centre of it all is Google X, the tech giant’s secret research laboratory. Overseen by Sergey Brin and scientist, Astro Teller, the aim of the Google X laboratory is to improve technologies by a factor of 10. These technologies are referred as “moonshots”. It began in 2010 with the development of a self-driving car, which has clocked up over [700,000 accident-free miles of autonomous driving](https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/181508-googles-self-driving-car-passes-700000-accident-free-miles-can-now-avoid-cyclists-stop-for-trains). Another innovation of the Google X facility includes Project Loon, an internet service provided via balloons in the stratosphere with the aim of connecting those in less-developed countries with the rest of the world. In May 2014 we saw the release of Google Glass, the wearable tech that displays information on an optical head-mounted display. While it received a mixed reception among audiences, nobody can deny the innovation behind the device. With creations seemingly inspired by science-fiction, it begs the question as to why the tech giant released Chromecast. The thumb-sized HDMI device that streams media to your television doesn’t seem to fit in with the “factor of 10′ approach that the company strives for. It does the same job as a $99 Apple TV at around a third of the cost, and sold out almost immediately. For a company that prides itself on building for the future, why would it go through the trouble of building a product that might be superfluous in tomorrow’s world? Innovation does not happen in a vacuum. It requires a lot of social input to drive it, so could the device’s true purpose have something to do with a creation far more ambitious? Through subtle layers of software, it’s well-known that a lot of Google’s innovations come from user behaviour. From statistics on Google searches to the way we use Android, and now, conceivably our television viewing habits. It’s not implausible to think that Google might be gearing up to assemble an internet TV service, something that cable operators and programmers will no doubt fear. While streaming services like Netflix have already changed the way many of us watch television, a company like Google isn’t likely to simply compete, but instead take a ‘moonshot’. The secrecy of Google’s plans will lead to much speculation as to how the company might shape our lives in the future. However, their track record of shaping the present shows us why it’s worth shooting for the moon. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [The Tech Giants Shaping Our World: Conclusion](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-tech-giants-shaping-our-world-conclusion/) **Published:** February 4, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Change is inevitable. With our tech giants’ relentless approach to research and development, any one of them seems poised to introduce the world to the *next big thing.* However, there is something about the use of that phrase that should be taken with caution. ### Conclusion Change is inevitable. With our tech giants’ relentless approach to research and development, any one of them seems poised to introduce the world to the *next big thing.* However, there is something about the use of that phrase that should be taken with caution. The “next big thing” is thrown about so often that the meaning of the phrase has become a little diluted. If we look back on history, the innovations that propelled the human race forward were established in times of need. If we look to the future, we envisage a world comparable to science-fiction fame. Would flying cars change the world? Certainly, but is there a high demand for them? Not really, or at least not at this moment in time. There is one thing that our tech giants have in common, they are all trying to find “˜the next big thing’. However, innovation should never be the aim. The best inventions often come as a response to practical problems or through discovery. Let’s take an innovation from 1994 that we have seen more frequently during the rise of the smartphone, QR Codes. Initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, Quick Response Codes are a type of matrix barcode that can hold a significant amount of data. By using a third-party app on a smartphone, the user can scan the code using the phone’s camera to get more information. It’s quite an innovative way of marketing a wealth of product information with just one quick scan. But how many of us have ever scanned one? Why do we know so very little about them? Sure, they might be innovative, but the problem is that there simply isn’t a demand for them. Some of the most tech-savvy individuals won’t have a QR reader installed on their smartphones. It’s ironic that the result of this means that the QR codes are in fact doing the opposite of what they were designed for. Nobody’s going to go through the extra effort of setting up QR code software when there’s no significant benefit to it, or when it’s actually quicker to typing in a web address manually. QR Codes are a solution to a problem that simply doesn’t exist; innovation where it isn’t needed. It’s plausible to believe that the next giant leap forward in technology will instead be something that provides a solution for the world’s most pressing issues. Issues such as climate change or sustainable energy resources. Poverty or world conflicts. Just like how the World Wide Web was born out of necessity for particle physics research, the next big thing set to sweep our planet will likely be a by-product that comes from an unexpected source. Of course, this blog series was never really about who will give us the next big thing. The reality is that the chances of our tech giants changing the world in the same way that the Internet did are quite slim. Not impossible, but improbable, and that’s what drives these companies. They know game-changing technology comes around once in a blue moon, but to be the one who changes it is the main goal. That’s what fuels their ambition. Every new technology that is released depends on many factors. In 2002, Microsoft came out with the tablet PC, [long before the iPad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Tablet_PC). It was shipped with the latest version of XP, had a 600MHz processor, 128MB of RAM, a 10GB hard drive and wireless networking. In fact, it almost looks identical to the tablets that we see released today, but the world wasn’t ready for it. The rise of social media was only just starting to gain traction. It wasn’t until 8 years later, when Apple released the iPad, that market conditions were right and the world started embracing the technology. Any one of our tech giants could create a tech that might change the world, but it is us “the consumer” who will decide whether to adopt it. The human race is capable of extraordinary things, and our achievements throughout history stand as timeless monuments to our innovation as a species. While our giants may never find that true game-changer, they will most certainly continue to shape the world, and our lives within it, with their efforts. Who do you think will have the greatest influence on our future? **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Data Centre Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-energy-efficiency/) **Published:** May 8, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Whether you are considering the environment, your public image or your bottom line, it makes sense for your data centre to be as energy efficient as possible. There have been many estimates of the amount of electricity consumed by data centres, some suggesting that in the UK it could be as high as 4% of total consumption. The [EU Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency](http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/html/standby_initiative_data_centers.htm) uses a figure of 56 TWh per year for the EU as a whole and suggests that this will increase to 104 TWh per year by 2020. Whatever it is it is a lot, and it would be no bad thing to try to reduce it or at the very least curtail its growth. ## Let’s put this in perspective.. Compared with a normal office block or residential property data centres use vastly more electricity. The average household in the UK uses approximately 5000kWh of electricity over 12 months. In comparison a micro data centre with just 20 moderately loaded cabinets and a PUE of 1.4 uses 981,120kWh in the same time. A large facility housing 1000 moderately loaded cabinets with a good PUE of 1.2 uses 42,048,000kWh. This is the equivalent of 8,409 households. Although the numbers above are pretty big and there is no denying data centres, through their energy consumption, do produce a lot of CO2 , the highest estimates for Northern Europe’s data centre energy consumption are around 65tWh. This produces around 32,500,000 tons of CO2 per year. In comparison the lowest estimates for CO2 produced by Europe’s air travel is 125,000,000 tons of CO2 per year. This means almost all the CO2 produced by all of Europe’s data centres could be “off set” by grounding 1 in 4 flights. Food for thought. ## IT Equipment Energy Efficiency This falls outside of our scope as it depends on the efficiency of the hardware and software in use. Great improvements have been made in recent years with manufacturers producing equipment that provide more compute per kilo Watt. Developers are also creating more efficient applications while IT managers are virtualizing and consolidating their servers, all resulting in more energy efficient data centres. As yet though there is no agreed metric for the efficiency of the IT load as a whole, as this will require an industry agreed means of measuring and comparing the “output” of the IT system themselves. Some organisations have created their own internal metrics such as financial transactions per Watt and searches per Watt. These are very useful for them and can help decisions regarding data centre deployment and development. However due to each organisation being slightly different these metrics cannot be used in a universal way. This is something that the EU CoC hopes to address in the near future. **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Free air cooling aids Sainsbury’s data centre energy reduction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/free-air-cooling-aids-sainsburys-data-centre-energy-reduction/) **Published:** May 28, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Free air cooling aids Sainsbury’s data centre energy reduction by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 28, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Innovation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/innovation/) ![Future-tech's data centre design and data centre cooling for Sainsbury's supermarkets](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy9-1080x486.jpg) Sainsbury’s commissioned Future-tech to design and install fresh air, data centre cooling for two air handling units, fitting the new plant in a roof space above a suspended ceiling over the existing computer room. Adding a level of complexity to the initial planning, Future-tech’s data centre designs and project plan had to be approved by Sainsbury’s landlords. While this took time, the plan was approved without change. . ### THE BRIEF The data centre operates with a supply air temperature in the floor void of between 15ºC and 17ºC. Thus any time that the outside air is below 15ºC it is possible to cool the data centre using fan power only from the fresh air cooling system. The project involved the Future-tech team installing an Air Handling Unit complete with an evaporative humidifier, filters and supply air motor and fan above the computer room in the attic space. Using structural calculations provided by structural engineering partner, Noak Bridge Consultants, the team built and installed a steel frame to support the air handling unit. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS It was a challenge to retro-fit the kit into an existing building, Future-tech had to bring in a crane and remove part of a wall to get the large elements in, however everything was scheduled and the installation had no disruption to the data centre operation. The project faced more challenges between the design and implementation phases by adding an additional air handling unit. Initially Sainsbury’s wanted the free air cooling in their data centre to link into two units, but then decided to add a third, therefore, Future-tech needed a solution to meet the client’s requirements. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Fresh air is provided to the air handling unit via a louver and ductwork from the flat roof area. The air is then filtered and humidified before being introduced into the computer room ceiling void. Future-tech also installed an extract fan within the ductwork to extract return air from the computer room ceiling void and vent it into the atmosphere high above the existing condenser compound, and to separate the supply and extract air, the team installed barriers/plenums within the computer room ceiling void. Shortly after the site went live, Future-tech were commissioned for a second phase of work to introduce free air cooling across the whole computer room. Sainsbury’s have already received significant benefits in terms of reducing their energy usage and are very impressed with the work carried out by Future-tech. The Council was recognised by the Data Centre Dynamics Award Scheme for the design innovation used in free cooling the data centre GEOFF ENDICOTT, ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME MANAGER, BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL **Categories:** Case Studies, Innovation --- ### [Professionalism marks Future-tech out at Mylan](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professionalism-marks-future-tech-out-at-mylan/) **Published:** May 28, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Professionalism marks Future-tech out at Mylan by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 28, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech's new specialist data centre design and build for pharmaceutical business Mylan](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy8-1-1080x486.jpg) Future-tech’s approach to a new-build computer facility for pharmaceutical business Mylan, not only created an impression of extreme professionalism with the client, but also won the specialist data centre contractor a second project on the back of the first. ### THE BRIEF When Mylan’s UK Information Systems Manager, Mike Thurston was looking for a contractor to construct a new computer room at his company’s Potter’s Bar site, Future-tech was the stand-out candidate for the job. Mylan was reconfiguring the way it uses its UK headquarters building and saw the opportunity to move its key systems equipment from a small fourth floor server room to a new-build space on the first floor. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The main challenge within this project was all works had to be carried out at the weekend and therefore, this involved some sensitive negotiation with Mylan, their landlord and the relevant Network Rail departments – Future-tech needed a solution. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION The design and build of the new micro data centre took advantage of Mylan’s own systems consolidation that now enables them to derive far more computing power from far fewer cabs. We stripped out and refurbished the space, installed the raised access flooring and a new suspended ceiling, along with all the switchgear and other electrical systems and the network cabling. Key to the project was providing more efficient, energy saving, UPS systems and cooling. The building is above Network Rail’s Potter’s Bar Station and involved dismantling existing condensers on the roof and installing two new air handling units. The works were carried out on site during the working week and on several weekends and there was no disruption to Mylan. Future-tech were later commissioned for their power and data upgrade including CAT6 data cabling across the first floor of the data centre building. Both Projects were completed on time and within budget, providing Mylan with an efficient computer room to support their systems. One of the key aspects to the Future-tech relationship is that we have access to the whole company, from the Engineers to the Managing Director STEVE WATT, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, ST ANDREW’S UNIVERSITY **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Future-tech win TSYS Managed Services design & construction contract](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-win-tsys-managed-services-design-construction-contract/) **Published:** June 6, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech win TSYS Managed Services design & construction contract by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jun 6, 2015 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech awarded data centre design and construction for TSYS Managed Services, Milton Keynes](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy2-1-1080x486.jpg) Future-tech were awarded the contract for the data centre design and construction of a new data centre facility. Due to the success and growth of TSYS Managed Services, they required larger office space outside of Milton Keynes town centre to provide a 500 seat call centre to support its customer base. ### THE BRIEF TSYS approached a number of data centre providers and enquired about the designs and costs associated with a new data centre construction project to support the call centre services. Uptime and continuity of services was extremely important to TSYS, ensuring that maximum uptime was delivered and the services are maintained in the event of a power failure or other mission critical threat. The project faced a small number of constraints regarding the area that the data centre was being built and considerations had to be made with speed of delivery and noise. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Due to the pressures of growth, the new data centre facility had to be delivered quickly and efficiently. TSYS had a very demanding timescale and Future-tech needed to ensure that the data centre was completed and thoroughly tested in all potential fault conditions. Although the facility is deemed as micro, with only 16 cabinet positions, TSYS wanted to maintain a focus on best practice and energy efficiency. Also as the data centre is located next to the call centre, consideration of noise was very important. ### THE FUTURE- TECH SOLUTION The Future-tech solution proposed a direct expansion air conditioning system using a traditional down flow air handling model and hot aisle containment. The facility provides separation between the data hall, where the servers are located, and supporting plant space. This means staff with access to either the data hall or supporting plant areas are authorised members of the IT or facilities teams. All cabinet positions have dual power feeds and both the data centre and call centre are backed up by their own dedicated generator. The whole building is also backed by a generator so the mission critical functions of the business are supported by two independent generators ensuring maximum resilience. The finished facility was housed within a composite modular room that provides excellent sound attenuation along with 1 hour fire rated separation from the live call centre environment. With a very happy client, Future-tech’s ability to thrive throughout the life cycle of the project meant that it was designed, constructed, commissioned and completed in the given time frame. Future-tech managed a large number of subcontractors without causing any disruption to Staff or Students IAIN STINSON, DIRECTOR OF IT SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Upgrading server estate for the world's largest university press](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/upgrading-server-estate-for-the-worlds-largest-university-press/) **Published:** June 9, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Oxford University Press is one of the largest publishers in the UK and the largest university press in the world. Desire to embrace new technologies to further grow and improve is hard wired, over the last three years this has resulted in Oxford University Press embracing virtualisation and up grading its data centre design and server estate. ### THE BRIEF Further investment by the organisation has seen the lease of a new 400,000 sq. ft. distribution centre in Northamptonshire. As part of this project OUP commissioned Future-tech, data centre specialists, to construct a new disaster recovery suite situated on site. OUP were looking at how to expand and improve their data warehousing capability so they investigated a number of options. The move to Prologis Park was considered the most attractive as it provides a superior operating environment and creates a degree of flexibility, which will help maintain their distribution requirements. With the site identified OUP and Future-tech looked at the constraints that surrounded the project and eliminated certain data centre design options that clashed with these. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The first step in the process with OUP was to look at the different data centre construction, power and cooling solutions available and find what combination would best fit the constraints of this particular project. For OUP resilience, CAPX and total cost of ownership were of maximum importance. Equally all projects vary and space, time or power availability could easily have topped this list; demonstrating a one size fits all approach doesn’t work with data centre design and build projects. It was apparent that the solution had to be flexible in terms of cabinet densities, have a high level of resilience, as the facility looks after distribution and disaster recovery, while keeping CAPX at a minimum. To add to this the OUP are committed to reducing their carbon footprint so the facility had to be as energy efficient as possible without having a detrimental effect on the CAPX constraint. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION Future-tech established which data centre design most suited the cabinet densities. Cooling technologies such as in-row, rear door and fresh air cooling combined with either free cooling coils or chilled water were all considered, but were difficult to justify the additional capital needed when compared with the ROI gained from savings they achieved in energy use. Our final design opted for a highly efficient DX cooling system, hot aisle containment and a 99% efficient UPS. The data centre design OUP and Future-tech decided upon incorporates hot aisle containment and down flow air-conditioning units, maximizing the energy efficiency of the system and providing cooling for up to 7kW per cabinet. By using aisle containment the DX system benefits from higher return air temperatures of around 32°C. The down flow air-conditioning units supply air at 22°C, through an under floor plenum, to the front of the cabinets. By segregating the supply and return air plenums the possibility of cold air ‘short circuiting’ the system and reducing the return air temperature, in turn reducing the energy efficiency of the system, is avoided. This results is a PUE of better than 1.4. With the data centre build project complete ahead of schedule, and server population well underway, Oxford University Press has a facility that will support them right through the next decade and beyond. > Many relationships with suppliers are done on a contract, what I would say is the relationship with Future-tech is done on the spirit of the agreement. The team are first class Steve Knibbs, Head of Hosting Services, University of London Computer Centre **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [Future-tech wins University of Sussex data centre design and build contract](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-wins-university-of-sussex-data-centre-design-and-build-contract/) **Published:** June 29, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The University of Sussex, based near Brighton, has awarded a data centre design and build contract for their new high density data centre to Future-tech, the Berkshire based data centre specialists. The lead data centre Consultant on the project said, “We are very pleased to have been awarded this contract. I personally enjoy working with Universities as they really want to embrace innovation and tend to look at the long term benefits gained by owning and operating their own IT infrastructure. The new high density data centre will cater for the University’s I.T. hardware requirements for a minimum of 10 years” The particular cooling data centre solution proposed by Future-tech can accommodate IT loads up to 45kW per rack however to ensure maximum cooling efficiency and utilisation of free cooling Future-tech have designed the data centre to support an IT load of 20kW per rack. These rack densities are becoming ever more popular due to organisations consolidating their existing I.T. infrastructure by utilising such technologies as Blade servers and VM Ware. **Richard Lumb** *Technical Director* “Striking the right balance between rack capacity and cooling efficiency is vital. We want to design the most sustainable data centres possible, this means there must be enough capacity to support our clients’ growth while at the same time have minimum running cost and environmental impact.” Future-tech are high density data centre specialists for further information and advice on high density environments call us on 0845 9000 127 or email us at info@future-tech.co.uk or complete our contact form. > Future-tech had the ability to listen to what we really wanted and provide what we really needed GEOFF ENDICOTT, ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME MANAGER, BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL **Categories:** Case Studies, Innovation --- ### [Gaming in the cloud](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/gaming-in-the-cloud/) **Published:** August 18, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Video games have come a long way since the days of Pong and Pac-Man. Nearly every new title released is geared towards the online experience. Sharing, streaming, and of course, competing with other likeminded individuals around the world. The video game industry is forecasted to reach global revenues of $102.9bn by 2017(1), an annual growth of 8%. For a sense of scale of the video game industry, let’s take a look at the film industry’s highest grossing opening weekends (2). **Rank****Title****Opening Weekend****Date**1Jurassic World$208,806,27012/06/20152Marvel’s The Avengers$207,438,70804/05/20123Avengers: Age of Ultron$191,271,10901/05/20154Iron Man 3$174,144,58503/05/20135Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2$169,189,42715/07/2011The top 5 box office weekends of all time add up to a staggering $950,850,099, and rightly so. The movies are packed with action, intriguing plot and fascinating characters. Now, some perspective. Upon release, Rockstar’s *Grand Theft Auto V* broke one billion dollars in sales within its first three days (3), and transcended the top 5 box office films of all time combined. With such a meteoric rise, the demands placed on the underlying network infrastructure have had a significant impact. Many games typically rely on user computers to host multiplayer games as a cost-efficient alternative to scaling thousands of servers around the globe. However, with cloud technology and infrastructure growing more advanced every year, that paradigm is shifting. See, we gamers are a demanding bunch. We want the best latency, the best network speeds, and basically anything else that might be seen to give us a competitive advantage. However, there has been an age-old problem with user-hosted matches, particularly evident in online shooters – and it is every gamer’s greatest enemy. It is called ‘lag’. Lag (or high latency), can turn an enjoyable online experience into one so frustrating that it is comparable with watching England’s World Cup adventures. One of the issues with player-hosting is that the host themselves have an unfair advantage over everybody else. Nobody likes an uneven playing field in a competitive game. What’s worse is that the chosen host may not always have a stable connection, so it is a gamble on whether or not lag will be rife for other players. Developer Jon Shirring of Respawn Entertainment talked about the studio’s decision to use Microsoft’s Azure cloud services(4) as a way to host online matches for their game, *Titanfall.* When companies refer to their cloud, they are simply implying that they have an abundance of servers ready to run whatever you need them to run. With networking technologies advancing at a dramatic rate, gamers are not only able to level the playing field but are guaranteed a stable connection wherever they are. Moreover, by offloading heavy computing requirements to the cloud, developers are able to offer the best graphics, physics, and artificial intelligence systems regardless of the user’s system spec. Of course, there is one problem with all of this, Hackers. Over the Christmas period, both Sony and Microsoft made news headlines when their networks were disrupted by digital activists. Both PlayStation and Xbox online networks ground to a halt, effectively cancelling Christmas in the digital world of online gaming. Two prominent questions came from this. Let’s start with the “How?” Shutting down any service as big as PlayStation Network or Xbox Live seems like a task reserved for the most formidable of cyber-criminal organisations, but the reality is that it was the work of just three people (5), the youngest of which was allegedly thirteen years old. In fact, such a task can (and was) achieved via way of a DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack. For those that are unfamiliar with what that entails, a DDoS is an attack designed to grind a network to a halt by flooding it with useless traffic. *For those of you that are interested in a visual representation of such a cyber-attack, here is* *a map (6) of live attacks across the globe in real time.* Media outlets around the world labelled the activists ‘hackers’. In reality, any semi-tech savvy individual could have achieved the same result, and that brings us to the “Why?” Why would anybody seek to bring down a gaming network on Christmas Day? It was not an information heist, nor a privacy breach, where the offenders sneak in and out through virtual backdoors and leave without a trace. The hackers shouted from the rooftops on social media taking claim for the attack. In an interview with Sky News, one of the people behind the attack claimed that they were making a statement to demonstrate how easily it can be achieved. While the hackers’ methodology was called into question, it certainly raised a serious question: Why can’t the world’s most sophisticated computing giants, whom offer security software and hosting to other businesses, guarantee their own? With its plethora of benefits, cloud hosting is the future of gaming – a future that has already arrived. However, if our computing giants cannot find a way to prevent the ongoing cyber-attacks, gamers may well look back and reminisce about ‘the good old days’ when we only had to put up with a bit of lag. External Links (1) [Opening Weekends](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/) (2) [Grand Theft Auto V sales top $1B in first three days](http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/grand-theft-auto-v-sales-top-1b-in-first-three-days/) (3) [Why Lizard Squad Hacked Xbox Live And PSN](http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Why-Lizard-Squad-Hacked-Xbox-Live-PSN-69163.html) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Cleaning Up: Britain's Energy Crisis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cleaning-up-britains-energy-crisis/) **Published:** August 26, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** We create as much information as we did from the beginning of time until 2003, every two days. The demand for data has never been higher, and we have the internet to thank for it. We send 204 million emails. Generate 1.8 million Facebook likes. Compose 278 thousand tweets. Upload 100 hours of video to YouTube and create 570 new websites… every minute. Now, with more bytes of data in the digital universe than there are believed to be stars in the physical universe, our feet are firmly planted in an age of information. But at what cost? The amount of data we capture and store doubles every 1.2 years roughly, and with that, so do energy costs. In order to mitigate risks posed by future energy cost variations, we must look at current and future markets of both data centres and energy suppliers. Fossil fuel reserves are declining at an alarming rate. In the UK we use the equivalent of over 11 billion tonnes of oil in fossil fuels per year, and it is expected that the oil deposit will be gone by 2052, a much earlier stage than predicted. At present, 976 grams of CO2 is produced per $1 of GDP. For this production level to be sustainable, CO2 would need to drop to just 6 grams, which means relying on green, renewable energy to reduce the carbon footprint. The benefits of making the switch to renewable energy make it seem like a no-brainer, but it comes down to the issue of cost. In Britain, electricity from wind farms costs twice as much as that from traditional sources. Solar power is even more expensive. While relatively cheap to run, it is building the infrastructure that has a large impact. So where does the data centre come into all this? While many people remain blissfully unaware of the internet’s carbon footprint, the data centre stands as the internet’s dirty little energy-hungry secret. Behind all those ones and zeroes transferring half a petabyte of data every minute are data centres that account for 3% of all global electricity production. Or as an alternative look at it; 200 million metric tons of CO2, and that figure is growing. It has been labelled an energy crisis. In March 2014, Greenpeace released a report claiming that a centralised European super-grid could allow the EU to reach a 45% renewable energy share by 2030. However, there is only so much that can be done at an EU governance level. It is down to the member states to improve their own network infrastructure for this to work, and that means upfront capital. Plenty of it. At present, the UK employs [submarine electrical cables](http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/energy-industry/electricity-generation.html) linking us to Ireland, France and The Netherlands. However, the capacity of these cables remains at less than 5% of the entire electrical capacity of Britain. This makes importing energy from a panEuropean super-grid a low possibility, and even fewer opportunities to export. So what can we do about it? Ironically, it is the vast sea of data that allows us the foresight to devise solutions before we really find ourselves in a pickle. Under European Union targets, the UK must produce 15% of its overall energy from renewable sources by 2020. In a world so reliant on fossil fuels that might seem like a stretch, but if history shows us anything, it’s that we Brits love rising to a challenge. In the UK data centre industry, an important metric in any data centre operation is PUE. For those unfamiliar with the acronym, Power Usage Effectiveness is a metric that shows the ration between power used for the IT processes and the power used by the supporting systems that allow the data centre to operate. Although this metric can be abused it is a good general indicator of how “energy efficient” a data centre is. Using less power not only ensures lower operating costs, but a commitment to the environment. In a power hungry industry, that commitment is paramount and the results speak for themselves. New analysis shows that in 2013, 15% of the UK’s electricity came from renewable energy sources, putting us about halfway toward our commitments. While transport and heating still remains relatively high in comparison, we are on course to meet that 2020 target. Out of 16 of the world’s major economies, which account for [71% of the world’s electricity consumption](http://www.theclimategroup.org/what-we-do/news-and-blogs/germany-named-most-energy-efficient-country-in-study-of-sixteen-major-economies), we rank 6th. Only Germany, Italy, France, the EU and China outrank us. Considering that the UK is the largest per capita e-commerce market on Earth, that’s nothing to sniff about. We call it a crisis, but should we panic? When we utter the word in the Western world, we paint a portrait of only impending danger. It is a word that triggers the pessimist in us. However, the country we sit behind in those rankings see it a different way and perhaps it’s time we should take a leaf out of their book. See, in Chinese the word ‘crisis’ is comprised of two brush strokes. The first stroke meaning danger. The second meaning opportunity. So, with this in mind, what does the word ‘crisis’ mean to you? External Links (1) [Energy UK](http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/energyindustry/electricity-generation.html) (2) [The Climate Group](http://www.theclimategroup.org/whatwe-do/news-and-blogs/germany-named-mostenergy-efficient-country-in-study-of-sixteen-majoreconomies) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Making Waves with Cooling Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/making-waves-with-cooling-solutions/) **Published:** August 26, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** There’s always a sense of irony when data centre cooling methods become a hot topic. The eruption of data we generate on a daily basis demands processing power of seismic proportions. Of course, with this comes the troublesome task of keeping the data centre within the correct environmental conditions. Most of the heat in a data centre is generated by computer chips, CPU’s, GPU’s, and memory modules that consume a fraction of the facility’s real estate. Processors alone run between 75°C and 100°C on average, while larger data centres can produce enough energy to heat a skyscraper. So often the case when building a data centre, an efficient cooling system not only represents the biggest challenge, but an enormous opportunity. There have been many inventive methods that companies have used to cool their facilities, but one of the most innovative must be direct to components. To anybody unfamiliar with the technology, managing the waste heat energy of electrical components with liquids might sound unconventional, if not downright crazy. However, considering how small the electrical components responsible for the heat output are, direct liquid cooling method actually makes a lot of sense. Usually, the hot components are kept cool by an electronic device called a heat sink. These heat sinks often utilise a fan to cool the component or aluminium-finned radiators that dissipate heat through convection. Direct Chip Cooling essentially replaces the heat sinks with cold plate units that allow cooling liquid to be routed directly to the component. It is able to capture the waste heat and recycle it via liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers. This means higher operating temperatures and the removal of compressor dependant cooling. This reduces overall energy consumption and improves energy efficiency, especially in higher ambient locations. Also these higher operating temperatures makes the reuse of the data centre waste heat more practical. Suddenly, using liquids to cool electronic components makes a lot of sense. After all, it isn’t as if they are directly in contact with the liquid. Unless of course you decide to make a splash and submerge your entire component rack. Yes, it is something that sounds so impractical that it couldn’t possibly work, and yet it does sublimely. Engineered as an efficient way to reduce energy consumption whilst optimising performance, it is a solution called Immersion Cooling. But what makes it possible? We all know that water and electricity generally aren’t the best of friends, but that’s mainly because water contains impurities that make it conductive. The difference here is that the fluid in which racks are submerged is completely dielectric, meaning that the components can operate normally. Through direct contact with them, heat is removed via the fluid. A further advantage of immersion cooling is that it allows for a higher density of components. The computing power per square meter that conventional air cooling allows for, dielectric fluids can accommodate ten times over. Big Data is on a meteoric rise, now more so than ever. 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the past two years alone. It estimated that by 2020, 40 trillion gigabytes of data will be created, and the demand for energy efficient solutions will grow with it. The question has always been how to make our facilities as efficient as possible and liquid-based solutions could very well be one answer. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Success with NEUPC Framework Agreement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/success-with-neupc-framework-agreement/) **Published:** October 30, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Since 2009, Future-tech has worked with 29 Universities throughout the UK and Ireland and have now achieved approved supplier status on the NEUPC framework agreement. North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium Ltd (NEUPC) is a not-for-profit professional buying organisation owned by their members. Future-tech was awarded the highest scores for price, quality and technical solution. Our submission was also among the most economically advantageous. Benefits of procuring through NEUPC frameworks include reduced procurement timescales, more cost effective route too market and a higher level of efficiency throughout the whole procurement process. Suppliers who become part of the NEUPC community are offered a targeted route into institutions and procurement account management support. The framework agreement is designed to maximise third party expenditure within the higher education sector. One to one meetings will take place twice a year with NEUPC and Future-tech to discuss communication and management operations and continuous improvement initiatives. On the 3rd February 2016 NEUPC are hosting their first ever conference and exhibition ‘Be the Change, Make the Change’ that will focus on how members can innovate, manage change and gain stakeholder buy in to further advance collaborative procurement and further efficiencies. Future-tech will be present at the event and would welcome any High Education Clients to come along and speak with our Directors and Data Centre Consultants regarding any queries you may have. Our aim is to work in collaboration with our clients and NEUPC to provide a cost effective and efficient route to procurement. Future-tech are delighted to have been awarded a place on the NEUPC Framework Agreement and feel that this will enhance our service provision and ensure the whole cycle of the procurement process will be greatly improved. For information about Future-tech’s award winning projects with Universities, please see our [Case Study page](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/case-studies/). Alternatively, if you would like to speak with us regarding the framework or any other queries please call us directly on **0845 9000 127**. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The Snowden Effect: Part One](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-snowden-effect-part-one/) **Published:** December 2, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In June 2013, it was revealed to the world that the NSA was getting a bit too friendly with our digital information. Over the next two blogs we’re going to take a look at how it began, as well as the effect it is had on us after the whistle was blown by the man at the centre of it all; Edward Snowden. Some label him a traitor. Some label him a hero. In reality, he is just a citizen like the rest of us. It really doesn’t matter who or what he is, but instead the issue that he brought to light: the issue of data privacy. In 2007, a clandestine surveillance program called PRISM was launched, under which the NSA collected internet communications of foreign nationals from at least nine major US internet companies. For years these same companies had been advocating the importance of protecting consumer privacy. However, as the revelations about the PRISM program unfolded it suddenly became clear that privacy is a tangible commodity. **ORIGINS** To find out where this all started, we’ll have to look back at when ecommerce began to develop. Prior to the advent of online shopping, we would walk into a store and pay over the counter using perhaps a card or the change rattling around in our pocket. Then, in the mid 90’s, we were offered the choice to [place an order for delivery online](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/09/pizza-hut_n_3894981.html). To make the experience smoother, the internet needed a way to remember details about the user. It was achieved in the form of cookies; small text files that stored user preferences on the user’s computer. It was a smart, simple move, but it marked the very origins of what would later become known as the Information Age. It wasn’t until the late 90’s when companies started introducing privacy policies to explain what was happening with this data being collected. However, users wanted some form of protection online. It was addressed in early 2001, over a dozen bills were introduced in the US congress to protect consumer privacy. It lasted just 7 months. On the 11th September 2001, terror struck. All of the privacy legislations were abandoned, and a complete reversal in the shape of the Patriot Act replaced it. Companies started reversing their privacy policies. In those 7 months prior, a privacy policy would tell you that you’re totally anonymous. Following the Patriot Act, a privacy policy deemed that – when necessary – you’re not. It became the foundation for an entirely new business model: the collection of personal data. **NO FREE LUNCHES** To find an example of this business model, you only have to look as far as the world’s most popular free-to-use social networking site, Facebook. What is it exactly that makes the company so valuable? The answer: it’s you. There is a plethora of free services on the web, each offering their own unique way to connect with others around the globe. Whether it’s revenue from targeted advertising or trading with third-parties, companies profit from the data its users provide. Across the world, the personal lives of people willing to share them, sit on a server inside a data centre somewhere. High-level encryption keeps it safe. Secure. But as the old saying goes, if you’re not paying for the service then you are not the customer; [you’re the product](http://www.thenation.com/article/fighting-facebook-campaign-peoples-terms-service/). It raises the question, how ‘free’ are these free-to-use sites. What are we actually signing away when we sign up? When was the last time any of us actually read the terms and conditions? Three months? Five years? Never? Nobody has time to read through a circa 20,000-word document of capitalised text each time a company updates its policy. Signing a mortgage agreement requires less paperwork, it begs a profound and somewhat troubling question: What if privacy policies were not so much about protecting privacy at all, but instead relinquishing it? **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The Snowden Effect: Part Two](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-snowden-effect-part-two/) **Published:** December 3, 2015 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The NSA is thought to analyse around 1.6% of all global internet traffic every single day. That may not sound like much, but when you [consider the scale of the web](http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/nsa-says-it-analyzes-0-00004-percent-of-global-internet-traffic-1172617), that equates to around 30 petabytes (or 30 million gigabytes) of data. There’s a not only a question of ethicality at play here, but legality. **SECTION 215** Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows the government to require businesses to hand over records of “any tangible things, including books, records, papers, documents, and other items”. The one prerequisite is that it must be for an investigation to protect against international terrorism. However, the keyword there is ‘protect’, because it essentially turns Section 215 into a blank cheque. Among the leaked documents was an NSA slide unveiling the companies that provided user data to the PRISM program and when they began doing so. Despite the fact that an aptitude for charting is clearly not a requirement for NSA employees, the information that has been revealed is quite unsettling. Naturally, the government stance is that just because they have the capability to analyse the data a user may provide to these companies, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will. Furthermore, it is regulated by a secret intelligence court known as the FISA court, which is responsible for approving requests for foreign surveillance. However, the FISA court have interpreted the contents of Section 215 to mean that the government can collect and store phone records for every citizen, the vast majority of whom have no connection to terrorism. Consequently, the percentage of which an application for foreign surveillance is rejected by the FISA court [stands at just 0.03%](https://epic.org/privacy/wiretap/stats/fisa_stats.html) The Patriot Act was written just after 9/11 and for years it was extended and reauthorized without a passing thought, but all of that was before the public was made aware of what the government’s surveillance capabilities actually were. It all ended with Edward Snowden. **PUBLIC PERCEPTION** In recent years, we’ve seen computing power shifting to the cloud. However, with the activities of the PRISM program brought to light, there is a concern as to what impact it has had on commercial cloud computing services. According to a survey conducted by the Cloud Security Alliance, it is estimated that 56% of people outside of the US are now [less likely to use US-based cloud providers](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/nsa-revelations-fears-cloud-computing). 10% cancelled their contracts with US-based cloud providers altogether. Companies have geared towards consumer privacy in an attempt to placate security concerns of a post-Snowden public. We’ve seen growing popularity of search engines like [DuckDuckGo](https://duckduckgo.com/) geared toward anonymous browsing that advertises the fact that it does not track you across the internet. Mobile operating systems such as iOS8 and various Android iterations institute a ‘zero knowledge’ encryption policy that makes it impossible for the company to comply with disclosure orders, since only the end user is able to unlock the information. Snowden’s actions have sparked a public debate over the subject of data privacy worldwide. In the UK, we’re seeing much discussion over the controversial new surveillance law dubbed the “[snooper’s charter](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3104054.stm)“. It is a bill that is believed to write into law a huge invasion of privacy whereby the government can collect internet browsing data on a user. Contrastingly, Home Secretary Theresa May insists that critics have blown the capabilities of the new law out of proportion, citing that it is simply a modern equivalent of an itemised phone bill. Naturally, we all want perfect privacy and perfect safety, but those two things cannot coexist. We live in a world where the government *can* analyse your personal data, legally. However you see him, hero or traitor, the fact is that the only reason why there is a debate over privacy concerns at all is down to the actions of one, Edward Snowden. Nobody has time to read through a circa 20,000-word document of capitalised text each time a company updates its policy. Signing a mortgage agreement requires less paperwork, it begs a profound and somewhat troubling question: What if privacy policies were not so much about protecting privacy at all, but instead relinquishing it? **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [IoT: Cyberspace in 60 Seconds](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/iot-cyberspace-in-60-seconds/) **Published:** January 29, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Time is nature’s way of keeping the wheels of life turning every year, every day, and every minute. One minute doesn’t give us much of an opportunity to accomplish a great deal. It may take us that long to put on our shoes, clean the table, or formulate a sentence for a web article. However, on the internet, a lot can happen in 60 seconds. Under our oceans lay over 500,000 miles of cable that transmits data at 186,000 miles per second. With close to 10 billion devices believed to be connected to this global network, the internet touches nearly every aspect of our lives. Every minute, we spend over $130,000 on Amazon, upload over 38,000 photos to Instagram and download 194,000 apps onto our mobile devices. We make 4.1 million Google searches and stream over 150,000 hours of video through YouTube and Netflix, which account for more than half of all internet traffic. In 60 seconds, we transfer half a petabyte of data through cyberspace in the same time that it takes us to tie a shoelace. So how does this vast amount of data travel across the world so quickly? Data travels through cyberspace in the form of packets. These packets include information on the data type, where it came from and its final destination. When we send an email, the message is broken up into these packets that travel across the network. They may not always follow the same path, which is why the data can travel so fast. Once the packets arrive at their destination, the computer receiving the data assembles them like a puzzle, and voila! Our email has been recreated. But then, what determines the path in which these packets travel if not by convoy? The process of delivering a packet from point A to point B is referred to as routing, and the devices responsible for accomplishing this task are called routers. When we get in our car and travel from point A to point B, we would opt for the shortest distance between those points. A packet will travel much the same, only instead of crossing bridges and changing at junctions it traverses networks until it reaches its destination. As the globe grows increasingly connected, it might be easy to say that the Internet is everywhere; all around us. However, there are some places on Earth that the Internet can actually call ‘home’. Whether you’re googling in Cairo or contacting friends on Facebook in Helsinki, you can be quite certain that your data is travelling through one of 5 locations. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [IoT: Where does the Internet live?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/iot-where-does-the-internet-live/) **Published:** February 3, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Almost everything about our daily lives can be found on the Internet, but where does our data go? Our mental map of this vast network is akin to our map of the stars, or closer yet, a blank page that simply reads ‘terra incognita’. The physicality of the Internet, its material nuts and bolts, remains relatively unexplored territory to most of us. However, if we mapped out the routes our data travels, we’d find that most of the world’s internet traffic flows through just 5 [major internet hubs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_exchange_points_by_size): Frankfurt, Germany (2.5 Terabits per second) Amsterdam, Netherlands (2.4 Terabits per second) London, United Kingdom (1.8 Terabits per second) Moscow, Russia (1.1 Terabits per second) Virginia, USA (610 Gigabits per second) The first 4 hubs on that list live in well-established and universally recognised cities, but the most interesting one sits in Loudon County in Virginia. Astonishingly, 70 percent of the world’s internet traffic flows through Loudoun, a place many may have never heard of. Just 25 miles from the United States capital sits the largest concentration of data centres in the world. It has since become affectionately known as “[Data Centre Alley](https://biz.loudoun.gov/DocumentCenter/View/210)” With almost six million square feet of data centre floor space, the region has become a piece of prime Internet real estate. That number is expected to rise to nine million square feet in the coming years. So how did an unassuming county primarily known for its vineyards end up becoming a key player in the global tech economy? Loudoun is seemingly built for the future. Initial investments from big players helped lay the groundwork for the operation, meaning that Loudoun has available build sites already powered, watered, and wired. This fast track program allows data centre operators to get to market in record time with confidence in the process. What’s more, the typical power rate paid by Loudoun data centres is 28 percent below the rest of the U.S on average, which makes it extremely cost-efficient. In addition, the success of Data Centre Alley has been supported by a change in the state tax code that was first adopted in 2009. Exempting pricey IT equipment from sales and use taxes plays an important factor not only for new builds, but every time the data centres refresh their servers, typically on a 3-year cycle. The most interesting thing about internet traffic flow is that it is dynamic; if a new data centre cluster pops up somewhere down the line that list might very well change. Perhaps the best visual example of the internet can be found by looking at Earth during the night. In the same way that we can pinpoint major cities by light density, a map of the internet and major internet exchanges may look very similar. However, this could be an over-simplified look at the web, especially considering how rapidly devices are connecting to the Internet. In the next part, we’ll take a closer look at smarter cities. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [IoT: Cities of Tomorrow](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/iot-cities-of-tomorrow/) **Published:** February 8, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The Internet of Things is made from thousands of tiny sensors that measure our world. From temperature and humidity to [delivery expectancy dates on pregnant cows](http://www.softwebsolutions.com/resources/10-weird-iot-solutions.html), there is almost nothing that can’t be measured. Some of the larger projects taking place are building smarter cities that can manage anything from streetlights to available parking spaces. The idea is to connect a plethora of systems to widely benefit the people using them. Many major cities have already started building towards this interconnected ecosystem, but there are a few places on earth that are building smart cities entirely from scratch. Welcome to Songdo, the most intelligent city in the world. A decade ago, a barren mudflat. Today, a city of tomorrow. Upon 600 hectares (1,500 acres) of reclaimed land, Songdo is a purpose-built city with smart technologies as part of its DNA. 40 miles outside of the South Korean capital of Seoul, Songdo is the largest private real estate development in history and the price tag to-date stands at $40 billion. Being adjacent to Seoul, a city already regarded as one of the high-tech capitals of the world, the biggest challenge for Songdo is to deliver a significantly smarter city than people are used to. However, because the district was built from scratch, developers have had the opportunity to invest heavily in technologies that have yet to debut in conventional cities. So what does $40 billion buy? Garbage. Lots of it. Hidden within the city’s infrastructure is the [world’s most environmentally-friendly](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/05/technology/techspecial/koreas-hightech-utopia-where-everything-is-observed.html) waste disposal system. There are no garbage trucks. No wheelie bins. Instead, a vast network of underground tunnels suck rubbish directly from kitchens to waste processing centres where it’s automatically sorted, deodorised and treated. The city has been planned around a central park, modelled on New York, with waterways modelled on the canals of Venice. This open air green space adds up to 40% of the city meaning that its citizens can commute to work on foot in less than 15 minutes. And if garbage and green space isn’t enough, almost every part of Songdo has been designed with sensors to monitor temperature, energy use and traffic flow. Elsewhere, the [world’s first carbon-neutral city](http://www.masdar.ae/) is being built in Abu Dhabi. The oil-rich United Arab Emirates isn’t exactly the first place you would expect to learn lessons on zero-carbon living, but the emerging eco-city of Masdar might well serve as education for the world. Building a city on such an inhospitable desert landscape is daring. Building one that is environmentally sustainable defies convention altogether. A city like that would need maximum technological support 24 hours a day just to survive. Luckily, Masdar has just that. By combining 21st century engineering with traditional desert architecture, Masdar will deliver a city not only free of non-electric cars and skyscrapers, but one powered entirely by the sun. To turn the desert’s greatest threat into Masdar’s greatest asset, developers have constructed the largest solar farm in the Middle East. A 54 acre field comprising of 87,777 solar panels will not only power Masdar, but any excess energy will be re-routed to the sprawling metropolis of Abu Dhabi. Of course, Masdar comes with all the typical bells and whistles you’d expect from a smart city. There are no light switches or even water taps. Movement sensors control lighting and water to cut consumption of both to 51 and 55 percent respectively. On the technological front, a brand new city offers us the chance to build some futuristic hardware. A lot of these innovations are designed with the environment in mind; charging stations for electric cars, or water-recycling systems that prevent clean drinking water being used to flush toilets. However, the greatest challenge isn’t in the innovation of the cities. It’s in filling them. Songdo and Masdar are ghost towns. While they are technically still under construction, both cities are currently habitable, yet only a small percentage of available space is actually occupied. This means that the ultramodern innovations aren’t fully operational yet. Every sensor on every device sits largely idle, just begging to show off what a smart city is truly capable of. However, it’s the occupants who make a city what it is, what it can be. Over time, the cities will surely start to fill up and bring with it that indescribable buzz of an urban centre. But until that happens, smart cities like Songdo and Masdar wait on us to take that next step into the future. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Is the RSA algorithm the solution to your data security?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/is-the-rsa-algorithm-the-solution-to-your-data-security/) **Published:** March 4, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### The problem with cyber crime In an increasingly interconnected world fuelled by the expansion of digital technology, some of the most inventive minds in science are trying to make the digital domain secure. But the internet is a bad neighbourhood. Millions of cyber attacks take place around the world every day, costing the global economy an estimated [$500 billion every year](http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2013/07/22/report-cyber-crime-costs-global-economy-up-to-1-trillion-year.html) and compromising information security. In terms of GDP, that figure would make cyber crime the world’s 27th largest economy, between Taiwan and Norway. Cyber attacks can range from relatively small data security breaches to more malicious pieces of code capable of something far more devastating. [Stuxnet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuxnet), a worm discovered in 2010, was exclusively designed to infect Siemens industrial controllers. Specifically, uranium enrichment facilities in Iran. The worm disrupted the operations of centrifuges in nuclear power plants, making them spin at uneven speeds and hiding it from operators. Cyber crime is big business, and in today’s digital world, a keyboard has become a weapon capable of mass destruction. ### The rise of data encryption codes Now data encryption codes have never been more important to our way of life. Almost everything we do uses a code. Every time we log on to an internet service like Facebook or Twitter and submit our password. Every time we log in to internet banking. All of that data is protected by encryption code, and at the heart of it all is a special kind of number. We’re surrounded by prime numbers, but what makes them so important to code is what you get when you combine two of them. If you multiply two primes together, the result is something called a semi-prime. Semi-primes are special numbers that are extremely difficult to untangle. The only way to figure out the original prime numbers that formed it is by trial and error. The bigger the number, the longer it takes. This is the key to many internet codes. It’s a riddle we take advantage of on a daily basis. An online store or service will take two secret prime numbers and multiply them, resulting in a big semi prime, which is used to create a public key. The website then uses this key to scramble your data, encrypting it, before it travels through cyberspace. ### The RSA Algorithm as the solution If data is stolen in transit, the information can’t be unscrambled without the private key, which is based on the original prime numbers. It would take a thousand computers thousands of hours to crack, making the key private and secure. This system of public and private keys is known as the RSA Algorithm. Named after the 3 mathematicians who first published it, this beautifully simple piece of mathematics has fundamentally changed the world around us. Without the ability to form secure connections, internet banking, social media, stock trading, all of the things we take for granted online wouldn’t work. Our information would be far too accessible. It has made the hunt for extremely large prime numbers one of the most important quests in the field of mathematics. [The largest known prime number]() currently sits at around 22 million digits long. Codes like the RSA algorithm are effectively undecipherable because no matter how powerful computers become, they can only process one computation at a time. But now scientists are working on a new kind of computer; one that harnesses the most complex physics in the universe. It has the potential to completely change how our world operates by taking the next leap in our digital evolution; a leap into the mystifying world of quantum mechanics. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Technology, Fitness, Spartans and Data: Part One](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/technology-fitness-spartans-and-data-part-one/) **Published:** May 6, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In this blog series I am going to explore the various technologies that have crept into my everyday training regime, the data they produce and where that data goes as I prepare myself to get in shape for the Spartan Sprint, Spartan Super and The Grim Original. I will be completing all of these events for the [child’s cancer charity](http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/). So I’m going to call this the introduction to it all, and start off with some hard facts: **About me:** - I’m 34 years old - I’m 5’7 or 173cm tall - I weigh 83.2kg - I hate running - The furthest I’ve ever run was 8 miles; I was 29 at the time and slow. Let’s call it a walk! - I attempted this again last year and broke my foot, twice, this meant I have now had effectively a year off running training **THE CHALLENGES** [**Reebok Spartan Race**](http://www.spartanrace.uk/en/race/detail/1436/overview) Oct 1st, Windsor: The Reebok Spartan Sprint. This is the shortest distance. It is perfect for athletes of all levels; from Spartan first timers to seasoned racers. The 3-5 Mile Sprint may be the shortest distance but it packs more than 20 Signature Spartan Obstacles. Sept 4th, Peterborough: The Reebok Spartan Super. This is the middle distance course. With a longer distance than the Sprint and more obstacles, the Super will test endurance, perseverance and grit. The 8-10 Mile Super packs more than 25 Signature Spartan Obstacles through tougher and more rugged terrain. [**The Grim Original**](http://www.grimchallenge.co.uk/) Dec 3rd: The Grim Original was started in 2002 and it’s a gruelling 8 mile run through Aldershot military proving ground, on the 3rd of December. Mud, Rock, Rivers, Snow and Ice. It’s got the lot and it’s usually between 0 and -5°C. So that’s it for the first blog. Next week I will be discussing the technologies I will be using to enhance my training, the training methods, and how the data ties in with exercise. Thank you for your time and don’t forget to donate at my [just giving page](https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Richard-Stacey81). **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Turn climate change and carbon taxation policy to your advantage](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/turn-climate-change-and-carbon-taxation-policy-to-your-advantage/) **Published:** June 3, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** According to market analyst Cushman & Wakefield, Britain is the second-best country for data centres, due to its international Internet bandwidth, data centre resilience and ease of doing business. Data from OECD suggests that the UK is home to 60% of Europe’s standalone data centres, between 250 to 300 sites. If we include co-location sites, there’s a further 217 facilities. But despite data centres being big business for the UK, their providers are facing mounting pressure. As well as meeting massive demand from the thousands of customers who are turning to cloud computing every month, they are also under increasing pressure to adhere to strict environmental regulations drafted by the UK Government, energy regulators and climate change campaigners. ### The drive towards decarbonisation Fifteen years ago, there was no general reporting of energy or carbon to government. Today, the landscape is overcrowded and confusing. This complexity stems from conflicting policies, where the same energy source needs to reported multiple times, or the scheme coverage varies, sometimes applying to specific sites, other times applying to whole organisations. And don’t forget that climate change and carbon taxation policies are changing all the time. It’s a political minefield, a power play between energy producing states and those dependent on energy imports, and involves complying with legislation from the EU and UK, including: *The Energy Act* A significant piece of legislation designed to decarbonise energy generation by supporting investment in low-carbon and clean energy sectors and incentivising investment in renewables. *The Climate Change Act* Setting the framework for the UK to transition to a low-carbon economy. The Act requires that UK emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 are reduced to at least 80% below 1990 levels. *Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and Renewable Heat Incentive* Although originally designed to promote renewable technologies, much of the focus has been on controlling, and in many cases cutting, subsidies. It seems there is a certain paradox between the UK Government wanting to promote a low-carbon economy, and delivering the support for industry to enable it. However, by the end of the year, it’s hoped there will be greater clarity, and simplification, on the UK’s carbon policy, following: *Fifth Carbon Budget* This must become law before the end of June. The Committee has recommended this budget be set at a 57% reduction in emissions, building on the 36% reduction already achieved by 2014 and the 52% reduction by 2025, already committed to under the existing four carbon budgets. *COP21* Taking place in Paris from the 30 November, countries will come together to agree what they will do nationally to tackle climate change, reach a commitment on how they will increase targets every five years to make them more ambitious, and how to finance initiatives for developing countries. In terms of UK energy and climate change policy, the message is clear, our government may still be struggling with its narrative about how to reconcile the different elements of its green policy agenda, but the Treasury is firmly in the driving seat, securing our country’s future. ### Look at carbon in a different way So what does this mean for data centre providers? Well, power costs and energy efficiency have always been a top priority for data centre managers and co-location service providers. The price of power can significantly alter the overall lifetime cost of a data centre as it contributes about 30% of a facility’s operating expense. Research house Anthesis said that data centre power consumption is projected to increase to roughly 140 billion kilowatt-hours annually by 2020, requiring the equivalent annual output of 17 new power plants and emitting nearly 150 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually. As more devices come online, thanks to the “˜Internet of Things’, the stress on data centres will only intensify. While some data centre operators buy green power because it is required by their customers, or they wish to communicate a commitment to the green agenda, for others, it just makes economic sense. Under the Climate Change Agreement (CCA), certain energy intensive industries receive a 90% discount on the Climate Change Levy, a tax added to electricity and fuel bills, if they commit to improving the energy efficiency of each site by 30% over a 2011 baseline. The preliminary target is a 15% reduction in PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) over the initial lifetime of the scheme, which ends in 2020. And data centres are expected to save 1.5p on every kiloWatt hour of power they use, which could save you thousands of pounds each year. ### Future-tech: we make it easy to be green We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, implementation and operations for over 30 years. We offer a range of new build and retrofit data centre services to enhance the design and energy efficiency of your facilities. As an ISO14001 accredited organisation, and winner of several ‘green’ awards, including the Certified Energy Efficient Data Centre Award and Uptime Institute Green IT Award, we know how to make cleantech work for your organisation. **[Discover how we can turn climate change and carbon taxation policy to your advantage.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Is your data centre protected against volatile energy prices?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/is-your-data-centre-protected-against-volatile-energy-prices/) **Published:** June 15, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** According to figures published on CRB Online, there are over 250 data centres in the UK with power supply exceeding 354 MW; that’s enough power to sustain a city of 600,000 people. However, with the amount of data we produce doubling every two years (IDC), the pressure is mounting. Big data means big networks, big infrastructure, and big power. Without a reliable source of power, data centres are facing the increasing risk of encountering costly downtime. Data published in the most recent DCD Intelligence Industry Census indicates that the amount of electricity consumed globally by data centres has increased by 19% over the last five years, and predicts that spending on cooling, which currently accounts for over 40% of total energy costs, will grow by 8.6%. Power, and the cost of power, is the number one issue for data centre Operators. In a recent study by EnergyQuote, it shows that by 2020, the UK will be the most expensive delivered energy market in Europe. And forecasts from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) suggest that the UK will see significant energy price increases until 2027, as we transition to a low-carbon market. ### On-site generation: let’s take control of energy costs As big data grips organisations, the power required to keep the data centre running is increasing; last year energy production rose 9%, the first increase since 1999 (DECC). However, the Government can’t look to traditional fossil fuels to meet demand. Under the Climate Change Act, the UK Government has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 34% by 2020, and 80% by 2050. Failure to do so will incur significant financial penalties. Last year, energy generated by coal was down by a third, while low-carbon generation, from clean technologies, including wind, hydro, solar and bioenergy, accounted for 42.9% of supply, up from 35.6% in 2014. For new data centre developments, where there is space to implement onsite generation, there is a great opportunity to take advantage of clean tech. By generating your own power, you can become almost self-sufficient, using the energy you produce to run your data centre. Then thanks to the export tariffs, which vary depending on the renewable technology used, you get paid to feed any unused power back into the National Grid. Sounds like the perfect solution. But the dynamic effect of low-carbon generation can lead to an intermittency of supply. For example, if you’ve chosen to power your data centre using a wind turbine, and the wind doesn’t blow, we’ll see rapid surges in demand for the Grid, and prices will rise dramatically. ### How to mitigate your risk While we have smart grids and smart meters to help even out the peaks and troughs in demand, in reality, we are a very long way from operating a truly smart grid. Therefore, you need to implement controls, based on different commercial models, to help you work smarter and mitigate the risk of future energy price volatility. For example: *Leverage your renewable technology fully for smarter operations* Implementing ground source heat pumps for cooling may reduce your energy consumption by up to 40% through improved heat rejection from store refrigeration packs. But work smarter and reduce your power costs further, by re-using that waste heat to warm other areas of your data centre, such as staff rooms, and for hot water, although this can often be unfeasible due to a number of factors. *Be flexible about your operations* As low-carbon energy generation becomes ‘the norm’, it’s likely we’ll reach a point when suppliers may heavily discount their power, or give it away for free, at the weekend or on particularly windy days to help flatten out demand, and charge a premium for energy consumed during the day. If your operations allow, run intensive workloads at off-peak times to take advantage of these savings. ### Trust Future-tech with your data centre design We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, construction management and operations for over 30 years. Our dedicated in-house teams embrace innovation to help you get the most value from your investments. As an ISO14001 accredited organisation, and winner of several ‘green’ awards, including the Certified Energy Efficient Data Centre Award and Uptime Institute Green IT Award, we know how to make cleantech work for your organisation. [**Ask us how we can protect your data centre against volatile energy prices.**](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Celebrating the Datacloud Awards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/celebrating-the-datacloud-awards/) **Published:** June 29, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Host in Ireland, a strategic global initiative created to increase awareness of the benefits of hosting digital assets in Ireland, was awarded a specialist ‘Data Center Location Award’ at the prestigious Datacloud Awards. The ceremony is designed to recognise genuine innovation in the industry, service excellence and the continuing evolution of the sector. Commenting on the awards, the chairman of the Judges’ Panel, Gerd Simon, said: “The Datacloud Awards, as the premier pan-European and MEAI event, uniquely reflects its importance and the ambition to achieve excellence in technologies and services. The Judges were delighted by the quality and breadth of this years’ nominations.” For the first time, this years’ awards brought new recognition at an international level for data centre locations. Host in Ireland was the only non-governmental organisation in the competition, and scoped the lucrative award. Speaking of the win, President and Founder of Host in Ireland, Garry Connolly, said: “This honour caps a year of notable accomplishments for Host in Ireland, including the addition of several new member companies, the launch of the ‘Irish Pavilion’ and a host of multinational enterprises across diverse industry sectors selecting Ireland to host their digital assets.” At the beginning of this year, we joined Host in Ireland alongside 16 existing partners, and our CEO, James Wilman, now sits as an Executive Committee member. For the past six years, we have provided data centre design and project management services for our Ireland-based clients, and we have recently been expanding in the region. Having experienced first-hand the innumerable benefits of doing business in the country, joining Host in Ireland to share our knowledge and expertise seemed like a natural way to grow our company and put something back in to the sector. ### The importance of the ‘Data Center Location Award’ This new award recognises the importance of location in the evaluation of data centre investment. Eligible candidates needed to demonstrate their innovation during the past year, facilitating ease of process, connectivity and power, and the promotion of good practice. Furthermore, they had to explain why data centre or cloud investment formed part of the planning process for the location, show specific innovations in relation to the physical infrastructure, available skills, energy and taxation, and ultimately showcase why their location is uniquely competitive. Eventually, three locations emerged as contenders: Host in Ireland, Fife Council, and The Node Pole. ***Host in Ireland*** The eventual winner of the category, Host in Ireland demonstrated how its 5 Ps – Policy, People, Pedigree, Pipes, and Power, underpin its strategy to remain competitive and be a more cost-effective, efficient, reliable, secure and accessible location than other regions across the EU. Ireland’s data centre landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade as enterprises’ business requirements, and the pivotal role of cloud and content providers, continue to drive the global digital economy. Characterised as the “Home of the Hybrid Cloud,” “Data Capital,” and “Data Centre Hub” of Europe, Host in Ireland has worked tirelessly to shape and authenticate these global industry perceptions through timely and accurate information, including: - **Location:** gateway to a European market of more than 500 million people. - **Workforce:** among the ten best educated countries in the world. - **Pro-business:** Ireland is an open economy supported by its corporate tax rate of 12.5%. - **Connectivity:** 11 subsea cables connecting Ireland to the UK. - **Green:** ideal climate for free air cooling, which significantly reduces operating costs. - **Reputation:** home to over 1,000 multinational companies. - **Tech-hub:** second highest ICT exports in the world. **[See the infographic](http://www.interxion.com/globalassets/_documents/infographics/ireland/INF_7HOSTIRE_en_0814.pdf)** ***Fife Council*** Back in January, Fife Council broke ground on the construction of its 100% renewably powered data centre campus. It is the first of its kind in the UK to be exclusively powered by renewable energy, and its first co-location customers are expected to take up residence by next summer. Costing around £150m to build, the campus is projected to have an IT load capacity of up to 20MW, will boast data halls spanning just over 23,225 sq metres and sufficient space to house up to 1,000 high performance computing racks. ***The Node Pole*** The Arctic Circle may seem like a strange place for a data centre, but Facebook alongside other tech giants have made it their home. The Node Pole is a hi-tech hub in Luleå, northern Sweden and the most energy-efficient computing facility ever built. To keep running costs low, the low ambient conditions experienced for most of the year is used to provide compressor free cooling thus reducing the associated operational costs. The location was also chosen for its electricity supply, which is reliable and boasts a power surplus. And it is one of the most secure and stable places in the world; its last formal war was in 1814 and seismic activity is extremely low. ### Future-tech: we make it easy to be green We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, implementation and operations for over 30 years. We offer a range of new build and retrofit data centre services to enhance the design and energy efficiency of your facilities. As an ISO14001 accredited organisation, and winner of several ‘green’ awards, including the Certified Energy Efficient Data Centre Award and Uptime Institute Green IT Award, we know how to make cleantech work for your organisation. **[Discover how we help to build award-winning data centres.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [How the Brexit fallout is affecting our data centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-the-brexit-fallout-is-affecting-our-data-centres/) **Published:** June 30, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The UK public has indicated that it wishes to leave the EU. However, while the referendum will not alter the UK’s international status overnight, already we’ve seen economic upheaval due to market uncertainty; the FTSE shed £100bn and the index lost 378 points in a matter of days. The Government needs to legislate for the necessary steps needed to take the UK out of the EU. This starts with invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Then the Government has two years to conclude an agreement concerning Britain’s withdrawal, including setting out its future agreement with the EU. All EU treaties will cease to apply to the UK upon the conclusion of such an agreement, but until then, the UK remains subject to obligations under EU law. Despite the outrage and protests about the referendum result one thing is clear, the UK will leave the EU and regain its independence, which means we need to pull together and start planning how we’re going to deal with what happens next. So what do you need to be aware of today? ### Changes to The Data Protection Act In April 2018, the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), comes into effect. It was due to replace the 1995 Data Protection Directive and the Data Protection Act 1998, and would impose strict fines of 4% of annual global turnover or 20m Euros, for companies that failed to comply. Following a vote for Brexit, the Information Commissioner’s Office issued a statement saying that the new legislation would now not apply to the UK after it’s left the EU. However, it emphasised that if the UK wanted to trade with the single market on equal terms, it would have to prove “adequacy”. This means the UK’s data protection standards would have to be equivalent to the EU’s GDPR framework. To get ahead, you should continue to prepare for the changes under GDPR. These include: – **The right to be forgotten:** an obligation to erase personal data upon request. – **Consent:** any data collected must have explicit consent, rather than implied. – **Data must be freely given:** rather than under the duress of being unable to access services. – **Data portability:** enabling people to transfer personal data between service providers. – **Breach notifications:** must be received by the relevant authorities within 72 hours. ### Rising energy costs It’s common knowledge that power and cooling costs account for the biggest expenditure in a data centre, around 80%. According to a report in ZDNet, an average in-house server costs around £550 a year in power and cooling. According to UK trade data from HMRC, in 2015 the UK spent £21bn on imported energy. Following Brexit, the warning is that a fall in the value of the pound could add up to £4bn to the cost of oil, gas, coal and electricity imports, which would drive up the costs for consumers and businesses. If estimates are placing the increase at £150 per year to consumer electricity bills, just imagine the cost for an entire data centre. To get ahead, one way to avoid the energy price hike is to consider how you can incorporate greener energy into your operations. Many renewable energies, such as solar PV, wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and free cooling, can be retrofitted for easy deployment. ### Skills gap The UK is already suffering from a digital skills crisis, with firms unable to find the skilled workers they need. A report in Computer Weekly places the cost to the UK economy at £63bn a year. However, the EU believes its skills gap is closing, and has forecast that the number of unfilled digital jobs in the EU will drop to 756,000 by 2020, 64,000 fewer than previously expected. But following Brexit, UK businesses may no longer have access to as many skilled workers to fill their vacant tech positions. Within the EU people can move without limitations across countries and do business wherever they please. Once the UK leaves the EU, it may be much harder for Europeans to enter the UK to work, and those currently living here could be forced to leave. Equally it may be easier for workers outside of the EU to work in Britain and for foreign works to be encouraged to move to the UK if they are filling a specific skills gap. Right now the future is uncertain. To get ahead, you need to start planning for your future workforce now. If it’s hard to employ people with the right skills today, why not think about training people. Invest in university placement schemes, apprenticeships or graduate programmes to attract the right talent to fill the skills gaps in your organisation. ### Future-tech: we make it easy to be green We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, implementation and operations for over 30 years. We offer a range of new build and retrofit data centre services to enhance the design and energy efficiency of your facilities. As an ISO14001 accredited organisation, and winner of several ‘green’ awards, including the Certified Energy Efficient Data Centre Award and Uptime Institute Green IT Award, we know how to make cleantech work for your organisation. **[Discover how we can future-proof your data centre.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [How to stay ahead of data legislation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-to-stay-ahead-of-data-legislation/) **Published:** July 13, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Online platforms, such as search engines and social networks, are drivers of growth, innovation and competition. Enabling businesses and consumers to make the most of the opportunities created by the digital economy, online platforms have transformed our everyday lives. The Government recently published a report entitled “Online Platforms and the Digital Single Market”. In the report it states that online platforms contribute an estimated £430bn to the EU economy each year, and provides the example of Google, where British businesses using Search and AdWords generated at least £11bn in economic activity. Online platforms are great for businesses because they enable more efficient allocation of resources. By allowing organisations to share property, time and skills across online platforms, it’s possible to unlock previously unused, or under-used assets. According to research by PwC, this “sharing economy’ is currently worth £9bn and is set to rise to £230bn by 2025. Furthermore, online platforms are great for boosting employment. According to the Government report, 500 SMEs and 10,000 jobs have been created over the last decade in France alone through the development of mobile apps sold on online platforms. However, to operate online platforms you need consumer data, and this brings with it a set of challenges. **Barriers to maximising Europe’s digital economy** Research shows that British consumers’ confidence in the ability of organisations to keep their personal data safe is worryingly low. In ‘The State of the Data Nation’, a recent industry survey of 2,000 UK adults, nearly three-quarters (72%) expressed their concerns about the level of protection given to the personal information they share with brands and organisations online. Data protection is high on the consumer agenda, so what’s being done to put those fears to rest? ### EU policy priorities **General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)** In April 2018, this new legislation comes into effect, replacing the 1995 Data Protection Directive and the Data Protection Act 1998. Under its terms, data centre operators could be held liable for data breaches or other non-compliance despite having no control or knowledge of the data concerned. It could cost an offender 4% of annual global turnover or 20m Euros, whichever is the greater. And while a vote for Brexit means that GDPR doesn’t technically apply to the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office has issued a statement, which essentially says that if the UK wants to trade with the single market on equal terms after Brexit, its data protection standards would have to be equivalent to the EU’s GDPR framework. **Safe Harbour Agreement** Under EU privacy law, it forbids the movement of citizens’ data outside of the EU, unless it is transferred to a location that is deemed to have “adequate” privacy protection. The Safe Harbour Agreement was made between the EU and the US government to protect any data being moved to the States. However, in October 2015 The European Court of Justice ruled that the agreement was no longer valid as it didn’t adequately protect consumers in the wake of the Snowden revelations. Nine months later and The Commission and the US Dept of Commerce are still in discussions about concerns over privacy shield. Many US companies have grown tired of the uncertainty from a lack of a new agreement and taken matters into their own hands. In a bid to overcome the EU data protection legislation, many US companies are planning to open UK-based data centres to ensure their compliance. Some of the first companies to announce their plans are Amazon Web Services, which plans to open its first UK-based data centre by early 2017, and Microsoft, which unveiled plans for two UK data centres for its Azure cloud business. Data policy appears to be a driver for data centre investment and growth. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Whether you’re looking to operate in the UK, Europe or further afield, we can help you stay one step ahead of the changing legislation and challenges associated with the design, construction and operation of data centres infrastructure within a dynamic and shifting market place. Data centres provide long term physical environments that have to support a rapidly developing IT sector. Our specialist knowledge will ensure your facility flexibly supports your organisation now and into the future. **[Discover how we can ensure your data centre remains compliant in a shifting regulatory landscape.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [What impact will Brexit have on Ireland's data centres?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-impact-will-brexit-have-on-irelands-data-centres/) **Published:** July 18, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Still in the fallout of Brexit, it’s unclear how the UK’s relationship with the EU will change over the coming months and years. While Ireland is a member of the EU in its own right, that doesn’t mean it remains unaffected by the UK’s decision to leave. According to data compiled by the EU’s statistics body, Eurostat, Ireland is more reliant on imported energy than almost every other country in the EU. At the moment, Ireland receives most of its energy supply through Scotland and the Corrib gas field. Following Brexit, it’s unclear how this service will be maintained, which could leave the Ireland with a 20% deficit for electricity generation. Furthermore, following the 2009 gas crisis, EU regulations now provide for disaster relief across Europe through the sharing of resources between Member States in an energy crisis. With the UK’s departure and no gas pipe linking Ireland to Mainland Europe this safety net is potentially removed. Following Brexit, in the short-term Ireland’s energy supply could be put at greater risk during an emergency situation, and new UK/EU import tariffs seem inevitable, potentially increasing pricing. Linking Ireland’s energy directly to mainland Europe through an interconnector to France is already part of a long-term EU strategy. As well as securing Ireland’s electricity supply, it will make it possible for the country to deploy more wind-powered energy generation technologies with the aim to export the power generated back to mainland Europe. Following the result of the referendum, Denis Naughten, Ireland’s Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, issued a statement saying that a full assessment would be undertaken to review the issues associated with the country’s energy supply. The assessment will, include security of supply issues, taking account of current interconnection arrangements, and cooperation with the UK generally with regard to stocks of fuel. It will also include cost implications and preferences for any new, post-Brexit arrangements between Ireland and the UK, recognising that this will form part of any market access discussions in the EU context.” ### Data centres are big business for Ireland According to a report published on CBR Online, data centre capital investment into Ireland since 2008 is over $4bn. Many IT giants have seen the country’s potential and decided to make Ireland their home: - **Apple:** invested $1bn on data centres with plans to expand by another 263,000 sq ft. - **Amazon:** invested $3.7bn in overall direct data centre investments in Ireland. - **Google:** currently investing $150m in a new facility, bringing its total investments to $515m. Data centres are the cornerstone of wealth-creating activities, encompassing the equipment that goes into them, to the engineering, software and high-value IT jobs that they create to boost the local economy. However, the uncertainty surrounding Ireland’s energy supply could signal problems for any future investment. Power and cooling costs account for the biggest expenditure in a data centre. According to a report in ZDNet, an average in-house server costs around £550 a year in power and cooling. Unsure of how these costs will be affected in a volatile energy market, data centre providers may look further afield to more stable power economies to protect their investments. Before Brexit was even announced, a report published by 451 Research showed that the low and stable electricity prices of the US were making it a target for data centre investment. It states, the energy bill for a medium-sized 2MW data centre in the US with a 50% baseload energy consumption could be as much as £335,000 a year less than a comparable facility in the UK or Ireland.” To ensure data centre investment continues at its current rate, Ireland needs to act fast to put investors’ minds at ease. Of course there are other factors that influence a business’s decision on where to locate its data centre services. Connectivity, latency, tax, data policy and easy of doing business are some of the factors that will play a part in the selection process. Thankfully for Ireland, and its data centre industry, these are areas where the country is leading the region and providing a competitive advantage for many organisations. ### Getting ahead While Ireland’s interconnector with France is on the horizon, building it will take time and require great capital investment from the Government. Therefore, if data centre providers wish to secure their future in Ireland, they need a more immediate solution. One way to do this is to consider how you can incorporate greener energy into your operations. According to Host in Ireland, 23.7% of the nation’s energy is produced using green sources. Wind harvesting is proving fruitful with 19% of the electricity in Ireland, 2,111MW energy, produced from wind turbines. Besides wind and solar, there are more “reliable”, space-efficient and less-known opportunities for power generation. Depolymerisation, gasification, bio gas and other similar technologies, combined with long-term power purchase agreements, provide solutions that are both financially feasible and environmentally sustainable alternatives for data centre operators. These solutions are also reasonably fast to deploy, delivering sustainable power in the short-term while larger infrastructure projects are undertaken. Coupling efficient data centre design with renewable on-site energy generation makes a lot of sense and has the potential to be the most sustainable solution for your data centre. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Future-tech is an industry leading specialist in data centre design, construction management, operation and optimisation. Our vendor and solution neutral approach allows us to put our clients’ project outcomes and business goals at the heart of our designs. By incorporating the latest design principles and technologies we will ensure your data centre provides an energy efficient, future proof infrastructure platform that will adapt and change as your business requires. As an ISO14001 accredited organisation, and winner of several ‘green’ awards, including the Certified Energy Efficient Data Centre Award and Uptime Institute Green IT Award, we know how to make cleantech work for your organisation. [**Discover how we can enable alternative power generation for your data centre.**](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [3 drivers behind the adoption of cloud](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/3-drivers-behind-the-adoption-of-cloud/) **Published:** July 19, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Research from Censuswide shows that over two-thirds (69%) of data centre owners intend to expand their facilities within the next five years to meet demand. In particular, cloud is set to become a big growth area. According to RightScale’s ‘2015 State of the Cloud Report’, 93% of companies have already adopted cloud in some way. But with less than a fifth of applications in the cloud, over the next few years, things look set to move up a gear as cloud platforms transform our businesses to win, serve and retain clients. There’s no questioning the benefits of moving to the cloud, for example: – Lower risk: top cloud providers offer a 99.995% uptime. – Streamlined collaboration: work anywhere, at any time, from multiple devices. – Data storage: scales as your company grows so you only ever pay for what you need. – Cost-effective: many companies experience cost savings within 6 months of cloud adoption. But what’s driving cloud to be the next data centre? ### 1) Fears over cloud security are laid to rest According to analysis by IDG Research Services, 90% of companies that are apprehensive about cloud platforms cite security as their primary concern. However, this security fear is completely unfounded. The majority of cloud providers, big or small, have exceptional levels of security because they understand it matters, not just to protect their customers, but also to protect their own reputations. Most cloud providers offer robust security solutions for data protection, encryption, data governance, access control, network security, user directory integration, and configuration management. However, if you prefer to maintain security in-house, there are a number of options available. One area that’s gaining in popularity is security automation. Spanning both on-premise and cloud-based services, it applies access control and activity monitoring for IaaS platforms, as well as identity management on IaaS platforms and SaaS user applications. Security automation involves mapping out, comparing, reconciling, and uniformly addressing user access scenarios, and workload set-up and configuration scenarios, for on and off-premise cloud-based workloads. While it requires a lot of work in the initial set up, longer-term it will greatly simplify and strengthen your cloud workload security, since it has the ability to monitor and analyse the entire landscape more thoroughly. ### 2) Demand for hybrid-cloud is peaking One area of cloud computing that has quickly gained in popularity is hybrid-cloud. One reason for this is that businesses have more confidence in the security that hybrid-cloud offers; according to the global study ‘Hybrid-cloud, From Hype to Reality’, 61% of companies believe hybrid-cloud storage is more secure than on-premise because it is inherently flexible and customisable to an organisation’s requirements. Taking a hybrid-cloud approach means all your data is still protected by your in-house security policies; stored inside the private cloud, being encrypted and located behind firewalls at all times, even during transmission. Beyond security, hybrid-cloud is becoming the most popular deployment option because it’s flexible. Your digital business needs multiple environments to host different applications. Migrating all your operations to the cloud can be challenging, particularly when it comes to connecting disparate systems. With hybrid-cloud, you can choose the applications that are best suited to the cloud, and retain others on premise. By leveraging your existing IT resources while integrating into public and private cloud environments, hybrid-cloud provides greater control over your data, improved application performance and centralised IT management. According to analysis from IDG Research Services, 87% of IT and business executives say hybrid-cloud improves the customer experience, and those adopting it are three times more likely to achieve their business goals. ### 3) Hyper-converged solutions are commonplace According to 451 Research, “Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) is coming of age. Midmarket companies face mounting challenges storing and managing ever-growing volumes of data. HCI is a strong candidate to meet these needs.” Research from ActualTech Media reveals that 71% of companies either already use, or are considering adopting, HCI, and 19% intend to decommission disk-based SAN entirely in favour of it. When asked about their key decision criteria for adopting HCI, companies cited performance (72%), high availability (68%), and cost (68%) as the key drivers. HCI is the perfect foundation for cloud deployments, linking your application and infrastructure strategies tightly. Providing flexibility with underlying resources in the pool for cloud services, HCI delivers greater data protection, seamless integration, improved operational efficiency, reduced data centre footprint and lower total cost of ownership. According to research by the Taneja Group, that you can reduce operational expenditure by 55% with a HCI. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation We are specialists in the design, construction management and operation of high performance cloud enabled data centres. With data centre specification and performance stratifying we ensure your physical facility supports your IT infrastructure today and it to the future. Whether your facility is on premise, supporting your own organisation as part of a hybrid solution, or provides your clients with their off premise cloud environment, having a scalable, flexible and cost effective data centre is essential. [Discover how we can help you have a cloud enabled data centre.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [What is the UK's future role in developing European standards?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/what-is-the-uks-future-role-in-developing-european-standards/) **Published:** August 10, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Following the referendum results, the UK Government has expressed its intention to trigger article 50, which would see the UK exit the EU, by early 2017. It will start a transition period lasting two years where the Government negotiates the arrangements for its withdrawal and future trading terms with Europe and the rest of the world. While it will have huge implications for us all, the UK national standards body, BSI, is in a delicate position. Appointed by the UK Government, BSI works to simplify the market structure for innovation, knowledge sharing and growth. It helps to develop single shared standards as an efficient way to share information between government, industry and consumers. While European standards are developed by committee members of CEN and CENELEC, the BSI plays an important part in enabling the UK to trade internationally with minimal fuss and cost, and in the best interests of the end consumer. ### 6 considerations for European standards following Brexit To discuss the UK’s future role in helping to shape European standards, BSI held a live webinar to cover the effect Brexit could have for standards in the UK, and its ambition for remaining a leading member of the European standards system. Participating in the discussions from BSI were Dr Scott Steedman CBE, Director of Standards, David Bell, Director of Standards Policy and Richard Collin, National and European Policy Manager. Here we share some of the highlights: ***1) Business as usual*** The main point that the BSI is keen to stress, is that for now, nothing changes. The UK will continue to contribute to the creation of new European standards, and industry should continue to operate as normal. The organisation has already taken immediate steps to communicate with all its stakeholders and reassure them for the coming months. And it has opened a dialogue with ministers in Scotland to ensure relations within the domestic market remain strong. For the longer-term, the BSI is already working closely with the UK Government to provide assistance as it negotiates the country’s exit from the EU. ***2) The UK’s continued membership of CEN and CENELEC*** CEN and CENELEC are private organisations outside the EU, coordinating the work of 33 countries in the making and dissemination of European standards. Membership is linked to the adoption of European standards and the withdrawal of conflicting national standards, facilitating market access across the member countries. It is the only market structure of its kind in the world, and as such, the BSI intends to retain full membership to allow the UK to continue having a say in any new European standards. ***3) How Brexit could affect the UK’s position in the single market*** Once Article 50 is triggered, one of the top priorities for Government is negotiating and agreeing a new relationship for the UK in the single market, so that we can continue to trade freely with Europe. Before the referendum took place, the BSI was proactive and undertook research to understand the potential scenarios the UK could find itself in. The report determined there were four possible outcomes, which range from retaining our current position, similar to how Norway and Iceland currently trade in the single market, through to trading as a third country where the UK would be subject to tariffs and quotas, similar to how New Zealand operates. By working closely with the UK Government, the BSI has shared these scenarios, and what it would mean for UK trade, to ensure more informed decision making can take place, which is in the best interests of our country to protect our industries. ***4) The importance of the single market*** While we need to wait for the political settlement to be negotiated and announced, one thing is clear today, the BSI intends to retain full membership to CEN and CENELEC because of the benefits being part of the single market brings to the UK. In an independent economic report from the CBR, it says operating within a single market is a ‘major catalyst for trade, providing confidence with a common trading language, lowering production costs and reducing barriers to trade, through the possibility of exploiting economies of scale.’ Therefore, it’s critical that the BSI retains its membership so our UK experts are able to influence the content of any new European standards and how those standards are implemented. Ultimately it will help to reduce complexity, as well as saving time, money and effort while ensuring product quality and safety. In the immediate future, the BSI will continue to demonstrate its commitment, overcoming any uncertainty about the UK’s position following a vote for Brexit by sharing its valuable knowledge and expertise. ***5) European language of choice*** All European standards are currently written in English. Following the vote for the UK to exit the EU, there has been speculation and concern that this may change in favour of a different European language. At the moment, about 80% of the European standards derive from IEC work, where the first language is English, therefore, this is not expected to change. ***6) Funding for European standards*** A big argument for the Brexit campaign was about funding and how we could retain large sums of money to be spent at home, rather than give it to the EU. The BSI currently receives no European funding for developing standards; the majority of funding is raised through individuals and companies, and many of the individuals that, make up the expert panels, those that actually help create the Standards, are volunteers, providing their time at no charge. Furthermore, CEN currently receives about 30% of its funding, and CENELEC about 20% of its funding, through the EU, so this would also remain largely unaffected. **[Watch the webinar in full](http://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/about-bsi/uk-national-standards-body/EUReferendum/)** ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Future-tech’s CEO, James Wilman, is a member of the BSI Expert Panel TCT/7/3. This panel is helping shape the EN50600 Data Centre Infrastructure Standard. Together with other knowledgeable and skilled individuals James, and through internal collaboration the Future-tech team, helps ensure the data centre Standards of the future have a foundation in real world practical applications. The UK has a long history of creating well rounded, well written and usable Standards. *The Engineering Standards Committee* was established in London in 1901 as the world’s first national standards body. It subsequently extended its standardization work and adopted the name British Standards Institution in 1931 after receiving its Royal Charter in 1929. Standards produced by the BSI are seen as benchmarks and first reference point for many none EU nations. The UK has a positive effect on the Standards writing process and it is important for the Global Standards Industry that this continues. If your organisation is interested in the EN50600 Data Centre Infrastructure Standard or you would like to understand how to make your data centre infrastructure perform more efficiently and be more flexible contact us. [Discover how we can help you meet the standard.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [How to avoid the 7 deadly errors that derail M&A deals](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-to-avoid-the-7-deadly-errors-that-derail-ma-deals/) **Published:** August 17, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** According to latest UK figures published by the Office for National Statistics, in Q1 (Jan to Mar) 2016, there were: – 114 successfully completed domestic and cross-border acquisitions and disposals. – 57 completed domestic acquisitions. – 29 completed inward mergers and acquisitions (M&A). – 22 successful acquisitions made abroad by UK companies. M&A activity is big business in the UK, and it’s growing; in Q1 it totalled £11.6 billion, the highest value reported since Q4 (Oct to Dec) 2008, when the figure was £18.2 billion. A recent survey by KPMG found that the top three reasons companies cite for liking to engage in M&A activity are: (1) Fortifies their competitive position in the current market. (2) Helps them to expand beyond current markets. (3) Satisfies shareholder pressure to accelerate growth. ### Barriers to success However, successfully completing a large-scale M&A transaction is a complex process. There is the potential for any number of mistakes or problems to arise throughout the process. These barriers to success largely fall into seven categories: **(1) Overindulgent optimism:** when one or both parties see a greater opportunity than the data is indicating. **(2) Poor structural engineering:** overlooking critical building blocks, such as over-leveraged financial statements or employment agreements with essential personnel. **(3) Ineffective organisational integration:** the challenge of merging organisational structures and handling employee reactions to change. **(4) Insufficient time allocation:** completing a takeover is a lengthily process, which requires time to ensure it is handled correctly. **(5) Inability to execute the business plan:** if weaknesses in the post-merger management team are not identified, the M&A is unlikely to be successful. **(6) Lack of proper data preparation:** failing to take a measured and studious approach to organising business data. **(7) Absence of secure business tools:** failing to protect valuable business data, which could be used for a competitive advantage if it fell into the wrong hands. So what can you do to address these challenges and ensure your M&A is a success? ### The secret to starting a successful M&A When buyers and sellers enter the M&A process, initially they have very different goals in mind. For example, a buyer may primarily be concerned with the expected valuation, whereas the seller is more interested in the expected target audience. Therefore, in order to ensure the M&A completes successfully, you need to align these expectations so everyone is clear on the final outcome and working towards a common goal. This is achieved through: ***Synergy savings*** These are areas where the newly merged organisations can achieve substantial cost savings to maximise the business value of the transaction. For example, identifying operational redundancies or moving employees or equipment to another location. ***Time*** Markets and corporate spending priorities change over time. Therefore, it’s essential that all potential synergy savings are discovered, and acted upon, within a reasonable period of time. By acting quickly, you reduce the potential for “deal fatigue”, where your M&A deal is less likely to complete. ***Leveraging information, resources and tools*** Your success relies on securing fast access to critical, accurate, time-sensitive information, which enables you to make business decisions. To achieve this, you need robust systems that give you the ability to leverage resources and identify potential challenges and prevent mistakes. This controlled, secure access to information, which enables timely decisions to be made about synergy savings, can easily be achieved through implementing an online virtual data room (VDR). It optimises the due diligence process by overcoming the limitations of traditional paper-based data environments. In the VDR, all documents are captured and indexed to an online database, making information discovery more accurate and complete. And since access rights are designated by the seller, tighter security and control is guaranteed. The end result is that: **– Buyers:** have access to timely and accurate information to review the opportunity. **– Sellers:** are empowered to protect their valuable business critical data. ### M&A for data centre Currently data centre is generally viewed as a good investment opportunity. Growth and demand are steady and it is understood that growth is fundamentally based on end user digital usage which is increasing. This is encouraging a mixture of investors to look at the sector and, in many cases, move forward with acquisitions and other investment opportunities. The data centre market is also fragmented, with a plethora of providers ranging in size, capability and geographical reach. This is providing opportunities for existing data centre operators to consolidate their market position through M&A. For existing operators the value of technical due diligence is usually understood. For investors and organisations/institutions outside of the data centre industry, technical due diligence is often overlooked. Opportunities are generally regarded as simple property deals. What is not understood in these cases is that data centres are property and technology deals, with an emphasis on later. The technical capabilities of a site or portfolio can make the difference between a business that is market acceptable, and able to compete, and one that isn’t. The stratification of data centre requirements and performance in accordance with end user demand has accelerated over the last 24 to 36 months. The result is that viewing data centres as big sheds with power is now out dated. Having a deep understanding of a portfolios performance, capacity and ability to grow and change is essential. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Future-tech has provided technical due diligence on multiple data centre facilities and acquisitions, in excess of 50MW over the last 2 years. These technical services have been part of larger M&A due diligence projects with Future-tech focusing on the technical capabilities of a single property or portfolio of facilities. By highlighting issues with the estate, in terms of commercialisation, energy efficiency, resilience and flexibility, we were able to provide the timely and accurate information our clients needed in order to make an informed decision, ensuring successful completion. In a rapidly changing market we are continually evolving our services to ensure our clients get the information they need to have the competitive edge. By focusing solely on data centre and being at the industry’s forefront of design and operation we bring specialist knowledge that consistently produces the best results. If your organisation is considering data centre investment opportunities speak with us to understand how technical due diligence will reduce risk and ensure your desired outcomes are achieved. [Discover more about our M&A technical due diligence.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/case-studies/merger-acquisition-technical-due-diligence/) **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Technology, Fitness, Spartans and Data: Part Two](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/technology-fitness-spartans-and-data-part-two/) **Published:** August 22, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In part one I talked about my current shape and the challenges that I face in the coming months. So let’s look at the technologies that I have been using in my everyday training regime and the data they produce as I prepare myself to get in shape for the Spartan Sprint, Spartan Super and The Grim Original. I will be completing all of these events for the [child’s cancer charity](http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/). In this Blog I’m going to talk a little bit about my most commonly used piece of wearable tech, The Myzone MZ-3 belt. Every morning when I wake at 5.15 am to either hit the gym or go for a run I put this belt on as soon as I’m out of bed. With a reassuring ‘beep, beep’ I know the belt is active and has begun monitoring my heart rate, calories, efforts and MEPs. So from the minute I am awake my data is being tracked. By either logging into my phone or arriving at the gym I can view my data live. The data is presented in an easy and presentable format: In data centre terms this is almost like a monitored cabinet PDU attached to a user friendly BMS / EMS within a data centre. The MZ-3 is monitoring my status, feeding back and recording the information it gathers. The example above is of a single device and the information it gathers. Now think of the gym as a data centre and what you are presented with is something like this: Due to the nature of my work with data centres I was immediately interested in where my data is going, what it is being used for and was also interested to learn that although my gym displays my progress on multiple TV screens while I am training they are not actually allowed to gather or store the data that Myzone tracks. I thought I’d reach out to the man who developed the technology. The technology was developed by Dave Wright, who has 11 clubs in two continents operating under the Feelgood Fitness and Voyage Fitness brands serving over 20,000 members. In addition, he has provided marketing solutions to health and fitness operators for 25 years through his company CFM. “Over the last 25 years, we have attracted one million new members for health club operators through CFM, but the problem is that half of these new members leave every year. According to IHRSA statistics, if members visit a club 100 times a year compared to just 50 times, they will stay 18 months longer. I wanted to find a way of keeping members in clubs for longer,” said Wright. “There are a number of key challenges faced by operators in retaining members. These include: the industry’s trend for rewarding fitness instead of effort, a lack of accountability and time among members, home workouts and competition from external consumer fitness products, sustaining motivation among members, no club gamification, a lack of trainer connection with members and ultimately, no sense of tribe among members”, he continues. Wright had always used heart rate monitors in his facilities, but in 2009 he considered how the technology could be advanced to solve the issues identified above. He believed a system that allowed the wireless transfer of data stored on a heart rate monitor would be beneficial so that gym users could use the monitors both in and outside of a club, with the data being automatically uploaded when they returned to the gym, which could revolutionise the gym experience. He outsourced the development of the new product to a manufacturing company, while starting to create a buzz about the new MYZONE® product in the fitness industry. The technology rewards the effort that members put into their workouts, rather than fitness, giving users MYZONE® Effort Points (MEPs) for every minute they spend exercising in their personal intensity zones. The more effort they put in, the more MEPS they accumulate and the closer they get to achieve the results they want. Measuring activity as a percentage of the user’s maximum heart rate creates a level playing field allowing members to compete against each other regardless of their level of fitness. It means operators can run challenges in their club, with other clubs, nationally and internationally, creating a fun and sociable gym experience. The technology is suitable for all fitness levels, and as such is utilised by elite athletes as well as those new to exercise or people suffering medical conditions. It puts trainers into the role of coach. They know exactly how hard their clients are working and can encourage and give feedback on their activity between scheduled sessions. At the same time, the technology gives members accountability when they are away from the gym. Between visits, they can view their live effort stream through the free MYZONE® app and can view their daily, weekly or even yearly effort levels to see how they’ve progressed. MYZONE® creates a sense of tribe among members who can take part in friendly competition in the club and share their workouts via Facebook or Twitter. According to the ACSM, wearable tech is the number one fitness trend in 2016. Not only was MYZONE® ahead of its time, it’s the only wearable created for the fitness industry to solve its unique problems, says Wright. “Our ultimate goal in creating MYZONE® was to give operators a tool that would help them engage with members and keep them using their clubs for longer. It gives them a unique insight into the key metrics and behaviours of their membership and for the first time, club managers can stay connected with members whether they use the club every day, once a month or not at all.” Keep an eye out for the next instalment of Technology, Fitness, Spartans and Data where I interview Dave Wright, Myzone CEO on the data they collect. Click hear to read [Part One again](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/technology-fitness-spartans-and-data/) and to make a donation please [click here](https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Richard-Stacey81). **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Is your data centre ready for 2020?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/is-your-data-centre-ready-for-2020/) **Published:** August 24, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Over the next five years, global IP traffic will nearly triple, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index. The index shows that by 2020, global IP traffic will hit 2.3 ZB per year, that’s equivalent to 504 billion DVDs per year, 42 billion DVDs per month, or 58 million DVDs per hour. Over the last two decades, total Internet traffic has experienced dramatic growth. In 1992, global Internet networks carried approximately 100 GB of traffic per day. Later, in 2002, it amounted to 100 gigabytes per second (GBps), and today it’s reached over 20,000 GBps. Cicso predicts that by 2020, total Internet traffic will hit over 60,000 GBps. But what’s driving such unprecedented growth? ### Feeling the effects of the Internet of everything (IoE) The IoE comprises people, processes, data, and things, all connecting to the Internet and each other, exchanging data to enhance our everyday lives. Machine-to-machine (M2M) connections, such as smart meters, video surveillance, healthcare monitoring, transportation, and package tracking, are all helping to fuel phenomenal data growth. By 2020, M2M connections will grow to 12.2 billion, up from 4.9 million in 2015; it means that for every person on the planet, there will be 1.6 M2M connections. But while the number of connections will grow three-fold, global M2M IP traffic will increase six-fold over this same period, from 1 EB per month in 2015 6.3 EB per month by 2020. This is primarily due to the increasing popularity of video applications, in particular, the introduction of ultra-high-definition or 4K, video streaming, which requires greater bandwidth and lower latency. By 2020, global IP video traffic will account for 82% of all IP traffic. To watch all the content that crosses global IP networks every month would take you more than five million years. Besides consuming more video content, line-of-business (LBS) applications, such as Salesforce automation and fleet management, as well as desktop video conferencing, are adding pressure to data centre infrastructures. As the technology that enables these applications becomes simpler and cheaper, they’re becoming more greatly ingrained in our organisations’ DNA; between 2014 and 2015, the use of desktop video conferencing increased 25%, while LBS applications increased 32%. **Figure 1.** Cisco VNI Forecasts 194 EB per Month of IP Traffic by 2020 – Source: Cisco VNI Global IP Traffic Forecast, 2015-2020 ### 3 considerations for your data centre ***1) Dynamic bandwidth*** As the amount of video content that your business consumes grows, you’ll need to consider your overall bandwidth. However, it’s not as simple as just adding more capacity. With more people subscribing to online content, it means they’re consuming far more video than they produce. This has led to upstream traffic declining for several years, which means you’ll need to consider your organisation’s dynamic traffic pattern when calculating your required bandwidth. In addition, it’s important to account for increased video communications. As high-end video calling gains momentum, this will require symmetric bandwidth, which needs to be reliable and robust to ensure the quality of your communications. And finally, you must think about Broadband speed, as it is a crucial enabler of IP traffic. Today, Broadband speeds are about 24.7 Mbps, by 2020 this is expected to nearly double to 47.7 Mbps. This increase in speed is essential in supporting cloud storage, which makes the download of large multimedia files as fast as a transfer from a hard drive. But don’t forget, as your speed increases, users stream and download greater volumes of content, therefore in-depth planning of your growing requirements is essential to future-proof your operations. ***2) Mobility and BYOD*** By 2020, smartphone traffic will exceed PC traffic; in 2015, PCs accounted for 53% of total IP traffic, but over five years this will decline to 29%. This is due to an increasingly mobile workforce; globally, mobile data traffic will increase eightfold and account for two-thirds of total IP traffic by 2020. Much of this growth is due to increasing M2M connections, which will account for 46% of the total devices by 2020. The growth of smartphones as a communications hub for social media, video consumption and tracking IoE applications is changing the way people work and how we interact with the world. By 2020, there will be 3.4 networked devices per person across the world. Of these, 74% will be owned by individuals, the remainder owned by businesses. It means that if you are to enable greater productivity across your workforce, you need to adopt a flexible BYOD strategy and have the IT infrastructure deployed in-house to support it. **Figure 2.** Global Devices and Connections Growth Figures (n) refer to 2015, 2020 device share. – Source: Cisco VNI Global IP Traffic Forecast, 2015-2020 ***3) Security*** Users expect their online experience to be always available, always secure and for their personal and business assets to always be safe. However, reports from industry giants in the security space demonstrate that unfortunately this isn’t always the case: – There has been a 458% increase in the number of times hackers searched IoT connections for vulnerabilities. – Malware attacks have nearly doubled to 8.19 billion, with the Android ecosystem being the prime target. – Compromised WordPress sites have risen by 221%. – 89% of all cyber-attacks involve financial or espionage motivations. The most common security breaches were through web protocols, file transfer and tunnelling protocols, or email, experienced in 60% of cases. Last year, there were 780 data breaches experienced globally with 178 million records stolen, an average of 228,000 records per breach. Although, when compared to the rest of the world, it is encouraging to see that the average number of breaches was lowest here in the UK. When a data breach occurs, it can cause incredible damage to your organisation. This is both financial, in the form of compensation to customers, potential fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office and damage to your systems, as well as reputational damage and the loss of your customer loyalty. Therefore, when planning for the future, ensuring you have robust, secure systems in place to protect your ever-growing volumes of data is essential. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Ensuring your operations are supported by an up to date data centre infrastructure is key to running a successful, efficient and cost-effective business. We understand that legacy, or older facilities will be less efficient, cost more to operate and are less able to deal with increased capacity needs than new build data centres. In addition, as your corporate IT requirements change, a data centre system upgrade may be necessary to manage growth, meet efficiency targets or lower operational costs. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to run out and procure a costly new facility in order to take advantage of more recent improvements in data centre infrastructure. There are many data centre systems upgrades that can have an enormous impact on the efficiency, operational cost, power density and capacity for much lower capital outlay. We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, build and management for over 30 years. Our commitment to innovation means we continually push the boundaries of energy efficiency, scalability and optimisation in the data centre, and because we only work with data centres, our highly skilled, highly experienced in-house team have enviable expertise, which translates into highly efficient designs, low build times, reduced costs and future-proofed data centres. **[Discover how we can provide you with the ability to expand your data centre in line with business needs while maintaining live IT services.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Do you know the real cost of a data centre outage?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/do-you-know-the-real-cost-of-a-data-centre-outage/) **Published:** September 23, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Data centres are essential to enabling businesses. According to research from IDC, the amount of data being produced doubles every two years. This presents more opportunities for businesses to use technology to grow revenue and improve business performance, and central to leveraging those opportunities is the data centre. However, increasing volumes of data are also putting data centre infrastructures under greater pressure. Alarming data from a survey of over 2,400 IT professionals by security vendor Symantec, indicates that in the past 12 months, data centres across the globe have experienced an average of 16 outages per site, with the most common causes cited as systems failures, human errors and natural disasters. We all know that’s going to cost, but are you aware of the full extent of the financial implications that data centre downtime incurs? ### Understanding the total cost of downtime When your data centre experiences an outage, there are three types of costs you are subject to: **1) Direct cost:** the actual expense outlay to accomplish a given activity. **2) Indirect cost:** the amount of time, effort and other resources that are spent. **3) Opportunity cost:** the resulting cost of lost business opportunities and reputational damage. *Bar Chart 1: Percentage cost structure of unplanned data center outage. Source: Ponemon Cost of Data Center Outages*These are reflected in a variety of cost consequences, which include: **– Detection cost:** initial discovery and subsequent investigation of the outage. **– Containment cost:** preventing an outage from spreading or causing greater disruption. **– Recovery cost:** getting your networks and core systems back to a state of readiness. **– Ex-post response cost:** after-the-fact incidental costs. **– Equipment cost:** for new equipment purchases, repairs and refurbishment. **– IT productivity loss:** lost time and related expenses associated with IT personnel downtime. **– User productivity loss:** lost time and related expenses associated with end-user downtime. **– Third-party cost:** for contractors, consultants and specialists engaged to resolve the outage. **– Lost revenue:** customers’ inability to access core systems during the outage period. **– Business disruption:** reputational damage, customer churn and lost business opportunities. According to research from the Ponemon Institute, in its third “Cost of Data Center Outages” report, the total cost of downtime has continued to rise over the last six years. Since 2010, on average the cost of downtime has risen 38% to $740,357 per incident, which is equal to nearly $9,000 per minute (ranging from $926 – $17,244 per minute). When you break this down, direct costs account for 36%, indirect costs for 51% and opportunity costs for 12%, with the majority of costs deriving from business disruption ($16,125,669 per incident), lost revenue ($13,141,737 per incident) and end-user productivity ($8,706,159 per incident). Just take a second to consider the implications for your business. If you experienced 16 data centre outages a year, each costing an average of $740,357, that’s over $11.8 million. ### The root cause of downtime So why do unplanned outages occur? There are many things that would cause your data centre to incur downtime, but according to the Ponemon Institute, the top three reasons are: **– UPS system failure:** accounting for 25% of incidents and costing $709 per incident. **– Cyber crime (DDoS):** accounting for 22% of incidents and costing $981 per incident. **– Accidental/human error:** accounting for 22% of incidents and costing $489 per incident. While you’re able to anticipate and plan for some of these, others are out of your control and harder to predict. For example, weather-related incidents account for 10% of data centre outages, costing an average of $455 per incident. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re ok as long as it’s a total outage; partial unplanned outages can be just as damaging and costly to your business. Although they last on average 66 minutes less than complete outages, partial outages will still end up costing you a massive $499,800 per incident (compared to $946,788 for a total outage). It would be understandable for you to underestimate the total cost of downtime, but the evidence is clear – the potential impact could have devastating or fatal consequences for your organisation. So what can you do to ensure your data centre is protected, and your operations future-proofed? ### Future-tech: effective data centre design If you’re unsure whether your facility has been designed by an architect or engineer with in-depth knowledge in data centre design, a design review by an industry specialist is essential. The design review will evaluate whether a best-practice approach has been taken, risk minimised and expected standards of quality and performance have been met. We have been at the forefront of innovative data centre design, build and management for over 30 years. During this time, we have conducted data centre peer reviews for a wide range of clients, and are respected throughout the industry for our independent, fair and sensitive approach to the peer review process. Engaging with our specialist data centre design consultants and engineers will always add value to your project. Our experts will work in partnership with you and your team to ensure the facility is capable of fulfilling your IT requirements, is designed for maximum efficiency and that all potential scenarios are accounted for. Our commitment to innovation means we continually push the boundaries of energy efficiency, scalability and optimisation in the data centre, and because we only work with data centres, our highly skilled, highly experienced in-house team have enviable expertise, which translates into highly efficient designs, low build times, reduced costs and future-proofed data centres. **[Discover how our data centre design helps protect you against the increasing cost of downtime.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [Ireland: a stand-out European data centre destination of choice](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/ireland-a-stand-out-european-data-centre-destination-of-choice/) **Published:** November 17, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** For the majority of organisations, big data is clearly the order of the day. According to “Europe for Big Data”, a report published by Forbes, nine out of 10 companies say they are exploiting big data to inform and optimise their business processes and strategies. Data is driving all organisations, regardless the industry or geography they operate in. And it’s recent advances in technology that are generating real commercial opportunities for organisations to leverage. Leading international businesses are using smart technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to capture, analyse and use their corporate and customer-related data. It enables them to better understand and respond to their target markets, discover new business models and create improved product offerings. However, the increasing volume of data being collated by organisations is putting additional pressure on existing IT infrastructures, which is driving data management, data centres and cloud technologies to become high-growth businesses. The challenges and opportunities that big data presents are now key considerations when deciding where to locate big data projects. ### Where in the world? When choosing a data centre location, most international organisations consider these top five key elements: – Tax rates – Ease of doing business – Legal framework – Availability of expertise – Data-related conditions/regulations Fulfilling these key criteria best is Europe. According to the research from Forbes, 80% of international organisations already have a European business presence, demonstrating that regionally based data control hubs are the cornerstone for managing regional data strategy. And within Europe, it’s Ireland that’s fighting for pole position. Despite its smaller economy and population size, Ireland is perceived as one of the top two destinations for EU data-driven investments, narrowly missing out to the UK in first place, but ahead of Germany in third place. So what makes Ireland the data centre destination of choice? ### Ireland: a land of opportunity With 96% of senior business executives having a favourable view of Ireland as a data-related investment destination, it should be no surprise that the country has quickly become a world leader for big data, the Internet of Things, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and fintech, amongst other areas. Ireland is already home to many of the world’s leading international companies across all industries and sectors. In addition to placing second in Forbes’ report, the country also ranks first in the world for investment incentives, and first for international competitiveness in the Eurozone, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2016. Many large brands are proud to call Ireland their home, including Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Twitter. In fact, according to the Irish Development Authority and Enterprise Ireland, the country is home to: – Nine out of the top 10 global software companies. – All of the top 10 global ICT companies. – All the top 10 ‘born on the Internet’ companies, and the list goes on. There are many factors that position Europe favourably as a data centre destination. Host in Ireland, an industry-led initiative specifically developed to generate awareness of the country’s assets, boils Ireland’s attributes down to five key points: **Policy:** pro-business approach to policy issues. **Pedigree:** home to over 1,000 global companies. **People:** highly educated, experienced, tech-savvy, multifaceted and multilingual workforce. **Power:** exploits its natural resources to commit to 40% renewable energy by 2020. **Pipes:** strategic global position to provide secure and resilient low-latency global connectivity. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation Future-tech is represented on Host in Ireland’s executive committee and we are at the forefront of innovative data centre design and construction management. Our flexible approach to the changing demand cloud services are putting on data centre power and cooling infrastructure is reducing the cost associated with building market leading cloud enabled facilities. From high density research focused data centres through to hard core rack it and stack it ho-lo we will work with your team to understand what your clients want and how best to achieve it in a smooth, cost and energy efficient manner. **[Discover how we can provide you with the ability to expand your data centre in line with business needs while maintaining live IT services.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/)** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [US data centres successfully overcome three global challenges](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/us-data-centres-successfully-overcome-three-global-challenges/) **Published:** December 20, 2016 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The data centre industry has exploded with vigorous growth; according to industry analyst IDC, the total number of data centres around the world will peak at 8.6 million in 2017. While “Data Center Outlook 2016” reports that this year data centre stocks surged 19% in Q1, and averaged 50% in Q2 and shows that globally, North America remains the most competitive market, representing 44% of the total market share. Driving this growth is the explosion of data. According to IDC, the digital universe is doubling in size every two years. It means data centre providers need to be able to hander the sheer volume, accessibility and requirements for its storage and transport, but this is placing huge pressure on the infrastructure and resources, as well as decisions concerning location. According to the “Data Centre Risk Index 2016”, when it comes to choosing a suitable location for a data centre, traditional drivers, such as cost and connectivity, are quickly being replaced by protection from natural disasters; a location’s coping capability ranked as the most important risk factors while political stability ranked second, collectively accounting for one third of overall decision making. When ranked in order, the best place to locate your data centre was Iceland with an index score of 100%, followed by Norway (96.21%) and Switzerland (90.26%). In ninth place is the UK with a score of 79.81%, followed by North America (78.73%). These countries were deemed to offer politically stable environments for doing business, with low-risk of natural disasters and strong fundamentals in terms of energy security and share of renewable resources. It’s clear that the data centre landscape is changing fast as leading providers and users strive to stay competitive amidst rapid regulatory, technological and environmental change. But what factors are driving the market? ### Three key global challenges **Cloud adoption** In the open market, good quality space is being quickly absorbed, especially by the cloud providers. According to “Data Center Outlook 2016”, cloud adoption is expected to double the size of the industry over the next five years as technologies continue to advance. For cloud providers, the addition of managed services, presents a lucrative opportunity to generate interconnected revenue. As such, it’s expected that by the end of this year, cloud spending will reach $204bn, with 71% of enterprises adopting hybrid-cloud strategies. **Data sovereignty laws** Increasingly, countries are legislating that data must be housed in same country from which it’s accessed. As a result, the global data centre location map has been re-drawn, as some of the industry’s biggest players are expanding internationally faster to meet demand. Traditionally, data centre development activity has been most prevalent in the US, but thanks to new laws in countries like France, Russia and Brazil, all this is changing. Also, we’re yet to see the full impact of Brexit; three-quarters of British IT leaders say their data centres are located within Europe. Once the UK leaves the EU, most will need to re-locate their operations. **Climate change** Increasingly this is having a clear influence on many data centre strategies, shaping the way legislation is written, and spurring innovation to encourage the development of increasingly effective energy efficient solutions. When it comes to climate change, data centres seek to improve their ‘triple bottom line’, an accounting framework used to evaluate performance from a socially responsible, environmental and financial perspective. Thankfully, new technologies make this easier to achieve, for example: **– Cooling and powering strategies:** advances in technology makes the cooling process less resource-intensive. **– Power proportionality methods:** enabling more facilities to scale back their electricity consumption when not processing at full speed. **– Data centre microgrids:** including Arizona’s 63MW development and Colorado’s 300MW development. With such rapid evolution, everyone in the market is taking a fresh look at location decisions to capture market opportunities and leverage new technologies, while rising to the challenge of climate change. These decisions are based on five key inputs: – Price – Bandwidth – Security – Latency – Availability So how do North America’s major states stack up? ### Shining a spotlight on the US **San Francisco Bay Area** With 424MW installed, 43MW planned and 18MW under construction, supply remains at historically low levels, despite the area being home to Silicon Valley. Local tech companies, mobile apps and cloud requirements continue to drive growth, but with available space at a premium, many companies are looking further afield to Santa Clara, which boasts some of the lowest power rates in California. **Atlanta** With 194MW installed, 13MW planned and 14MW under construction, there is a steady supply at present, but this is likely to change next year as more space and power becomes available. Besides technology companies, banking and finance are driving growth with the trend towards co-location facilities, as these organisations demand maximum flexibility. **Austin & San Antonio** With 403MW installed, 26.1MW planned and 9MW under construction, Austin remains stable while space in San Antonio is getting tight as its main player, CyrusOne, has leased nearly all its apace to a single technology tenant. Demand here is driven by the technology and governmental sectors, who are looking in particular for managed services and cloud growth. ### **Boston** With 135 MW installed, 8MW planned and 1.5MW under construction, supply remains static. This is largely due to the city having some of the highest utility rates in the country, a trend that’s set to continue. Demand here is mainly from local companies and institutions that are focused on life sciences, such as universities, who are creating greater volumes of data. **Chicago** With 502MW installed, 49MW planned and 27MW under construction, data centre spare is scare due to significant leasing by cloud users, attractive utility rates and power constraints. Demand here is driven by the banking and financial services sectors, however, with space limited, the focus is on ‘just in time’ compute to accommodate the explosive growth in cloud computing. **Dallas** With 403MW installed, 91MW planned and 17MW under construction, space is constrained with limited availability. Here the market is more diversified, with demand coming from financial services, insurance, healthcare and technology companies. Many providers are also investing more in adding power through sustainable sources, such as wind farms, to secure their future power supply. **Denver & Colorado Springs** With 113.8MW installed, 24MW planned and nothing under construction the market is static. Demand here is driven by end users with colocation requirements, looking to meet their disaster recovery needs. Denver is a particularly attractive location due to its workforce technical talent, low latency specifications and interconnectivity to communications networks serving Chicago and San Francisco. **Houston** With 119MW installed, 68.2MW planned and 1MW under construction, the market is slow. Demand is primarily driven by the energy sector, who is using high-specification technology and data-intensive applications to support drilling and exploration efforts. **Los Angeles** With 210MW installed, 3MW planned and 3MW under construction, demand is flat due to high power costs. However, there are signs of growth from smaller users, such as Chinese telecoms companies, who are starting to enter market in search of space. To encourage this growth and drive new business, many providers have offered promotions throughout 2016. **New Jersey** With 327MW installed, 115MW planned and nothing under construction, supply is actually ahead of demand. Although currently dominated by financial services, the market is showing signs of diversification thanks to the rise of social media, healthcare and smaller technology companies. As such, it’s currently a buyers’ market as providers compete to secure tenants. **New York City** With 166MW installed, 40MW planned and 4.8MW under construction, supply has stabilised, but there have been no new providers enter the market in last 24 months. Demand is flat and third-party colocation providers are taking a ‘just in time’ approach to wholesale market demand, which all means that companies can easily negotiate favourable terms. **Northern Virginia** With 773.6MW installed, 290.8MW planned and 103.1MW under construction, this is one of the most attractive and vibrant data centre markets globally. Demand driven by technology, insurance and telecoms companies, enterprises are drawn to rich fibre optic networks, low latency and access to cloud providers. Here, managed service and cloud offerings are strong with competitive pricing. ### Future-tech: where experience meets innovation If your organisation is aiming to develop its own data centre infrastructure in Europe then Future-tech is the company to assist you. Whether you require design engineering services from the ground up, regionalisation of your own design, assistance with land identification, suitability and acquisition or assistance with supply chain and construction management, your organisation and initiative will benefit from Future-tech as its specialist European partner. [**Discover how we can help you stay ahead of the curve and deliver class leading data centre facilities across Europe.**](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Data centre design, build & maintenance for European industrial distributor](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-design-build-maintenance-for-european-industrial-distributor/) **Published:** January 10, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Data centre design, build & maintenance for European industrial distributor by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jan 10, 2017 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Design, Build and Maintenance for European Industrial Distributor - Data Centre Server Room](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy-9-1080x486.jpg) Future-tech’s data centre design, build and maintain mission critical data centre for Europe’s leading industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul products distributor. ### CLIENT & PROJECT OVERVIEW The €940 million euro business is one of the only “single source” suppliers of the world’s leading brands, with more than 4 million product lines and many millions of products in stock. A 24/7/365 service provided to clients ensures they can access the products they need to keep their businesses and operations going. Future-tech, data centre specialist, was selected to design and build the organisation’s new mission critical data centre located at one of its UK primary distribution centres. The data centre provides a robust and resilient infrastructure platform for SAP and disaster recovery systems that support both the UK and European operations. The new data centre design had to be resilient and energy efficient whilst remaining within the allocated budget presented as part of the data centre’s business case. ### THE BRIEF Design and build an 18 cabinet data centre with redundant power and cooling infrastructure able to support up to 6.8kW peak draw per cabinet. The data centre design required energy efficient heat rejection and the ability to reuse the waste heat from the IT environment in the adjacent warehouse space. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS The primary challenge during the data centre build was meeting the required go live date. Due to other activities in the business a hard stop date was in place which only just allowed enough time for critical elements such as power and cooling infrastructure to be manufactured. A further challenge is that the data centre is located in the middle of an immensely busy distribution centre and this meant deliveries and certain works had to be coordinated closely with client staff and H&S representatives without impacting on programme. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION After a detailed discussion with the client our data centre designers understood the technical requirements, business drivers and constraints associated with the project. From here we were able to design the critical data centre to a concept level and present them back to the client ensuring our understanding was correct. On confirmation that the data centre design solutions proposed were in line with the overall business objectives and project outcome we progressed the data centre design. This process was completed in a compressed time frame due to the programme constraints associated with the project hard stop date. Once on site a composite modular environment was created to house the data centre infrastructure and critical equipment. Inverter driven compressors were included in the direct expansion cooling system. Although these units had a higher initial CAPEX they provided better environmental control and their energy efficiency provided an ROI of 18 months verses a more traditional solution. The UPS system was designed in an N+1 configuration. Fire suppression and security systems including CCTV and access control were also part of the final delivered data centre solution. Due to the critical nature of the facility an environmental monitoring and alert system was incorporated. This system ensures any fluctuations in environmental conditions or status of critical equipment is flagged and the relevant personnel notified by email, test and auto dialler. Due to the nature of the clients business the decision was made for the data centre design to have its planned preventative maintenance and emergency response manage in house. However after the first year of operations the client decided to outsource this service to Future-tech where the facility joins the other 70 sites we monitor, manage and maintain for our clients. **Categories:** Case Studies, Maintenance & Management --- ### [London's Key Data Centre Market Will Continue to Thrive](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/londons-key-data-centre-market-will-continue-to-thrive/) **Published:** January 16, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Data centres have fast become a vital asset to many businesses; since 2007, there has been a colossal 200% rise in the European market for data centre services. Representing around 80% of the total UK data centre capacity, London is the data centre capital of Europe and the third-largest data centre industry in the world, and despite Brexit, judging by recent trends, this dominance looks unlikely to change. ### Why is London so Successful? London is the largest colocation data centre market in Europe and in 2016, the city’s data centre supply represents 44% of the total data centre supply across the European market. It is easy to attribute London’s data centre success to the city’s ‘interconnected ecosystem’. Despite the high cost of real estate within the M25, the capital’s history as a centre for trade, finance and commerce has driven and complemented its world-class data centre market. However, its data centre industry has grown far beyond finance to become a powerful asset in its own right. ### Continued Success In line with its seemingly unstoppable growth, London’s data centre market is set to continue expanding. Despite some initial speculation, the decision to leave the European Union should not upset London’s data centre dominance. Though data protection may become a bigger area of concern, it is not expected that Brexit will cause any major issues for the UK industry, which will remain a vital marketplace for data centre occupiers. With ever-increasing usage of apps powered by cloud service providers driving demand, more firms are expected to outsource to cloud service providers. Within reason, it can be speculated that Brexit’s effect on London’s digital ecosystem will be minimal. Furthermore, any negative implications will be resolvable and rectifiable. Corporate companies are developing cloud strategies and coming to rely on cloud services more and more. This strong, quality supply pipeline is set to ensure that new requirements can be satisfied by London’s market. ### Forecast/Predictions for 2017 Given the success of previous quarters, the UK’s solid supply pipeline will nourish the data centre market, maintaining an equilibrium that is sure to support London’s increasing success. It can be predicted that the market will grow by a further 8% during 2017, potentially due to a resurgence in demand for data centre space from more traditional corporate sectors. Two stand-out trends are expected to leverage London’s continued success in 2017: 1\. The continued progress of major cloud service providers: The sector has never relied so much on such a small number of companies providing a large amount of the take-up of IT power. If these companies continue to progress in the UK, the London market will continue to thrive. 2\. Data protection regulation: Following Brexit, replicating the EU framework will be integral when ensuring the free flow of data across borders. If hosting in the UK is not compliant with EU rules and regulations, we risks losing data centre occupiers to providers further afield. As corporates continue to integrate cloud solutions into their overall IT architecture, the demand for cloud solutions will increase steadily for the foreseeable future. With data centre sector growth being driven so definitely, in spite of Brexit, we are sure to see London maintaining its dominance as a European data centre destination. ### Future-tech: building or expanding your data centre If your organisation is aiming to develop its own data centre infrastructure in Europe then Future-tech is the company to assist you. Whether you require design engineering services from the ground up, regionalisation of your own design, assistance with land identification, suitability and acquisition or assistance with supply chain and construction management, your organisation and initiative will benefit from Future-tech as its specialist European partner. [Discover how we can help you stay ahead of the curve and deliver class leading data centre facilities across Europe.](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact/) **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Circuit Breaker Discrimination](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/circuit-breaker-discrimination/) **Published:** July 5, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Circuit breaker discrimination (also known as selectivity) is the ability of the local circuit breaker to operate before any upstream circuit breakers under fault conditions. This applies to HV and LV, the illustration below is for a simple single-feed LV system. With correct discrimination, a single fault on one rack power supply will trip the local MCB in the power distribution unit, but not the distribution circuit breaker or worse still, the main circuit breaker. In the same way, a fault on the power distribution unit will trip the distribution breaker feeding it, not the main circuit breaker. The intention is to limit the service interruption to the minimum amount for any fault, whether this fault is overload or short-circuit. This all sounds very obvious and straightforward but as always the devil is in the detail. To correctly design a system the designer has to know the likely fault current at every point in the system and the time-current characteristics of each circuit breaker (or fuse). The graphs of these time-current (and time-energy) characteristics are then correlated to the calculated fault currents so that trip timings of the breakers can be assessed. The IEE Regulations stipulate that the final sub-circuit breakers open on earth fault in 0.4 secs, whereas the distribution circuit breakers must open in a maximum of 5 secs. The fault currents will be much less for faults at the final sub-circuits than faults at the power source or distribution switchboard due to the circuit impedances. These days all of these fault currents are worked out in software models rather than by hand, many factors such as cable type and size affect the fault current and hence the breaker trip opening times. The designer has a choice of circuit breaker trip characteristics, the basic being thermal-magnetic as in miniature circuit breakers, then moving up to various types of electronic relay. These relays cost considerably more, and can add what amounts to a delay in the tripping time to allow downstream breakers to open first. To be able to hold in during a fault event the breaker has to be physically robust, again adding to the cost. The task of the designer is to find a compromise between necessary tripping characteristics and installation costs. An essential process often overlooked is the setting of the circuit breaker relays during commissioning. Circuit breakers “out of the box” usually come set to 40% of their maximum ratings so if they are not correctly set up they could trip on overload sometime in the future as the critical load builds up. ### Special considerations for UPS circuits In the sketch above the “power source” is not specified but in data centres it is usually an electronic battery backed uninterruptible power supply (UPS). These present particular difficulties to the designer as they have severely restricted fault current capabilities, especially the modern high-frequency transformer-less types. In many cases it is not possible to meet the 0.4 secs and 5 secs criterion on battery power alone, however the IEE Regulations do recognise the strategy of relying on the operation of the UPS static bypass to clear downstream faults. If this is utilised special conditions for final sub-circuit earthing are imposed. Most UPS systems these days are 2N, meaning that each rack power supply has an “A” and a “B” supply. The principles of discrimination still apply meaning that a fault on a particular rack power supply will trip either the “A” or “B” circuit breakers, or both in some circumstances, but not the circuit breakers feeding the “A” and “B” PDU’s. ### Future-tech Conclusion Correct circuit breaker discrimination is essential for the reliable operation of a data centre power system. It has to be designed in at the outset, not as an add-on after all the plant selection and cable sizing has taken place. The designer has to ensure that the design settings are transferred to the actual circuit breakers before the facility goes live. The designer has to take into account the type of power source under consideration – UPS, generator or utility transformer. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [11kV Utility supplies for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/11kv-utility-supplies-for-data-centres/) **Published:** July 5, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The amount of electrical power needed to supply data centres rises inexorably. This is despite seemingly never ending gains in IT computing power efficiency which only results in greater density, to the extent that the only viable option is to take electrical power from the utility grid at 11kV. This trend presents new challenges to the electrical engineer designing data centre power systems. In the UK and Europe the standard LV system is 400/230V TN-S. The transformers needed to convert from the HV system (11kV in the UK) to LV should result in a standard LV system of this type. The designation TN-S describes the fact that the LV system neutral is separate from the earth system throughout the installation, with one neutral-earth connection at the transformer. There are various other configurations, TN-C-S, IT,TT etc but these are not suitable for data centres for various reasons, this is the subject of a separate blog. The overriding concern for the designer is safety, life safety for personnel in the facility and the safety of the critical IT equipment. These are intimately linked. The danger to life of direct contact with the HV is prevented by insulation and secure containment and can be considered the easy part of the design. The difficult part is fault protection, ensuring that an earth fault on the HV system does not result in a voltage rise on the LV system that is dangerous to life or property. The applicable safety standard is BS EN 50522:2010 “Earthing of Power Systems exceeding 1kV a.c”. Other information about the interface between the HV and LV systems is contained in BS 7040:2011+A1 2015 “Code of practice for the protective earthing of electrical installations”. The permissible touch voltage is a function of time, nearly 800V for a duration of 10mS, falling to about 80V for durations of 10 seconds or more. Two basic methods exist for achieving this, separation of the HV and LV earth systems, and deliberately joining the two systems. Separation is difficult to achieve and is only used where site conditions mean that joining the two systems cannot be used. Joining the two systems is only allowed where the resulting touch voltage under HV earth fault is less than the graph in figure 4 above. To achieve this a very low impedance between the combined earth system and the bulk earth must be achieved, meaning that an extensive system of LV earth electrodes is required. Historically a figure of 1 ohm was used, above this figure separation is required, below it the two earth systems could be joined. This is no longer recognised in BS 50522, and the designer must demonstrate by calculation, software modelling or the use of standard arrangements that safety has been achieved. The design process is illustrated in BS 50522 as a flow chart (below).The calculations for HV prospective fault current through the mass of earth are complex and require a knowledge of the utility infrastructure that is not commonly available. The designer often has to fall back on standard designs, “Recognised specific measures” and “Additional measures” in the flow chart. Both Standards give information on the design of the LV earth electrodes including likely resistivities of various types of soil in the UK. Earth fault current levels on both the HV and LV systems must be calculated as part of the design process. To achieve the necessary low impedance a substantial amount of external land area is required. If it is a new build the concrete piles can be utilised as earth electrodes, but this is a highly-specialised subject usually designed using software modelling. If the transformers are located outside of the main data centre building they can be treated as a typical utility substation as in the standard designs of BS7430. However, if the designer has to locate them within the main building, possibly using cast-resign transformers, there is little choice but to use the recognised strategy of a “Global Earth System” from BS50522.A global earth system requires that all earth systems in the buildings within the area under consideration are solidly bonded together by metallic bonds to minimise the earth potential rise under HV fault conditions. These systems were originally intended for crowded city centres such as Canary Wharf in London, and for large industrial sites such as oil refineries. These days large data centres are approaching the power usage of these sites so a similar strategy has to be used. ### Future-tech Conclusion Increasing power demands of data centres is driving the use of HV Utility intakes, requiring the designer to use HV/LV transformers. These substations have to be designed to similar standards to Utility substations to ensure safety for the personnel and equipment in the data centre. An extensive LV earth electrode system is required that needs substantial external land area. Where the transformers are located within the data centre building a Global Earth System should be considered. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Cryptocurrencies and the data centre: part one](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cryptocurrencies-and-the-data-centre-part-one/) **Published:** October 11, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The first part of this series, we take a look at the opportunities and potential obstacles for data centre operators, customers and technology suppliers from developments in the world of cryptocurrencies. The direction of travel in the data centre industry is increasingly away from generic facilities with mixed IT loads towards application-optimised designs. Efficiency and productivity can be dramatically improved by physical infrastructure that is designed and managed for specific workloads and applications. One class of workload that has seen a significant increase in dedicated data centre capacity recently is so-called cryptocurrencies. Best described as a ‘medium of exchange’, rather than currencies per se, they are not usually backed by a legal entity or government as with traditional currencies. Instead cryptocurrencies rely on the use of public key cryptography to secure communication between two third parties. The first and most well known recent example is Bitcoin but there are now believed to be more than 800 other types of cryptocurrency with the whole market being worth an estimated $60 billion. **Compute and energy intensive** The relevance and importance from a data centre perspective is related to the huge compute capacity required to create and transact new units of cryptocurrency. For example, there are believed to be approximately 16 million Bitcoins in circulation with around 1800 new units minted or mined every day. Producing each new Bitcoin requires increasingly large amounts of compute power and energy. Calculating exactly how much compute capacity is challenging however as the complexity of the process to create a unit of Bitcoin is constantly shifting. However according to the [Digiconomist Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index](https://digiconomist.net/bitcoin-energy-consumption), the annual energy use of the entire Bitcoin network, in so-called ‘hashing centres’ – is approximately 19 TWh. It has also been pointed out that Bitcoin is significantly more energy intensive than an established payment network such as Visa while handling a fraction of the transactions. **Opportunities and obstacles** Cryptocurrencies present a number of direct and indirect opportunities for the data centre and wider IT industries. **Requirement for IT infrastructure:** The mining and distribution of cryptocurrencies has obviously created a huge demand for commodity but also specialist IT infrastructure. A whole ecosystem of specialist cryptocurrency IT suppliers has emerged supplying everything from custom silicon to integrated systems including modular data centres. The total annual costs of Bitcoin mining, estimated to be more than $900 million, gives an indication of the overall opportunity for technology suppliers and services companies. **MTDC capacity:** A significant proportion of miners opt for self-owned dedicated data centres (ranging in size and quality) to support their operations but others have also opted to use multi-tenant data centre (MTDC) facilities. For example, some MTDC sites in the Nordics have depended on Bitcoin miners as anchor tenants. **Technology transfer:** Some of the IT but also mechanical and electrical (M&E) infrastructure designs pioneered by the cryptocurrency industry may be transferable to other adjacent areas such as High-Performance Compute (HPC) but also potentially into the mainstream data centre industry. For example, immersion direct liquid cooling specialist Allied Control was acquired by cryptocurrency mining services and technology provider BitFury in 2015. BitFury has indicated that it plans to apply the technology to adjacent areas such as HPC where liquid cooling is already established. Future-tech has also seen growing demand for the high-density cooling technology and undertaken a number of M&E designs to support direct liquid cooled systems. (Note: These will be explored in more detail in the second part of this series.) **Blockchain**. The public ledger technology that underpins Bitcoin is gaining traction in other industries. This could eventually enable a plethora of new digital transactions and cloud services with a technical and societal impact that grows well beyond Bitcoin. However, cryptocurrencies, and the technology used to support them, may also present some obstacles for data centre operators and technology suppliers. **Volatility:** While some MTDCs have benefitted from cryptocurrency customers others have been embroiled in legal disputes with tenants. While legal issues between MTDCs and their customers are not confined to the cryptocurrency space, price volatility and the fact that cryptocurrencies are still relatively nascent introduce additional risk factors. **Regulation:** Some countries such as South Korea and China have recently introduced curbs and controls on cryptocurrencies. China is believed to house a significant proportion of global mining operations so an outright ban could be potentially damaging to cryptocurrency networks, at least in the short term. However others believe the network would be resilient enough to bounce back. **Distributed mining:** It has also been suggested that in the long term there may be move back towards the early days of cryptocurrency when the majority of the mining was distributed across networks of desktop machines rather than centralized in data centres. While it is not clear if the distributed approach could enable similar levels of mining capacity to centralized data centres, the approach has some upsides. Firstly, the concentration of mining capacity in dedicated large data centres introduces potential points of failure into the network. A secondary but less obvious benefit is that the heat produced by dedicated mining compute could be more efficiency reused using a distributed network approach. For example, a Ukrainian company has developed a mining rig that doubles as an in-house water heater. **Future developments** Despite on-going volatility in the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies demand and growth continues to be strong. This has translated into continued requirement for new data centre capacity. For example, Future-tech has completed four designs for cryptocurrency sites in the recent past and expects to see more in the future. Other examples include the aptly located Lefdal Mine data center – one of the largest sites in Europe with more than 120,000 square meters of whitespace, that is believed to be used, at least in part, for cryptocurrency mining. Another recently announced site in Georgia, nicknamed the Golden Fleece, will have a capacity of more than 20MW if it goes ahead. Cryptocurrencies may also have an indirect impact on overall data centre design. The facilities required by cryptocurrencies in the main require lower levels of redundancy compared with mission-critical facilities. Effectively the total spend of the facility is heavily skewed towards the IT equipment with less requirement for the kind of concurrent maintainability of traditional enterprise of MTDC sites. As such, while there is still a significant opportunity for specialist services companies (data centre engineering specialists such as Future-tech), there is less need for redundant generators, UPS, and other equipment from data centre technology suppliers. Over time, the adoption of low-redundancy designs by the cryptocurrency industry may also serve to normalize the approach. This could contribute to an ongoing revaluation of redundancy requirements for more mainstream sites and the need for new flexible designs. *Part 2 of this series will look in more depth the specific facilities design and citing requirements for cryptocurrency data centers.* **If you would like to learn more about workload specific data centre design or discuss the impact of cryptocurrency-optimized infrastructure in your data centre contact us on ** **Categories:** Articles, Crypto-Currency & Blockchain --- ### [Data centre CSI: Investigating facility downtime](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/) **Published:** November 6, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech’s forensic engineering services help our data centre customers root out the causes of unplanned downtime and reduce the risk of future incidents. Ensuring availability at almost any cost has been of the central tenets of the data centre industry since its inception. Despite an almost obsessive focus on avoiding unplanned downtime, it still occurs. To date in 2017 there have already been a number of high-profile outages at airlines, co-location operators, financial services companies and IT services providers. These resulted in reputational damage, as well as direct costs running into the tens of millions, for the businesses concerned and affected. Unsurprisingly, organizations are highly motivated to understand the root-causes of outages as part of internal due-diligences processes and to hopefully prevent future incidents. Some companies will prefer to conduct their investigations internally whilst others choose to use specialist third parties such as Future-tech to provide thorough, unbiased and confidential forensic analysis services. Data centre technology companies, such as Schneider Electric, also provide similar services however they usually just investigate why the equipment they provided has failed, our investigations are generally more wide-ranging. We have seen a steady increase in demand for our forensic engineering services and have conducted half a dozen investigations across medium to large sites over the last 12 months. We are usually called into sites where there has been an outage to initially establish the root-cause of the downtime. Most engagements also involve suggesting measures to harden a site, or specific infrastructure equipment, to prevent repeat events. **Root-cause analysis** Our engineers can be on site within hours of an outage although in most cases it is usually a few days before the investigation begins. This is because the client is often more focused on getting critical systems back up and running rather than immediately understanding what caused the outage. Ground zero in data centre forensic investigations is often the IT equipment, even if the ultimate cause is likely to be the mechanical and electrical (M&E) infrastructure. Our in-house team will often begin by examining server components and identifying why those particularly resistors, capacitors, transistors and integrated circuits have failed. From there, the team can trace back up the power chain until the ultimate cause of the incident is identified. A faulty UPS, DRUPS, Breaker or Bypass could be the direct cause however human-error is also often a contributory factor. A facility operator who hasn’t been trained adequately, or simply makes a mistake, can turn what could have been an isolated equipment fault into the cause of a site-level outage. According to a 2017 survey by Uptime Institute at least 38 per cent of outages were caused by human error; this includes recent high-profile outages at a major U.S. airline and a public cloud services provider. Human error is often the result of wider management failures rather than isolated problems with a specific individual. Issues such as design compromises, training budget cuts, staffing reductions, lack of preventative maintenance or life-cycle planning and selecting the lowest cost vendor can all directly contribute to a human error incident or exacerbate the aftermath associated with one. **Reporting and prevention** Once the root-causes of an outage have been identified, we will detail our findings in a report. This usually includes suggestions for replacing equipment, altering a facility’s design and ultimately hardening the infrastructure against further incidents. It can also include guidance for how to improve, or even overhaul, management practices. These reports are highly sensitive documents and as such there are strict non-disclosure agreements in place to prevent them being publicly circulated, that said some clients have been very open about lessons learned and how the site has been improved to reduce the risk of a downtime in the future. Although some reports may make hard reading for IT or facilities teams, the ultimate aim of our forensic engineering investigations is not to apportion blame but rather to provide detailed analysis of the incident and suggest improvements. Developing and implementing measures to prevent future downtime is not only important to the companies concerned but is also rewarding for our engineers. The ideal scenario is that our suggestions, upgrades and/or design changes are adopted and that the next time there is a major issue those suggestions and changes protect the data centre from another actual outage. We have had this happen on several occasions. It is this scenario that our engineers find most rewarding, making changes and improvements, and then seeing them do the job when it really matters. **Future-proofing** Despite continual improvements in facility M&E equipment and design as well as IT infrastructure, it seems the time taken to investigate and recover from outages is actually increasing. A survey conducted by Uptime in 2017 revealed that only 8 per cent of organisations were less concerned about IT outages than they were a year ago. Advances in so-called distributed resiliency or geo-redundancy, where networks and IT take on a bigger role for maintaining service levels from redundant M&E equipment, was meant to lessen concerns about downtime. But it seems that the complexity inherent in distributed resiliency is actually increasing the perceived risk of outages. However, organisations such as Uptime and Future-tech are now developing measures to improve resiliency across highly distributed environments. There are also efforts to more accurately track data centre outages, such as the Data Center Incident Reporting Network, and enable operators to more easily share knowledge about incidents. This is something that has not happened in the data centre industry traditionally. Looking further ahead, we believe the monitoring and management of data centres is becoming increasingly automated and software-driven. For example, use of datacentre infrastructure management (DCIM) tools is increasing, albeit gradually, which in the long-term should make it easier for some operators to self-diagnose outages. Data centre technology suppliers are embedding more intelligence into M&E equipment to enable proactive and preventative maintenance that over time should help to reduce downtime. Artificial and Augmented Intelligence is also being developed that can predicted equipment failures with the use of data gathered from multiple equipment sensors across multiple data centre asset portfolios. Even with these measures in place it is unlikely we will ever be able to eliminate unplanned downtime altogether. While this is the case, the need to find out why outages have occurred and how we can protect the facilities affected from future occurrences is still vital. If your data centre has experienced an outage or, perhaps more importantly, if you wish to proactively assess a data centre’s resilience, design and infrastructure before a major outage occurs contact us on for a confidential discussion with one of our Design Engineer or Consultants. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Great data centres happen when design and operations excel together](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/great-data-centres-happen-when-design-and-operations-excel-together/) **Published:** November 21, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech is sponsoring the Data Center Dynamics Awards to highlight the benefits of Operations and Design Team collaboration throughout a facility’s entire life-cycle. A cutting-edge data centre design is only as good as the team that operate it. Future-tech is very pleased to be one of the key sponsors of this year’s Data Center Dynamics (DCD) Awards. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of the data center industry, for more than ten years the awards have recognised the achievements of individuals, project teams and organisations in and around the modern data centre. This year Future-tech has chosen to sponsor the *Data center Operations Team of the Year* award. It might seem counterintuitive for a company that specializes in facility design to sponsor an award for operations but we firmly believe that our designs are ultimately only as good as the team that manages them. And that operations teams should be consulted during the design process. As DCD points out: “Data centre professionals rarely work in isolation, which means the development, management and motivation of effective IT operations and facilities management teams is paramount for ensuring service availability and for the success of any upgrade or optimisation projects.’ Day to day management of a facility obviously takes a lot of teamwork and organisation. However, evaluating ongoing management is fairly hard to do. For that reason, the [*Data center Operations Team of the Year* award](https://www.dcdawards.global/category-9) is designed to recognize how a team have come together to achieve a specific task or project. Or as DCD explains it: “This Award seeks to recognize team achievement where the team has been convened for a special task or purpose relating to the data center environment, above and beyond everyday duties at any point in it’s life-cycle: design, construction, fit out, operation, refit or decommissioning.’ The awards are well timed as we have been focusing on the importance of operations and maintenance and how integration of design and operations teams is beneficial to any facility. Recently we have published a series of articles on the touch-points between design and operations and what their positive impact can be. For example, in an article entitled Data centre management part one: drivers and disruption, we outlined some of the arguments for more closely aligning design and operations teams: Operators invest huge amounts of capital to ensure that facilities are as resilient as possible. However, this is not a safeguard against poor management. Up to 70% of unplanned downtime is due to human error according to Uptime Institute. This is often the result of underdeveloped and unenforced O&M procedures and documents rather than isolated mistakes by individuals. The same article also discusses the relationship between capital and operating costs: A significant proportion of the total cost of ownership of a facility across its lifecycle is operational rather than capital expenditure. A lot of costs are sunk in during construction and fit-out but there is also ample scope to realize efficiencies during the operational phase. For example, a one-degree change in cooling set points can result in a 2% gain in operational energy efficiency of a cooling system. The installation of high quality aisle containment may allow supply air temperatures to be increased from circa 18°C to circa 24°C and in some installations this will provide a circa 12% increase in energy efficiency. Cooperation between design and operations teams can obviously improve efficiency and resiliency but when unplanned downtime does occur, the importance of good procedures, good documentation and a great team is even more paramount. In an article entitled Data centre CSI: Investigating facility downtime we describe how Future-tech works with clients to investigate the causes of downtime that can often include some form of human error. Preventing future incidents means working with the operations team to come up with a plan for improvement to the infrastructure and also, potentially, the day-to-day management. Although some reports may make hard reading for IT or facilities teams, the ultimate aim of our forensic engineering investigations is not to apportion blame but rather to provide detailed analysis of the incident and suggest improvements. Developing and implementing measures to prevent future downtime is not only important to the companies concerned but is also rewarding for our engineers. The ideal scenario is that our suggestions, upgrades and/or design changes are adopted and that the next time there is a major issue those suggestions and changes protect the data centre from another actual outage. We have had this happen on several occasions. It is this scenario that our engineers find most rewarding, making changes and improvements, and then seeing them do the job when it really matters. As a true life cycle services company, we know how important operations teams are to successful outcomes. We hope that by supporting the DCD award we will help spread innovation and best practices to the wider mission critical community. **To find out more about the *Data center Operations Team of the Year* award check out the** [**DCD awards page**](https://www.dcdawards.global/category-9)**.** **Categories:** Articles, Maintenance & Management --- ### [India data centres part one: Embracing a cloudy future](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-data-centres-part-one-embracing-a-cloudy-future/) **Published:** December 12, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The first of a two part report series looks at how the data centre sector in India is evolving thanks to the presence of international companies including cloud providers and local initiatives. India is the second most populated country in the world with more than 1.2 billion people. It is also one of the fastest growing economies thanks in part to its IT services and business outsourcing sector. The technology industry contributes nearly 9.5% of India’s GDP and is the largest private sector employer, generating some 3.5 million direct jobs, and over 10 million indirect jobs, according to India IT industry body the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). However, according to the World Bank, there is still a lot of inequality when it comes to levels of digital penetration and access to technology in India. For example, mobile and Internet penetration in India are still relatively low and not evenly distributed. **Data centre growth** The inequality in digital penetration and technical development generally has to some extent impacted demand for data centre capacity in the country in the recent past. However, the data centre sector is now evolving quickly with demand increasing aided to some degree by foreign investment but also public sector initiatives. India IT spending is projected to total $87.1 billion in 2018, an increase of 9.2 percent from 2017 estimated spending of $79.7 billion according to industry analyst Gartner. India’s colocation and hosting market will generate almost $2 billion in annual revenue by 2019, up from just $1.3 billion in 2016, according to industry analyst 451 Research. The company recently published its first in-depth report on the multi-tenant data centre (MTDC) market in India. “It is clear that there is now a significant demand for data centre capacity in India,” said Teddy Miller associate analyst at 451 Research in a webcast. A number of factors have driven that growth according to 451 Research. These include: – Sustained economic growth – Government initiatives – Increased global business presence – Rising adoption of IT outsourcing services including public cloud. For example, the government introduced the Digital India initiative in 2015 to improve the availability of digital infrastructure as well as digital literacy and skills. The programme has had some success and helped to increase levels of digital access across the country. Recently introduced data regulations in India also mandate that government data should reside within data centres within its borders. This has also spurred some local data centre development. **Cities** The vast majority of India’s MTDC capacity is still concentrated in its largest cities including Mumbai, with nearly a third of all capacity, as well as Chennai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Pune, according to 451. Mumbai is the largest city in India and a major financial and commercial hub with more than 21 million people. It has about 1 million operational square feet of data centre space, according to 451. “Carriers in the city have constructed almost a dozen sub-sea cables landing near the city to provide quick reliable connections to Europe, Asia and the Middle-East,” explained 451’s Miller. Data centre providers in Mumbai include international companies such as ST Telemedia from Singapore, and Netmagic which is owned by Japan’s NTT. **Impact of public cloud** The public cloud services market in India is projected to grow 43 percent in 2017 to total $1.9 billion, according to Gartner. As a result in a similar way to other markets, public cloud is taking up more space in colocation facilities. “The growth of the cloud industry in India has been and will continue to be a major boost the country’s data centre providers,” added Miller. Google launched its first cloud region in India in 2017. The service is hosted across three sites in Mumbai. Rivals Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure also have cloud data centers in India. Most of India’s local data centre providers have partnerships with global hyperscalers that can make up to 50% of new revenues. Global hyperscalers either place edge-nodes with a number of data center providers, such as AWS in Mumbai, or as Microsoft Azure does, work with one or two providers, according to 451. Locations such as Pune, which has cheaper land and power costs, is particularly popular with hyperscale deployments. **Challenges** India may have gone through a period of rapid economic and technological development, but the benefits are not evenly distributed. “This presents a number of challenges for the development of the data centre market,” explained Miller. One example that is relevant for the data centre market is that while India’s Internet user base is the second largest in the world it only accounts for 35 percent of the population. Other challenges include: – Lack of basic infrastructure – Unreliable power grid – Ineffective bureaucracy – Socioeconomic inequality – Corruption and crime **Design and build** As with other developing countries (See Future-tech’s Africa data centre reports), the lack of infrastructure and unreliable power grid as well as high humidity and ambient temperatures introduce additional challenges for designing and building efficient and resilient data centres. That said innovations in IT and mechanical and electrical equipment design and integration is helping to overcome some of these challenges. These design challenges, innovations and developments will be examined in more depth in part two of this report series. **To read part two of India data centres click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-data-centre-market-part-two-standardised-and-efficient/).** **Future-tech has helped a number of clients with data centre projects in developing markets. For more information contact us at: info@future-tech.co.uk** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Data centres Africa part two: Efficiency and Resiliency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-two-efficiency-and-resiliency/) **Published:** December 14, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The second of a two part series on the African data centre market covers some of the specific challenges and opportunities for building new capacity in the region. **Intro** As described in [part one of this series](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-one-digital-development/), there is growing demand for data centre services across Africa. Existing capacity is very limited given an estimated population of more than 1 billion. Research organization BroadGroup has analysed the commercial data centre market in 16 African countries and estimates that there are around 74 colocation providers operating more than 90 data facilities. But while the continent lacks data centre capacity there are signs that growth is quickening; new data centre operators are discovering innovative solutions to provide services for their customers. Innovative solutions are required to deal with tough environmental conditions, an unreliable grid and often a lack of resources and investment. Data centres in Africa need to be reliable but also highly efficient. **Impediments** Existing data centre operators in Africa, or companies considering entering the market, currently face a range of challenges that have limited build-outs to date. These include wider macro factors such as political instability and poverty but also a number of specific issues that could affect data centre projects. These include: ***Electricity availability and costs*** According to a 2016 World Bank report, the total electricity generation capacity across the continent, which has a total population of nearly 1 billion, is less than 100 gigawatts, less than the total generation capacity in Spain with its population of 46 million, and halved if South Africa is excluded. The report also concludes that most African utilities were financially constrained. “In only 19 countries did the cash collected by utilities cover operational costs; just 4 of these countries were also covering half or more of capital costs, based on new replacement values of current assets,” the report stated. The only way to tackle the lack of investment is to raise prices but this is extremely challenging when outages are still so commonplace. According to the World Bank a significant issue is that few utilities in the region track the frequency of outages. “Despite the severity of service interruptions, very few utilities in the region seem to be measuring the quality of service according to the two internationally accepted metrics: system average interruption duration index (SAIDI) and system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI). Of the 39 countries with utility annual reports, only 16 reported any measure of system interruptions; of these, only Cameroon, Liberia, Mozambique, and South Africa reported SAIDI and SAIFI,” the report stated. An unreliable grid will inevitable mean facilities have to be designed with more power resiliency, UPS, generators, but also higher energy costs will make energy efficiency measures a priority. Those contrasting pressures will create challenges for building out new capacity. ***Temperature and humidity*** The variations in temperature and humidity across the region will have an impact on the design and operation of cooling systems. Other factors such as dust and sand could also prevent the use of some efficient cooling technologies such as direct outside air-cooling. Availability of water for evaporative cooling may also be an issue. Again this may require investment in expensive mechanical cooling that adds to overall data centre capex and opex. ***Quality of existing sites for expansion*** According to Sweden-based prefabricated modular data centre specialist Flexenclosure, which has build sites in Chad, Angola and the Ivory Coast – there is only one Tier-certified data centre in Africa for every 47 million people, compared to one for every 5.5 million people in Western Europe. That means that existing sites may not be sufficiently developed to make expansion worthwhile or economic. “Much of Africa’s data is stored in unsecured server rooms, often without adequate climate control, redundant power supplies, fire suppression capability or a host of other critical systems,” said Sybrand Pretorius, Flexenclosure’s sales director. ***Lack of resources and adequate brownfield sites*** One option for building out new capacity is to convert existing buildings. But according to Flexenclosure, it is often the case that existing generalist buildings in some Africa countries are just not suitable for conversion to data centres. “The reality though is that traditional construction methods are typically not adequate to house mission critical ICT infrastructure” especially in Africa where environmental and weather extremes can deliver significant challenges to even the highest specified facilities,” said Flexenclosure’s Pretorius. ***Security*** Poverty and political instability mean that crime is sometimes a serious issue in some African countries. Most data centres have good levels of physical security but this isn’t always sufficient. In Western countries, it is usually the data that is being protected but in Africa high-value IT or facilities equipment may be a target. Corruption means that sabotage may also be a motive. For example in November 2017, thieves broke into The City of Johannesburg’s data centre in Braamfontein and made off with two million rand (US$137,420) worth of copper cables. It was believed the attack was an inside job. ***Skills*** The lack of skilled and certified builders, and engineers is also often cited as another potential roadblock to data centre construction in some regions of Africa. ***Wildlife*** Rather than big game, the animal-based risk to data centre projects in developing countries could come from rodents chewing cables or insects nesting and burrowing into sensitive equipment. **Innovations** However, there are a number of potential design and construction approaches that could be used to help overcome some of these obstacles. These include: ***Use of prefabricated modular (PFM) designs*** A number of companies have developed so-called PFM data centre designs for both whitespace but also power and cooling infrastructure. These pre-built units of capacity can be constructed off-site and shipped to where they are required. They may not necessarily be cheaper than conventional builds but they have the advantage of being quicker to deploy, requiring less on-site construction skills and often being of higher quality (due to off-site testing) than some bespoke builds. “Prefabricated data centres” are built off-site in clean-room factories where they are also pre-equipped and fully tested before being deployed and commissioned in-country,” states Flexenclosure’s Pretorius. Another advantage of PFM builds is that they can be scaled up to meet customer needs. “The modular nature of prefabricated facilities allows capex to be more accurately managed during the initial build phase and to be tightly kept in line with the growth of the business over time,” adds Pretorius. “So future expansion can be undertaken exactly when the business needs greater capacity and without interrupting on-going data centre operations.” ***Alternative approaches to resiliency*** Given the instability of the grid, there is growing interest in the use of Lithium-Ion over traditional lead-acid batteries. Frequent outages mean that the UPS batteries may be charged and discharged on an almost daily basis. Lead-acid batteries don’t cope well with this kind of frequent use but Li-ion are much more tolerant as long as they are not completely discharged. Also the East Africa Data Centre (EADC) in Nairobi, Kenya, became the first facility in central and eastern Africa to be awarded Tier III by Uptime Institute. EADC achieved the certification in part due to its $5m investment in local utility Kenya Power’s new substation that allowed it to reduce its resiliency on diesel generators. ***On-site generation and renewables*** The high-cost of electricity and the instability of the grid has led some operators to investigate the use of on-site energy generation including renewables. For example, South Africa-based mobile operator MTN used solar mirrors to power an absorption chiller for a data centre in its Johannesburg head office. There are good indications that renewables will become more plentiful in the near future. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has forecast that the installed capacity of renewable energy in the Sub-Sahara region could double in the near term from around 35 GW to above 60 GW. ***Wireless connectivity*** The development of 5G networks could enable high-bandwidth connections between data centres and help overcome some of the connectivity issues faced by some operators in the region. However there is also a lot of investment in new fibre in some locations. The design and operation of data centres in Africa is challenging due to the pressure to keep costs down but also to build resilient sites able to cope with the environment and grid instability. However, these challenges are not insurmountable for progressive data centre designer companies and operators. **To read part one of Data Centres Africa click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-one-digital-development/).** **Future-tech has helped a number of clients with data centre projects in emerging markets. For more information contact us at: ** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Another 2017 data centre outage highlights the case for forensic engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/another-2017-data-centre-outage-highlights-the-case-for-forensic-engineering/) **Published:** December 15, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** A UK data centre operator suffered what we hope is the last major outage of 2017. Ensuring it doesn’t happen again will require a thorough root-cause analysis. It seems that despite a large number of high-profile outages to date in 2017, the year isn’t content to finish up without at least one more incident. It was reported earlier this week that Manchester, UK, hosting and data centre provider UKFast suffered an outage at one of its Manchester facilities after the supply of grid power was apparently interrupted. However as with most outage incidents it’s difficult to get a clear picture of what really happened and what equipment or processes were to blame. Rather than speculate, we at Future-tech would suggest that the incident again highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough forensic engineering analysis after any outage. As Future-tech’s chief executive James Wilman recently explained to industry publication Data Centre Dynamics, an outage is usually down to the interplay of multiple factors rather than one piece of faulty equipment. “For example, a piece of aging equipment develops a fault but this in itself doesn’t cause an outage as the system has redundancy,” said Wilman. “Then an operative attempts to isolate the faulty equipment but, due to out of date information or a lack of training/knowledge, incorrectly carries out the bypass procedure and this causes further issues with the result of dropping the critical load.” To date in 2017 there have already been a number of high-profile outages at airlines, co-location operators, financial services companies and IT services providers. These resulted in reputational damage, as well as direct costs running into the tens of millions, for the businesses concerned and affected. As we explained in our recent article on [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/), we have seen a steady increase in demand for our services and have conducted half a dozen investigations across medium to large sites over the last 12 months. Future-tech is usually called into sites where there has been an outage to initially establish the root-cause of the downtime. Most engagements also involve suggesting measures to harden a site, or specific infrastructure equipment, to prevent repeat events. **If your data centre has experienced an outage or, perhaps more importantly, if you wish to proactively assess a data centre’s resilience, design and infrastructure before a major outage occurs contact us on for a confidential discussion with one of our Design Engineer or Consultants.** **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [India data centre market part two: standardised and efficient](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-data-centre-market-part-two-standardised-and-efficient/) **Published:** December 19, 2017 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The second of a two part report series looks at the practical challenges and innovations for designing and building data centres in India. As outlined in the [first part of this report](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-data-centres-part-one-embracing-a-cloudy-future/), India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world thanks in part to its IT services and business outsourcing sector. A 2017 whitepaper from India telecoms company Sify, which operates at least six sites in the country with more under construction, predicts that India’s data centre market is expected to touch $4.5 billion by 2018. The country could eventually become the second-largest market for data centers in Asia-Pacific by 2020. A good proportion of this new capacity is being built by the public sector in response to various digital initiatives. Indigenous private sector colocation providers are also expanding to serve the needs of local companies and foreign cloud services providers. Some of the large public cloud providers such as Google Cloud Platform, AWS and Microsoft Azure have also built capacity in India with plans to scale up in the future. **Challenges and solutions** As with other developing markets [(See Future-tech’s Africa data centre reports)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-africa-part-one-digital-development/), factors such as a lack of infrastructure and an unreliable power grid, combined with high humidity and ambient temperatures, introduces additional challenges for designing and building efficient and resilient data centres in the region. However, innovations in IT, networking and mechanical and electrical equipment design can help to overcome some of these obstacles. **Building Standards** – A 2015 report from Lawrence Berkley National Labs (LBNL), Data Center Energy Efficiency Standards in India, identified that a carbon-intensive and unstable grid is driving the need for more efficiently designed and operated facilities in India. “In India, where coal is the primary source of electricity generation, it is necessary for data centers to adopt sustainable operations. In power-deficit India, energy efficiency offers the following benefits to data centers: (a) increased reliability of electricity supply; (b) reduction in operating costs; and (c) enhanced efficiency in design and operations,” the report states. However the report highlights that there are few, if any, dedicated energy efficiency data center standards/policies in place in India. The report refers to a number of mechanisms for generalist buildings that might be relevant such as Indian Green Building Council, Energy Conservation Building Code, Star Rating, Standards and Labeling and Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. LBNL recommends the introduction of specific energy efficiency standards similar to those in place in Europe and the US, such as the EU Code of Conduct for Energy Efficiency in Data centers. “The new policy framework for data centres can be a blend of existing energy efficiency programmes rather than a single mechanism to encompass the holistic rating of data centers in India,” the report states. **Modular Designs** – So-called prefabricated modular (PFM) designs have some advantages over traditional build approaches in developing markets. Infrastructure can be assembled off-site, usually in another country, and shipped to where it is required. This reduces the need for onsite assembly and for experienced engineers that may be in short supply. However, PFM designs can be as expensive, if not more so, than some conventional designs so they may not be suitable for all deployments. There can also be challenges with delivering truly “at scale” facilities with PFM in developing countries. India was home to one of the worlds biggest data centers back in 2012 that used some elements of modular design. IBM designed the Tulip Telecom data center in Bengaluru/Bangalore. The site covered more than 900,000 square feet with a potential power capacity of up to 100MW. The facility used IBM’s modular data center technology; up to 20 enterprise modular data centers were used to create the four-tower building. **Connectivity** – As with other developing markets, connectivity is an issue outside of the main cities. However some operators are overcoming this by using wireless connectivity. For example data center operator Sify has built an extensive wireless network in rural locations. The company states that it operates one of the largest wireless deployments in the country and manages over 1,000 wireless end points. Emerging wireless technologies such as 5G should also help to address some of India’s connectivity issues in the future as will continued investment in fiber infrastructure. **Renewables and energy efficiency** – Some data center operators in India are following the lead of facilities in Western Europe and the US by investing in renewable energy. For example, Indore-based Rack Bank claims to be India’s first carbon neutral data centre. The 35000 square foot site can accommodate up to 800 racks. The company claims to have its own energy park to supply clean energy and makes use of other energy efficiency measures. **Outlook** As with other developing markets, India’s data center sector faces challenges from lack of infrastructure, power availability and quality as well as access to the right skills. Economic and political issues may also stymie investment. However, given the maturity of India’s wider IT services sector, and momentum around wider digitalization, it’s unlikely that these factors will have a significant impact on the continued expansion of the country’s data center capacity in the long term. Just as with other regions, demand at the edge driven by mobile devices and eventually the Internet of Things, as well as expansion of core cloud facilities will continue to push demand. **To read part one of India data centres click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-data-centres-part-one-embracing-a-cloudy-future/).** **Future-tech has helped clients with data centre projects at a variety of stages including; feasibility, design, supply chain management and construction, in markets across the European, African and APAC regions. For more information contact us at: ** **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Distributed resiliency part two: polymorphic data centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-two-polymorphic-data-centres/) **Published:** January 25, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech has developed data centre designs that will enable physical resiliency to be adapted to better reflect IT service requirements. [Part one](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-one-cloud-availability/) of this report series looked at how developments in so-called distributed resiliency are altering the physical design and operation of data centres. Distributed resiliency is defined by organizations such as Uptime Institute as spreading and replicating workloads and applications across multiple data centers to increase availability. The importance of any one facility is therefore diminished, as is some of the requirement to build in redundant physical infrastructure. As an organization very much focused on advanced facility design, Future-tech has been tuned into these kind of developments for some time. We have developed a distributed resiliency design framework that we refer to as ‘geo-redundant’. This design has fewer requirements for physical redundancy and more reliance on network and software to maintain availability. **Geo-redundant** Under our definition, a local infrastructure failure would have little or no effect on service provisioning for an organization with multiple sites. We estimate that designing a geo-redundant facility with less physical infrastructure – equivalent to Uptime Institute Tier I – reduces facilities capital costs by 30 to 40% compared with a traditional Tier III enterprise or colocation site. This equates to roughly $3.5m per MW for a geo-redundant design compared with more than $6m per MW for a traditional Tier III, according to our data. Uptime Institute has recognised that there would be additional IT- related costs (networking and software) in distributed resiliency sites but we still believe the total cost of ownership (TCO) would still be lower than for a conventional Tier III design). **Available power** Another important benefit of geo-redundant sites is that data centres with less physical resiliency enable more of the facility’s available power to be directed to the IT load. For a Tier III site with indirect evaporative cooling, roughly 67% of the available power is used by IT, but for a geo-redundant site with lower peak loads, it can be as high as 87.5%. We believe this reduced physical redundancy is also reflected in the power usage effectiveness (PUE), which may be as low as 1.07 for a geo-redundant site compared with 1.2 or higher for a traditional Tier III design. **The ‘polymorphic datacenter’** Despite the benefits and challenges of geo-redundancy, we aren’t seeing huge demand yet. Even service providers that could take advantage of geo-redundancy, such as large cloud service providers, still stipulate traditional Tier III colocation designs in requests for proposals. The inevitable result is that operators continue to be conservative and build conventional designs that can accommodate a broad base of customers. In response, we have developed what we describe as a ‘polymorphic’ data centre design. This polymorphic approach is essentially a facility design that is able to meet conventional Tier III requirements but also provides some of the capex and opex savings of a geo-redundant design. We aren’t prepared to share the specifics of our approach yet but essentially, we can design and build a Tier I site in a way that extra physical redundancy can be added, if required by customers, at a lower cost than building a traditional Tier III design from the outset. The polymorphic approach is fundamentally based around the ability to optimize power density and space availability to customer requirements. The designs we have developed are also based on ‘lean engineering and logistics’ rather than the use of specific emerging or disruptive technologies. **Outlook** There will always be a requirement for facilities to maintain the levels of availability needed by the business. However, important trends such as hybrid IT, and distributed resiliency, mean that the days of service availability being centered on a single, enterprise-owned facility are numbered in our view. We believe that by the early to mid-2020’s many wholesale co-location clients will be expecting the per kW pricing associated with geo-redundant designs and this is something data centre developers and operators need to be ready for. **To read part one of Distributed resiliency click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-one-cloud-availability/).** **Future-tech has developed a range of innovative data centre designs that will accommodate the shift to distributed resiliency. If you would like to discuss the benefits of polymorphic data centres further please contact us at: ** **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [Distributed resiliency part one: cloud availability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-one-cloud-availability/) **Published:** January 25, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Data centers could eventually be designed with less redundant physical infrastructure through increased use of resilient software and networks. Software and networks will ultimately assume an even greater role when it comes to ensuring the availability of data centre services. That’s the view of a growing number of data centre experts, including Future-tech, who believe forms of so-called ‘distributed resiliency’, or ‘geo-redundancy’, will enable more facilities to be built and operated with fewer redundant power and cooling systems in the future. However, as with most things in the data centre, the reality is more nuanced and complex. Software and networks already play a pivotal role in maintaining service quality in most data centers and many companies use some kind of back-up or disaster recovery site. The adoption of different types of distributed resiliency is therefore a progression rather than a new phenomenon. **Resiliency defined** Data center availability specialist Uptime Institute (UI) defines resiliency as: “the extent to which a system, digital infrastructure, or application architecture is able to maintain its intended service levels, with minimal or no impact on the end users or business objectives, in spite of planned or unplanned disruptions. It also describes the ability of a system infrastructure or application to recover full business operation after a disruption or disaster has occurred.” Uptime has established itself as an authority for the design and operation of highly available data centers with its Tier and Maintenance & Operations (M&O) certifications schemes. But given the move towards so-called hybrid IT strategies, where companies combine the use of on-premise IT, colocation and various flavours of cloud services, Uptime has extended its remit to assess the role of software and networking in maintaining resiliency. **Datacenter resiliency can be categorised into four main types according to Uptime:** **Traditional single-site resilience** – One site with resilient facilities and IT. This is the traditional approach to resiliency with Tier III being the de facto design. However the downside according to UI is that no matter how much one data centre is protected there is still a risk from issues that are particular to that zone or region. **Linked-site resilience –** This includes two or more sites that are tightly connected within a region or zone using dedicated networks to achieve a higher level of availability than any individual site. The downside of this approach is that it is still potentially vulnerable to regional incidents and as such probably requires additional disaster recovery in another area to achieve greater resiliency. **Distributed site resilience** – Two or more independent sites use a shared internet/VPN network to provide resiliency through multiple asynchronously connected instances. The benefits of this approach are that it can reduce or eliminate vulnerability on a local or regional level. It can also enable reduced investment in physical redundancy. The downside is that it introduces additional complexity and expense in the IT layer. **Cloud-based resilience** – This very advanced approach is based on the use of distributed, virtualized applications, instances or containers using middleware, orchestration and distributed databases across multiple datacenters. According to Uptime, cloud-based resiliency is probably the most effective approach but it requires heavy IT investment, many sites and a lot of bandwidth so it is only really an option for a handful of suppliers at the moment. A number of companies are already adopting forms of advanced distributed resiliency including cloud-based. For example, AWS ensures the availability of its cloud services platform through the use of Regions and Availability Zones (AZs). A region is an area of the world where AWS operates a number of data centres. An AZ may be one or a group of data centres in a specific region. Customers can choose to replicate data either across multiple AZs in a specific region or, for even more resiliency, across multiple regions. AWS says it operates 46 AZs within 17 geographic Regions around the world. **Return on investment** During a [recent webcast](https://uptimeinstitute.com/webinars/webinar-the-disrupted-datacenter-cloud-based-resiliency-spreads-workloads-across-datacenters) Andy Lawrence, executive director of the recently formed Uptime Institute Research unit, said an operator’s choice of resiliency strategy depends on a range of factors including the type of database and applications used as well as the business needs. “There are certain types of business applications that absolutely cannot be distributed across wide areas effectively and there are certain kinds that could be and that would need major rewrites,” he explained. Advanced cloud-level resiliency probably won’t be financial viable for most enterprises for at least another decade. And even though it might mean that spending on physical equipment, generators, UPSs, could be reduced in some scenarios, the extra spending on IT and network resiliency would probably negate the physical infrastructure savings. “You may be able to reduce some of your physical infrastructure but you will be paying for it in terms of redundant IT, software engineering, and staff,” said Lawrence. **Other challenges** There are also some concerns that some forms of distributed resiliency could actually make it harder for operators to ultimately understand how resilient their IT operations really are. Rather than all workloads being contained in a single ‘fortress’ data centre, they may be distributed across multiple colocation and cloud sites that may be in different regions with varying levels of redundancy. In the event of an outage, understanding the ultimate cause would be considerably more challenging than in a single site [(See our article on data centre forensics)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/) **Outlook** Despite these concerns and doubts about the cost savings from advanced cloud resiliency overall, as more enterprise workloads are deployed in the cloud, and edge datacenters, it seems likely that opportunities to employ advanced approaches to resiliency will only become more widespread. Part two of this report series will examine how Future-tech is responding to developments in distributed resiliency with advanced geo-redundant and “polymorphic’ data centre designs. **To read part two of Distributed resiliency click [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-two-polymorphic-data-centres/).** **Future-tech has developed a range of innovative designs that are specific to areas such as distributed resiliency, direct component cooling, cryptocurrency and blockchain. If you would like to discuss the benefits of geo-redundant or polymorphic data centres further please contact us at: ** **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [Data centres and the grid part 2: Active energy players](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-2-active-energy-players/) **Published:** March 19, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The second part of this two-part report examines how data centres are becoming active participants in energy grids from demand-response to on-site generation and micro-grids. In [part one](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-1-volatility-and-innovation/) of this report series we examined some of the macro-trends that are affecting the design and operation of energy grids. These range from the impact of renewables, leading to more volatility in supply, to changes in demand caused by more electric vehicles. Aging infrastructure, as well as cyber attacks, could also increase the likelihood of outages in the future according to some experts. In the second part of the series, we look at how data centre operators are responding to these trends, and potential threats, and consider how the relationship between data centres and utilities is likely to evolve in the future. **Active energy players** As previously outlined in part 1, data centre operators have always taken a judicious approach to the grid through the use of UPSs, diesel generators and multiple feeds. However, there are a number of emerging and potentially disruptive technologies and strategies that could see more data centres move from being relatively passive consumers of energy to active participants in energy generation, distribution and storage. For example, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple have all made significant investments, running into the billions, in renewable energy projects and also successfully lobbied utilities for new mechanisms such as green energy tariffs. More operators are likely to become active energy players in the future through initiatives that include, but are not limited to, some of the following: **Demand response** The ability for data centers to utilize generators to disconnect from, or even feed power back into, the grid has led some utilities to develop new business services to encourage this kind of activity. However, despite the ability to lower energy costs, or generate revenues from capital investment in diesel generators and other on-site generation, some data centre operators are skeptical of mechanisms that could potentially impact availability and resiliency. This may change in the future if shortfalls in utility generating capacity make participation in demand response schemes more financially valuable for operators. There is also the potential that in the very long term developments in so-called [distributed resiliency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-one-cloud-availability/), where there is greater reliance on distributed IT infrastructure rather than generators and UPSs at a single site, could mean that data centres eventually scale-back generator capacity. **On-site energy generation** Most large data centres already have some form of on-site generation in the shape of diesel generators. However, this equipment is traditionally used as a secondary source of power to provide redundancy in the event of issues with the grid. However some operators take a different view and regard on-site energy generation, from fuel cells, combined heat and power plants, gas turbines or renewables, as their primary source of energy with grid as the backup. As grid instability and volatility increases, it’s expected that, despite a move towards distributed resiliency – some operators will be less inclined to rely on the grid and invest in more onsite generation. Survey results from industry body Uptime Institute in 2017 revealed that 21 percent of organizations have adopted some form of on-site primary power generation to date. A further 22 percent of companies were considering adoption, according to Uptime. **Micro-grids** Aligned with this move towards greater adoption of alternative forms of on-site generation is interest from data centres in becoming active participants in micro-grids. On a small scale this could for example include a data center located on a campus shared with office-space and other buildings, which are all connected to a solar farm or other form of on-site generation. Sophisticated management software is used to manage how the energy is distributed across the campus and to control activities such as islanding (disconnecting from the grid) or even feeding back energy into the grid if it cost effective. As with many emerging and disruptive technologies it will probably be large cloud data center operators that lead adoption of micro-grid technology. Capital costs will be prohibitive for all but the largest operators. For example, according to estimates from 451 Research, a 1MW wind turbine could cost more than $2 million to build, while a new 1MW solar installation could be around $1 million or more, roughly equivalent to 10 percent or above of a datacenter. **Future Outlook** As with many aspects of the data centre industry, the relationship between facilities and the energy grid is complex and evolving. If existing trends continue then it is highly likely that the grid will become increasingly distributed and volatile. There will continue to be a move away from monolithic, centralized power plants towards smaller-scale distributed generation including a higher proportion of renewables. This presents obstacles but also opportunities for data center operators who may invest in some of this distributed generation capacity ““ as well as energy storage. A proliferation of new data center capacity, including micro-data centers, at the edge could also see alignment between distributed energy generation and increasingly distributed IT infrastructure. For example, micro-datacenters with integrated fuel-cells. **Read part 1 of data centres and the grid by clicking [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-1-volatility-and-innovation/).** **Future-tech has experience and expertise in all aspects of data centre energy management and provision. For more information contact us at:** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Data centres and the grid part 1: volatility and innovation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-1-volatility-and-innovation/) **Published:** March 19, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The first part of this report series looks at how energy grids are evolving and the opportunities and challenges these changes present for data centre operators. Data centre operators have historically had a close but cautious relationship with utilities and the energy grids they provide and maintain. Most large facilities depend on grid power for more economical operation but not exclusively for uptime. Multiple power feeds, UPSs and diesel generators provide an insurance policy against spikes, brownouts and power cuts. However, an increasing number of progressive operators are now re-evaluating how they consume energy, interact with utilities and develop resilient power systems. These measures can take a variety of forms from participation in demand-response schemes to investing in new generating capacity and integration into micro-grids. These approaches will be examined in more detail in the [second part](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-2-active-energy-players/) of this series. **Changing grids** Before looking at the data centre industry’s response, it is important to understand some of the context. This includes how grids in some locations may be becoming unstable or volatile but also how utilities are updating generation, transmission and storage infrastructure to improve quality of service and efficiency. Electricity grids obviously vary greatly in design, operation and quality of service by region. In previous articles, we’ve addressed how instability in electricity supply across Africa, as well as countries such as India, have impacted the design and operation of data centres in those areas. But unstable grids aren’t just an issue in developing countries. Data center operators in Europe and the US have also faced issues with grid stability as well as concerns over the future of supply. The design and operation of electricity grids will continue to face disruption from a range of factors. These include: **Smart and distributed infrastructure** Utilities have invested considerable sums in the recent past making infrastructure more intelligent. This is in order to prevent outages and improve efficiency but also to generate more income per customer or identify those that aren’t paying what they should. This process is set to continue and will have implications for end-users including the installation of smart meters that can more accurately measure energy usage. As well as becoming smarter, energy grids are also becoming more distributed. There is likely to be a continuation in moving away from monolithic, centralized generation to more distributed generation and storage, driven in part through investment in renewables including wind and solar **Lack of investment in new capacity** Countries such as the UK have faced a potential shortfall in future generating capacity as fossil fuel, as well as nuclear, power stations go offline without being replaced. Some of the shortfall will be made up more small-scale, distributed generation but it will not be sufficient to meet all future demands. Investing in new centralised capacity is massively capital intensive and may require outside investment. A good example is the controversial new nuclear facility – Hinkley Point C – in the UK that will be funded in part by China and France. At more than £20 billion it will be twice the cost of the UK Olympic games. **Volatility from renewables** According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEV) study released in late 2017, intermittent renewables, such as wind and solar, will have a significant impact on grid operations in the near future. The cost of generating energy, for most wind and solar technologies across Europe, is expected to more-than-halve from 2017 to 2040, according to the BNEV. As a result, renewable technologies will become the largest source of electricity generation by the mid-2020s. But while the introduction of more renewable energy will help countries such as the UK to achieve carbon emission reduction targets, it will also introduce more volatility into the energy grid according to the BNEV. “As wind and solar production rises and falls, other flexible resources will need to ramp up or down to balance them from hour to hour. The need is greatest at times when demand is also rising or falling,” the organization states. The result could be that the requirement for, and investment in, conventional base-load generation could be undermined with uncertain consequences. “The increase in volatility means that as early as 2030, there are whole weeks where wind and solar generation exceeds demand at some point every day. This leaves no room for ‘baseload’ technologies that need to run flat-out, such as nuclear power,” the BNV report states. **Changing patterns of demand** Experts are in agreement that demand will be changeable over the coming decade but the direction of travel will be upwards. The UK National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios Report 2017 predicts that peak demand could be as high as 85GW in 2050, compared to around 60GW in 2017. This increase will be driven by a number of factors including a growth in electric vehicles. The number of electric vehicles is expected to reach around one million by the early 2020s growing as high as nine million by 2030. Smart charging technologies need to be developed to avoid this up to 8GW of additional demand at peak times, according to the National Grid. There is also the potential that the batteries in electric vehicles could be used to supply energy back to the grid in periods of peak demand but this remains a nascent technology currently. Another factor affecting demand is climate change. Rising temperatures in the UK could drive up demand from air-conditioning systems to up to 17GW by 2050 on very warm days, which could also place additional demand on the grid. **Attacks against critical infrastructure** Security and data center experts also believe that critical infrastructure including energy grids could be the target of physical or cyber attacks. For example, in December 2015, hackers shut off power to more than 250,000 Ukrainian households. “The energy sector in Europe and North America is being targeted by a new wave of cyber attacks that could provide attackers with the means to severely disrupt affected operations,” security company Symantec warned in 2017. There have also been warnings of attacks on the electricity grids in some European countries, as well as reports of companies that manage nuclear facilities in the U.S. being compromised by hackers. **Energy storage** Most utilities are in agreement that energy storage will be an important feature of new grid developments in the near future. One of the main drivers will be to balance out the intermittent supply from renewables. According to the UK National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios report 2017, electricity storage capacity reached 4GW in 2016 but this could grow to almost 6GW by 2020. **Future outlook** As described previously, there will be new demands on the grid in the future but also new technologies that will help to offset and smooth-out some of this demand. For example, blockchain technology, developed to underpin [crypto-currencies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cryptocurrencies-and-the-data-centre-part-one/) – could be used to improve the efficiency of distributed generation and storage. For example, peer-to-peer electricity trading using smart contracts via blockchain have already been developed in the US. Homes that produce energy through solar power can transact securely with consumers who want to purchase the excess energy. How data center operators are responding to this uncertain energy future will be outlined in the second part of this series. **Read part 2 of data centres and the grid by clicking [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centres-and-the-grid-part-2-active-energy-players/).** **Future-tech has experience and expertise in all aspects of data centre energy management and provision. For more information contact us at:** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Commissioning part one: A test drive for the data centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/commissioning-part-one-a-test-drive-for-the-data-centre/) **Published:** May 18, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The commissioning process is more important than ever given the growing complexity and increasing use of automation software in data centers. Commissioning is a vital part of the process of turning a building shell, with its mechanical and electrical equipment into a fully functioning data centre that supports the load for which it was designed. Definitions vary, a problem in and of itself, but Schneider Electric has a relatively clean and concise description: “Commissioning is the process that reviews and tests a data center’s physical infrastructure design as a holistic system in order to assure the highest level of reliability”. The commissioning process has been likened to taking a car out for a pre-purchase test drive. The comparison stands up to some degree but might be more accurate if 20 different auto-parts makers, as well as third-party engineers and consultants, assembled the car on the customer’s driveway first. And then by test drive we mean put it through all imaginable scenarios to try and break it. Commissioning is also presented as an insurance policy of sorts against failure rather than being intrinsic to the design and build of a new site. You can get away without insurance but it’s not recommended. Similarly some data centre operators still skip some parts of the commissioning process in favour of a shorter build time and potentially lower (upfront at least) costs. But shortening the commissioning phase in this way could prove a false economy in the long term. Commissioning hasn’t always been part of the data centre build process. At one time individual equipment suppliers simply demonstrated, via a start-up process – that their specific devices operated as promised. The contractor then issued a certificate to that effect and the supplier was able to get paid. The problem with this approach was that at no point was there a requirement to see how specific equipment performed as part of an integrated system. “Twenty years ago in the North American market commissioning started off as an enhanced start-up to vendors specifications and plans and specs. You might be brought in a week before the facility was supposed to be operational,” says commissioning expert Terry Gillick, senior vice president, Primary Integration Solutions. Operators eventually learnt from experience that – as we have pointed out in previous articles ([Data centre CSI: Investigating facility downtime](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-csi-investigating-facility-downtime/)) – downtime is rarely down to the failure of one piece of equipment but a cascade of contributory factors. The modern commissioning process was developed against that backdrop as a way to ensure that individual pieces of equipment operated as promised but also crucially worked as an interconnected system. **Overview:** Commissioning is usually considered to be part of the final implementation phase of the data centre design and build process. Commissioning often formally begins after the physical infrastructure systems have been delivered to site, assembled, installed, and started up but the feedback from many experts, including Future-tech and Primary Integration, is to begin the commissioning planning process as soon as possible. “Commissioning has evolved now to what I describe as full life-cycle commissioning. That process starts at the schematic design stage until turnover to operations at a minimum,” says Gillick. Commissioning usually covers a number of steps and processes. These include: – Planning and investment – Commissioning should begin well ahead of the delivery of the physical equipment and should involve all of the main stakeholders in the design and build process. Working out how much to invest in the commissioning process depends on the type, age, location and the services supported by the site. – Commissioning agent – Data center owners can choose to hire a fully independent commissioning agent or perhaps look to the design engineer or the construction company to fulfil the role. The agent should be appointed early in the design/build process. – Scripting and testing – Scripting provides a roadmap and framework for the testing of all the main data centre components. The script should also be used as way to record of all the test results. According to Schneider Electric testing should include every piece of equipment and involve ‘executing a sequenced failure followed by a restart and return-to-stable operation’. There are usually up to five levels of testing from level 1 factory start up to Level 5 Integrated System Test that validates that all of the systems work together as designed. The involvement of the commissioning agent in testing can take up to 60 days. **Ongoing engagement** Aside from acting as insurance policy against failure, commissioning has other important benefits that extend through the life of the facility. For example, Uptime Institute argues that commissioning should be a continuous process. The documents created during commissioning should be used as a benchmark for managing changes and trends in the data centre. Commissioning specialists such as Primary Integration also provide ongoing operations and maintenance consulting working alongside facilities management teams. Adhering to sustainability standards such as LEED can also extend the commissioning processes according to Gillick. “If those sustainable elements are in place then we probably will stay with the facility for another year and come back before the warranties expire,” he says. **Challenges** Despite the benefits that commission brings, there are also a number of challenges to consider. These include: – Commissioning can be extremely expensive and organizationally challenging. It usually requires staff from different departments to work together under pressure. – The commissioning team is often under a lot of pressure to complete the process quickly as the operations phase shouldn’t actually begin until the facility is fully commissioned. – The majority of the problems discovered during commissioning are to do with automation according to Gillick. “We have driven a lot of the mechanical failures out of the process. Where we find the main challenges are on the building automation side. The automation systems are the last to be installed and touch every single piece of equipment,” he says. – Skills shortages. The recent boom in data center construction has also left the industry facing a shortage of skilled engineers for processes such as commissioning. **Cost benefit analysis** Commissioning is an important but also an expensive process. But if it results in less failures and downtime then that investment is obviously worthwhile. One way to evaluate whether the cost of commissioning is justifiable is to calculate whether the cost of downtime is greater than the cost of the commissioning process. Experts recommend investing from 1% to 2% of the overall data centre project cost on the commissioning process. Using this approach data centre operators should see a 5% to 10% return on investment from commissioning in terms of overall data center performance. **Read part two now by clicking [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/commissioning-part-two-seven-steps-to-data-centre-commissioning-heaven/).** **Future Outlook** Part two of this series will look in more depth at Future-tech’s and other experts’ experience of the commissioning process. **Future-tech and its partners provide a range of engineering services including [commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professional-services/commissioning/). By engaging Future-tech to ensure that systems are running correctly, clients have saved up to 67% on facility operational costs. For more information on commissioning please contact us at** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Commissioning part two: Seven steps to data centre commissioning heaven](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/commissioning-part-two-seven-steps-to-data-centre-commissioning-heaven/) **Published:** May 21, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Customers are demanding more from data centre construction projects and commissioning is key to meeting those new requirements.Part one of this series was an overview of the key benefits of commissioning as well as some of the obstacles and challenges. In this second part we delve a little deeper into the topic looking at what Future-tech provides in this space as well as getting some input from external experts. As defined in part one, commissioning is a process that ‘reviews and tests the data centre’s physical infrastructure design as a holistic system in order to assure the highest level of reliability’. But we believe there are also significant efficiency benefits. By using an organisation such as Future-tech to ensure that systems are running correctly, customers can save up to 67% on facility operational costs. **Our approach and methodology** Future-tech’s approach to commissioning is explained in detail on our [Commissioning pages](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professional-services/commissioning/). We take the view that commissioning is an essential process but one that has to be tailored to fit each individual data centre. The specific methodology we use for commissioning depends on our involvement in the design stage. However the overall aim is to ensure continuity between the design and operational phases. **Design meets operations** That continuity between design and operations is something that other experts agree is one of the cornerstones of successful commissioning. Future-tech has a lot of expertise in commissioning services but we also collaborate with, and work alongside, other experts in this crucial area of data centre design and construction including Clear Construction and Primary Integration Solutions. Glenn Hawkins is the owner of [Clear Construction](http://www.clearconstruction.co.uk/#about-us) a company that specializes in training and research around the commissioning process. Clear Construction works with a variety of building clients including data centre operators. Historically commissioning hasn’t been prioritized in the way it should have been but things are changing, according to Hawkins. “Construction project teams have historically delivered a building primarily with the focus on achieving practical completion, building handover on a certain date,” he says. “They hand over whatever building it is, a hospital, a school or a data centre, and disappear into the distance often leaving a client with a building that doesn’t really function efficiently and effectively in the long term. **Towards better commissioning** However, gradually there has been an on-going improvement in awareness of the importance of the commissioning process and the quality of commissioning services provided. “Clients have basically woken up to the fact that construction project teams have been short changing them for too long,” says Hawkins. The direct and indirect costs of data centre failures together with a movement towards ever more efficient facilities has created customer demand for better commissioning services. “The negative impact of a data centre failure can be huge so clients are driving this process,” says Hawkins. That has also translated into some operators, and even the operator’s customers, have clearly defined requirements around commissioning. “What co-lo guys are finding is that they have to put the same commissioning program in place that their hyperscale client has in place in North America,” says Terry Gillick, senior vice president, Primary Integration Solutions. Primary Integration is one of the leading US providers of commissioning services and serves clients including CyrusOne and QTS. Another contributor is a growing pool of professional organisations, such as Future-tech and Primary Integration, that can help provide professional commissioning services. “There is an emerging commissioning management community around the world that I think are pushing things forward. I also think the better principal contractors are realizing the importance of it too,” says Hawkins. **Changing customer expectations** The commissioning training courses delivered by Clear Construction are based around the idea that has been a development and maturation in customer expectations. Customers still want the same four core outcomes they always have traditionally expected. The project should be delivered: – On time – On cost – With good build quality – With good levels of health and safety But in the 21st Century built environment customers are also demanding three additional but equally important outcomes: – On the day of handover the building should be operationally ready. – The building should also be design to suit its required function. In the case of a data centre that would be to deliver IT services according to agreed service-levels – The building should also function efficiently and effectively in the long term in accordance with whatever performance is important to that client. In the data centre world, long-term performance might relate to system resilience for example or low-energy consumption. The introduction of these additional criteria has helped to redefine customer expectations of what commissioning should help achieve, Hawkins says. “There is now a view that commissioning is this quality assurance process that enables project teams to achieve the four traditional outcomes but just as importantly if you get the commissioning process right then you increase your chances of delivering those three other outcomes,” he says. “If we can more consistently deliver those seven outcomes then client’s benefit but construction project team’s also benefit as well.” **Costs and benefits** Commissioning still only accounts for a small percentage of overall design and build costs of a facility but the outlay has implications for the rest of the build. “As a rule of thumb the cost to commission a facility like a data centre is probably about 1% of the construction costs,” says Hawkins. “Why spend 99% on a data centre project and cut corners on the 1% when that 1% is crucial to making the rest of it work properly.” **Key takeaways** Future-tech, Primary Integration and Clear Construction share some key takeaways to ensure the commissioning process is implemented and completed successfully. – Begin early. To achieve the seven outcomes defined by Clear Construction, commissioning needs to happen early on in the process. We at Future-tech share that view and usually assigns a data centre commissioning team lead during the design process. – Be aware that automaton systems will probably be the source of most problems identified in the commissioning process. – Commissioning is an on-going process. The commissioning agent and other players in the process will help to define the operational parameters for the facility. Companies such as Primary Integration and Future-Tech can also provide on-going support to the operations team as required on a consulting basis. **Future Outlook** **Future-tech and its partners provide a range of engineering services including [commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/professional-services/commissioning/). By engaging Future-tech to ensure that systems are running correctly, clients have saved up to 67% on facility operational costs. For more information on commissioning please contact us at** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) Read part one [here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/commissioning-part-one-a-test-drive-for-the-data-centre/). **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Jumping on the blockchain bandwagon: how will it affect data centres?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/jumping-on-the-blockchain-bandwagon-how-will-it-affect-data-centres/) **Published:** June 6, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Although bitcoin may be considered by some to be recent buzzword, along with IoT and big data, it’s bigger brother ” blockchain, certainly looks like it’s here to stay. In its basic form, blockchain is an incorruptible digital record distributed across the internet. It allows two users to conduct a transaction, without the need for a third party or central server, such as a bank. As the name suggests, a “chain” is made up of “blocks” of data, all spread across a myriad of nodes, in the process providing security. Although blockchain could initially be perceived as a hipster, rebellious middle finger up to ‘the man’ to exclude establishments between payments, it is now being taken seriously across the world. Headlines continue to tell us that blockchain will disrupt not only the banking sectors, but energy, the smart grid, healthcare and many others. Corporations at the highest level are working on blockchain strategies and how it will impact their services and supply chains. In its 2017 FinTech report, PWC said that 77 percent of those surveyed expect to adopt blockchain as part of an in-production system or process by 2020. Furthermore, 50 percent of large companies identified blockchain as an emerging technology to invest into within the next 12 months. **Reverse engineering** The biggest question is that if blockchain is the enabler, the network and backbone needed for cryptocurrencies to exchange hands, what is behind blockchain and where do data centres come into the equation? Some believe that demands from blockchain/cryptocurrency activities are sparking a reversal in data centre engineering. “Certain companies have reverse engineered some of their Tier 3 capacity to turn it into what can best be described as Tier 1, so they can sell twice as much capacity at half the price and make it economically viable,” says Mark Collins, CEO of Fortuitus, which has been involved in data centre infrastructure for bitcoin mining, including a 5MW plant in Norway. Whereas factoring in high levels of redundancy is seen as fundamental for Tier 3 and Tier 4 data centres, this isn’t the case here, he says. “It’s totally overkill to have any form of redundancy for cryptocurrency,” he adds. “When you are talking about the uptime differences of a couple of percent, it’s not worth double the CAPEX because you don’t have a customer on the end who’s going to get disconnected from the service so will take his business elsewhere. “For blockchain, no-one is waiting. You don’t need super lower latency, you just need a general internet connection. You can run a megawatt off a 4G connection, for example.” **Norwegian magnetism** In recent months, Norway has been a magnet for data centres. The combination of low cost land, a stable geo-political climate and access to cheaper, green energy has created a perfect storm for providers to tap the market. Not only is 96-98 percent of the country’s energy provided by hydropower but in 2015 Norway generated 15 TWh of electricity more than it consumed. “What we see now is there has been a tsunami of big players in bitcoin and GPU mining that have established operations in Norway over the last 12 months,” says Kristian Osestad from HPC Nordic. “It went from zero to hundreds of megawatts in a matter of months, it was mayhem for a while. These are massive operations with very high ambitions.” Osestad believes the demand from blockchain and cryptocurrency mining will increase the speed to market being offered. “The impact of bitcoin on the data centre market is potentially very high,” he adds. “The traditional data centre model is a massive project with lots of planning time and investment. Now you will see faster, smarter, greener and more agile data centres and they will be at the lower cost.” [**Polymorphic data centres**](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/distributed-resiliency-part-two-polymorphic-data-centres/), as covered by Future-tech previously, will be important in providing a flexible approach to these markets, says Osestad. “It’s about a combination of data centres that can do one of two things: either be converted to handle mining activities, or more high performance, such as Big Data. That is where the big players in the market will head, they will design facilities able to do more than one task.” **Bad energy** Collins is involved in a 15MW dedicated centre to support cryptocurrency in Norway. Under the name Project Odin, the container-based approach is an air-cooled unit designed to be rolled out quickly and support crypto equipment. From an energy point of view, he says that the data centre is using local hydropower, which was initially set up for an industry not running anymore. “Economically there’s no way of using that power for anything else, it’s excess. You might as well open the sluice gates and let the energy escape, it has no purpose. That’s the power we go for,” he adds. Taking advantage of excess, green energy could be one way to improve the footprint and image of new mining operations. The reason cryptocurrency is so energy intensive is that miners must comb through millions of combinations of letters and numbers to identify their ‘winning ticket’, according to Jeff Klaus, general manager for data centre solutions at Intel Corporation. He told Data Economy that, as a result, “cryptocurrency mining and the use of blockchain technology demand a large amount of power.” Furthermore, in a paper published in the journal Joule, a financial economist predicted that bitcoin could soon consume as much energy as Austria by 2019. Commenting on the Austria comparison, Collins adds: “Tell me how much of that is bad energy? Blockchain is a new technology and it is genuinely disruptive and revolutionary. The applications for it are just phenomenal. So, let’s fix the energy part of it now. Let’s make it that there is no mining done using fossil fuels.” **Future-tech view** Future-tech was first asked to complete a cryptocurrency specific data centre design back in 2014. Since then the company has completed several designs for crypto sites and has provided consultancy services to miners that are operating sites and experiencing issues. “The crypto/blockchain use case is very exciting and gives us as designers a chance to really push the boundaries of lean engineering within a data centre context,” says James Wilman, CEO of Future-tech. “Simplicity and low cost are key. What has been most interesting has been visiting sites that are already live and experiencing operational problems. What is common among the miners we have worked with is that they are true entrepreneurs. They have seen an opportunity and taken it. They are generally very pragmatic in how they tackle the power and cooling challenges associated with creating their own mining facilities.” Wilman continues: “However, even small facilities, say 500kW IT load, can experience poor air flow, reduced chipset performance and in some cases catastrophic overheating. Larger sites also experienced these issues. However, the more worrying problems are often found around safe and reliable power distribution. Working with these guys, solving their problems and making their sites operate more effectively and safely has been a great experience.” **For more information on data centre use case specific design please contact us at** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, Crypto-Currency & Blockchain --- ### [STEMming the tide of data centre skills shortages](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/stemming-the-tide-of-data-centre-skills-shortages/) **Published:** July 31, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** What do you want to be when you’re older? It’s a question many of us were asked during our early years at school. An astronaut, footballer, rockstar were and continue to be career choices for the young generations, seeking out fame and fortune. More recently, famous vloggers and social media sensations have no doubt made the sacred list. Yet how about data centres? How many of the professionals working in data centres today set out on that career path from the start? It’s an interesting question and one that Peter Hannaford, founder of specialist recruitment company Datacenter People often asks the audience when speaking at conferences. He believes the general unawareness of the industry and its significance doesn’t help the challenge. “Data centres are not a topic that are taught in schools and it’s not often something that is a career choice,” he says. “Around 90 percent of the population haven’t got a clue where data is stored. They know about the cloud but they don’t have an idea that the data resides in a building somewhere.” His company recently had to recruit a team of 20 people for a data centre in the Netherlands. Over half the candidates came from the oil and gas sectors. “There are transferable skills from other industries,” he adds. “Electrical and mechanical engineers, nuclear engineers and submariners, these make for great data centre technicians because they really understand what mission critical is.” **Wake up call** So how big is the problem? According to recent data from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Learning, skills shortages cost related businesses £1.5 billion per year. To put that number into perspective, there is currently an estimated shortfall of 173,000 skilled workers annually across STEM industries, including data centre and IT engineering. Furthermore, data from STEM Learning predicts that new roles could double over the next 10 years. The organisation spoke to HR directors at 400 STEM businesses in the UK. Overall, feedback revealed that recruitment is taking longer than expected, they are having to spend more on temporary staff, hiring at a lower level and training staff up, or even inflating salaries to attract talent. “These figures act as a wake up call, but the good news is that by acting now businesses can make a difference and help future-proof the UK economy,” says Yvonne Baker, chief executive of STEM Learning. **Shaking the candidate tree** Such data should be taken seriously but what about data centre specific stats, with even more detail beyond STEM? This is also part of the challenge, according to Dr Theresa Simpkin, higher and further education principal at CNet Training, which is focused on the data centre sector globally. Data centre engineering has been a victim of its own success. The business has grown at such a phenomenal rate but as a hybrid sector, directly between IT, engineering and facilities management. “Each one of those sectors, in themselves, have traditionally had skills and labour shortages for some time,” says Simpkin. “When you create a new sector from those core sectors, you are importing those issues. With such a rapid rate of expansion, we just haven’t had the strategic capacity to keep up with the labour and skills and broader capability demand.” She adds: “Data centre engineering is still a very young sector, it has experienced the same sort of growth and journey to maturity that has taken more traditional industries centuries. We are also standing in line behind a raft of other traditional, well known industries. They have been out there shaking the candidate tree for decades and they have a very well-crafted employer brand and offering.” **Uncle Sam** With the skills shortages well known it raises the question of what is the answer, if there is just one? An Uncle Sam “I want you” US military style recruitment poster put to one side, Baker believes that when it comes to cultivating STEM skills “the responsibility cannot lay solely at the feet of schools or government alone”. STEM Learning works with businesses, schools and government on long-term, sustainable programmes and said it impacts 20,000 schools and more than two million students per year. Meanwhile Simpkin says it’s important to get the interest of children when they are young. “The thing is you need get to children really early and particularly girls. So we need to get in at the early stage. We’re not talking 15 and 16, we’ve missed the boat by then.” At the top level, the government has announced £500 million of new funding for employer-designed Technical Education and £170 million investment to establish Institutes of Technology in every English region to deliver higher level STEM skills. **STEM schools** Some schools are taking matters into their own hands. Evendons Primary School opened as the first STEM school in Wokingham in 2014. It started out with a vision to be strong in the four core STEM subjects, science, technology, engineering and maths. The idea is get children interested and engaged in how things are built and function, with engagement with industry and businesses beyond the school. For example, an engineer from the oil & gas industry recently gave a talk, to give the pupils an awareness of such industries and what goes into them. “We try to introduce basic engineering principles into lessons every day,” says headteacher Patrick Pritchett. “We also try to bring the grounds into the curriculum, to give the children a first-hand experience of the natural world.” One of the initiatives organised by the school is a yearly STEM Fair, sponsored by Future-tech. The idea is to give children the freedom to explore the school’s projects, while rubbing shoulders with children from other schools, college and university students and local professionals. Essentially networking and encouraging children to broaden their outlook from an early age. “We are moving into an AI age, where many jobs previously done by people will be done by machines,” said James Wilman, CEO of Future-tech”. Although AI is good at certain types of task, being truly creative and solving problems with new and innovative solutions is innately human.” He continued: “As humanity’s challenges become more and more complex, responsibility is going to fall on the engineers, scientists and mathematicians of the future to solve them. Therefore, we need the children and parents of today to understand the value of these fields of study. We need to make sure younger generations are equipped with the right education and STEM skills. This will provide them with opportunities in the integrated AI world to come and ensure critical infrastructure industries have creative and talented people to drive their continuous improvement and evolution.” **For more information on data centre use case specific design please contact us at** [**info@future-tech.co.uk**](mailto:info@future-tech.co.uk) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Maggots and data centres – what's the connection?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/maggots-and-data-centres-whats-the-connection/) **Published:** September 10, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### Grub’s up for circular economy data centres Usually the worlds of modern data centres and maggots do not collide. One involves ultra-secure, clean high-tech facilities with state-of-the-art technology. The other, waste eating grubs that have a similar reputation to cockroaches and are normally associated with rotting food. Yet, as part of the recent pursuit for a more ‘circular economy’, these two very different industries could well come together. Utility Yorkshire Water, which supplies 1.3 billion litres of clean water and wastewater services to two million homes daily, is in the process of creating a hub to bring together different industries who wouldn’t normally interact with each other. **Back scratching** The Esholt site is the utility’s second largest works, treating wastewater from 750,000 customers in Bradford and Leeds. Plans are in place to turn the 120-hectare site into what is being named a “circular economy cluster”. Heat, power, potable/sub-potable water and nutrients will be available to commercial partners on site. Imagine a ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ situation but where energy, heat, water and nutrients are brokered between site host Yorkshire Water and neighbouring companies. One idea is to bring together the data centre, water treatment and scientific community together. A heating network could be developed which could take excess, low grade heat from a data centre located onsite. This company would receive a revenue for the heat but also have access to power and water for cooling, potentially even reclaimed water. In return, the utility would be able to use the data centre. “We’re not a data storage business and yet we have data centres,” says Jon Brigg, manager of innovation at Yorkshire Water. “One way of this working would be we produce information from our operations which is protected securely in a data centre, right on our doorstep and in return we provide those utility service needed to run such an operation.” **Insect bioconversion** The utility, like many others in the UK and worldwide, is starting to look at how insect bioconversion could be used in its wastewater processing operations. Early discussions have started with FERA Science Ltd (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) which is now part owned by Defra and part owned by Capita. In a nutshell, an insect bioconversion process involves feeding insect larvae with organic residue, for example this could be materials from vegetal origin from food processing or agricultural production. When the grubs reach a “critical mass” and are fattened up, they’re harvested for conversion to high value products. With up to 40% of their body mass made up of lipids, these larvae can be converted into ingredients for wellbeing products or biodiesel, whereas protein isolate from larvae can be processed into animal feed. Early work is also showing that the remaining residue has potential as an active soil nutrient. Another area currently being researched is the potential for conversion of the ‘skin’ from the larvae, which can be readily processed into a flexible, plastic material. “This represents yet another exciting area of research in how you produce biodegradable packaging films from such a sustainably sourced material from the skin of insects,” says Dr Andrew Swift, CEO of FERA. Many people have seen the increased availability of edible bugs and insects. Reuters recently ran a story with the headline: “˜Insect farms gear up to feed soaring global protein demand’. Swift firmly believes this is in relation to the “widening protein gap” emerging around the world, predominately in meeting animal feed demands. “We are on the brink of seeing major organisations scale up substantially for this,” he says. “Around the world to our knowledge there are now in the region of 20 companies working on insect bioconversion commercially at various scales. Two years ago, this was less than five.” Clearly, the business of bugs is about to boom. Last summer Netherlands-based Protix secured €45 million from private investor Rabobank to expand its insect production capability for the animal feed industry. Even global companies such as Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, McDonalds and major retailers are reportedly watching and looking at how insects can be considered an alternative source of protein for the food chain. **BSE fall-out** Looping back to Yorkshire, it’s important to note that under current EU legislation, if the insect bioconversion process were to be used on wastewater, products could not be used in any part of the food chain. Simply put: larvae produced for animal feed cannot be fed on materials such as catering waste, manure or slaughterhouse derived products. This is all strictly governed by European law, led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and follows the fall-out from the BSE crisis from the 1980s, according to Swift. Elsewhere in the world, you could still use insect protein produced out of municipal waste or sewage and sell it to the markets for feed, the CEO adds. Regardless of the current limitations, Brigg is optimistic about the potential of these developments. “Insect bioconversion could be a way to convert sewage sludge into insect derived lipids in the future, the great thing is you don’t lose anything in the cycle. “At the moment, sludge to agriculture helps to recover nutrients but that’s on a mass scale and it’s expensive. In principle, by using insect bioreactors it may be possible to get all of the benefits of the nutrients but just recover from the insects in a more focused and subscribed manner.” **Teamwork makes the dream work** Traditionally the worlds of insect bioconversion and data centres would normally be strangers, unless there was an emergency case of a bug infestation. However, in the circular economy spirit where one man’s waste is another man’s treasure, it could well see water treatment facilities brought together with a data centre, insect bioconversion and other industries in the mix as well. Rather than operating in silos, the co-located facilities would work in harmony, giving and taking in equal measure without any waste by-product having to leave the site. Although such a collaboration is still in the early stages and subject to research, its potential certainly provides some food for thought, especially the next time you tuck into a packet of edible bugs. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Panning for data centre opportunities in Africa's digital gold rush](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/panning-for-data-centre-opportunities-in-africas-digital-gold-rush/) **Published:** September 10, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** East Africa is undergoing a technological revolution. Banking modernisation, transition to cloud-based services and expansion in household electrification are all helping to increase demand for web-based services in the region. Add in a renewed sense of data mission criticality into the mix and the recipe brings together all the ingredients to create opportunities for data centre development. Although Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania are expected to drive the region’s growth further in 2018 and 2019, according to the African Development Bank Group, for many, a lack of awareness could mean that they are overlooking the potential opportunities in East Africa, according to Guy Willner, CEO of IXcellerate. “In western Europe and the US, there remains a perception of these emerging markets: “Oh, I went there in 1972. It’s terrible, isn’t it? There’s no power.” Just because Western Europe and the US is like Sleepy Hollow – nothing much has changed in infrastructure terms since 1985 – it doesn’t mean that nothing has changed in those countries. So, for example, Kenya has got loads of power now – the power grid is pretty good,” he says. **London of Africa** Willner describes Nairobi as the “London of Africa”, saying it is very sophisticated technologically and adds that there is, to an extent, a “digital gold rush in Sub-Saharan Africa right now, with a lot expected to happen over the next five years”. One such development is tipped to become the “biggest data centre campus in East Africa”. Willner has his sights on a $100 million project which will eventually have a capacity of 30-40MW in Nairobi. Future-Tech is helping with initial design, planning and permissions, as well as “civil design philosophy”, helping to carve out a master plan on how 40MW can be deployed over a 10 year period. Up to 10,000 racks will be delivered on the 14,000-metre site, although the IXcellerate CEO points out that the sheer number of racks, or size, is not the most important point here. “It’s not about how many racks you’ve got, many companies around the world have gone out on their own and built out a massive project in the “build it and they’ll come” hope for customers. And I get so upset with these models, because that’s the best way to lose money.” “Taking time to get to know the market, preparing a step by step plan which can grow with our customers, and understanding the real customer needs up-front are the keys to success.” “Kenya’s got a good legal system, a good banking system and a very sophisticated, educated population, so it’s a good place to start,” adds Willner. Starting out in Nairobi, the aim is to eventually develop out 500km to Mombasa as well. The data centre campus is being designed to address a population of 300 million of Kenya and neighbouring countries: Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Uganda. **Lining up the ducks in Uganda** Uganda has also emerged in recent years with strong ambition; to transform its society from “a peasant to a modern and prosperous country within 30 years”, according to the government’s National Broadband Strategy (2016-2020). Within this change, ICT has been identified as a “pillar for social economic transformation” with broadband connectivity being positioned at the centre stage. By 2020, a goal was set out to have broadband penetration rates of 50% for rural areas and 100% for urban areas. In line with these developments, the country’s first Tier III, carrier-neutral co-location data centre is being set up in the Namanve Industrial and Business Park. The data centre is being designed by Future-Tech, with local architectural firm Symbion carrying out civil and structural design work. It’s also the first data centre for Raxio Data Centre, owned by Roha, a US greenfield investment company. “The reason we started with Uganda is because having looked a little bit at the landscape, there were, in layman’s terms, a lot of the ducks were nicely lined up in Uganda: having found a good and reliable partner, the underlying dynamics in that particular market and really the lack of adequate facilities,” says Robert Mullins, partner at Roha. “So a lot of the fundamentals and things that we need as investors to work out were very evidently in place in Uganda.” On track to open in the summer of 2019, the data centre is being built out in three phases with an investment in the region of $10-$15 million. To start, it will have 260 racks at 1.1MW capacity, with the potential to expand to 400 racks and 1.5MW capacity. Customer power density requirements will influence the total number of delivered racks. **Investing into a data centre network** Tier III was chosen for the Namanve site ahead of the expected customers in the region. “Basically Tier II will not be sufficient to meet the requirements of the kind of enterprises and customers we expect to attract into the facility,” adds Mullins. “Tier IV we believe would be overkill probably in terms of the region and also I think in practise. It would also be difficult to accommodate given the infrastructure.” Two key hires have been made in Uganda to oversee the project, general manager James Byaruhanga, former operations chief at Rake Telecom and a new head of technology, to be named shortly. Although Roha has invested in other projects in the region, including $80 million into a glass manufacturing plant in Ethiopia, it doesn’t intend for the Namanve project be a one-hit data centre wonder in Uganda. “In our mind when we went into Uganda it was always with the idea and spirit of making one of several in the region,” says Mullins. “We really want to create a regional platform of data centres, in a couple of years we plan to have up to five facilities in operation.” James Wilman, CEO of Future-Tech, adds: “Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is strong and forecast at 3.6% in 2019-20. The projects in Nairobi and Namanve reflect the growth in high quality data centre infrastructure across East African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Governments are waking up to the value and importance of their citizens’ and companies’ data and this is shaping legislation and policy, further driving the need for, and growth of, well engineered data centre infrastructure. This new infrastructure will provide a foundation for the next generation of digital development in the region and it is very exciting to be part of this.” **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Hyper-Cloud: a new Russian Revolution?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/hyper-cloud-a-new-russian-revolution/) **Published:** September 20, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The recent success of the FIFA World Cup may bring back memories of Fifa Young Player Award winner Kylian Mbappe slotting home France’s fourth goal in the final. Yet with the cost to host the tournament estimated at $14 billion, the most expensive football competition in history – it has raised the question of what’s next for Russia? With nearly $1.3 trillion in GDP, the country is becoming an ICT force on the planet, armed with over 80 million internet users and speeds close to 100mbs into Moscow. Furthermore, by 2025 every Russian is expected to possess three connected devices. Figures from SSC suggests that the data centre market is forecast to accelerate with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.7% up until 2021, driving the industry to a value of $4.6 billion. With the rise of the new digital Silk Road, Russia and its capital city Moscow are firmly rooted as a connectivity pitstop between Asia and Europe. **Expanding Moscow One** Earlier this year IXcellerate announced the opening of its third expansion to its Moscow One data centre campus, touted as the largest data hall in Russia. Designed to house 1100 racks within a single, undivided space of 2500 square meters, investment into the new module surpassed $20 million. Following an approval for campus development within the current site, the Moscow One data centre can be increased up to 16,000 square meters with a capacity to house an additional 5000 client racks. The DC has been certified fully compliant with IBM Level 3 reliability, ensuring 99.999% service level agreements (SLA) to its customers. IXcellerate CEO Guy Willner believes hyper-cloud is the next logical step in Russian data centre market evolution. “There was no hyper-cloud until 2018 in Russia. So imagine even some smaller countries now in terms of population, like Canada or Australia, are getting hyper-cloud. Then you look at Russia which doesn’t have hyper-cloud – there’s a massive explosion going to happen. So far, it’s been restricted by the lack of access to capital, partly as a result of the sanctions, which has caused nervousness in the investment community. However, the first cloud players are moving in now and we’re going to see pressure grow for supply of more datacentre capacity.” **Data protection** While the EU got to grips with GDPR over the Spring and Summer, with its citizens ironically being inundated with multiple emails in the run up to the deadline, in Russia the talk of the town was very much on its own Yarovaya Law, signed by President Putin back in 2016. From July, telecom operators were ordered to keep media logs of all users for 30 days. Reports suggested that compliance costs for three of the country’s biggest telecoms companies (MTS, MegaFon and VimpelCom), could run to a total of 100 billion roubles ($1.8 billion) in 2018 alone.On top of Yarovaya, Russia has enacted its own version of GDPR, the Information Law Amendment FZ242, which sets similar data sovereignty constraints on companies operating in the Russian market: any personal data harvested must be hosted on servers within the Russian Federation. Companies such as Thomson Reuters, Apple, Microsoft and booking.com have been mentioned in the Russian press as examples of international companies which have taken steps to become compliant. Willner says this change is good for business in Russia. “There are two main reasons why existing data centre capacity is moving back to Russia. Number one is the Russian GDPR. And the second is the fallout from the rouble crash (directly linked to the oil price crash) a few years back. And so, as an Internet player in Russia, if you’ve got stuff offshore, it’s now costing you twice the price in rouble terms. You just can’t afford to use a Swedish hosting provider, or a datacentre in Germany, because your revenues are in roubles whereas in Sweden or Germany, you’re being charged in Euros.” **From Vostok with love** To put Russia’s data centre shortfall, or the size of the untapped market into perspective, across the whole of the Russian Federation there is less commercial data centre capacity than in Luxembourg, says Willner. As a quick comparison, Luxembourg is just over 2,500 km2 with a population just over half a million. Russia, in stark contrast, is 17.1 million km2 with a population exceeding 144 million. “If you multiply data centre capacity in Russia by about 20, you’ll be getting close to the average across Europe so there’s a way to go” adds the IXcellerate CEO. “On top of that there are 19 cities with over a million population, spread across almost a dozen time zones. When it comes to it, with such a vast land, delivering Internet content to Vostok from Moscow, which might well have come from Tokyo just around the corner, is kind of illogical. So I think in the medium term, we’ll see data centres right the way across Russia.” Concluding, Willner, who has over 20 years’ experience in the data centre industry, believes there is a great potential in Russia for the hyper-cloud but is frustrated with the investment community focusing their efforts on large scale data centre facilities across mainland Europe. “The sad fact that we have is that every day, there is a new data centre popping up in Germany, France, UK, Netherlands, US, Canada, Australia,” he says. “Everybody is pounding these markets to death at the moment, with data centre and megawatts, because the money is easy, because the investors think, “Oh, it’s just data centre. I’m going to make a great return.” And the dirty little secret is a lot of these investors are not making any return at all, because they’re a bit naïve and they may be very property focused, and they don’t have much experience in the market.” Willner adds: “And so it’s a bit like the hotel industry. It’s kind of the second or the third owner who actually makes the money, because they bought the asset at a discount. So that’s what’s happening in the western markets where money is cheap, and interest rates are 3%. It’s admittedly harder to build out projects in newer untapped markets such as Russia but with higher risk comes higher reward.” **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [From niche to mainstream: can direct liquid cooling make the jump?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/from-niche-to-mainstream-can-direct-liquid-cooling-make-the-jump/) **Published:** November 1, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Liquid cooling may have historically been reserved for R&D supercomputers or mainframes yet increasing demands, workloads and the rise of machine learning are forcing data centre managers to rethink the technology. An announcement from Google earlier this year raised the question once again of when will direct liquid cooling become more prominent in the data centre engineering community. The Alphabet company said its Tensor Processing Unit (TPUs) chips are so powerful that for the first time it would have to introduce liquid cooling into its data centres. Liquid cooling has been promising to take over from air as the king of data centre cooling for some time. Yet, air to air (air to water to air) continues to provide the lion’s share of cooling applications. Steven Hamond, director of computational science at the U.S.A’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) believes a lack of standardisation could be responsible. “At the moment, it’s all a bit ad hoc how the industry does direct liquid cooling,” he says. “It would be nice if the solutions were a bit more standardised. Right now, it feels like a ‘mom and pop’ type industry, with many solutions being one offs. “There’s a natural technology maturation process that goes on and we’re starting to see some bigger players. There’s the cost aspect too: we have to get the cost to cool per server down, because the margins in this are so low.” **Global ambition** NREL, funded by the Department of Energy in the US, set out in 2006 to create one of the world’s most efficient data centres. The plan was to build a data centre that would be the most energy efficient in the world. Direct liquid cooling was chosen as part of a “holistic energy efficient design”. Commissioned in 2012, the results speak for themselves. With an annual average power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.04, the Colorado facility opened with 1MW of IT load capacity. Plans are underway to double this. Furthermore, as the building recycles waste heat, NREL claims the set up saves a whopping US$1 million per year in energy costs compared to if the same sized installation was air cooled. In terms of the cooling technology, multiple vendors bid on the project but HP Enterprise won with its Apollo 8000 System that uses warm-liquid cooling technology. Called Peregrine, it was the first installation of its type for HP and the system has petascale computing capability (2.25 quadrillion calculations per second peak performance). **Direct liquid cooling testbed** Aside from its own data centre, NREL has also acted as a ‘test hub’ for vendors, with liquid cooling solutions from five different vendors now active, including cold plates and clam shell immersive liquid cooling. This includes technology from Asetek, Aquila, LiquidCool Solutions and MotivAir Chilled Doors. The systems can be run side-by-side and visitors, even potential customers, can see the technologies in action. NREL’s role is to provide objective feedback on their effectiveness, how well do they work and what percentage of heat is captured to liquid. Looking ahead Hamond believes the evolution of computing demands will help shift the adoption of liquid cooling solutions. “Whether it’s cryptocurrency, or machine learning, the proliferation of GPU systems is growing rapidly and they’re very power dense. Where this is headed is liquid cooling will become more common place, out of necessity,” he says. **Going modular** British company Iceotope believes that direct liquid cooling can no longer be seen as a niche technology. With a strong story, not to mention a high-performance computing (HPC) flagship installation at the University of Derby, it raises the question of why such liquid cooling technologies have not become commonplace? “The fundamental job description of most of the people who run and manage data centres is don’t screw up,” says David Craig, CEO of Iceotope. “Can you think of more terrifying words for somebody who’s risk averse than disruptive technology?” He believes that wider education is needed in the industry on the benefits of direct liquid cooling. “There is definitely an educative part of the process, there’s no doubt about that,” he says. “This will also tie in with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) basics. The industry is using more energy and more water. There will be a point when there’s a legislative shift, if we don’t change ourselves, we will be forced to change whether we like it or not.” Called the Ku:l system, Iceotope provides a “non-submersive immersion” technology, a sealed, 1U chassis to house electronics and uses a dielectric coolant which it says is “non-oily, non-solvent, non-toxic, leaves no residue and does not affect the electronics”. Without the need for chilled air, industrial fans or pumps, the direct cooling system runs silently, according to the organisation. A gentle recirculating coolant flow inside the sealed chassis enables the harvested heat to be transferred to a building circuit via a plate heat exchanger. The CEO sees hyperscale data centre developments, as well as edge, as potential growth areas for the business. **SmartPod and synthetic liquid** Diarmuid Daltun from Submer Technologies agrees that education is needed in the industry but says he is witnessing a change. “People don’t know what they’re afraid of, early applications of direct liquid cooling used mineral oil, which was bad for the hardware in the long-term. Earlier experiences of the technology faced several challenges.” He adds: “Furthermore, the pain point with air cooling has not been large enough to get people to change.” Submer Technologies was launched in March 2018 from an R&D project. The company has made rapid progress and now reports a 20-strong order book, with interest from across Asia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore, through to Europe, with the UK, Italy and Switzerland being some of the early adopters. A “synthetic liquid” is used in the SmartPod process, which he says is “specially crafted” for this application. The synthetic dielectric coolant doesn’t conduct electricity, presenting zero risk of electrocution. Specific additives are added to the liquid to help prevent the destabilization or loss of electrons. Part of the company’s pitch is that you “could submerge multiple toasters, hairdryers, stick both your hands in the liquid and only enjoy the moisturising effect”. Daltun says another reason historically holding back the switch from air to liquid was people had less care for efficiencies. However, now PUE improvements can range from 2.5 down to 1.03 by making the switch to immersion liquid cooling, he says. Looking ahead, Daltun believes we will see further traction in “supercomputing” and predicts these applications will opt for direct liquid cooling immersion. **Losing the leaks** Elsewhere, other technologies are gaining traction. In September Germany company Cloud & Heat secured a €10 million investment from ETF Partners. Established in 2010, the Dresden-based company developed a modular, water-cooled ‘data centre in a box’. The process uses direct-to-chip cooling, warm water is circulated directly through pipes and heatsinks to CPUs and RAM, the hottest elements of the server. The warm water can then be re-purposed for heating purposes. Another noteworthy technology is Californian company Chilldyne’s direct-to-chip approach to liquid cooling, which delivers coolant under negative pressure. Using a Cool-Flo pistonless pump, it’s the negative pressure element which the company believes addresses another historic concern with liquid cooling: leakage. Chilldyne says that if a tube is severed air will flow into the system, instead of coolant leaking out. A demonstration video on the company’s website shows a fluid line being cut with pliers. Instead of flowing out, the coolant simply retracts back up the line. **Common interface** Such innovations in general show that progress is happening with regards to direct liquid cooling, whether it’s cold plates, immersion or direct-to-chip approaches. NREL’s director of computational science encourages such developments but strongly believes a common requirement on connectors is needed. He likens the situation to getting into your car and “not knowing which side the steering wheel is on”. “We need standardisation at the rack level – let’s decide on a common interface as a data centre owner/operator. Then, all we must think about is how many connections and where do they sit, as opposed to what types of connections and what’s going. That would allow the facility to plan for that and then allow the computing industry and the companies selling cooling solutions to innovate, so long as there’s an agreed upon interface.” UK company Future-tech has worked on and provided M&E infrastructure designs for several direct liquid cooling projects and applications since 2012. “The technology has clear thermodynamic advantages when compared to air-based systems,” says James Wilman, CEO of Future-tech. “However, air provides a simple and universal interface. Together with this, the cost per kW delivered to the IT equipment is a vitally important metric and while there is cost and interface uncertainty it makes the switch from air much more difficult, particularly for wholesale co-location providers.” Wilman adds: “Ultimately, any switch will be client-led and will start in owner operator facilities. Direct liquid cooling’s acceptance into the mainstream is almost certainly going to be linked with its adoption by the Hyperscalers. Once these organisations are successfully deploying the technology in to their own facilities, at scale, it will then open the door and provide pressure on their co-location supply chain to facilitate the technology. Even then the crossover is likely to take many years before direct component cooling becomes the norm.” According to the CEO, co-location facility designers “need to think about buildings and infrastructure fabrics that are able to accommodate a shift to direct liquid in the future, while still providing a cost-effective air to air platform today”. Related content: **[Making waves with cooling solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/making-waves-with-cooling-solutions/)** **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [How big is: Netflix](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-big-is-netflix/) **Published:** November 9, 2018 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** As part of a new series in which Future-tech investigates the secret behind some of the world’s largest technology and service providers, we start with US video streaming juggernaut, Netflix. If video did indeed kill the radio star then Netflix could be responsible for not killing but certainly hurting traditional television. A poster-child for the digital age, Netflix is adored by investors, technology companies and its 137 million subscribers and counting in 190 countries. A household name for many, the service has become synonymous with boxset binge-watching and the phrase to “Netflix and chill” a popular euphemism for more than simply watching TV. While Netflix has achieved the holy grail of seamless connectivity between devices, start watching an episode on your TV and finish it on your smartphone, this comes at a price; a data price. Netflix is now officially the world’s most data-hungry application, consuming 15% of the global net traffic, according to research from bandwidth management company Sandvine. So how did a humble DVD rental shop in the United States grow into a $11.7 billion-dollar company in the last 10 years? There are multiple answers but one is content, and lots of it. This year alone Netflix is estimated to be spending $12 billion to $13 billion on films and shows. To put that into perspective, it’s biggest competitor Amazon Studios is estimated to spend $4 billion. While Warner Bros and Disney are expected to release 23 and 10 films, respectively, Netflix dwarfs this with 82 releases. A second answer is price. For between £5.99 for the basic plan, up to £9.99 for the premium, a monthly ticket to watch the entire Netflix library is often cheaper than a single cinema ticket. And there’s no need to travel, viewers can access thousands of hours of content on the comfort of their own sofa. **Netflixonomics** Another reason is the early adoption of Big Data. Think it’s a coincidence that content you’re interested in often populates your account homescreen? Think again. Multiple analytics are used to interpret what and where you are watching and for how long. Recommendations are then provided, designed to feed consumers morsels of broad and rich content to keep them coming back, along with their monthly subscriptions. This ties in what is being termed Netflixonomics, the science behind getting people to subscribe to the video streaming channel. “One of the greatest attractions for viewers flocking to Netflix is the exclusive high-quality engaging content,” says Swetha Krishnamoorthi, senior research analyst, digital transformation at Frost & Sullivan. “For years, the key success factor for over-the-top (OTT) services was to achieve scalability in terms of subscribers to cover the content license and distribution cost.” After transforming the DVD-by-mail market, Netflix launched its online video streaming service in 2007: a move that would change the company’s future and to fully optimise data. On average, it’s estimated that subscribers scroll through between 40 and 50 different films or shows on their personalised home screen before deciding what to watch. Netflix reportedly has the ability to algorithmically tweak the poster art depending on the individual to make it more appealing depending on their tastes and previous activity. It’s using the Big in Big Data, not throwing it around wildly as another buzzword. **Netflix cloud migration** Another key pay of the Netflix success story is reliability. Rarely does the video streaming service go down, nor are films unavailable. With over 140 million hours of content streamed everyday through the service, it raises the question of where and how is the content stored? Although Netflix had its own datacentres in the early days, this soon changed. Following a “database corruption” in August 2008, in which the company could not ship DVDs to its members, it decided to migrate all its assets over to Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its cloud provider. “Supporting such rapid growth would have been extremely difficult out of our own data centers; we simply could not have racked the servers fast enough,” said Netflix in 2016 after completing its cloud migration and shutting the remaining data centre operations. Justifying the move, the company added: “It took time and effort to transform Netflix into a cloud-native company, but it put us in a much better position to continue to grow and become a global TV network.” **Bubble burst** With such meteoric growth, it seems the video streaming service is so far ahead of the pack but could the Netflix bubble eventually burst? “As the subscriber base saturates in its core markets such as Americas and Europe, maintaining global growth will be Netflix’s biggest challenge,” says Krishnamoorthi. “As the company bets high on content, matching diminishing revenue from saturating subscriber base with escalating content costs will be a struggle.” She adds that by becoming so big Netflix could be biting the multiple hands that keep its monstrous content appetite fed. “Today, Netflix is not just competing with other OTT services such as Amazon, Hulu or other regional services, but with the entire content distribution ecosystem including broadcasters, media houses, Pay TV services and so on,” she adds. “This means broadcaster and media houses, who were thriving partners once, now view them as a potential threat to their own OTT service. The recent case of Disney pulling out its content from Netflix attests to this.” **Burning and churning** A recent analysis from The Economist reported that the market values Netflix at $170 billion, more than Disney. However, such valuations are being viewed as “outlandish” for a company $8.5 billion in debt and yet to make profit. Furthermore, the report said another potential challenge is the easy-sign-up subscription model is also easy to cancel. Although it’s not made public by Netflix, research firm MoffettNathanson estimates the company’s “churn rate” to be in the region of 3.5% per month. This is higher than traditional pay-TV, which is around 2%. Despite the expected road bumps, by 2026 estimates suggest Netflix could have 300 million subscribers, with an enterprise value of at least $300 billion. There is no doubting the impact Netflix is having on traditional media channels. Next year Disney plans to launch a rival streaming channel in the US, with a live-action Star Wars series in the pipeline. Addressing the question of “How big is Netflix?’ the answer is quite simply, gargantuan. Whether it will completely kill traditional satellite television as we know it is another question, but it’s certainly becoming one of the world’s most powerful brands. *– Keep an eye out for the next in the Future-tech ‘How big is’ series, which will focus on Chinese multi-purpose messaging, social media and mobile payment app, WeChat.* **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Game of Drones: How UAVs can be friend and foe for data centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/game-of-drones-how-uavs-can-be-friend-and-foe-for-data-centres/) **Published:** January 16, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** *The Gatwick debacle recently threw drones into the spotlight. With the ability to take thermal images to assist with maintenance or be strapped with C4 explosives to take out infrastructure weaknesses, drones quite rightly have a mixed reputation.* Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, for short. While this might not roll off the tongue like the original Superman introduction, it’s certainly a phrase we can expect to hear more and more. Once seen as a toy for hobbyists, drones have become a big business with the commercial market estimated to now be worth over $127 billion, according to PwC. Commercial technology is slowly shifting the baggage associated with military, unmanned drone applications and is being adapted to complete a variety of tasks quicker and more efficiently than humans. From delivering medical supplies in emergency situations to extinguishing fires at height; drone technology is proving a worthy technology ally in multiple industrial applications. At the recent CES technology show in Las Vegas drone leader DJI showcased a service for emergency services. The latest drone can stream split-screen videos of a scene in both heat vision and normal visible spectrum, with a potential to use in search-and-rescue missions. “The use cases are absolutely limitless,” says Byron Messaris, senior consultant, UK and EU, Frost & Sullivan (F&S). “With drone applications you actually completely offset the human risk and offset the need to have certain staff onsite.” Messaris references one example of a recently procured drone services contract for the inspection of hospital roof infrastructure. Potential problems such as blocked gutters or excessive moss were highlighted, before being relayed to and fixed by another company. “In such cases it replaces the need to have personnel using scaffolding and ladders for physical inspections, which can be dangerous, especially with the UK weather.” **Assassin drones** Despite the outlined benefits, drones have been misused for other purposes. The Gatwick airport Christmas case, with over 140,000 passengers disrupted due to rogue drones interfering with flights, is one example. Other drone-related stories include contraband being smuggled over prison walls and even an explosive drone being used in a failed assassination attempt on Venezuelan President Maduro**.** “There will come a time when drones will be so far advanced, they will be considered to be some of the most dangerous types of airborne vehicles in the world,” warns Messaris. “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction and with drones, there’s inevitably going to be a nefarious use of the technology.” Likewise, even futurist Max Tegmark paints quite an apocalyptic prediction in his novel Life 3.0. “Once mass produced, small AI-powered killer drones are likely to cost little more than a smartphone. Whether it’s a terrorist wanting to assassinate a politician or a jilted lover seeking revenge on his ex-girlfriend, all they need to do is upload their target’s photo and address into the killer drone: it can then fly to the destination, identify and eliminate the person, and self-destruct to ensure that nobody knows who was responsible.” **Data centre protection** Many data centre operators may not initially perceive drones to be an immediate threat. Yet security consultant Adam Ringle from the US believes a single picture is the only information needed to start a series of events to bring a data centre build to a standstill. “For a lower tier data centre, if somebody is flying over what’s the worst they’re going to do? Get better images? The real threat comes with thermal imaging.” Ringle says consumer grade drones can be modified to carry over three pounds of C4 explosives. “Somebody may be able to take a picture the day before to find out where the cooling system, gas or electric lines are. The next day they could fly a drone into it with 3.4 pounds of C4 and then it’s game over.” Serious stuff indeed and certainly food for thought the next time you hear a drone buzzing in the sky. His company Adam Ringle Consulting advises companies on creating policies for dealing with emergencies, like drones or workplace shooters. For data centres, he believes it’s a lot about education. “You need to teach professionals to look up, instead of around and out to the parking lot,” he says. “There’s a methodology called the 10-degree scan of the sky, used by plane pilots, so they don’t miss anything.” Drone security levels also depend on the location, adds Ringle. For example, a data centre build near to a military base will be in protected airspace, so drones will be prohibited from flying there. **Thermal scanning** C4 to one side, drones can also be a friend to data centres, not just a potentially explosive foe. Ringle believes as part of operation & maintenance routines, “preventative thermal scanning” should be carried out weekly. An aerial flight over data centres with thermal imaging can help to benchmark assets within the infrastructure. “Take a bearing in an air conditioning unit, you may have three units on the outside of a building. If scanning regularly, you may see one bearing showing up hotter than the others. Repeat the scan and if this same bearing shows up hotter, it shows you this is about to fail.” He adds: “You can then plan to mitigate that problem before it shuts down and ceases, down the road this can translate to less downtime, it’s about predicting infrastructure failure.” **Regulatory catch up** The Gatwick debacle threw not only drones into the media spotlight but the regulation surrounding them. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), drones must not be flown closer than 1km from the boundary of a protected aerodome. Yet the rogue drone operator, aptly nicknamed ‘Drone Wolf’ by a UK tabloid newspaper, managed to bring one of the UK’s busiest airports to a standstill without repercussion. F&S’s Messaris believes drone regulations can be both a help and hindrance. “Despite the absolutely limitless cases, the difficulty lies in the regulation on whether such use cases can go ahead,” he adds. “This is where we find the biggest block. There are a lot of companies in the UK that are waiting to get a Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) from the CAA because of regulatory bureaucracy that needs to happen when you’re flying drones like this.” **Jamming elements** Following the disruption at the Sussex airport, Gatwick is expected to be spending £5 million alone on anti-drone technology. The equipment can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator and was used by the RAF in Gatwick last month, according to the BBC. One system procured by the UK is the Israeli-developed Drone Dome which uses “radar detection, electro-optical (EO) identification and communication jamming elements of the system”. While perhaps overkill for a traditional data centre, Ringle says such systems are limited across the Atlantic. “If you talk about disabling or forcing a drone to land, or taking over a drone, any of those types of technologies of anything that emits any kind of radiation or pulse, or electromagnetic signal, in the US they are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission,” he says. “There are very strict regulations on who can use those technologies. Currently they are limited to military applications by the FCC.” Drones are one example where the technology and applications have evolved much quicker than the regulation, currently chasing its tail. While not immediately perceived as a threat or benefit to data centres, the potential for drones to both disrupt and improve operations is there. The question is: are you ready? **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Why Europe's data centre market is getting in a FLAP](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/why-europes-data-centre-market-is-getting-in-a-flap/) **Published:** January 30, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In the quest for self-improvement, many New Year’s resolutions include improving diet, exercise and general health and well-being. If the European data centre market were to be personified, what might its resolutions be? With booming demand outstripping supply, with multiple knock-on effects, one might be to streamline and improve the supply chain. **Flapping hell** Data from real estate specialist CBRE has shown the European data centre market has been growing exponentially for several years. Rewind to 2016 and headline data from real estate group CBRE showed it was a record year for Europe’s colocation market. Move to 2017 and data from the same group again shows record growth. And for last year, guess what? ‘Record levels’ of growth hitting the European market, with four major markets adding 95MW of capacity in the first half of the year alone. Such levels of market growth are inevitably accompanied by demand for construction and technology services. To put this into perspective, CBRE estimates that the 177MW of capacity delivered in 2018 required over $1.3 billion of CapEX (capital expenditure) to fit-out and deliver. That’s a serious need for a well-oiled machine with multiple cogs needing to fit and work together. Yet this doesn’t appear to be the case. **Keeping up with demand** Global professional services company Turner & Townsend’s 2018 data centre build cost index (DCCI) showed that London is the most expensive of the FLAP markets (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris), with a construction price of US$8.6/W. In comparison Warsaw featured as the cheapest market in EMEA at US$5.9/W, perhaps surprisingly cheaper than either Nairobi at US$6.4/W or Johannesburg at US$6.1/W, again due to freight and import duties. Worryingly, the accompanying market research to Turner & Townsend’s DCCI revealed that only 12% of respondents believe that the data centre construction industry was able to meet industry demand last year. In short: the industry is aware that it will struggle to match the enormous growth being experienced. Turner & Townsend identifies four major threats and reasons for this: – **Supply chain capacity** (contractors and equipment vendors) **– Skills shortages** (professionals and trade-contractors) **– Power and land availability, planning issues** – **Market conditions driving cost inflation/escalation.** **STEM skills shortages** Dan Ayley, Director, Hi-Tech & Manufacturing at Turner & Townsend, believes the first two reasons are most prominent. “It’s not just design engineers: there is a shortage of project managers, cost managers, general contractors – it’s all the way up and down the food chain at every level,” he says. “What’s happening is we found it’s driving inflation. In an overheated market, with competition for talent, one answer is to pay people more, but it’s not sustainable and doesn’t solve the wider problem.” The challenges of **[STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills shortages](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/stemming-the-tide-of-data-centre-skills-shortages/)** are well documented, estimated to cost UK businesses £1.5 billion per year. Adding to this are time constraints and the reliance upon a relatively small established supply chain, according to Ayley. “Everyone wants a data centre built yesterday. There’s never a project that doesn’t have an aggressive build schedule. And when we look to the growth across the wider EMEA region, we are still largely reliant upon a small number of established contractors from the UK or Ireland.” **Market consolidation** Recent data from Synergy Research Group shows that the number of large data centres operated by hyperscale providers rose by 11% in 2018 to reach 430 by year end. Hyperscale growth continues unabated, with company revenues growing by an average 24% per year and their capex growing by over 40% – much of which is going into building and equipping data centres, the group said. As well as the 430 current hyperscale data centres, Synergy estimates a further 132 that are at various stages of planning or building, with many serving the needs of Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Facebook. “There is no end in sight to the data centre building boom,” said John Dinsdale, chief analyst and research director at Synergy Research Group. Such market consolidation is exposing a supply chain immaturity not able to cope with such demand, according to Mark Collins, the sales director at UK engineering company Excool. “What we’ve seen in that short space of time is a massive consolidation of the market, which has eradicated a lot of smaller operators. Because of the massive demand that’s there, the supply chain just isn’t mature enough to cope with it – it’s happened so quickly.” **Dogfights** Collins’ UK company Excool has installations in several European countries and even locations as far flung as Chile. He adds: “We also have this mentality where every phase of every project has to be tendered, everything’s got to be fought over. It doesn’t give the supply chain forward visibility, an understanding of where the next job is coming from, and to be able to invest with any certainty in increasing production capability. “What we tend to find is that a project gets tendered six months ahead of time but is only awarded 16 weeks before the kit is due on site and everybody is then in a fight to try to do it. We and our supply chain are then under pressure to meet the delivery dates.” Clearly, a booming market is a good problem to have. It certainly beats a depressed one. Yet scaling up the supply to meet a booming demand is not a straightforward task, with multiple components playing into this. “New Year resolutioners’ ” those that take up memberships in January but cancel by February are a common sight in gyms and health clubs across the country. While the supply chain won’t collapse in two months, it’s clear long-term efforts are needed by multiple stakeholders to ensure the industry can scale up to meet demand. To find out more about data centre design solutions, contact the UK’s leading data centre specialists – Future-tech, at . **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Sub-sea cabling: Are the arteries of the internet age getting blocked?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sub-sea-cabling-are-the-arteries-of-the-internet-age-getting-blocked/) **Published:** February 8, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Access to the internet and data is seen in the developed world as a vital service. For many, it rivals utility services. Internet downtime can even cause more hysteria than temporary electricity blackouts. Yet, how many people fully understand what is required to bring this service to their houses? In his novel, Tubes: a journey to the center of the internet, author Andrew Blum takes readers on an insider’s tour of the internet, detailing everything that is required for it to operate and keep up with demand. After reading, most people don’t open emails the same ever again. As global data centre infrastructure continues to expand, meeting consumer demand, there are growing concerns that the existing sub-sea cable system is struggling to keep up. As a result, some of the big technology companies are taking matters into their own hands: the likes of Facebook and Google are looking to lay their own fibre. This raises the question of whether existing sub-sea cable system is robust enough to support the growing data centre demands put upon it in the mid- and long-term? **Running out** Current global submarine cable infrastructure is ‘woefully insufficient’ to support medium-term capacity requirements, according to Tim Stronge, VP of research at research and consulting firm, TeleGeography. Thanks in large part to content and cloud provider capacity requirements, he says that the sector as a whole is ‘running out of spare fibre pairs’ but adds that ‘fortunately, this problem is being addressed. There are lots of cables being built with more planned.’ Others believe the rapid digital evolution taking place will also reinforce the need for cabling infrastructure. “Our industry expects power consumption and data processing to triple in the next five to 10 years as one billion more people come online in developing countries, and the ‘internet of things’ (IoT), driverless cars, robots, video surveillance and artificial intelligence grows exponentially,’ says Peder Nærbø, founder and chairman at industrial group, Bulk Infrastructure. ‘Although universal wireless internet and information sent by lasers through thin air may sound appealing, we believe a fibre infrastructure is the immediate future of fast internet.” **Transatlantic fibre route** Bulk – alongside companies including Facebook and Google Cloud – has invested in the brand-new Havfrue transatlantic fibre route between the US and Scandinavia. “When Havfrue is up and running in Q4 2019, it will improve scalability to the region and open up great opportunities. Both regional and interregional large-scale data and cloud service providers will have the opportunity to offer their services on pure green sustainable power,” says Nærbø. Meanwhile, Stronge points out that, although much innovation in the past has focused on increasing the amount of capacity that can be transmitted down a pair of optical fibres, the industry ‘seems to have centred on the conclusion that we are reaching an end to major gains in that area’. Instead, he reveals that most current strategies are focused on reducing the cost per fibre pair in cables, with the ‘most obvious way’ being to find ways to install more fibre pairs in a long-distance cable. “We’ve gone from 6-8 fibre pair systems to, soon, 12-fibre pair and even 16-fibre pair systems. There’s even talk of 24-fibre pair systems. There are other innovative ideas being explored to reduce cost. For example, Facebook has been pushing the idea of using aluminium rather than copper as a conductive material inside cables,” he says. **Gigantic requirements** When considering the ability of the sub-sea cabling sector to keep up with these ever-growing demands, two key challenges remain: cost and government regulations. Stronge believes that large content providers have gigantic capacity requirements, and that their growth hasn’t really slowed in several years – meaning it is clear that they will need to keep building cables to keep pace with this traffic growth. “As a result, they are focused right now on squeezing cost savings out of cables – and they’re challenging vendors to innovate,” he says. In addition to cost, government regulations, specifically those relating to permitting, are also a problem and it is very difficult for sub-sea cable providers to be flexible with network planning ‘when grabbing all the necessary permits can take two to three years,’ according to the VP of research. Moreover, he observes there is often a lack of government transparency when it comes to dealing with the sub-sea cable industry. This is because a cable operator typically needs to acquire permission from what he describes as ‘a whole layer of government authorities, starting from the municipal level and on up’. “And at the top – national – tier, transparency is still an issue. To land in the US, it’s not as simple as filing an application with the FCC then following a well-advertised procedure. You also have to deal with a somewhat amorphous government group called ‘Team Telecom’ – which is a cross-agency grouping comprising the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security and others,” he says. “It’s often hard to predict what Team Telecom will require, and how long it will take to give its stamp of approval,” he adds. **Cable boom** Stronge also reports that cloud providers are currently the main driving force behind new builds on the largest-capacity trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and intra-Asia routes. “Without these companies we’d be seeing far less cables going into the water – we’d still be in a market lull. The major danger here is that a majority of industry demand is consolidated in just a handful of buyers. If these content providers’ internal traffic requirements suddenly fall off, the industry will hit a very dry cycle. For at least the next two to three years, however, we’re definitely in the midst of a cable boom. The content providers are still growing like crazy,” he adds. It remains to be seen whether or not populations will ever know, or feel the need to know, what infrastructure is required to feed their growing data thirst. Clearly, concerns regarding the sub-sea cable system is forcing major content and cloud services providers to take matters into their own hands. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [How big is: TenCent's WeChat](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-big-is-tencents-wechat/) **Published:** February 26, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** As part of a series in which Future-tech investigates the secrets behind the world’s largest technology and service providers, next up is Chinese app of all trades, WeChat. Imagine an app that combines WhatsApp’s messaging, social media elements of Facebook, online commerce of Amazon, transportation network of Uber and even features its own inbuilt integrated payment function, like PayPal. Chinese super app WeChat manages to achieve all of that and more. Created in 2011, WeChat started life as a simple messenger app, like its western equivalents but has since evolved over time to suit the needs of over a billion monthly users. In terms of its popularity and monthly users, WeChat finds itself behind only WhatsApp and Facebook. Rather than simply offering messaging, WeChat has been designed as its own mini eco-system featuring a variety of apps: from social media where users can post pictures to others offering the ability to book plane tickets. **Who is Tencent?** The brains behind the goliath app is multinational investment holding company, Tencent. To put the company into perspective, they are the fifth largest internet player on the planet and the largest gaming company in the world. Founded in 1998 by Ma Huatag, Zhang Zhidong, Chen Yidan, Xu Chenya and Zeng Liqing, Tencent was initially created to meet the growing demand of internet cafes springing up in China. The founders, however, quickly saw an emerging market and demand for a messaging app. Surprisingly, in the early years Tencent was unprofitable but this did not dissuade South African multinational investment company Naspers buying a 46.5 percent stake in 2001. This turned out to be a very astute investment by the firm: Tencent now ranks as one of the largest companies in terms of market capital in Asia. More recently in 2017, the company became one of five companies to surpass $500 billion in market capital, further exceeding Facebook’s market value ten days later. Tencent is not limited to just its communications, with a number of columns helping to diversify Tencent’s growing portfolio. The multinational investment company invests heavily in a wide range of areas, including entertainment with Tencent Pictures, information and news, and gaming. This included a recent 40 percent investment into Epic’s Games which has seen unprecedented success with its battle royal game, Fortnite. Nor is it just games that lie at the heart of the company’s future expansion plans. Tencent has also invested a 5 percent stake in electric car manufacturer Tesla and also recently announced plans to invest in flying cars, building on its recent investment into developing drone technology with partner company, Rapoo, back in 2016. Even asteroid mining start up, Planetary Resources, has benefitted from $21 million from investors, including Tencent. **Big Brother** With such a market dominance in one country, it raises the question of whether there is more to WeChat and its one billion strong following than meets the eye? To start, the relationship between WeChat and the Chinese government cannot be ignored. When the app was being developed, the Chinese government subsidised WeChat and continues to this day. Furthermore, apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp have been banned in China by the government, essentially removing all major competition in one fell swoop. People entering China are also encouraged to download WeChat as they will not be able to access these apps while they are in the country. There would appear to be a social price to pay for the wonder that is WeChat. In 2016, the Amnesty International report on user privacy, scored Tencent 0 out of 100 for WeChat’s lack of freedom of speech and end-to-end encryption. In recent times there have also been a number of reported cases where the Chinese government and authorities have accessed deleted messages on WeChat. In May 2018, Chinese authorities revealed they have the capacity to retrieve WeChat conversations as part of an investigation. This led to Tencent releasing a public statement saying: ‘WeChat does not store any chat histories, they are only stored on users phones and computers.” WeChat can also be seen to comply with the Chinese’s government requirements in regard to censoring certain topics and promoting others. **Electronic ID** This appears to be only the start, as WeChat seems poised to take on a new role for the Chinese government. Plans are afoot to move to an electronic ID system using face scans and fingerprint identification, all orchestrated using the app. China has also proposed a social credit rating system that will track all users’ activities. The system would be able to track online purchases, content you view to even the tone of your messages. Users will then be granted access to certain schools and housing depending on their social credit ratings. ‘An important feature of Chinese social monitoring is that China has become a country of ubiquitous in-app electronic payments,’ says Salvatore Babones, associate professor of sociology at the University of Sydney and contributor to Forbes on Asia’s role in the global economy. ‘Of course, we in the West are all subject to mass monitoring as well, but we are monitored for commercial purposes, not usually for security purposes.’ WeChat’s main competitor, Alipay, already uses a credit system called Sesame Credit. It does everything that the WeChat system proposes, offering rewards but also penalties to certain users. Known as being blacklisted, users can no longer buy certain plane tickets, are restricted to using certain trainlines and are limited in terms of housing and loan availability. ‘When Chinese people share on WeChat, they are very well aware that their communications are subject to government, as well as company, monitoring,’ adds Babones. ‘They have become very clever at beating the system through the use of puns and jokes, but that doesn’t change the fact that their government is monitoring them — and their purchases.’ While to western users this may seem like a complete invasion of privacy, in China it appears to be expected. There even seems to be a certain comfort in knowing someone is watching your every move as you surf the internet. **Data centre growth** With over a billion monthly users both in and outside of China, how does Tencent keep up with the sheer demand of data transferring and in need of backing up from its users around the world? In 2017 Tencent added five new data centres, most significantly one in Silicon Valley as part of a move to target cloud users outside China. The other centres in Frankfurt, Mumbai, Seoul and Moscow are part of a plan to encourage Chinese companies to expand outside of China. The Tencent Cloud already has many data centres spread across mainland China and has already expanded to Hong Kong and Toronto. The company announced that sales in its cloud service, from which WeChat operates, more than tripled year on year as the number of enterprise accounts and pre-existing account increased. In answering the question, ‘How big is WeChat’, the answer is enormous. And this is only the start. In the space of just eight years, WeChat is rivalling Facebook and WhatsApp in terms of monthly users but offers so much more to its customers. Facebook may be currently wrestling integration of its messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram apps, but WeChat has been offering a slick and popular combination for years. Concerns remain over privacy, but this is an app that is looking to take the world by storm, and it just might do it. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [How big is: Hurricane Electric (the internet backbone)](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/how-big-is-hurricane-electric-the-internet-backbone/) **Published:** May 13, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** As part of a series in which Future-tech investigates the secrets behind the world’s largest technology and service providers, next up is one of the biggest companies you may have never heard about. Ask the general public to list internet companies and you will no doubt get answers including the usual suspects: Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and perhaps even Alphabet, google’s parent company. Yet, how many people would include Hurricane Electric in this list? Perhaps, not as many as should. Hurricane Electric has been operating under the radar for quite a while, yet this doesn’t seem to be holding the business back. The global firm recently made headlines as it become the first internet service provider to connect with over 200 major unique internet exchanges and transfers traffic directly with more than 7,300 different networks. Not only does the company operates its own global IPV4 and the largest IPV6 networks, it is considered to be the biggest IPV6 backbone in terms of sheer number of networks connected. Essentially, Hurricane Electric provides its subscribers with access to the internet with the most diverse network connect points all across the globe. This is achieved through various Points of Presence (PoP) at more than 100 data centres situated all around the world, offering IPv4 and IPv6 transit solutions over the same connection. Such speeds that are available include 100GE (100 gigabits/second), 10GE (gigabit ethernet), and gigabit ethernet. **Resilient fibre optics** To understand the present it’s important to under the company’s past, notably going back to 1994. This was when founder and current CEO Mark Leber, the mind behind the internet service giant, Hurricane Electric, started with his vision. Purchasing a network turned out to be key move for Leber and what became the genesis for Hurricane Electric. Working in software engineering at the time, instead of consulting and setting up networks, he moved onto operating a network and servers as a business. The rest is history. Fast forward to the present and to date Hurricane Electric has no less than five redundant 100G paths crossing North America and five separate 100G paths connecting this region to Europe. All employing a resilient fibre-optic topology. If that wasn’t enough, it also has 100G rings in Europe and Asia in its arsenal. In addition to its vast global network, Hurricane Electric also owns and operates two data centres in Fremont, California, where the company is based – its newest facilities measure 200,000 square-foot in size. **The Internet Backbone** Hurricane Electric was recently described as ‘the Internet Backbone’, which is no small feat and should be taken as a compliment. This has essentially positioned the company as one of the principal data routes between large, strategically interconnected networks and core routers on the Internet. High-speed data transmission lines provide networking facilities to relatively small but high-speed Internet service providers all around the world. Furthermore, data centre company EdgeConneX recently announced that it is providing strategic points-of-presence in ten key markets for Hurricane Electric. This included facilities located in: Clara, Seattle, Atlanta, Toronto, Nashville, Detroit, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. These new PoP’s will increase additional connectivity options that will allow access to 100GbE, 10GbE and GigE ports and, most notably, access to Hurricane Electric’s extensive IPv6 and IPv4 network. “As early shapers of edge networking and illustrators of its benefits, EdgeConneX has been instrumental in bringing the ‘edge’ to its customers with one of the most comprehensive data center footprints,” said Walt Wolly, director of interconnection services at Hurricane Electric. **Future growth** Further to this, in February 2019, Hurricane Electric announced it would be setting up a new Point of Presence at 910Telecom in Denver, Colorado, a carrier-neutral telecom hotel and Denver’s nexus for international and domestic enterprises. So just how big is Hurricane Electric, the backbone of the modern internet and perhaps a company you may have never heard of? In short, it is a global giant, and it is increasing in size everyday as it seeks to encompass the entire earth while providing more points of presence to allow a growing number of users get online. Hurricane Electric’s growth is linked intrinsically with the growth of internet users. As many countries evolve from developing to developed, that number will undoubtedly grow, and so too will Hurricane Electric. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Full audit and sequencing strategy for Dot-com data centre design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/full-audit-and-sequencing-strategy-for-dot-com-data-centre-design/) **Published:** July 27, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Full audit and sequencing strategy for Dot-com data centre design by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jul 27, 2019 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![Future-tech's Data Centre Audit for Dot-Com Data Centre - Westminster, London](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy-5-1-1080x486.jpg) 4.5MW, former dot-com data centre design requires refurbishment and power upgrade to ensure it can continue to support its clients’ changing requirements and remain at a market acceptable technical standard. ### BACKGROUND The London based data centre operator engaged with Future-tech to design and plan the logistics and sequencing associated with the refurbishment and upgrade of its primary data centre solution. All power and cooling equipment from the transformers, generators and UPS through to the air handling units and BMS have to be refurbished or replaced whilst maintaining live services to existing clients. Much of the data centre’s critical infrastructure has reached the end of its serviceable life. Together with this, cabinet power densities have increased significantly since the late 90’s and early 2000’s and the data centre’s capacity now needs to be 9MW+ if it is going to provide market acceptable power densities. ### THE BRIEF - Complete a full audit of data centre’s critical infrastructure assets. - Develop a roadmap and sequencing strategy that allows the removal, replacement and/or refurbishment of critical infrastructure without impacting live services or overall delivered capacity. - Produce an M&E data centre design that doubles the technical power density provided to client white space within the same overall plant space footprint. - Provide detailed budget costs and spending projections for removals of plant and services, plant equipment supply and data centre installation. ### CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS Maintaining 100% delivered capacity whilst removing, replacing and refurbishing critical infrastructure presents a number of sequencing, co-ordination and space related challenges. Squeezing 9MW+ capacity in to a facility that’s plant spaces and services routes were only designed to accommodate 4.5MW capacity presented significant space related challenges. Both the Operator and Future-tech data centre Design Engineers were keen to use “standard” manufacturers’ equipment to ensure capital and operational costs were kept as competitive as possible. This strategy also simplifies servicing and greatly reduces the risk of vendor “lock-in”. Due to the space constraints on site this philosophy did make the data centre design process more challenging. Where possible performance specifications for equipment were produced that enabled at least three manufacturers to meet specification and therefore ensure a competitive tendering process could be followed. In some areas this staunchly vendor neutral approach did increase the difficulty of the data centre design process, in particular space planning. ### THE FUTURE-TECH SOLUTION On engagement Future-tech first reviewed the Operator’s business plan and marketing strategy. This provided information on the potential clients and the type of co-location offering the Operator wanted to bring to market. This information immediately provided a high level picture of what the data centre solution needed to deliver in terms of technical solution and capacity. This information also gave Future-tech an understanding of the funding structure and how capital would be released. This was used to provide a high level understanding of programme, overall delivery and any financial constraints. With this strategic understanding of the Operator’s commercial objectives, drivers and constraints a detailed audit of the site was completed. The audit gave Future-tech a detailed understanding of the data centre infrastructure, its age, condition and opportunity for reuse. It also highlighted areas of potential issue such as congested services routes, risers and plant equipment areas. Because the site was designed using a 2N, and a broadly concurrently maintainable topography, the replacement of critical infrastructure was possible whilst maintaining 100% live contracted load by using correct sequencing. The site is operating at around 25% live load so A and B systems could be split in to A, B, C and D systems. Load could then be shared across A and B whilst C and D infrastructure was replaced and/or refurbished. Once complete the live load could be moved across to C and D systems whilst A and B infrastructure was upgraded. Resilience would only be compromised during works such as the transformer and generator upgrades when redundancy on those elements would be reduced to N. Ensuring 2N was maintained on the generators whilst the transformers were upgraded and vice versa was essential to minimise risk of downtime. Due to the size of the data centre halls, incorporating the additional air handling units required to meet the new higher power density was relatively straightforward. The difficulty arose externally where space for heat rejection plant was significantly constrained. To overcome this, an innovative framework data centre design was proposed by Future-tech which significantly increased the surface area of the plant space without increasing the overall footprint. Functional space was further increase by stacking heat rejection equipment such that free cooling coils are located beneath mechanically cooled coils. The mechanical coils are sized to ensure correct operation at the maximum free cooling coil air off temperature. This effectively doubled the external space available for heat rejection plant and resulted in the creation of a very energy and space efficient data centre solution. The legacy cooling infrastructure uses direct expansion for heat rejection. This made the replacement of units relatively simple as units could be replaced and brought on line one at a time. The new BMS and security systems design will be installed and tested whilst the site continues to operate using the legacy infrastructure. Once complete the new system will be brought on line and the legacy systems decommissioned. Despite the complexity and potential risks associated with the refurbishment of this data centre Future-tech’s measured and methodical approach coupled with its knowledge of vendor solutions and working in live data centres resulted in a practical and pragmatic design and delivery programme. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [The Benefits of Outsourcing Data Centre Operations, Engineering and Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-benefits-of-outsourcing-data-centre-operations-engineering-and-maintenance/) **Published:** September 10, 2019 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Outsourcing data centre management transfers key business processes and deliverables from in-house teams to an external supplier. The aim is to have the management and/or day-to-day execution of one or more business functions delivered by a third-party service provider that has a specialisation and expertise in performing these functions beyond those available to in-house teams. The client company will use the external provider for a variety of reasons that will be explored in greater detail below, but key benefits include, scalability, access to expertise and best practices, reduction of risk and inevitably cost benefit. In many cases the external supplier provides services that could potentially be delivered inhouse, however these are probably not considered core business. This means that sufficient depth of experience or the specialist expertise required to manage business critical data centres is very unlikely to be available. In addition to this the management time to focus on these non-core functions may be lacking and the required training and development of expertise may be considered too expensive or too slow to deliver. All these combined with the inevitable pressure on the ability to scale or adapt to changing business conditions and requirements makes outsourcing an attractive option. **Objectives** The broad aim of outsourcing data centre services is to make a business or organization more competitive by allowing the option to stay focused on its key business drivers. This is achieved by allowing greater flexibility, offering cost certainty and releasing both financial and other resources into the core business. Outsourcing also allows a client to focus on their core business by having non-core operational functions assumed by an outside expert. When no longer devoting energy and resources to areas that are not in its expertise domain, a business can focus more resources on directly meeting customers’ requirements. **The Management of Risk** The data centre sector is first and foremost associated with continued service availability and the reduction of the risks that might result in a service outage. Outsourcing can reduce exposure to risk as it can provide a far greater breadth and depth of resources, offer brand insulation, put people related and financial risk at an arm’s length, guard against potentially stagnating operational processes. On the operational side the outsourced provider can offer lessons, best practices and training opportunities gleaned from a wider portfolio of sites and operating environments. Outsourced suppliers can far more easily justify the cost and benefit of development and sharing of best practices and methodologies acquired from a diverse client base than individual businesses are able to do. Outsourcing providers make investments on behalf of multiple clients, rather than just one, learning valuable transferable lessons in the process. This investment spreads knowledge of known risks and risk mitigation strategies significantly reducing the risk exposure held by a single company, an essential aspect of overall risk reduction. Outsourcing can also provide valuable insulation against exposure to statutory and compliance issues. Outsourcing also enables businesses to pass certain elements of risk to their outsourced supplier(s). This can provide insulation from changing external factors such as market fluctuations, competition development, government regulations, financial conditions and emerging technologies, all of which may change rapidly, especially in the data centre sector. Keeping up with these changes, can potentially be risky and something to be avoided in a highly risk averse industry. **Scales and Access to Resources** Many companies outsource data centre management because they do not have access to the correct resources within their business, either in the right locations or at sufficient scale. This is generally true for businesses experiencing rapid growth, moving into new geographies or taking advantage of new technology. Every organization has practical limits on the resources available, particularly in a competitive market. This is especially relevant in the data centre industry where technology changes rapidly and experienced people with the correct skills are in great demand and short supply. It may be possible that outsourcing is the only option available if deadlines are to be achieved as it offers a viable alternative to building the needed capability from the ground up. Large outsourced service providers have the advantage of scale, which offers the ability to attract the best talent based on brand awareness and demonstrable career path, unlikely to be available with an in-house delivery model. This in turn reduces staff churn and subsequent loss of skills and experience. HR costs are reduced as recruitment and selection can be absorbed by outsourced supplier rather than the client. The outsourced supplier has greater and experience in retention and management of data centre engineering skills, engineering career opportunities, training, progression and motivation. Personal development can therefore be better provided for employees operating within a business that has engineering skills at its core. Ultimately it is likely that there will be better career opportunities for personnel who transition to the outsourcing provider if services are outsourced. **Data Centre Technology and Pace of Change** Leading outsourced service providers typically make extensive investments in technology, methodologies, and people. They gain expertise by working with many clients facing similar challenges. This combination of specialization and expertise gives their customers a competitive advantage and helps them avoid the direct cost of chasing technology and training. Knowledge and expertise held in-house by the outsourced service provider along with consistent and well proven practices and processes are made available to their clients. These are unlikely to exist or be kept up to date in businesses which manage data centre operations, engineering and maintenance outside of their core operations. In a rapidly changing, technology driven, sector businesses are continually being ‘re-engineered’ with the aim of improving critical measures of performance such as cost, quality, service and speed of delivery. However, the need to increase efficiency can come into direct conflict with the need to invest in core business. If focus is taken from non-core business functions these can become increasingly less efficient and less productive over time. If these non-core functions are outsourced specialist provider and properly monitored the client business will speed re-engineering, improve operational efficiency, reduce risk and improve costs. **Financial Benefits and Financial Control** With a properly considered contract and appropriate SLAs, outsourcing data centre management can offer more control rather than less. Loss of control is a common justification for not outsourcing, however a single knowledgeable point of contact with clear accountability and responsibility means that it is easier to make changes to operational delivery structures, roles, methods and KPIs etc. These changes can be delivered by experienced outsourced providers who do this routinely rather than rarely as is the case in most business. Clear financial accountability, well defined deliverables and agreed outcome-based transformations or re-engineering are achievable within much reduced timescales when the incentive or financial penalties can be applied. With this in mind outsourced engineering and fabric maintenance operations are far more insulated from the rapid pace of change of legislation, policy, technology, market demands and rapid Innovation within the data centre industry. Despite the introduction of a margin by the outsourced provider it is still possible to reduce costs in real terms by outsourcing data centre operations, engineering and maintenance. This is due to the advantages of scale which both reduces overhead costs per specialist employee and can also offer very significant supply chain advantages. Cost reduction with an outsourced delivery model is a possible target even with the improved service levels, reduced risk and greater depth and breadth of skills provided. This is largely due to economies of scale, particularly in relation to supply chain and purchasing capabilities. Access to the outsourced provider’s lower cost structure, due to the result greater economies of scale and purchasing power, particularly within the supply chain, is one of the most compelling tactical reasons for outsourcing. Outsourcing data centre operations can also flatten operational expenditure and provide more accurate and consistent financial forecasting over a longer period leading to increased ‘Cost Certainty’. Outsourcing can potentially transfer ‘fixed’ economic exposure to the outsourced provider offering the benefit of insulation from external economic variables. This is potentially extremely valuable in times of economic uncertainty. In addition to this there may be the option to contract out capital items such as infrastructure upgrade, replacement or refurbishment as operational expenses spread over a contracted period with the outsourced provider, This transfer of capital costs to operational cost can be particularly attractive to some business and potentially free up capital for other projects elsewhere in the business. **Data Centre Management and Delivery** Companies that attempt to take on non-core functions and operate at low volume, especially across a diverse portfolio or multiple sites are likely to incur significantly higher training, recruitment, supply chain, research, development, marketing and deployment expenses, all of which are passed on to the customer. An outsourced provider’s lower cost structure, which may be the result of greater economies of scale or other advantage based on specialization, can reduce a company’s overall operating costs and therefore increase competitive advantage. Control and management challenges are often given as a reason for outsourcing. However, there may be underlying causes such as unclear management expectations or difficulty in measuring performance. Outsourcing is one option for addressing this issue but outsourcing alone is not the whole solution. Outsourcing in this case merely moves the symptoms of the problems elsewhere without identifying or dealing with the underlying causes. Mere abdication of management responsibility does not solve the underlying problems, rather the organization needs to examine the underlying causes. If the requirements, objectives, expectations or needed resources are not clearly understood, then outsourcing cannot improve the situation; it may in fact exacerbate it. If the business does not understand its own requirements, it will not be able to communicate them to an outside provider. Well defined outcomes and clear deliverables set for the outsourced provider ensure consistent service quality over time with less likelihood of service degradation due to loss of focus, misaligned goals and objectives, complacency and changing business conditions and requirements. For data centre outsourcing to be successful, business management must have a clear and agreed set of objectives in mind and a clear sense of the benefits and risks involved. It should also be noted that the client business should always retain a limited amount of in-house knowledge to properly engage with and manage the outsourced supplier(s). Many outsourcing contracts fail to deliver the promised rewards due to misaligned goals and objectives, lack of clarity on the part of the client and in some cases failure to grasp or act upon the technical feedback provided by the outsourced supplier within their domain of expertise based up the detailed knowledge and understanding of their in-house team of subject matter experts. **A summary of key data centre outsourcing benefits presented below:** - - **Acceleration of re-engineering benefits** - - **Access to a broader range of capabilities** - - **Acquire access to best practices and proven methodologies from a wide portfolio** - - **Focus limited resources or resources not available internally** - - **Free internal resources for other purposes by offloading non-core functions** - - **Functions difficult to manage in-house** - - **Gain access to specialist expertise and capabilities** - - **Improve company focus** - - **Improve cost efficiencies through economies of scale** - - **Increase efficiency by consolidating and centralizing functions** - - **Level out cyclical or seasonal fluctuations and eliminate peak staffing problems** - - **Leverage the provider’s extensive investments in technology, methodologies and people** - - **Make capital funds available** - - **Obtain project management and implementation consulting expertise** - - **Overall cost reduction and avoidance of capital investment** - - **Redirect energy and personnel into the core business** - - **Reduce and control operating costs** - - **Reduce need for internal specialists by accessing specialist skills** - - **Reduce operational overheads and control costs** - - **Reduce operating and financial risks** - - **Reduce the tactical management burden while retaining control of strategic decision making** - - **Reduce training and recruitment costs** Future-tech have been designing, building and managing business critical data centres since 1982. The experience gained in being involved in data centre management from the outset has resulted in Future-tech sites achieved 99.999% uptime during 35+ years of operation. Future-tech has a team of experienced engineers, skilled and highly trained in-house Data Centre Engineers capable of properly maintaining and operating business critical data centre sites of all sizes. For more details please contact Richard Stacey on 0845 900 0127 or at **Categories:** Articles, Best Practice --- ### [Investment panel debate](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/investment-panel-debate/) **Published:** October 15, 2020 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Data centres are being seen as a high return asset class by investors and resistant to the current downturn, however do investors understand the risk involved and how do they determine what type of data centre to invest in and where? **Speakers:** - John Wilson, Director, Data Centre & TMT Financing, SMBC - James Wilman, CEO, Future-tech - Frank de Frémery, Director, AC Niellsen Data Centers - David King, Head of Cost Planning, Yondr Group - Romain Le Melinaidre. Investment Manager, InfraVia Capital **Moderator:** - Mark Acton, Data Centre Consultant **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Success in Scotland](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/success-in-scotland/) **Published:** September 7, 2009 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Success in Scotland by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Sep 7, 2009 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Scotland-1080x486.jpg) Future-tech has recently secured contracts for two new data centres in Scotland. Both will use the latest in UPS and cooling technologies to deliver excellent energy efficiency with class-leading PUE figures. The first project, for a global bio-technology company, is already underway and incorporates APC In-Row cooling served by a chilled water system with free cooling. The second, for the University of St Andrews, is in the detailed design phase with construction due to start in March. This utilises water cooled DX systems again with free cooling. The combined value of the two contracts is £1.6 million. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The BBC reports on the BCC's new Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-bbc-reports-on-the-bccs-new-data-centre/) **Published:** March 9, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** A new Future-tech designed data centre in Bristol City Council’s listed Head Quarters won the Innovation in the Micro-Data Centre Award at the 2009 Datacentre Leaders Awards in London. For more information follow this link and [read the report “˜Bristol building gets green award for new technology’](http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8506000/8506112.stm) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Atlantis Resources Corporation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/atlantis-resources-corporation/) **Published:** April 2, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** During March Atlantis Resources Corporation leased a seabed site located close to Orkney and the Pentland Firth. Whilst this region has some commercial issues, such as transmission constraints and the lack of a local industrial load, Atlantis plan to overcome these by incorporating some innovative solutions. Project Blue is a green data centre project which will see at least 30MW of data centre capacity be built in the North of Scotland and be powered by Atlantis tidal turbines. Along with this abundant renewable energy source the use of “free cooling” will further improve the green credentials of this project. On a local level this project will potentially create approximately 700 new jobs for the area. For more information on this and other [Atlantis Resources Corporation projects](http://atlantisresourcesltd.com/projects.html "atlantisresourcesltd"). **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Carbon Reduction Commitment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/carbon-reduction-commitment/) **Published:** April 2, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The Carbon Reduction Commitment (recently renamed the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme) has now officially started, and is the UK’s first mandatory carbon trading scheme. The initial phase of the CRC is compulsory for organisations that consumed over 6,000 MWh (6,000,000 kWh) of half-hourly metered electricity during the period from January 2008 to December 2008. At today’s prices, this is roughly equivalent to total half hourly electricity bills of approximately £500,000 per year. The aim of the CRC is to reduce the level of carbon emissions currently produced by the larger ‘low energy-intensive’ organisations by approximately 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2020. As a Climate Change Bill commitment, the scheme is aiming for a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. The Carbon Reduction Commitment will cover both public and private sector organisations. At present, the carbon reduction scheme is expected to affect approximately 5,000 organisations in the UK. In doing so, it is anticipated that the scheme will affect 25% of total business sector emissions within the UK. The scheme will work in tandem with the existing European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and Climate Change Agreements. As a result, where emissions have been captured by the EU ETS and CCA, these emissions will not be captured by the CRC. In essence, the CRC is targeted at low energy-intensive users. The Climate Change Bill also sets the enabling powers for the Carbon Reduction Commitment and sets out the role of the Climate Change Committee that will oversee much of the CRC scheme. While the scheme doesn’t officially start until April 2010, many organisations will need to make preparations before that date to ensure that they comply with all legal requirements and fully participate in the scheme. Source: http://www.carbonreductioncommitment.info/ **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Aviation Industry emits four times as much CO2 as Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/aviation-industry-emits-four-times-as-much-co2-as-data-centres/) **Published:** April 24, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** An interesting fact came to light during news coverage of the ban on flights, resulting from volcanic ash produced by Mount Eyjafjallajökull. The savings in CO2 emissions due to planes not flying were quoted as being 344,109 tons per day, i.e equivalent to 125.6 million tons per year. This is in comparison to Europe’s combined data centre energy usage, estimated at 30 million tons of CO2 per year. Puts things into perspective. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [China plans to introduce Carbon Taxing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/china-plans-to-introduce-carbon-taxing/) **Published:** May 11, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** China is currently the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gasses. With many out-dated coal fired power stations, iron smelting plants and steel production facilities in use there is scope to make enormous reductions. The Chinese Premier has vowed to make his country a less carbon intensive nation. Research conducted by the Chinese Ministry of Finance has indicated that a carbon based tax system is the best way to make these reductions. This system is likely to be introduced during 2012 or 2013. The extra revenue created by this tax system would be used to update older inefficient facilities as well as invest in and develop more environmentally friendly industries. Along with this it has been outlined that up to 30% of the revenue could be used in localised environmentally friendly projects. This proposed tax initiative follows China’s recent rise to the top as the world’s largest investor in clean technologies. For further information regarding China’s Carbon Tax follow this [link](http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-05/10/content_9826546.htm) To find out how to reduce the carbon footprint of your data centre email jwilman@future-tech.co.uk for a copy of our white paper entitled “Quick Wins for Improving Air Conditioning Efficiency in Existing Data Centres”. This short, practically written document takes you through four easy ways to increase your data centre energy efficiency. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Data Centre success with two Universities](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-success-with-two-universities/) **Published:** May 14, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Data Centre success with two Universities by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | May 14, 2010 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/success.jpg) **Data Centre Success with The Universities of Hertfordshire and Brighton**On Monday the 10th of May Richard Stern and Steve Phipps from the University of Hertfordshire and Geoff Fayers from the University of Brighton gave two thirty minutes presentations on their recent Data Centre Tenders. Richard and Steve took delegates on a journey through their process covering topics such as; how a design and build solution was the best for them, how they created their Invitation to Tender and in turn their Pre-qualification Questionnaire, what the potential risks and physical constraints were of the project, what problems might have been encountered along the way, their outcomes and goals, and the lessons they learned looking back with hind sight. This informative presentation was enjoyed by the delegates as well as Steve and Richard. An opportunity for questions from delegates at the end of the presentation brought up some interesting points that really demonstrated the advanced skill set possessed by many in the room. The University of Hertfordshire’s project is due to be completed at the end of June when there will be an opportunity to read Future-techs case study. Geoff Frayers from the University of Brighton concentrated on the technical specification within his tender and how, by using Probrand, he was able to speed the whole process along and stay within the tight time constraints set for the project. **Categories:** Case Studies, News --- ### [Future-tech & AUrionpro - Strategic partnership announcement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-aurionpro-strategic-partnership-announcement/) **Published:** March 1, 2021 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Future-tech and Aurionpro are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to support the delivery of Data Centre Design and Consultancy Projects within India and South Asia. Headquartered in Mumbai, India, with a strong global operating presence, Aurionpro helps businesses accelerate digital innovation securely and efficiently. This includes the provision of Data Centre Consulting Services, which will be augmented by Future-tech’s specialist skills, global experience and resources in this area. [Aurionpro](https://www.aurionpro.com/) already excel in the following areas of data centre design and project delivery. - In-depth knowledge of data center design, as well as providing Reports & Advisory services including site selection and due diligence - Engineering team with Architects, Electrical and Mechanical experts with 30 to 35 years of experience in their respective field of specialization - Engineering professionals with ATD and CDCP / CDCS or similar qualifications and experience of multiple Uptime design and site certifications - Rich experience in design of hyperscale / Enterprise class DC meeting business requirements, and design criteria - A philosophy of modular, scalable and innovative low PUE / low carbon footprint designs - Designs incorporate all aspects of operation excellence with Realtime Monitoring, Automation and Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning capabilities - Architectural & Master Planning of entire sites - Commissioning services including IST (Integrated System Testing) Future-tech will bring additional data centre specialisation, engineering excellence and direct industry knowledge to this established and expanding team within India and South Asia. Over the last three years Future-tech has been engaged on more than 3GW of data centre capacity on projects across the globe. These engagements have been varied and have included master planning, concept, developed and detailed design, peer review, cost analysis, technical and commercial due diligence, technology analysis, optimisation, post outage forensic engineering, co-location selection and operational consulting and supervision. Our global projects have ranged from “crown jewel” high density and micro-edge environments, to multi-MW campuses, the largest so far being more than 270MW. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Green Gown awards winners announced](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/green-gown-awards-winners-announced/) **Published:** June 23, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### The UK’s most sustainable universities & colleges are recognised The winners of the annual Green Gown Awards, established to find the UK’s most sustainable universities and colleges, were announced at a prestigious gala banquet held at the Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London on 16 June 2010, in the presence of VIP guests including the fabulous Comedian and Amateur Environmental Crusader, Mark Watson. The winning entries were drawn from 191 applications, representing nearly 110 colleges and universities from across the UK. Each had to undergo a rigorous assessment process involving 44 expert judges from a range of relevant organisations including the Carbon Trust, The Association of College & University Business Officers (CUBO) and The Skills Funding Agency (SFA). In their sixth year, the Awards recognise exceptional initiatives being taken by higher and further education institutions in order to become more sustainable. The scheme has a variety of categories in which universities and colleges can illustrate their achievements, in both academia and estates management. The winning entries encompassed a wide range of innovative and diverse enterprises. The University of Strathclyde won the Social Responsibility category with a unique initiative, Engineering Excellence in Renewable Energy, that addresses social, economic and environmental factors to benefit students, the university and most importantly the international community. The University of Liverpool’s winning entry, PowerDown, in the Green ICT category demonstrated how their tried and tested tool was not only benefiting the university but was a huge value to the sector. Commenting on the 2010 Green Gown Awards, Iain Patton, Chief Executive of the EAUC, who are the administrators of the Awards, said, “This year’s winning and commended entries demonstrate not only that innovative institutions are taking successful action to minimise their environmental footprints and enhance their social contribution, but also that this is often accompanied by financial benefit. The scale of this benefit will increase as policy measures and regulations increase the costs of poor environmental performance, and as English universities, and eventually, perhaps, all of UK further and higher education, face the prospect of it reducing their funding. Sustainability is therefore compatible with the belt tightening that seems inevitable in future years.” “The number and diversity of applications and Awards this year demonstrates that the demands of sustainable development are relevant to everyone and to every aspect of further and higher education.” “We hope that the awards will provide inspiration and shared learning for the sector and will encourage all institutions to continue along the road to greater sustainability and improved environmental management.” The Green Gown Awards were founded by HEEPI and are now administrated by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC). The 2010 awards are sponsored by: The Carbon Trust, College and University Business Officers (CUBO), Future-Tech, The Higher Education Academy (HEA), Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), The former Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Salix Finance, The Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Sodexo and The Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA). Copy provided by Suzanne Rooke [Eauc](http://www.eauc.org.uk/home) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [The Open University reach 20 million downloads on iTunes](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-open-university-reach-20-million-downloads-on-itunes/) **Published:** July 2, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The Open University (OU) today reached a milestone as the first university to hit 20 million downloaded tracks on iTunes U, a dedicated area within the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com). With an average of over a quarter of a million downloads per week\*, the OU’s popularity has soared since content was first made available on iTunes U in June 2008.Martin Bean, Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, said: “I am delighted that the popularity of The Open University on iTunes U continues to go from strength to strength. Our success lies in providing original, custom-built content for iTunes U, linked to current and popular OU courses. Students are able to incorporate tracks into their studies, while informal learners anywhere in the world can tap into these excellent materials for free.” Most people downloading the OU’s tracks do so to continue their own education, with 96%\*\* of respondents to an OU audience survey saying that they use the materials for learning. An upsurge in people accessing OU student websites on their mobile devices reinforces the increasing popularity of more flexible content like the materials on iTunes U. In June 2008, when The Open University on iTunes U was launched, 1,370 students accessed the OU’s student websites via their mobile devices ” in May 2010, this had risen massively to over 11,000 unique student visitors in that month alone. Over half of those who download OU content from iTunes U\*\* engage with it whilst undertaking other activities. Martin Bean continued: “The way people want to learn is changing: many now actively seek out content they are interested in and which they can watch, read or listen to when it suits them. New channels are helping people to fit learning in with their lifestyles, and the OU has always kept pace with the changing world of technology, which is why we are such a resounding success on iTunes U.” Over 4.5 million downloads from The Open University on iTunes U in the past year\*\*\* relate to tracks in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, accounting for 28% of the total downloads in that time. Anyone can download OU tracks from iTunes U for free, and the most popular collections from The Open University on iTunes U have been languages and arts with the most downloaded to date being Beginner’s French. Copy kindly provided by the Open University The Open University and Future-tech have worked together for many years, for more information follow this link Notes to editors 1. \* – based on a 12 week average. 2. \*\* – 96% of those who responded to an OU iTunes U audience research survey said that they use the materials for learning. 58% of those who responded to an OU iTunes U audience research survey said that they listen to materials whilst doing another activity. Survey conducted from September 2009 – January 2010, data from a sample of 1,000 people. 3. \*\*\* – from 25 June 2009 – 25 June 2010, 4,545,300 downloads from The Open University on iTunes U were from the subject areas of science, technology, engineering and maths. 4. The Open University (OU) is the United Kingdom’s largest university and the world leader in distance education. More than 1.5 million people have studied with the OU since it began in 1969. The OU has more than 250,000 students in over 40 countries studying for a variety of degrees and vocational qualifications ranging from short courses to PhDs. 5. Independent authorities have consistently ranked the OU in the top five UK universities for teaching quality and virtually all of the University’s research areas have received ratings of national or international excellence. OU students are more impressed with the quality of their courses and the support received than those at any other UK university, based on the findings of the National Student Survey. The OU has been at the top of the rankings every year since the survey began in 2005. 6. The Knowledge Media Institute is a highly successful interdisciplinary research centre founded at The Open University in 1995. It is widely acknowledged to be at the leading edge of research and development, particularly in semantic web technologies, multimedia and information systems, knowledge modelling and management, new media for learning and sense making. KMi is part of the OU’s Centre for Research in Computing, ranked as one of the top 20 research centres in the UK RAE 2008. The style, impact and content of [KMi](http://kmi.open.ac.uk/). **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [EU Legislation for air-conditioning plant](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/eu-legislation-for-air-conditioning-plant/) **Published:** July 12, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Many people are unaware that from 4th January 2011 there is a legal requirement for all operators of air conditioning systems with a combined total output greater than 12KW to be regularly inspected by a qualified Energy Assessor. ## The Facts All buildings that have air conditioning systems with a combined total of more than 12kW must be inspected every 5 years by an Energy Assessor. It is the duty of the person responsible for the technical functioning of the system to ensure that an Energy Assessment Certificate is in place. Inspections must be undertaken at least every five years. Failure to be in possession of the Report and Certificate gained from the Assessment could result in fines of up to £300 every 6 weeks until a Certificate has been acquired. (however this fine is likely to rise) If recommendations are carried out, energy savings can almost certainly be made. All air conditioning systems installed or commissioned since 01/01/2008 have 5 years before they require inspection. If the room serviced by the air conditioning system has no permanent workstation within it e.g. a lights out data centre, it is exempt from this legislation. ### **FAQ’s** **When do I need to have an Energy Assessment carried out?** If your air conditioning system has a cumulative output greater than 12kw. You will need to have acquired a Report and Certificate by January 4th 2011. **What do I get from the Assessment?** You get a full Report, this report is also lodged on the Government’s Landmark Database. **What is included within the Report?** The Report looks at the air conditioning system and associated controls. Recommendations of how energy savings can be made will also be detailed in the Report. **Do I have to act on the recommendations?** No, you do not. These recommendations aim to raise awareness on potential energy savings. For further information about how to have your air conditioning inspected by a qualified Energy Assessor email info@future-tech.co.uk or contact us via our form. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Facebook and the big cloud debate](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/facebook-and-the-big-cloud-debate/) **Published:** July 15, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Like most companies Facebook is regularly assessing their IT and asking the question: is this delivering the best solution at the best cost for us. There are many different areas that are open to scrutiny, one being the question of handing all their processing over to a Cloud service provider. “We look at, probably once or twice a year, does it make sense for us to build more infrastructure in the Cloud, and on someone else’s backbone, and less for ourselves?” said Jonathan Heiliger, Vice President of Technical Operations at Facebook, at the Structure 2010 conference in San Francisco. “We’ve determined, that it doesn’t, each time we’ve done this analysis.” The reasons for this, Heiliger went on to explain, were that the cost to Facebook to build and maintain their own data centre is still less than the bids from Cloud service provider, plus managing and owning their own infrastructure gives greater control and adaptability. “It gives us a tone of flexibility. We don’t have to wait for someone to go develop a feature. We just roll it out ourselves. By using our own infrastructure, we can put in a different CPU architecture, add a new networking device, or introduce traffic acceleration when and where we like. It also leaves us free to shift traffic around and place caches where it makes the most sense.” Ebay, Google and several other big web based organisations with millions of users have come to the same conclusion. By moving away from the Cloud they have been able to cut costs and improve performance. Heiliger went on to say “I advise a growing web company to compare the total cost of ownership of Cloud versus a home grown data centre and the value of having internal control over it.” Another factor to take into consideration is the amount of reimbursement under most Cloud service-level agreements. This is often capped at the cost of the contract rather than the value of lost operating time to the web company or their customers. The lesson to take from this is that a full investigation is required before a company can decide whether moving to or from Cloud is right for them. If you are faced with this decision and would like budget costs for the design, build and on- going maintenance of your own data centre contact: Future-tech at info@future-tech.co.uk, One of our consultants can discuss the options and provide a detailed and accurate business proposal with ROI. Alternatively call us on 0845 9000 127 or complete our [contact form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us"). **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Treat your Data Centre as an energy source](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/treat-your-data-centre-as-an-energy-source/) **Published:** July 29, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Academica, a Finnish based IT company, has recently installed a 2MW data centre housed within a Second World War bunker right in the centre of Helsinki. Not only does this data centre provide 2MW of server processing power, as a by product it will heat 1500 dwellings within the city. Data centre designers at Future-tech know that the resilience and efficiency of an installation are of the utmost importance however a focus should be given to the reuse of waste heat produced by the servers. They understand that this may not always be possible; however this option should always be explored. Jordan Galloway, design engineer for Future-tech said “No matter how good your PUE is, you are potentially throwing hundreds of kWs of heat energy away, albeit very efficiently”. The last two data centres completed by Future-tech both have the ability to reuse the heat produced by their servers. The first at St Andrews University, Scotland, can direct the warmth from the water in the cooling system, through a plate heat exchanger, to an under floor heating system. As under floor heating systems run at relatively low temperatures there is no requirement for a heat pump, meaning the data centre can deliver, at full load, 270kW of heating power to the University’s Library. This will result in the conventional heating system merely supplementing the under floor heating system during the very coldest periods of winter. The second project, for the University of Hertfordshire, uses the return water from the data centre cooling system to help heat the building’s hot water. Although the data centre does not provide enough heat to run the hot water system single-handedly, it does make a substantial contribution to the overall energy used and in turn reduces both energy costs and the University’s carbon footprint. Jordan Galloway added “The reason I became an engineer was to work on projects like these. It is really rewarding bringing truly innovative solutions to our customers. If new buildings are thought about in a holistic way and the data centre treated as an energy source, we can design buildings that are more efficient, more sustainable and ultimately better value”. The difficulty in capturing heat for re-use from legacy data centre’s has been two-fold; Firstly, The legacy data centre has had no form of control in the way the exhaust air that is created by the servers is transported away, generally being allowed to simply mix in the room prior to returning to a perimeter air conditioning unit, thus reducing the useable energy from the exhaust air and making the transportation of the heat energy very difficult The grade of heat created by servers has been very low, with a typical server only increasing the temperature of the air across its chips by approximately 10 degrees C, so the kW heat output may look very attractive from a re-utilisation perspective, but once diluted across a very high volume of air, the manageability of that heat becomes complicated. Server inlet temperatures are typically maintained at approximately 20 degrees C in a traditional data centre, so with a 10 degree rise that is only 30 degree C air being ejected.. tough to convert into useable heat in another application. The good news is that there is a significant shift in the above limitations from the way that modern data centres are being designed that will allow for a far greater return to be achieved from heat re-use. And these changes are being created by the industries move to be more effective in the use of power in the data centre, this is compounded by the server manufacturers also feeling pressure to reduce the power usage of servers. Firstly, the need to use air conditioning systems efficiently has caused a significant shift towards close air management in the modern data centre, physically separating the exhaust air from the conditioned air. This new approach has the additional benefit, beyond efficiency, as it allows the data centre owner to consider heat capture due to the concentration of the heat as part of the room design, and the subsequent transportation of the heat away from the facility, initially by passing across an exchanger. Secondly server manufacturers are moving towards increased exhaust heat temperatures as they reduce fan speeds to improve server efficiencies. A blade server can have twice the heat rise across its chips than a legacy server, increasing the grade of heat significantly, this is compounded even further by a move from the traditional ideals around server inlet temperatures, with every degree of inlet tolerance increase resulting in an additional degree of useable heat energy from the exhaust. The future is certainly very bright for the re-use of the heat energy from data centre’s, especially on the wave of measures already being introduced to improve efficiency. So design and build the infrastructure that enables re-use today, and in the future that decision is going to look increasingly shrewd as the data centre space continues to deliver improved results If you have any thoughts about the reuse of your data centres’ heat energy and would like to discuss some of the options open to you contact Future-tech on **0845 9000 127** or email at info@future-tech.co.uk or complete our [contact form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us"). **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Building The Big Edge in Kenya - digital report 2021](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/building-the-big-edge-in-kenya-digital-report-2021/) **Published:** August 10, 2021 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Building The Big Edge in Kenya – digital report 2021 by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Aug 10, 2021 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Digital-Report.jpg) Future-tech are extremely pleased to be able to share this new report from [IXAfrica Data Centre](https://ixafrica.co.ke/) in which Guy Willner and Clement Martineau discuss the ‘Big Edge’ and satisfying Hyperscale demand in Africa. Future-tech is proud to have acted as IXAfrica’s design consultant and partner during the development of East Africa’s largest carrier-neutral data centre campus. Please download the full report for more details on this exciting development. [Download Here](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BRO-IXAfrica-August2021.pdf) ![Ft report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FT-Report.jpg "Ft report | futuretech") **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Cryptocurrencies and the data centre: part two](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cryptocurrencies-and-the-data-centre-part-two/) **Published:** October 16, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In the second part of this series we take a closer look at the specific design, build and operation of cryptocurrency data centres. As we saw in [part one of this series](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cryptocurrencies-and-the-data-centre-part-one/), there is now an increasing trend towards data centre capacity that is designed and operated to support a specific set of applications. For example some public cloud service provider sites achieve high levels of energy and cost efficiency through the use of infrastructure that is heavily tailored to support custom applications running on custom hardware. Many cryptocurrency sites follow a similar model; in fact some facilities are so tailored to the single purpose of cryptocurrency mining that they more closely resemble warehouses or other industrial buildings than traditional data centres. They may not always be elegant but they are usually highly efficient, very cost effective and fit for purpose. **IT equipment** Historically Bitcoin and other kinds of cryptocurrency have been mined using conventional hardware including PCs. However over the recent past there has been a considerable escalation in the development of specific IT hardware to accelerate the speed and efficiency of mining operations. This has seen mining move from equipment based around central processing units (CPUs), to graphical processing units (GPUs), to field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and most recently to application-specific integrated circuit (ASICs). ASIC-based systems have now proliferated as they provide competitive processing speeds at lower power requirements than FPGA or GPU-based systems. But although the efficiency and power of cryptocurrency mining hardware has improved the escalation in the required compute means that mining operations often still require high-rack power densities and specialist cooling equipment. Using ASIC-based systems typical rack densities can easily exceed 20kW compared to less than 5kW per rack for typical enterprise facilities. More power-dense sites can incur higher costs because of the additional cooling, power distribution and other requirements. But this is offset to some degree by the fact that most mining operations are more tolerant of downtime and don’t require the high-levels of redundant mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems of conventional mission-critical sites. This reduces the M&E fitout cost for a dedicated cryptocurrency site to 40% or less of the $6.5 million per MW of a more typical Tier III (certification scheme operated by data centre resiliency specialist Uptime Institute) colocation or enterprise site. **Dedicated versus colocation** Given the design and build costs for dedicated cryptocurrency sites, multi-tenant datacentre (MTDCs) operators offer a low capital alternative to dedicated sites. However, historically most MTDCs have been built out to the lower density requirements of more typical enterprise workloads; this could make some MTDCs either not suitable or more costly for cryptocurrency mining operations. According to estimates from high-performance compute (HPC) specialist Allied Control (now owned by Bitcoin company BitFury) a cryptocurrency MTDC tenant requiring 1.25MW of IT capacity could spend more than $3.5 million annually on colocation costs. However this will vary significantly depending on the specification and location of the MTDC. **Location, location, location** Given these costs, cryptocurrency miners are increasingly looking to use colocation operators in regions with low-energy costs such as the Nordics. A number of MTDC operators in this region have cryptocurrency clients and some have even developed specific services to appeal to these customers. For example, Iceland-based operator Verne Global has a power distribution and resiliency service called Power Direct that has optional UPS coverage and is designed for cryptocurrency and other high-density users. Verne says the lower resiliency requirements and related power costs means Power Direct is up to 80% cheaper than some rival MTDC capacity. New cryptocurrency sites are also being built out in China, which accounts for a large percentage of existing capacity, Georgia and other areas with low-energy costs. **Dedicated sites: opportunities and challenges** Future-tech has completed four designs for cryptocurrency sites this year and expects to see more in the future. For those mining operations that opt for dedicated sites, cryptocurrency data centres enjoy some benefits compared to conventional sites in terms of flexible designs, connectivity and other factors. These include: Resiliency – In locations such as the Nordics where there is usually a highly stable grid there may be no requirement for the usual back-up generators or UPSs required in mission critical sites. If an individual mining unit fails, it can be relatively easily replaced. Even if the entire site is down for a period, while inconvenient, the cost of a short interruption is fairly negligible. This has led some cryptocurrency sites to be described as ‘Tier 0’ to reflect that they don’t meet the lowest levels of redundancy on Uptime’s Tier I to IV framework. Some sites may also be built out without expensive fire-suppression systems or other safety equipment. Latency – Another benefit enjoyed by cryptocurrency sites is that they have little or no latency requirements. For that reason they can be built outside of key data centre locations such as London, Paris, or Frankfurt and take advantage of the low-energy costs, cheaper real-estate and free-air cooling in less developed markets. Free air-cooling – Iceland and other regions in Northern Europe are not only attractive because of low energy costs and stable grids but also because of temperate climates. This allows approaches such as direct and in-direct free air-cooling with little or no requirement for costly mechanical cooling which can account for up to 40% of facility capital costs. The fact that cryptocurrency hardware is replaced so frequently means that it is less likely to be in place long enough to suffer from the effects of air-based contaminants associated with some direct free air-cooling facilities. Some cryptocurrency operators take free-air cooling to an extreme and will simply open up the doors of a building to let in outside air directly with no filtration at all. One of Future-tech’s clients is converting an internal louvred plant area, intended for future phase M&E equipment, to provide a short term crypto focussed area for a specific end user deployment. Management – The relative simplicity and homogeneity of cryptocurrency hardware and facilities M&E means that a small pool of staff with specific skills will probably be sufficient for operational management. However cryptocurrency sites also face some specific challenges associated with power density and cooling requirements: Equipment replacement – The hardware refresh rate has some benefits but the requirement for competitive mining sites to replace IT hardware, in some cases every six months, can create additional costs and complexity when it comes to operating large-scale operations. Power density – Depending on the density of the deployment miners may need to deploy extreme forms of high-density cooling which has direct costs but also benefits. This can include technologies such as direct liquid cooling (DLC) where the processor or other components are in direct contact with, or full immersed in, a liquid coolant. Future-tech has seen growing demand for the high-density cooling technology and undertaken a number of M&E designs to support DLC systems. Some immersion liquid cooling suppliers have also developed containerized, modular DLC data centre designs. As with other types of prefabricated modular data centre (PFM) these modules can also be deployed in a relatively short time, 8 to 10 weeks – compared to some traditional data centre designs. Speed to market – The competitive nature of cryptocurrency mining means there is often considerable pressure to bring new capacity online quickly. This can present challenges using conventional design and build processes. PFM designs offer a way to bring new capacity online but innovative engineering services companies, such as Future-tech, have also developed ways to reduce traditional build times. **Future direction** The development of future data centre capacity is obviously dependent on the continued growth and adoption of cryptocurrencies. However it is likely to mirror some of the trends in the rest of the data centre industry including more widespread use of PFM designs but also more workloads migrating to specialist cloud mining services. However there is also the potential that some mining capacity may migrate back to highly distributed networks of specialist desktop systems. Whatever the future, cryptocurrencies look set to continue to be a source of innovation and disruption. **If you would like to learn more about workload specific data centre design or discuss the impact of cryptocurrency-optimized infrastructure in your data centre contact us on ** **Categories:** Articles, Crypto-Currency & Blockchain --- ### [Facebook photos could warm homes](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/facebook-photos-could-warm-homes/) **Published:** November 4, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** By 2020, we will use more energy storing all of our virtual lives “on the cloud” than we will by flying in airplanes. As we all add more and more of all of our all-too-easily-uploaded data to humanity’s ever growing attic where all our virtual stuff is stored, the need to add more data storage in an environmentally friendly way becomes crucial, because data servers use more and more energy. But a data center or server farm doesn’t just use energy. It also can actually generate electricity. Data centers generate heat. Heat can be harnessed to create two forms of energy we need; both electricity, and district heat as well (co-generation, or combined heat and power or CHP).A data center can actually be a source of both valuable heating and create actual megawatts of electricity, just from doing its thing, and storing our virtual stuff. District cooling and heating is already a mainstay in Finland and some other Scandinavian countries, contributing to their Kyoto-required reductions in CO2. Heat gets captured and injected into water or steam. The water or steam is then run through pipes underground to supply down town areas where it gets gets used as hot water or is used to run radiators. By adding chillers and heat exchangers; the heat energy can be also be used to drive air conditioners. Finland already gets 29% of its electricity from the waste heat from industrial cogeneration projects, but by 2007, co-generation also supplied 74% of the heat needed for district heating. Within the US alone there is an estimated 7 quadrillion BTUs of potential untapped heat energy. Until now most of the electricity production from Finnish industrial co-generation has come from the large timber and paper industry in Finland. But the idea of using new tech processes, like computing, that also create heat, to add an additional revenue stream from electricity production and district heating, is only starting to be put into practice. A new data farm-cum-power station under Helsinki is one of the first of these. San Diego’s Qualcomm supplies 4.5 MW of electricity as well as hot water that is used with an absorption chiller for air conditioning to cool the data center and the surrounding buildings, enough for 85% of the headquarters heat and power needs. The EPA says that any data farm paying more than 7 cents a kwh for electricity is a good candidate for saving money along with energy, with co-generation. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Future-tech Data Centres short listed for three DCD Awards](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-data-centres-short-listed-for-three-dcd-awards/) **Published:** November 26, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech Data Centres short listed for three DCD Awards by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Nov 26, 2010 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/dcd-awards.jpg) Future-tech are looking forward to the 2010 Data Centre Dynamics Awards in London. With three of their newly completed data centres up for awards the company is hoping 2010 will be their most successful year yet. The gala dinner and awards ceremony are taking place on the 16th of December at Lancaster London Hotel. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [UK Colleges and Universities forced to report](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/uk-colleges-and-universities-forced-to-report/) **Published:** November 30, 2010 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** New legislation passed in April this year means that most UK colleges and universities will be required to report on their energy use and improve their efficiency or they could face financial penalties. Now the University of Hertfordshire has become the first university in Europe to meet industry best practice in energy efficiency by complying with this new EU code of conduct for data centres. JISC part-funded a project at the university which refurbished an existing data centre facility including the development of a waste heat management system to enable the data centre and the building in which it is contained to run more effectively and efficiently. [Reduction and re-use of energy in institutional data centres](http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/institutionalinnovation/rareidc.aspx) The innovative solution has already demonstrated cost savings of £20,000 per year and will eventually save around £34,000 per year, reducing the university’s carbon footprint from 1,394 tons to just 773 tons for the same IT load, equivalent to taking 117 cars off the roads. The new system recycles waste energy back into the domestic hot water system for the university’s learning resources centre The refurbishment of the data centre increased capacity by over 45% while requiring no increase in space or carbon-intensive building work for cooling or power. Lawrie Phipps, programme manager at JISC, said: “This project demonstrated the University of Hertfordshire’s green credentials and also made efficiency gains in the process, highlighting the importance of this kind of innovation work and JISC’s role in helping institutions to meet their strategic aspirations.” Data centres consume a vast amount of energy. In times of rising fuel bills, tightening budgets and the need to be more environmentally sustainable has made data centre efficiency a strategic priority for many colleges and universities. The University of Hertfordshire is no exception to this, they have made it a priority to reduce their energy and carbon footprint by investing in their staff, information technology and estates to achieve this strategic goal. Hertfordshire’s Data Centre manager Steve Bowes-Phipps said: “The University of Hertfordshire is not alone in the higher and further education sector in trying to squeeze the maximum amount of capacity and power out of the limited spaces in which its data centres sit, while also trying to dramatically lower the total operational cost of owning them. Working with Future-tech, we believe we obtained the best data centre design possible for the limited budget available. As an added bonus, we also lowered the costs for running the LRC as well. It is great to be recognised by the EU as constantly seeking to improve the sustainability of our data centres and thus lowering ICT costs for our institution.” The EU Code of Conduct provides best practice recommendations which focus on how information technology can be designed and used to reduce energy consumption, ensuring data centres and other services perform more effectively. Following the best practice recommendations could result in a reduction in European data centre energy consumption of as much as 20%. Paolo Bertoldi, European Commission Director General for Research said: “This code of conduct is the first time that the energy efficiency of data centres has been regulated at a European level, so it is a significant step forward in bringing together organisations to discuss and agree voluntary actions.” [Programme webpage](http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/institutionalinnovation.aspx) [EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres](http://iet.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/ict-codes-conduct/data-centres-energy-efficiency "http://iet.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/ict-codes-conduct/data-centres-energy-efficiency") **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Future-tech wins second Data Centre Dynamics Award](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-wins-second-data-centre-dynamics-award/) **Published:** January 11, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** On December the 16th at the Lancaster Gate Hotel, London, the University of Hertfordshire were awarded the Innovation in a Micro Data Centre Award for their new De Havilland data centre. During April 2010 Future-tech were awarded the design and build contract for the University and the project was completed 14 weeks later, in June. The de Havilland data centre was up against some stiff opposition however its impressive PUE and ability to reuse the waste heat produced by servers clinched the coveted prize. Steve Bowes-Phipps collected the award on the evening of the 16th and felt it gave the University the recognition it deserved. Richard Stern, the project manager who delivered the facility on behalf of the University of Hertfordshire, said “Future-tech is a great company to work with. They have a can do attitude and a flexible and creative design team. This resulted in a data centre solution that really works and, most importantly, in our budget. Future-tech took ideas they had used on previous projects, then changed and adapted them to meet our desired performance criteria”. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Kent and Medway Health Informatics Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/kent-and-medway-health-informatics-service/) **Published:** January 23, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Kent and Medway Health Informatics Service by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Jan 23, 2012 | [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/), [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/health-service.jpg) A decision was made to replace the existing server room at the Kent and Medway Hospital with a purpose built data centre facility. This would provide a hub and central location for all IT systems at the Hospital. **Categories:** Case Studies, Design --- ### [University of Hertfordshire win Uptime Institute Award](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/university-of-hertfordshire-win-uptime-institute-award/) **Published:** February 18, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # University of Hertfordshire win Uptime Institute Award by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Feb 18, 2012 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/uptime-award.jpg) The new RARE data centre, designed and built by Future-tech for the University of Hertfordshire, has won another award for its innovative design and impressive environmental credentials. The Green Enterprise IT (GEIT) Awards are the Uptime Institute’s highest honour. The Institute grants these Awards to projects, ideas, and products that significantly improve energy productivity and resource use in IT. The Awards are open to applicants across the world; each case study is carefully judged by a committee of independent experts. Award winners will be honoured at the high-profile Uptime Institute Symposium in Santa Clara, CA in May 2011. A principal objective of the GEIT Awards is to educate the data centre and IT industries in effective ways to reduce energy consumption by highlighting innovation and best practices. Winners are provided with a platform to share their experiences and insights at the Institute Symposium and receive peer recognition and significant public relations recognition through media coverage of the Institute Awards. **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [The EU Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-eu-code-of-conduct-for-data-centre-energy-efficiency/) **Published:** February 19, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **What You Need to Know** Although the tide of organisations signing up to the EU Code of Conduct for data centre energy efficiency is growing, up-take in the main has been slow. There are several factors that have contributed to this ranging from a less than impressive website, with no case studies or examples of organisations that have benefited from embracing the best practices, to a lack of understanding by the general data centre community regarding the ongoing commitment involved in signing up to the Code. This is a shame as there are many organisations that have seen huge energy savings by adopting the best practices set out within the document. Add to this, the best practice principles have the proviso that they should only be adopted providing there is no negative impact on the delivery of business services. This gives data centre owners and operators the opportunity to adopt the principles that work best for their organisation, making signing up the Code a real “no brainer”. **What you need to know about the Code:** **The main point, it’s all about energy efficiency, saving money and CO2** **The second point, it’s good proven advice that really works** The Code of Conduct Document provides good advice and a thorough checklist covering all aspects of the data centre facility, from data storage to environmental set points. If you decide something is not right for your organisation then that’s fine. Nothing in the Code of Conduct expects you to compromise your ability to deliver your service. **So what does the Code of Conduct cover?** **Data Centre Management –** there are three distinct disciplines; software, hardware and physical infrastructure, that need to work together to ensure a data centre operates to is full potential. The first section of the best practice guide looks at creating a common Management Team made up of representatives from each discipline. This team should meet regularly and discuss all planned changes to the facility and the impact any changes may have to the data centre as a whole. **Data Centre** **Audit** – an internal audit of the data centre hardware and software should be carried out. This will give an accurate picture of what is in the data centre and a starting point for the Data Centre Management Team. This then avoids buying anything new without first evaluating whether you could meet the requirement within your existing estate. **Levels of Resilience** – look at the levels of software and hardware resilience. Ask the questions; are all of our services business critical? Do they all require the same level of resilience? If the answer is all services require 2N software and hardware to support the business needs, fine. Equally if your organisation allows staff members to store photos or itunes in a designated file area are these deemed business critical? **Hardware** – when the decision is made to purchase new hardware make part of the process based on the energy efficiency and operating ranges of the unit required. The broader the environmental range of the hardware the less energy your physical infrastructure will use keeping the environment within those set points. **Software** – review each process and ask what levels of resilience do I really need? What data needs to be stored and for how long? Can data be stored on passive devices? Look at how efficiently the applications work i.e. how much processing power is required to carry out a particular task? If your organisation writes its own software investigate how this could be done more energy efficiently. **Infrastructure Resilience –** traditionally a data centre’s supporting infrastructure resilience level is decided and delivered to all the services within the facility, this could be 2N. Ask the question do all of our services require this level of resilience? Allowing some systems to be UPS and generator backed while others can carryout a graceful shut down, this will save energy in your data centre. **Power** – having an uninterruptible, clean supply of power is essential to most data centres however many units, particularly if they are over three years, can have high levels of inefficiency. Ask the questions; how old is our UPS and what level of efficiency is it operating at? Swapping to a 99% efficient UPS may have a return on investment of less than a year depending on the size of your data centre. **Cooling** – after the hardware itself the cooling system is generally the biggest consumer of power within a data centre. By extending the environmental ranges, such as temperature and relative humidity, your cooling infrastructure will have to do less work, in turn using less energy. Often airflow issues will need to be addressed before raising air-on temperatures to negate the risk of hot spots. The basic rule for this is to segregate the supply and return air as best as possible. Aisle containment can often provide a cost effective solution. (for more information on [aisle containment follow this link](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/data-centre-construction/equipment-supply/hot-cold-aisle-containment "Hot And Cold Aisle Containment")) **Commissioning** – make sure everything is set up correctly to your specific design and environmental requirements, i.e. it’s no good buying hardware that operates at an air-on temperature of 28°C if then the commissioning engineer sets the air-on temperature of the air handling units to 21°C. This sounds painfully obvious but if the Hardware and Mechanical Teams don’t have an opportunity to work together it happens, and we see it regularly. Commissioning a system correctly, and especially a system with free cooling, can make a huge difference to its operational running costs. **Maintenance** – a regular, well structured maintenance schedule offers three major benefits; first any potential problems with equipment can often be identified before they become a problem, reducing risk and the interruption of services. Second, upgrades to equipment software become available and these often allow units to operate more efficiently, this is particularly relevant for UPSs where a simple software upgrade may make a 10% difference in energy efficiency. Thirdly, people working in the data centre may “fiddle” with settings on units, particularly air handling units, because they feel a “hot” spot or believe the system is operating incorrectly. These changes may cause problems that are counter intuitive, such as turning the fan speed up on an air handling unit to reduce a hot spot in front of a particular cabinet may actually make the hot spot worse. **SLA’s for hardware support** – if you have hardware that runs at wide temperature and humidity ranges make sure your support SLA’s accurately reflect this. Some support SLA’s require environmental ranges far tighter than the hardware itself requires. In conclusion the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centre Energy Efficiency is an excellent well thought out document. It will help data centre owners and operators with existing facilities as well as help those who are planning a new build or refurbishment project. If you would like to sign up to the Code or improve your data centres energy efficiency by embracing its best practice principle contact info@future-tech.co.uk or complete this [form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us"). **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [India embraces Thorium Nuclear Fuel](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/india-embraces-thorium-nuclear-fuel/) **Published:** March 3, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Whilst many see nuclear as the only viable means of meeting our future energy needs few can doubt the risks, especially following the recent disaster at Japan’s Fukushima power plant. Also uranium, the usual fuel for nuclear power stations, is itself a finite resource and so will at some time run out. On the other hand the present “renewable” alternatives, wind, solar, biomass etc, all have their drawbacks and at their present rate of introduction will not come anywhere near meeting our predicted energy needs. One possible answer to the dilemma is thorium: a naturally occurring radioactive element, four times more abundant than uranium in the earth’s crust and with other potential advantages over uranium including: – It is claimed that it produces 10 to 10,000 times less long-lived radioactive waste; – The thorium cycle uses 100% of the isotope as coming out of the ground (whereas the uranium cycle uses only the 0.7% fissile U-235 of the natural uranium). – Thorium cannot sustain a chain reaction without priming, so fission stops by default. (Basically, it “fails safe”)Also, and a cynic might say this is why it has not been developed in the past, weapons-grade fissionable material is harder to retrieve from a thorium reactor. Indeed thorium reactors have been around since the 1960’s but have generally been discounted as not commercially viable. That may be about to change. India, a country with 25% of the world’s reserves of thorium, is embarking on a major investment in thorium fuelled reactors. Ratan Kumar Sinha, the director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai, says that the basic physics and engineering of a thorium-fuelled reactor are in place, and the design is ready. A search for a suitable site is now underway and the plant is expected to be operational within 6 years. However not everyone is convinced. Jean McSorley of Greenpeace was quoted earlier this year as saying ‘Even if thorium technology does progress to the point where it might be commercially viable, it will face the same problems as conventional nuclear: it is not renewable or sustainable and cannot effectively connect to smart grids. The technology is not tried and tested, and none of the main players are interested. Thorium reactors are no more than a distraction.’ Others word their objections even more strongly, with Peter Karamoskos of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) quoted as stating: ‘Without exception, have never been commercially viable, nor do any of the intended new designs even remotely seem to be viable. Like all nuclear power production they rely on extensive taxpayer subsidies; the only difference is that with thorium and other breeder reactors these are of an order of magnitude greater, which is why no government has ever continued their funding’ For both sides of this debate see: [India plans ‘safer’ nuclear plant powered by thorium](http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/01/india-thorium-nuclear-plant) and [Don’t believe the spin on thorium being a greener nuclear option](http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/23/thorium-nuclear-uranium) **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Do water shortages threaten adiabatic cooling schemes within Data Centres?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/do-water-shortages-threaten-adiabatic-cooling-schemes-within-data-centres/) **Published:** March 27, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The latest development on the state of the UK’s water supplies is that, following a summit held by DEFRA on 20th February 2012, the South East of England is officially in a state of drought. This follows one of the driest winters on record. It is a worrying trend: parts of East Anglia have been suffering from drought since June 2011 and on 22nd December a drought order was granted to South East Water covering extraction of water from the river Ouse. For more information see: [Drought](http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130123162956/http:/www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/resources/drought/ "http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130123162956/http:/www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/resources/drought/") “Drought is already an issue this year with the South East, Anglia and other parts of the UK now officially in drought, and more areas are likely to be affected as we continue to experience a prolonged period of very low rainfall, said Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman following the DEFRA meeting. Areas either already in drought or experiencing extended periods of dry weather include: - Lincolnshire - Cambridgeshire - Bedfordshire - Nottinghamshire - Shropshire - Oxfordshire - Berkshire - Buckinghamshire - East Sussex - Kent Whilst hose pipe bans and other restriction do not normally apply to commercial or industrial use of water, this must never-the-less call into question the use of [adiabatic cooling](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/glossary/#adiabaticcooling "Adiabatic Cooling") for data centres and other applications. For those not familiar with the concept, adiabatic cooling utilises the fact that blowing air across a wetted medium causes the water to evaporate. The energy required to achieve this evaporation comes from the air, which reduces its temperature. This can be used to extend the range of temperatures at which [free-cooling](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/glossary/#freecooling) is available. All adiabatic systems have to flush through periodically, usually at least once every twenty four hours, and it is this flushing that causes the biggest water usage. It’s not so much the water that evaporates that is the problem it is the water that is, literally, going down the drain. Richard Lumb, Technical Director at data centre design and build specialist Future-tech, comments: “Anecdotal evidence suggests that the amount of water used by evaporative cooling systems is in fact much higher than predicted and we would be interested to hear of any hard evidence on this subject. In the meantime we at Future-tech will always consider all options for achieving energy efficient data centre cooling and will weigh up all the pro’s and con’s, including the water usage, of any proposed system. Certainly adiabatic cooling can give some benefit under certain conditions, but in many cases the additional energy saved is only marginal, and we have to ask ourselves this question: is it ethically acceptable to use drinking quality water, because that’s exactly what it is, to cool data centres then run it down the drain? Something else that needs to be borne in mind is that the main reason data centres were allowed to become so inefficient in their use of energy is quite simply that energy was cheap. In the 1960’s and 70’s it would have been unthinkable to build a data centre that did not have free cooling, but as property prices rose the space required by the necessary air handling plant could not be justified. This, in addition to the usual budget constraints, meant the [CRAC units](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/glossary/#cracunit) became the norm and the era of data centres with air conditioning running when the outside temperature was freezing was upon us. Rising energy costs have changed all that and although water is cheap now, who is to say that it won’t go the same way as energy very soon? **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Government response to Energy Supply report published 22.02.12](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/government-response-to-energy-supply-report-published-22-02-12/) **Published:** March 28, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Government response to Energy Supply report published 22.02.12 by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Mar 28, 2012 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/template-image-copy3-1080x486.jpg) On 22nd February the government published its response to House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee’s 8th report. The committee’s report *, published in October last year and entitled “the UK’s Energy Supply: Security or Independence”, states that “It is inevitable that the UK will become increasingly reliant on energy imports.” It then goes to say “This is not necessarily incompatible with increasing energy security; it can be maintained by a diverse Energy portfolio that does not rely too much on either a single supplier or a single fuel.” So, not all bad news you might think. However the report also says that “Failure to deliver (energy improvements) could have serious consequences for energy security.” And it concludes that delivering energy security, i.e. keeping the lights on and businesses operating, “requires a reliable supply of primary fuels, a secure delivery system and smart and efficient usage by consumers. Failure in any one of these three areas is likely to mean that energy needs go unmet.” So the future of our energy supplies is very much in our own hands. Data Centres are big users of power and all of us from designers to operators to users must play our part in improving our energy efficiency. No-one doubts that the size and number of data centres in the UK will continue to grow in the coming years and so we will have to work hard just to keep our energy use at present levels. The EU Code of Conduct on Data Centres can be a big help in improving energy efficiency. It sets out a structured framework enabling users and operators to manage and plan their data centres with energy use in mind. It is not difficult to participate and the requirements are not onerous. The application can be completed in a few hours and creates an action plan which will result in real benefits and savings in running costs. Future-tech will be happy to assist with your application and with advice on improving your data centre energy efficiency. Contact us now on 0845 9000 127 or [submit an enquiry](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") for more information. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [‘The Cloud' – Is it for everyone?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/the-cloud-is-it-for-everyone/) **Published:** March 29, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In the data centre business, there is always going to be some new technology or new product peering over the horizon. Several years ago, a new buzzword manifested in the realms of internet discussion and all of a sudden everybody was talking about ‘The Cloud’. Having grown up in the United Kingdom, I am certainly no stranger to the word ‘cloud’ and it’s regularity to appear in conversation, particularly at bus stops in the height of summer, but this may be one of the few instances where the word is instilled with enthusiasm by many. Chances are that you’ve probably heard of Cloud computing, whether you’re computer savvy or not. Put simply, it is a marketing term for technologies that provide computing as a service rather than a product. It embodies the concept that data processing and storage exists, not within an organization’s own designated data centre, but whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices as a metered service over the internet. One of the major benefactors of distributed computing across numerous server farms is that the processing power of a service, application or company can be effectively managed far greater at a cheaper cost than traditional computing archetypes, and in the current economic climate, who wouldn’t want that? Well, quite a few people actually. The truth is that there is no such thing as a free ride, and the Cloud certainly raises a few hesitancies among some. A lot of customers still want control, and that’s fine, but a SaaS (“Software as a Service”) company will require the data to come to them and that may not always address the customer’s requirements; some companies have policies where the data doesn’t leave the building at all. It has also been documented that the Cloud struggles to move large data sets quickly; so why would an organization who frequently moves this amount of data opt for Cloud computing when the fastest way to move 5 terabytes is via logistics? Unfortunately, these are just a few of many questions raised with Cloud Computing. The fact that it is still relatively new means that regulations and legislation laws haven’t quite caught up with the Cloud yet, and it may not be okay for some enterprises’ data to cross international borders. Some companies may also be concerned for the security of the data in question. Of course, Cloud companies will most-likely have everything under control, but the data is in the hands of a third-party and is ‘most-likely’ *really* enough to satisfy the customer’s concerns? Saying that, the Cloud does have it’s advantages for small and medium sized businesses who may find that paying less money for a third-party to ensure the maintenance and expansion of it’s IT infrastructure will allow them to focus on the company’s objectives. Organizations larger than your average Cloud services provider, however, may find that creating their *own* cloud is a more viable option, but when does a Cloud stop being a Cloud? There are some discrepancies over the terminology of a ‘private cloud’ for many; the key factor of the cloud concept being that the enterprise itself isn’t required to host and maintain it’s own IT infrastructure. Some will argue that it is just file virtualization wearing a different suit and granted, it’s very similar, but the debate is beyond the scope of this article. The point is that a lot of the major companies already have an existing virtualization infrastructure in place, meaning that a move to a ‘private cloud’ isn’t a mile away. Still, not everybody is sold on the concept of Cloud computing due to the number of questions hanging over it, so one could argue that a traditional data-centre is still indeed the best way forward for many organizations. Nevertheless, the Cloud is progressively addressing these issues and improving every day. At this moment in time opinions are divided; some avoid the cloud like bad weather, others see it as a silver lining economically. The question is, what’s best for *your* business? Call or [contact us](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") for more information **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [World's third largest Data Centre](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/worlds-third-largest-data-centre/) **Published:** March 29, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Indian telecommunications services giant Tulip Telecom has invited a great deal of attention in the data centre marketplace as of late, having announced the commercial launch of its Bangalore Data Centre, Tulip Data City (TDC). Spanning across 0.9 million sq ft, Tulip Data City has become Asia’s largest and the world’s third largest data centre to date, with the capacity to house 12,000 racks backed by up to 100MW of power. However, having already been labelled the most ‘green’ and most energy efficient data centre in India (PUE 1.5 approx.), the facility is expected to save close to 35MW of power at full capacity. Tulip Data City sits behind only two US based data centres in terms of size. Designed by IBM, the build itself cost Tulip Rs900 Crores, equivalent to around $200 million US Dollars, and is fully competent in providing cloud solutions to cater to the ever changing data and connectivity requirements of today’s enterprises. Of course, Tulip is no stranger to data centre builds, having built data centres for the government of Goa and Uttaranchal, but the multi-tiered facility (built to tier 4 and tier 3 standards) is a technology marvel that is sure to catapult the corporation into pole position in the Indian Data Centre industry. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Water shortage update March 2012](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/water-shortage-update-march-2012/) **Published:** March 30, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Follow up to related previous blog post: [Do water shortages threaten adiabatic cooling schemes within data centres?](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/do-water-shortages-threaten-adiabatic-cooling-schemes-within-data-centres/)The Environment Agency’s Drought Prospects report published in early March warns that, if the dry weather continues this spring, the drought could spread as far north as East Yorkshire and as far west as the Hampshire/Wiltshire border,. The whole of the South East and East Anglia are already in drought. Seven water companies across the South East have announced that hosepipe bans will come into effect from 5th April. These restrictions only affect domestic and recreational use, so are not an immediate threat to data centres operating adiabatic cooling. What will happen if, restriction or not, the taps dry up? Well (no pun intended), if you have one of the data centres that installed mechanical cooling as a back-up to your adiabatic system then all that will happen is that you’ll get less free cooling than you expected. Your energy savings won’t be as good as predicted and the ROI will be down but your data centre will continue to run.On the other hand, if you have one of the data centres that rely on the adiabatic cooling and did not install mechanical cooling as a back-up (and there are some), then you will have a problem. Dry bulb temperatures in the UK can reach 36°C and so without the evaporative cooling effect to bring this down, and if you don’t have mechanical cooling, you will be delivering air to your servers at 36°C or more. Not good. If you are concerned about your cooling system, or would like free, impartial advice on any aspect of your data centre infrastructure, please contact James Wilman using our [enquiry form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") or call 0845 9000 127. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Dublin Data Centre investment continues to grow](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/dublin-data-centre-investment-continues-to-grow/) **Published:** April 2, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Microsoft announced that it is investing an additional US$130 million to expand its data centre located in Dublin, Ireland. The expansion is driven by increased demand for Microsoft’s cloud services. This investment builds on the original $500m investment Microsoft made in the Dublin data centre, which has been operational since July 2009, serving customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).During a visit to Dublin, Peter Klein, Chief Financial Officer, Microsoft Corporation said “This investment shows where we are placing our bets for the future. As customers embrace Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365, Windows Live, Xbox Live, Bing and the Windows Azure platform, we are investing in regional cloud infrastructure to meet their needs.” Collocation and managed hosting provider Telecity is also investing in Dublin with the expansion of its facility at North West Business Park. This follows its take-over of rival Data Electronics last year, giving it a total of three data centres in the city. Other collocation providers in Dublin include Interexion and Hosting365. At the other end of the scale, data centre specialist Future-tech has just completed the construction of a high density super-efficient data centre for Trinity College. The facility, which delivers up to 20kW per cab, has a design PUE of 1.2.During commissioning in February 2012 the PUE was measured at 1.19 with an IT load of just 25% of full capacity. Data centre consultant James Wilman points out: “achieving good PUE figures at full load should be a given on any new data centre, getting those results at part load is much more difficult. Although we do not yet have the annualised PUE, the results measured so far are in line with our predictions and we expect that once we have a full year’s figures we will be showing an annualised PUE of 1.18 or even better”. All this follows hard on the heels of Google’s announcement in September 2011 that it is to invest $75m (£65m) in a new 11-acre data centre in Dublin, creating 230 jobs. This will be its second Dublin data centre. The search giant is a champion of energy efficiency and says that Ireland’s naturally cool climate contributed to its decision, as this increases the amount of [free cooling](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/data-centre-design-services/cooling-systems) available when compared to most other potential EU locations. If you would like to discuss how you might be able to improve the efficiency of you data centre, or any other aspect of data centre infrastructure, please call Richard Stacey on 0845 9000 127 or[ contact us.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Tri-Generation for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/tri-generation-for-data-centres/) **Published:** April 3, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Tri-Generation (or sometimes written as Trigeneration) is an extension of the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) concept. With CHP the waste heat from the generation of electricity is used to provide heat, most usually as central heating to homes via a [District Heating](http://www.chpa.co.uk/history-of-the-chpa_9.html) scheme. Tri-Generation takes this a step further by providing cooling via an absorption chiller, using waste heat from the generator as its energy source.CHP is not new, Scandinavia has installations dating back to the 1960’s and in the UK Sheffield’s CHP system went live in 1987 and Nottingham’s in 1989. The recent renewal in interest is because CHP solves two of the country’s problems: 1) it reduces energy use and along with it carbon emissions and 2) it reduces demand on the existing power supply grid. It is when CHP is extended to Tri-Generation that it becomes of interest to the data centre community because data centres have a steady demand for power and a continuous need for cooling. Thus, by generating power on site, the waste heat can cool the data centre. If there is also a need for heating in the locality, for example for offices, shops or homes nearby, the scheme really starts to gel, using up to 80% of total energy from the fuel as compared to around 30% in conventional power stations. A further benefit is that not only is the power generation more efficient but the power demand is reduced because no electrical power is required for the chillers, these being power by the waste heat. It is somewhat counter-intuitive to understand how heat can be used to cool but the technology of absorption refrigeration goes back to the earliest refrigeration systems and will be familiar to many owners of boats or caravans where gas fired fridges are still commonplace. CHP and tri-generators are generally powered by natural gas but could easily use bio-gas making the facility even more environmentally friendly and sustainable.Another reason for looking at tri-generation is if you have a site for a new data centre, or an existing data centre requiring expansion, and have insufficient power available. By generating your own power on site you avoid the necessity of bringing in additional power from the grid. The cost saving will help off-set the cost of the tri-generation system further improving the ROI. For data centre applications careful consideration does need to be given to the resilience of the system, naturally the generators and chillers will have redundancy but what provides the back-up if there is a failure in the gas supply? Options will include connection to mains power and/or diesel powered standby generators. In spite of the clear benefits in energy savings and reduced carbon emissions this technology has yet to find many in the data centre world ready to take the plunge. This is beginning to change, with the National Australia Bank investing $6.5 million in a scheme at its [Melbourne data centre](http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/340699/nab_data_centre_uses_trigen_saves_20k_tonnes_carbon/) which is expected to save $1 million p.a. in fuel costs. Many CHP and tri-generation schemes are large with capacities of several megawatts but smaller generators are available and data centres with loads as small as 60kW can be accommodated. If you have a data centre, whatever the size, and would like to discuss the benefits of tri-generation or any other aspect of data centre infrastructure, please contact James Wilman on 0845 9000 127 or [contact us.](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/ "Contact Us") **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Innovation Evolved: heat recycling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/innovation-evolved-heat-recycling/) **Published:** April 5, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** What is innovation? Dictionaries define it as the introduction of something new or different to traditionally accepted practices, but with so many organisations around the world trying to make their business more environmentally sustainable, some of the modern ideas that we have seen introduced over time have become somewhat commonplace. Go back to the beginning of the data centre, or computer rooms as they were more commonly referred to. Because of the low power densities, most of the rooms were laid out in rows with racks facing front to back. With time came ever-increasing loads and it was only until the orientation of racks were changed that the world recognized that creating hot and cold aisles would allow them to reduce the mixing of cold air delivery and the hot air return to the air conditioning system, thus increasing efficiencies; an innovation of its time. Fast forward to the present day and hot and cold aisle containment is more focused and more concentrated. With higher rack densities it is now considered crucial that in order to provide the best efficiencies, it is no longer enough just to cool the room. Aisle containment provides that degree of separation to minimise the cold air supply and hot air return from mixing. Whether it’s by using conventional perimeter located CRAC units or in-row cooling, aisle containment delivers better efficiencies for the cooling system, saving energy and operation costs. **Data Centre Ideas – Heat Recycling** In previous articles we’ve discussed recent innovations such as Google’s Hamina data centre whereby seawater is used for cooling, but then we’ve seen similar things done before and will no doubt see plenty comparable occurrences come round the corner. It’s no secret that necessity breeds innovation and in order to handle the magnitude of today’s data and processing needs, better power and cooling efficiencies only lend to this way of thinking. The question is; when is a modern idea no longer innovative? In some instances, the answer lies with a handful of businesses around the globe who have taken the initiative to explore beyond the perimeters of current innovations by recycling the waste heat produced by their data centres, including Telewest’s £80m state-of-the-art flagship facility, Telehouse West. Located in the London Docklands, the nine-floor, 160,000 square foot edifice is expected to recover the waste heat generated to provide the local Docklands community up to nine megawatts of power, permitting the facility to reduce its carbon footprint by 1,110 tons. To put this into perspective, that’s the equivalent of 3,000 kettles being boiled, continuously. **Data Centre Heat Recycling** Elsewhere, IBM’s data centre for Swiss IT Company, GIB-Services, is being used to heat a nearby swimming pool in Uitikon, whereby the waste heat generated is transferred through heat exchangers to warm water before being pumped into the pool. 2,500 kilometres north-west of that, situated under Uspenski Cathedral, a popular tourist attraction in Helsinki, sits a data centre that was once used as a bomb shelter in World War II. Large pipes some 75 metres below the server room allows water to circulate through the sea, thus chilling the water before advancing into the server room. Sound familiar? The real cornerstone of this facility isn’t in how it’s cooled, however, but how it uses waste heat to warm up water pipes which are channelled through the city’s district heating and cooling system, generating enough energy to heat 500 nearby homes. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Utilising combined heat and power (CHP) for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/utilising-combined-heat-and-power-chp-for-data-centres/) **Published:** April 18, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In a conference at Nabarro’s offices, specialists talked about how combined heat and power, or CHP, could be utilized in data centres to improve the cost and reliability of keeping data centres running smoothly. Additionally, these systems support green initiatives by reducing the carbon footprint. These are some positive aspects of CHP that still haven’t caught on with the rest of the industry. It was due to this lack of interest in innovation that the Nabarro LLP law firm and the Combined Heat & Power Association hosted this conference to bring together the data centre industry with CHP industry proponents. Hoping to forge stronger bonds between these two industries, a variety of interesting presentations and discourse was presented to show just what CHP has to offer. The program began with the Combined Heat & Power Association’s Craig Dennet offering an overview of CHP technology and the economic benefits. Craig defined the CHPA’s role in representing the developers, operators and installers of combined tri-generation, heat and power plant and district heating systems. Tri-generation technology is truly innovative. It uses the heat given off by CHP generator to provide cooling via an absorption chiller. This makes full use of heat generated by CHP engine rather than exhausting it straight to atmosphere. In fact, district heat and cooling configurations can even monetise waste heat and sell it for additional income. Next on the program was Nabarro’s planning partner, Christopher Stanwell. He explained how green initiatives have taken root in the UK’s town and country planning regime. These new requirements obligate developers of new data centres to implement environmentally friendly infrastructure. CHP offers a way to meet these obligations with minimal capital expenditure. Christopher’s observations highlighted the fact that CHP provides a way to meet obvious needs of an organisation that can actually lead to more revenue and substantially lower operational costs. Combined heating and power systems are considered renewable energy. Compared with other renewable technologies, CHP has an excellent efficiency level and can help city planning departments meet goals and provide additional energy resources. These claims were backed up by case studies of the Low Carbon Energy Centre located in the metropolitan area of Leeds. This combined heating and power system works in harmony with traditional boiler system to provide heating. However, it is clear that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Barry Knight, representing the Carbon Trust was the next to address the convention. Barry showed that, while these plants are efficient, their physical footprint is larger than many other solutions. This could present challenges to some wishing to implement the technology. The air quality requirements of many data centres might cause issues when considering the need to reduce CO2 emissions versus the easier solution of using natural gas fuel. However, both choices present challenges and difficulties. Fortunately, there are companies that are already making a success of data centre industry innovations like CHP. For example, Future-tech has a number of award-winning data centre projects that have produces quantifiable results. Future-tech has designed and built data centres with Power Usage Effectiveness ratings as low as 1.16, couple this with the reduced energy costs associated with CHP and the overall savings can be vast. Apart from being a more sustainable and environmentally friendly solution CHP data centres offer faster returns on investment. The conclusion of the conference hosted questions from the audience. The numerous questions showed a real interest in the possibilities of CHP and the clear need for cooperation between these two sectors. Where data centre heating and cooling had previously been simply an unavoidable expense, the information presented at this conference made it clear that CHP has a lot to offer to both the IT industry and local communities. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Data Centre Design – basic considerations](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-design-basic-considerations/) **Published:** May 10, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The key areas to consider when designing a data centre are airflow and cooling, humidification, power supply, and cabling pathways. ## **Airflow and Cooling** Heat is the principle destructive force for electronic equipment. This is especially true of data centres where a large number of server units are packed close together. Arranging servers and cooling units so that cooling is efficient and effective is important. The most common method of cooling is utilizing rack-mounted fans to conduct air away from the servers. A “hot-isle/cold-isle” design is the most efficient means of removing heat via the air. Server racks will be arranged in long rows with space between them. On one side of the server, conditioned air will be conducted along the “cold-isle”. Server mounted fans will draw this cooled air into the rack. On the opposite side of the row, server mounted fans will expel heated air into the “hot-isle”. The hot air is then conducted out of the room. There are several other methods for cooling besides airflow. Liquid cooling systems are common and efficient. They are somewhat more expensive to install, but are capable of handling much higher heat densities than air-cooled systems. Commonly, liquid-filled coils are installed into the rack. Chilled water is pumped through these coils in a closed system. Heated water conducts the waste heat to a chilling unit which then returns the cooled water to the server rack. ## **Humidification** Humidification is commonly the most wasteful component of data centre designs. The practice in older “close control” computer rooms, of using individual humidification control units with a very narrow control band of +/- 5%, can create a situation where one unit is dehumidifying and a unit right next to it is humidifying. The power cost for both humidifying and for dehumidifying is enormous. Intense control of humidity levels is also no longer necessary. Modern servers can tolerate a range of humidity between 20%-80%. A safe humidity control range is 30%-70%. The most sensitive equipment tends to be magnetic tape rather than the servers themselves but it is unusual to find anything now requiring a humidity control range of closer than 40%-55%. An efficient humidification plan would involve a central unit and would allow for seasonal shift. That is, the unit would be controlled with a “dead band” to keep the humidification level at the lower range when conditions are dry, to minimise the humidifier load, and at the upper range when conditions are humid to minimise the dehumidification load. If the humidification system is of the evaporative cooling type the, waste heat from the data centre will provide the energy required and power consumption will be minimal. ## **Power Supply** Data centres are intense consumers of electrical power. This power is delivered from the grid as AC at 400 volts (or higher) but the electronic circuits within the IT equipment run on DC at around 6 -12 volts. Therefore the power needs to have the voltage reduced by a transformer and be converted from AC to DC by a rectifier. This is usually done by a power supply unit (PSU) within each piece of IT equipment but this is highly inefficient and adds to the waste heat that must be conducted away from the rack by the cooling system. Furthermore the power will probably already have been converted from AC to DC and back again within a UPS (see below) so the losses are doubled. Converting the power to DC only once and then delivering to the racks as low voltage DC is common in telecoms and telephone exchanges typically run at 50v DC. However while this is fine for low power comms equipment there are problems with more power hungry items such as servers because the lower the voltage the greater the amps and consequently the cable sizes (and losses) go up. There are also potential safety issues with high power DC distribution and although there are some data centres which use this system it has never really caught on. A provision for backup power is also vital to data centre operations. An emergency generator and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system with backup batteries should be installed in case of any interruption in the power grid. The backup batteries must be sufficient to completely power the system during the transition between grid power and emergency power. The latest UPS’s have an energy saver mode (ESM)which runs the power straight through the unit without going through the usual “double conversion” process which is necessary when the system goes to battery backup. This greatly increases the efficiency of the UPS at all loads. Switching from ESM to double conversion occurs in less than half of one AC cycle and will not even be registered by the IT equipment down the line. Due to the high-energy demands of large data centres, self-generation may be an option for such facilities. In this case, gas fired generators will provide the power for the site and the waste heat from the engines can power absorption chillers thus reducing cooling costs. Consideration needs to be given to how back-up will be provided in the case of a disruption of the gas supply and conventional diesel standby generators may still be required. Alternatively instead of making the self-generation scheme totally independent of the power grid they could be linked such that the power grid becomes the “emergency power”. Whichever route is taken any mission critical facility should have at least N+1 redundancy on the UPS’s and generators. ## **Cabling Pathways** Server organisation and cabling is very important for a data centre. The ability to take-away or add-on components or racks to the system without interrupting operations is very important. Cabling should be organised in such a way that individual racks can be disconnected easily from the system. The cabling should also allow for additional racks to be added easily. Separation of power and data cables is essential to prevent interference. Easy replacement is important. IT equipment such as servers, storage devices and switches are typically replaced every 3-5 years. Cabling, on the other hand, is expected to last several generations of rack equipment and be replaced every 15-20 years. **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [Legionnaires' disease & evaporative cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/legionnaires-disease-evaporative-cooling/) **Published:** June 8, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** The recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Edinburgh must be a cause for concern for the managers of any data centres which use evaporative cooling. Legionella, the bacteria which cause Legionnaires’ disease, occur naturally and so can be present in water used for evaporative cooling systems. Also, the legionella bacteria thrive at temperatures between 25°C and 40°C, just the range of temperatures that occur in evaporative cooling systems in summer. So is the concern justified? The legionella bacteria, along with any other impurities in the water, are left behind when the water evaporates so the evaporative cooling process is not, in itself, a means by which the bacteria are transmitted. To be infected, a person has to inhale contaminated droplets of water and so the first question is: what type of evaporative cooling system do I have? For water to evaporate its surface must be in contact with the air and so a large surface area is desirable. This can be achieved in one of three ways: 1\. Spray water into the air in millions of small droplets 2\. Cascade water over a large flat surface 3\. Soak a suitable porous material in water and pass the air through it Of these, the first has the greatest potential for distributing the bacteria because the tiny droplets can be carried many miles. Thus these systems therefore rely heavily on water treatment to kill any bacteria. The second and third systems should not, in theory at least, pass anything other than pure water vapour into the air and so should not be a problem. However “carry over” of water droplets can sometimes occur, particularly if air velocities are high. This can be prevented by the use of “eliminators”. But how do I know which one I’ve got? ## Traditional Cooling Towers Legionnaires’ disease was first identified in the 1970’s and was so named because the outbreak occurred at a convention of the American Legion. The cause was attributed to a nearby air conditioning system and it was quickly realised that cooling towers in particular (and to a lesser extent some humidification systems) were to blame. The result was that cooling towers became very unpopular and for a time few new ones were installed and many existing ones were taken out. In recent years their efficiency has brought them back, and with good water treatment and “drift eliminators” to remove droplets they should not be a problem. If you operate a large data centre then you will probably have a chilled water system and the heat rejection may well take place via a cooling tower. ## Adiabatic Coolers Although cooling towers use adiabatic cooling, the name has is more often used for the type of evaporative cooler that either directly cools the air going into the data centre (direct fresh air free cooling) or cools the data centre via an air-to-air or water-to-air heat exchanger (indirect free cooling). These types of cooler have been around for centuries but are currently enjoying a new-found popularity with data centre designers. They can employ any one of the three methods mentioned above, i.e. water spray, cascade or wet media. If your data centre has such a system and you don’t already know which method it uses you will need to check your O & M manual or ask the supplier. Of course every data centre which uses any type of water system will have treatment regimes in place to kill bacteria (not just legionella) and best practice designs will include periodic draining and flushing of pipes and equipment to prevent any risk of infection. A well designed system, of whichever type, will not be a problem as long as the maintenance is done properly. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Low PUE doesn't necessarily mean low peak load](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/low-pue-doesnt-necessarily-mean-low-peak-load/) **Published:** June 12, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** With data centre owners and managers focussed on getting the best PUE, the fact that PUE is not necessarily an indicator of peak power requirement is an important point that is sometimes overlooked. We all know that if we have a 100kW IT load and a PUE of 1.2 then the total power drawn by the data centre must be 120kW. That’s true, as an average over a full year. It doesn’t mean that it won’t be higher than that at times (and lower at other times). When sizing the incoming mains supply, standby generators and switchgear it is the peak load that we have to design for. In the past the difference between the average load and peak load was relatively small but two recent developments in data centre infrastructure design mean that this is no longer the case. ## Free Cooling Whereas a system without free cooling will draw much the same power in summer and winter, as soon as free cooling is introduced the difference can be huge. Take, for example, a direct air free cooling system which could draw as little as 3kW in winter to deliver 100kW of cooling. Every mission critical data centre will want the facility to isolate the data centre from outside air, either to prevent the ingress of contaminants (for example if there were a fire somewhere in the locality) or to contain the fire suppression gas if there were an incident inside the data centre itself. To facilitate this, a fresh air cooling system should have the ability to go to full re-circulation and any reputable supplier will offer this. However, once a direct air system goes to re-circulation no free cooling is available and the full cooling load has to be handled by a mechanical cooling backup. At best this is likely to have a COP of 3:1 and so will draw around 33kW. With an indirect free cooling system, on the other hand, the annualised PUE may not be quite as good as with a direct system (although the latest developments in heat exchanger technology are changing that). However when looking at peak power an indirect system has the advantage, because with an indirect system the data centre is permanently isolated from outside. Mechanical cooling therefore will only ever be needed in extreme conditions and can be arranged so as just to “top up” the free cooling as ambient conditions require. In this case the peak mechanical cooling load might only be 30kW so using the same COP of 3:1 this system will draw just 10 kW ## Energy Saving UPS Most new data centres are now adopting UPS’s with an energy saving mode which bypasses the double-conversion circuit and give an efficiency of around 98%. So our 100kW IT load draws 102kW. However if after a power failure or if there are fluctuations in the mains supply the UPS will revert to double-conversion mode at which it will have an efficiency of perhaps 94%. So power drawn now is 106kW. ## Combination Effect and Power Factor (PF) The combination of these two together is that the cooling now has to cope with 106kW of load so with a direct air system 35kW power is required and total power drawn is 141kW. This gets even worse when you convert kW to kVA, which you have to do to arrive at the required power supply. Large fans such as those used in cooling data centres tend to have poor power factors so the extra cooling load has a disproportionate effect. Overall you can expect your mains supply and generator to be at least 30% bigger, and therefore more expensive, with a direct system as opposed to an indirect one. If you don’t have the space to install an air side system and have to have a chilled water system, expect the peak power requirement to be 50% greater than with an indirect air system. So when comparing data centre designs look at PUE, of course, but also remember to look at peak load. **Categories:** Articles, Engineering --- ### [Hot aisle V's Cold aisle containment for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/hot-aisle-vs-cold-aisle-containment-for-data-centres/) **Published:** June 25, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **5 Considerations when Choosing a Solution** When comparing hot and cold aisle containment it should be noted that, based purely on the physics involved, both hot and cold aisle containment offer exactly the same level of energy efficiency. The reason aisle containment improves the energy efficiency of data centres is because it increases the temperature of the air returning to the air conditioning units and thus increasing their efficiency. This increase in return temperature can be achieved by either solution equally well however in practice hot aisle containment often reaches a higher level of operational energy efficiency. This is because “most” of the data centre e.g. all of the space barring the contained aisle at the back of the server cabinets is kept at the supply air temperature, often around 25°C. This means the return air leaving the servers (within the hot aisle) will rise to 34°C +. With a cold aisle containment system “most” of the data centre, e.g. all of the space barring the aisle at the front of the servers, would be kept at 34°C +, to gain maximum efficiency. Many data centre operators feel this is too hot for members of staff to work in and then don’t raise the temperature as high as they could. This in turn limits the efficiency gained from the containment system. Putting this point to one side there are 5 other factors to consider before choosing which solution is right for your data centre. ### 1. **Where are your UPS batteries stored?** it is generally accepted that for every degree above 25°C you store your UPS batteries they will loose one year of their useable life. For example keeping your 10 year life batteries at a temperature of 35°C could basically ruin them. It will take more and more electricity to charge the batteries. They will keep their charge for less and less time until they require replacing, potentially 7 or 8 years before they should. The cost of replacing the batteries is likely to counter all the energy savings made to that point. This potential problem can be designed out by keeping the UPS batteries in a separate area or within a cold aisle however it is important to be aware of this when choosing a solution. ### 2. **Does your data centre have a return air plenum?** If your data centre uses a suspended ceiling with vented tiles to return the hot air back to the air handle units simply adding upstands (closing the gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling) will help increase energy efficiency. By installing doors and fully inclosing the hot aisle you will achieve maximum savings. If you have a return air plenum this is generally the best solution as you can achieve return air temperatures of 34°C + without impacting on the rest of the data centre space. ### 3. Does your data centre have an air supply plenum? If your data centre delivers cold air to the servers via an under floor plenum but has no return air plenum (as above), containing the cold aisle is often the easiest solution and one that is suggested to many clients. The three main considerations when choosing this solution are; Where are my UPS batteries stored? Are my staff happy to work in 35°C? How much height is available in the data centre? if you have plenty of height available installing a suspended ceiling will give you the opportunity to contain the hot aisle negating the above considerations. Providing these questions have been addressed cold aisle containment, when implemented with an under floor delivery plenum, is a simple and cost effective solution. ### 4. **Where are the lights in your data centre?** Adequate lighting of 500 lux is required throughout a data centre. The layout of your light fittings will determine whether you should use a transparent system or not. Transparent panels allow adequate light to come through them. Non-transparent systems may require additional light fittings to be installed to achieve the minimum lighting levels. This will add additional cost to your aisle containment project. ### 5. **Fire suppression?** it is important for the suppressing gas to quickly and evenly fill the data centre space. Some solutions have panels that either open or “pop” out when the gas is discharged and the panels put under pressure. Either system works very well however not all solution have this feature. Again this is important to factor in when choosing a solution as altering your fire suppression system could be costly and impact on the feasibility of your containment project. Once the above factors have been addressed the most suitable system is often obvious. Most data centre operators are under financial pressure and most of the aisle containment projects Future-tech has worked on return their initial investment within three years. Many have paid for themselves within the first 12 months after installation. Having had discussions with many data centre managers and operators a general consensus has arisen that for every one degree Celsius the air on or off temperatures are raised the efficiency of the cooling system will increase by approximately 2%. Many non-contained data centres have a return air temperature back to the air handling units of 24°C, by raising this to 30°C a data centre could easily see a 12% increase in the cooling systems efficiency. If you would like to explore the feasibility of introducing aisle containment to your data centre and you would like some impartial advice contact info@future-tech.co.uk or complete this [form](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/contact/). **Categories:** Articles, Design --- ### [Solar Power suits Cellular Telecoms](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/solar-power-suits-cellular-telecoms/) **Published:** July 4, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** In the UK, the solar power feed-in tariff has been a necessity in getting consumers to take up solar power in the form of photo voltaic panels. The reduction in the level of this government support is being blamed for a collapse in demand and redundancies in the industry. The feed-in tariff, which was originally 43 pence per kW-hour, has already been reduced to 21 pence and on 1st August 2012 will come down to 16 pence. However when the cost of conventional power generation is around 4 pence per kW-hour one has to ask the question: if such a massive subsidy is required to induce consumers to buy, is perhaps the concept of solar power for domestic power generation simply not viable in the UK? This is not to say that solar power does not offer huge opportunities for reducing dependence on fossil fuels, but it does mean it has to be appropriately applied. As data centre design and build specialists, data centres are of course our first interest, and although power requirements for data centres are so large that a PV array would never be able to fully support the load, they can certainly make a contribution. As an example, DuPont’s new 470,000 sq ft data centre in New Jersey has its roof covered in solar panels capable of delivering over 2 megawatts of power. This may be only about 6% of the data centre’s final power requirement, but it is still 2 megawatts less that has to generated by other means. At the other end of the scale, mobile phone base stations are an ideal candidate for solar power, particularly in developing countries where grid power is unreliable and many remote areas rely on diesel generators. Besides the cost of the fuel and of delivering it to remote sites, a further cost in some countries is theft, either with entire tanker loads being hijacked or smaller quantities of fuel being siphoned off. All this, together with the (relatively) small power required at each base station, makes solar power for mobile phones an attractive proposition. So much so that Nigeria’s Airtel has recently announced plans to upgrade 250 of its diesel powered site to solar power. Other African countries, notably Kenya and Malawi, already have solar and wind powered base stations in operation. In countries where cable and fibre are not available in many areas and 3G and/or microwave links are the main means by which data is distributed, a reliable cellular network is a vital element in providing internet connectivity. Therefore anything that improves this network will ultimately benefit the data centre industry. And perhaps eventually, as manufacturing volumes increase and costs come down, photo voltaic power may become viable for UK households, without the need for unsustainable subsidies. **Categories:** Articles, Innovation --- ### [Looking at Colocation Vs Build Your Own](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/looking-at-colocation-vs-build-your-own/) **Published:** September 4, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** My name is Richard Stacey, a data centre Presales Consultant at Future-tech. My job involves talking to clients about the costs associated with building and operating their own data centres. During these discussions I hear clients say “We’re looking into co-locating our services as it must be cheaper”. So I thought I’d better have a look into this myself, as I could be accused of being biased due to me working for a company that designs and builds data centres. When talking to clients about co-location vs. owning infrastructure, the thing I encounter most often is that costs are looked at annually or over 3 years. Although I understand this is how many organisation’s budgets and projections work it is not a very good way to assess an infrastructure investment like a data centre. This is because a well designed, built and maintained data centre will last at least 10 years. So regardless of how your balance sheet works, if your company aims to be around for the next 10 years and will require IT services during that period then a time scale in-line with a 10 year life cycle would be more appropriate. So first things first, I had to crunch the numbers to establish the costs associated with building a micro data centre. By using Future-tech’s [online budget estimator](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/about-future-tech/data-centre-project-costs), I designed a room which had a very similar specification that required by the majority of my clients. To make things more interesting, and realistic, I measured up a meeting room at the Future-tech Head Office to see what was achievable within our standard office space. The room measured 4.4 x 3.4 with a floor to ceiling height of 2.6m. I then based the room on the best specification I could fit within the space. **Below is a brief specification of the facility:** 4 x 42U 800 x 1000 Cabinets with 2 x 32amp single phase supplies5kw Average power per cab6.8kW Maximum power in any one cab2 x power and earth supplies per cab8 x in Rack power strips ( 2 per cab )2 x 24kW UPS to give N+12 x AHU rated at 27kW each to give N+12 x Modular walls ( to cover existing window and one glass wall )Modular roofSuspended ceilingRaised access floorFloor grillesDoor with viewing panelAccess rampAccess stepsLightingSwitchgearFM200 Fire SuppressionPressure relief damperCategory 5e UTP data cabling12 x interlink cables per cabTemp & Humidity MonitoringFault Condition MonitoringIP Addressable Environment Monitoring SystemSwipe card door accessDesign, Testing and commissioningProject managementCDM ComplianceAll materials are data centre suitable productsAll design and installation in-line with current best practice and standards**Estimated Price £92,919** There is more cost involved with a data centre than just its construction, so below are the associated costs for both power and planned preventative maintenance. Power costs: 4 cabinets at 5kW per cab = 20kW x 8760 x 10p p/kWh = £17,520 per annum Supporting infrastructure = 10kW\* x 8760 x 10p p/kWh = £8,760 per annum \*This figure assumes a PUE of 1.5. This figure is easily achieved by the facility priced in this exercise. 3 Star Manufacturers Maintenance costs £12,000 Total facility cost per annum £38,280 **Total 10 year cost £475,719 (based on paying up-front for data centre build)** **Leasing Option: £27,122 p.a. (includes maintenance but not energy costs ” see table below)** Once the design parameters had been set I then used Google to search for the ideal Co-Location host. Now I genuinely feel for anyone who has attempted this before as it is an absolute minefield of offers and tariffs. In fact I found it impossible to get a complete cast iron price from anyone. After a lot of time spent on the phone I narrowed it down to 4 providers for this exercise: - Host A – Nottingham Area - Host B – Hampshire Area - Host C – London Area - Host D – Yorkshire Area The 4 potential hosts had the same criteria to work with, 4 cabs / racks that are able to handle 5kW to each. Comparisons were then made using the 10yr lifecycle of an in house data centre: **Host A:** After talking with a sales representative about my requirements I was offered the standard online package of £699 per cab per calendar month with a set up fee of £349 per cab. This equates to £2796 per month for my 4 cabs excluding the set up fee. Over the 10 year life of a Data centre this cost £336,916. The big thing to note is that this price **does not** include energy bills. Later that day I received an email saying my power requirement was too high and they were unable to offer me hosting services. **Host B:** Was very helpful and made sure everything was covered to make sure I was well looked after and all my requirements were met. I was promised a quote at the end of the day to confirm figures. As promised the quote arrived in my email and of all the hosts the only one who would provide the information in black and white. 4 x 47U private full racks with single power feed to each rack, 100Amp aggregated power, 100Mbps CDR with 1Gbps Burst (includes 5TB monthly bandwidth and 8 IP’s) (additional bandwidth and IP’s can be provided with ease),Price: for 4 cabinets was £5,830 per month with a Setup fee: £4,000 or £6,230 per month Setup: FREE. As helpful as they were this still meant paying £703,600 or £747,600 over 10years. What is good about this quotation is that it does include the energy usage. **Host C:** I was offered £895 per cab. This **did not** include energy bills and I couldn’t establish whether there was a set up fee or not. So that’s 4 x cabs at £895 in year one that has cost £42,960, half the price of a purpose built room. Over 10 years I would spend £429,600.00 PLUS energy costs! **Host D:** I was told about a ‘special offer’ for this month of only £699 per cab per month. This didn’t feel too special after speaking to the other providers. After reading the small print I discovered the salesperson neglected to inform me of the £599 per cab set up fee. So over 10 years this would have cost me £337,916.00, again this **did not cover** the cost of the electricity used by the equipment. Pricing table: Solutions not including power usage Year 1Year 5Year 10Own Build (cash)£104,919£152,919£212,919Own Build (lease)£27,122£135,610£271,220Host A£34,948£169,156£336,916Host C£42,960£214,800£429,600Host D£35,948£170,156£337,916Pricing table: Solutions including power usage Year 1Year 5Year 10Own build (cash)£131,199£284,319£475,719Own Build (lease)£53,402£267,010£534,020Host B£73,960£353,800£703,600Although the owning and operating of a data centre facility isn’t right for every organisation the figures speak for themselves. Regardless of CAPEX or OPEX this equates to profit lost, and in today’s financial climate being as costs effective as possible matters. And if cash-flow is an issue, or there is OPEX budget for collocation but no CAPEX budget, then perhaps a leasing contract is the answer. Outsourcing has some advantages however if you take one thing from this blog post it should be not to assume one of those advantages is cost. If your organisations plans to be around for the next 5 to 10 years research all the solutions that are available to you. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [To Buy or Not To Buy, that is the question](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/to-buy-or-not-to-buy-that-is-the-question/) **Published:** September 19, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** **(or whether it is more cost effective to lease).** Apologies for the corny Shakespeare pun but it had to be done. Seriously though, if you require a new data centre (or just more data centre space) and don’t have the budget then leasing may be the answer. Also if you are just looking for some additional rack space and are weighing the pro’s and con’s of expanding an existing data centre versus co-location or hosting then leasing is something to consider. For the medium to long term, by which I mean anything over three years, building and running your own data centre will definitely cost less than co-location and in terms of the effect on your organisation’s “bottom line”, building your own data centre will be much more attractive as the cost can be amortised over the life of the facility, 10 years at the very least. However a properly designed and built data centre is a significant investment and the up-front cost can be an issue. This may be because the business doesn’t have the cash, has the cash but has other things it would prefer to spend it on, or for some reason has the budget for “OPEX” but not “CAPEX” expenditure. There can also be potential tax issues with building your own facility in that some of the costs may not be allowable against corporation tax and some of the VAT may not be recoverable. However all these obstacles can be overcome by leasing (as opposed to lease purchase or hire purchase, which do not have the same tax advantages). With a leasing scheme you pay for the facility on a monthly basis, just as you would with co-location, but with the knowledge that monthly cost is fixed for 5 years at the end of which it will drop to virtually nil while the facility can be expected to have a life of well in excess of 10 years. Energy costs will of course rise with inflation but even here you will be paying the utility supplier direct so avoiding any intermediary’s mark-up and will be free to shop around and negotiate the best deal you can. Of course leasing has been around for decades and equipment such as UPS’s, generators, and even air conditioning could be leased. What has altered in recent years is the ability to lease the whole facility. Whereas construction and installation work was difficult to get finance for that has changed, partly due to leasing companies taking a more flexible view and partly because of the popularity of the modular data centre. With a modular data centre the fact that it is possible to relocate it makes it “plant” rather than “fixtures and fittings” which is easier to finance and also has tax benefits. If you’d like to gain an understanding of the costs associated with building and operating your own data centre facility, no matter how big or small, please contact our estimating team at info@future-tech.co.uk. Once you’ve received a data centre construction cost please let us know you if are interested in leasing and one of our Data Centre Consultants will be in contact with the relevant information. **Categories:** Articles, Consulting --- ### [Future-tech client testimonial](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/future-tech-client-testimonial/) **Published:** September 19, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** # Future-tech client testimonial by [James Wilman](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/future-tech/ "Posts by James Wilman") | Sep 19, 2012 | [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/), [News](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/news/) ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Futuretech-1024x444-copy.jpg) Some of Future-tech’s clients discuss their experiences around design, solutions and project management throughout the life cycle of their data centres. Clients discussed include; PRS, ULCC, University of St Andrews, University of Bristol, Kent and Medway NHS, University of Sussex. Please see our [Case Studies page](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/case-studies/) for more information about these projects completed by Future-tech. **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Cloud Computing – saver of energy or waste of energy?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/cloud-computing-saver-of-energy-or-waste-of-energy/) **Published:** October 11, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Saturday 22nd September’s article in the New York Times, “[Power, Pollution and the Internet](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/technology/data-centers-waste-vast-amounts-of-energy-belying-industry-image.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www&_r=0)“, which highlights the huge amount of energy wasted by data centres in general and internet data centres in particular, has already attracted a great deal of blog space. Many IT industry pundits are pointing out that, whilst the NYT has commissioned McKinsey to do the research, the biggest internet companies such as Google and Facebook don’t release their server utilisation figures. The McKinsey stats quoted show that only 6 – 12% of energy used by data centres actually does any computing and this is not very different from the figures which have been widely accepted in the IT industry for decades. I’ve seen calculations that demonstrate the power that actually gets used doing any “computing” is as low as 2% and you can debate whether it’s now improved to 6% or 12%. What we all know for sure is that it is low. We all know that most of the power that goes into a data centre gets used along the way, in UPS and air conditioning systems, running the server fans and spinning the disks, and very little is actually used by the processors themselves. The NYT article ends with a brief comment on “the cloud” and the fact that this will further increase the demand for large, power hungry, data centres, stating: “Some industry experts believe a solution lies in the cloud: centralizing computing among large and well-operated data centres.” So the question this raises is: “will using the cloud waste less energy than operating your own data centre?” The advocates of “the cloud” claim, as you would expect, that it will reduce energy use. This claim seems to be based on two premises: firstly, that the large data centres that host your cloud service will be more energy efficient (more efficient servers and better PUE) than your own small one and secondly, that the effect of being able to spread the load among a number of data centres reduces the amount of spare capacity required and therefore of energy wasted. So let’s take the first of these, is a large data centre necessarily more energy efficient than a small one? The answer is: no. As far as the servers go, the servers you buy to install in your own data centre are just the same as the ones the cloud providers buy. As for PUE, it is quite possible to build a small data centre with a very good PUE just as it is possible to build a large one with a very poor PUE. The factor which is most likely to affect the energy efficiency of a data centre is not its size but its age and the age of the servers. New servers are much more energy efficient than old ones and any properly designed data centre constructed in the last 3 – 5 years will (or at least should) be vastly more efficient than one built say 8 or 10 years ago. This brings us to one of the difficulties which the cloud presents for the user, you don’t actually know which data centre is processing your data. So, whereas with old fashioned “hosting” you could audit the data centres you intend to use and verify their energy efficiency, resilience, security etc, now you can’t, or at least not if the cloud works the way its proponents say it does. **On the second claim for energy efficiency, that spreading the load reduces the need for spare capacity: this could be true if the times of peak load were staggered.** For global internet use this is quite possibly the case: private internet use peaks at certain times of the day and so different time zones around the world will peak at different times. This means data centres serving consumers across the whole planet can expect their load to be relatively smooth. For Google, Facebook, Amazon, ebay, etc this may well be so. But what about for corporate and institutional users, some will run processes over night while others have their maximum loads during the business day, others may have a fairly constant demand 24 hours a day and any spare capacity they require is only for redundancy. Still others may have other peaks such as monthly payroll runs or, for [universities](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cib31l6E7t0&feature=youtu.be) for instance, the annual intake of new students. What happens when all these peaks coincide or when the user takes the cloud provider up on the promise of being able to increase capacity at any time? It seems to me that for cloud providers to be able to keep their promises they will need more spare capacity, not less, than if the same users operated their own facilities. To take a simple example: if there are 10 small data centres each with a maximum capacity of 100kW and an average load of 60kW, that’s 1 megawatt of data centre capacity operating at 60% utilisation. If that is going to go into 2 large data centres, each able to take the full load, that is now 2 megawatts of capacity operating at 30% utilisation. Not only do we now have double the capacity but this also impacts on the second biggest factor affecting data centre energy efficiency, after age of the facility, and that’s its load utilisation. While it is relatively easy to get good PUE figures at full load this is much more difficult to achieve them at low loads. If the cloud is going to be able to provide the elasticity it claims then it will mostly be running at low load and consequently not at optimum efficiency. However there is one way in which the use of cloud computing or indeed other types of hosting service can save energy although the cloud providers have not yet, so far as am aware, picked up on this. It is by users making use of the cloud to allow for different levels of uptime required for different applications. Most users will have some applications which are not business critical and others that are, but their data centres are not large enough to be able to build part of it to a “Tier 4” standard, for the really critical stuff, and part with a lower level of redundancy for the less critical. This means they often run everything with a higher level of redundancy than is required. Why does this matter? Because, as stated above, one of the major factors affecting energy efficiency is power utilisation (operating load compared to the full load capacity) and this is greatly affected by the level of redundancy. Put simply, a Tier4 data centre with 2N power systems is running everything at 50% load, even if the data centre is at 100% load. So with a typical data centre running at around 60% capacity each UPS is running at only 30% load (or possibly even less, depending on the exact arrangement). This is very inefficient. Indeed right at the very top of the list of best practices in the European Code of Conduct for Data Centres is to ensure that you don’t run services with a higher level of resilience than is justified by the business requirements. So how can outsourcing help? Data centres offering hosting will, at least one would hope, be of Tier 4 standard and therefore users can make use of these for applications that really need it and operate their own tier 2/3 data centre for the rest of their applications, giving them the benefits of lower whole of life costs and convenience of having their servers in their own building. So I’m not saying the cloud is bad. As with hosting and collocation, “software as a service” and all the other methods of out-sourcing your IT that have come and gone over the years, the cloud will suit some users and it will be right for some applications. Whether or not it will save energy will depend on how intelligently it is used. It is perhaps worth noting that a tier 3 data centre is built so as all maintenance can be carried out without the need to shut down the facility and IT services are not disrupted by power outages or component failures. In short, for many organisations tier 4 is overkill, being unnecessarily expensive both to build and to operate. Bio. James Wilman is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Future-tech EMEA. He sits on the British Standards TCT/7/3 expert panel which is working on the new data centre design, construction and operation standard. James has a passion for resilient energy efficient data centre design and operation. [Linkedin profile](http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=78650127&trk=hb_tab_pro_top) **Categories:** Articles, Efficiency & Optimisation --- ### [Micro Data Centre Award Sponsors](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/micro-data-centre-award-sponsors/) **Published:** November 23, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** ### Future-tech is proud to be the official sponsor on the 2012 Data Centre Dynamics Innovation in Micro Data Centre Design Award. ### What are micro data centres? Although much of the chatter in the data centre industry is around the big data centre projects most data centre facilities in the UK, and no doubt throughout EMEA region, are deemed as “Micro”. This means they house up to 40 cabinets and have a total IT power capacity of 250kW. ### Who uses them? These are the types of facility that most “owner operators” have and use. These facilities span all business sectors and can be found in Universities, Hospitals, Insurance, Design and Creative, Oil and Gas, Local Authorities, Defence, Accounting, Legal, Automotive, Research, Security, Pharmaceutical and the list goes on and on. ### What makes them special? The vast majority of micro data centres are built within buildings that serve other purposes and were not designed to house technical white space. This means these facilities, and their power and cooling solutions, need to be designed around a restrictive set of constraints. These constraints often include, height and space, structural pillars, poor access, long distances to plant areas and power supplies, restricted power availability and restricted working conditions. Many larger facilities are housed in custom built buildings that only serve the data centre. This makes their design and installation in many ways more simple. Micro data centres are often squeezed in to undesirable spaces the rest of an organisation doesn’t want to use. There is often a preconception that these micro data centres cannot be energy efficient because of the constraints they are forced to work within, however this is not the case. Future-tech has designed and built eight micro data centres that achieve annualised PUEs of less than 1.3, three of which have annualised PUEs of less than 1.18. These are facilities rated as Tier 2 or 3, have full N+1 or 2N resilience and operate within sealed close-control environments. ### Why is Future-tech sponsoring the Micro Category? As explained earlier most data centres currently operating fall in to the micro category. Although there is much talk about managed services, co-location, the Cloud and other forms of outsourcings many organizations still want to have close control of their server estate. This is due to many reasons such as information security, financial benefit and IT flexibility to name just a few. It is with this in mind we feel a continued focus on these facilities is vital for the “health” of the industry as a whole. Many lessons can be learned from micro facilities and scaled up to larger ones, something that happens much less often the other way round. In 2009 and 2010 Future-tech designed and built data centres were awarded the Data Centre Dynamics Innovation in Micro Data Centre Awards. In 2011 one of our designed and built facilities made it through as a finalist but was unfortunately pipped at the post on the night. Despite this we are very proud of our accomplishment and genuinely try to make every facility we work on as good as it can be within the constraints that are set for it. Our Designers and Technical Engineers take huge pleasure in creating facilities that raise the bar. ### So what is Future-tech entering this year? As we are sponsoring Micro we are unable to enter the category, so we have put our data centre at Trinity College Dublin in for Leaders in the Public Sector Award. We’re happy to announce that this facility has been shortlisted as a finalist out of a large number of entries, which is fantastic for both Future-tech and Trinity college Dublin. The TCD data centre is deemed as a micro facility and like many of the entries in the both the Micro and Public Sector Categories has to work around some challenging constraints. Despite this the new data centre can boast a 100% IT load, annualized PUE of 1.16, and a 20% partial IT load, annualized PUE of 1.3, within a true close control environment. The data centre can support cabinet IT densities of up to 25kW with no alterations to the systems. This data centre will provide Trinity College Dublin with a resilient energy efficient facility for the next 15 years. If you’d like to know more about the project or would like to visit the TCD data centre please email us at info@future-tech.co.uk Bio. James Wilman is the Sales and Marketing Manager at Future-tech EMEA. He sits on the British Standards TCT/7/3 expert panel which is working on the new data centre design, construction and operation standard. James has a passion for resilient energy efficient data centre design and operation. [Linkedin profile](http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=78650127&trk=hb_tab_pro_top) **Categories:** Articles, News --- ### [Micro Data Centre Construction Project: Week 1](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/micro-data-centre-construction-project-week-1/) **Published:** December 10, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** My name is Richard Stacey and I am a data centre Pre-sales Consultant for Future-tech. I have been given permission to write a weekly blog article on one of my client’s build projects, giving you a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of what it’s like to work with Future-tech. The client in questions is Perenco, an independent oil & gas company with operations in 16 countries across the globe, ranging from Northern Europe to Africa and from South America to the Middle East. Perenco is in the process of moving offices and as part of this project a new mission critical data centre is required. The new offices, near Sloane Square, London, are having a major refurbishment, resulting in an excellent working environment for Perenco staff and visitors. Future-tech, a data centre design and construction specialist, has been asked to provide a new data centre environment as a separate part of the overall refurbishment project. This new space must be both in keeping with the new and improved aesthetic of the offices and provide a secure close control environment for Perenco’s mission critical systems. **What does Perenco want to achieve?** All systems in the London offices are also mirrored in the company’s Paris offices. Should one system fail the other will instantly pick upcritical services. This means the facility can be constructed with a simple N+1 power and cooling configuration and no back up generator. In the event of a prolonged power outage systems can be gracefully shut down and operations switched to Paris. This is a good example of specifying a solution that is in line with the true business needs of a client. It can be tempting, especially with data centre infrastructure, to over specify resilience levels to reduce risk, however by tailoring the solution to Perenco’s specific needs we have significantly saved both time and money for company. The location for the new facility is in the basement of the designated building. Flooding has happened in this space before, as you can see in the picture below, and although work has been done to remove this risk part of [Future-tech design solution](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/new-build-data-centres/design-and-build/) incorporates a waterproof seal around the data centre. By using composite modular panels we are creating a room within a room, making it more secure and reducing risk from flooding if it was to happen again. The photos below show this system during its installation. The composite modular room provides the following: - Water proof seal – eliminates risk of flooding - Sound attenuation – reduces noise from the data centre affecting surrounding areas - Pressurised seal – ensures gas suppression will work in the event of a fire - Fire rating – provides a one hour fire rating for the room - Temperature insulation – reduces heat gain/cooling loss from or to the surrounding environment - Security – composite modular panels provide a greater level of protection and security - Signal insulation – panel construction restricts radio signals being sent in or out of the Data Centre by mobile devices - Clean – composite modular panels provide a clean, sealed finish to the walls and ceiling The new data centre has to accommodate six server cabinets and have space to expand to ten should it be required in the future. Each of these cabinets has an average IT load of 6kW, making it a medium density environment. A flooded room, with return air plenum and hot aisle containment is the chosen air flow solution. This particular solution has some significant advantages over others that are available, however I will be cover this in more detail when the cooling plant is delivered to site latter in the programme. My next post will follow the construction of the technical white space and services installation. By then the raised modular floor and cabinets will be in place so there will be a little more to see in the photographs. If you have any questions surrounding the design and construction of data centres feel free to contact me at rstacey@future-tech.co.uk **Categories:** Case Studies, Engineering --- ### [Another solution to "IT as a service”](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/another-solution-to-it-as-a-service/) **Published:** December 14, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Often one of the key drivers for outsourcing IT services and data centre infrastructure is a desire to keep working capital in a business. Although costs over three, and certainly six years, are higher when outsourcing, the attraction of keeping “money in the bank” to help with growth or unforeseen difficulties often makes sense. However there is another option for organizations to consider. British businesses spend £1.1 billion a year on IT Leasing and Financing, says The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA). 95% of the top FTSE 100 companies use leasing to pay for the vast majority of their equipment and software according to a leading IT Finance provider. Yet, overall we spent £12 billion on IT and communications equipment in 2011. This indicates that less than 10% of total spend on IT is currently being funded through leasing. This may change over the coming years as there are some compelling strategic and financial reasons to opt for leasing finance products. Leasing is a route to consider, especially now that High Street Banks are failing SMEs. Last year they fell short of their Merlin Agreement lending targets by £1billion. **So, why don’t more SMEs use leasing to buy their data centre infrastructure, IT equipment and software?** The answer, we suspect, is that data centre infrastructure and IT leasing is a bit of a mystery, and organizations would certainly consider it, if they knew more. So here are five *reasons to consider IT leasing* to fund your infrastructure, computer hardware, software, upgrades, installation and even training. – There are significant tax breaks. For example, if you pay £1000 a month over 36 months for equipment, the gross cost is £36,000. However, there’s corporation tax relief of 22% every month, yielding a saving of £8,000, so the net payment is £28,000. – A key advantage of leasing and *not* buying IT infrastructure, hard and software is cash management and keeping funds available. This can be used as working capital instead of disappearing in an up-front payment all in one go. It immediately gives you greater flexibility in the use of your funds. – Leasing enables you to upgrade your equipment *without having to buy* the latest kit, and credit is available on reasonable terms, while banks’ rates can be punitive, if they’ll lend at all. – Leasing ‘bundles’ (package deals) also cover installation, training and software upgrades. – Leasing companies have their own Ombudsman and Ethical Code, overseen by the FLA to ensure fairness and integrity. Perhaps it’s time to start viewing IT as a utility, to be paid for in a way which benefits you without tying up your finances, in a way that frees up capital to develop and grow your business. Company vehicles have been financed in this way for many years, and although a totally different product they can be looked at in a very similar way. Every day you are using the product or service you pay for the product or service. By leasing your data centre infrastructure, in part or as a whole, your organization can benefit from lower total life costs, greater control and flexibility, while keeping capital freed up for the business to adapt and grow. *If you’d like to learn more about leasing and whether it can make your next infrastructure investment easier, more flexible and cost effective contact * **Categories:** Articles, Markets --- ### [Micro Data Centre Construction Project: Week 2](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/micro-data-centre-construction-project-week-2/) **Published:** December 17, 2012 **Author:** James Wilman **Content:** Welcome to the second installment of my blog articles giving you a behind the scenes look at what it is like to work with Future-tech. When I last visited site, the modular room was in its final stages of construction and the space looked more like an empty lunch box than a mission critical facility. The larger office refurbishment had only just started and the basement was a quiet area with just Future-tech working in it. Now the refurbishment is in full swing our build area is in a very busy environment and when I returned to site this time in and around the room was a hive of activity. Both Future-tech and other none related contractors scurrying around and cracking on with their tasks. The empty white box I had seen two weeks before was now looking well on the way to being a data centre facility. On my arrival the Future-tech team was busy inside and a number of Perenco’s office outfitters were looking in. Perenco’s lead consultant on the office relocation project even commented to our Perenco contact “They’re building a palace for you down here”. It’s fair to say the room is beginning to look like a proper micro data centre environment. It’s great to see the facility coming along so quickly and everything going to plan. I’ve tried to capture as much as possible with my photos of the site but I have included a list of what’s new since my last visit: **What’s new:** - Raised access flooring - 3 x Stulz AHU - 2 x Borri UPS - 6 x APC NetShelter Cabinets - Power distribution boards - Custom made fire riser - Fire suppression pipework - And lots and lots of wiring One of the most striking new additions were the Stulz air handling units sat on the left as I walked into the room. Its one thing seeing them on the drawings but to see them fitted is quite another. We selected a front discharge solution, flooding the room with air, in conjunction with hot aisle containment and a ceiling return air plenum. This is because we had a tight slab to slab height and a traditional down flow system could not fit without compromising the size of the delivery and return air plenums. This would have resulted in a greater level of resistance in the system and the AHU fans would have to work harder than necessary. For more information about aisle containment and how the decision to go hot aisle contained read our article on [5 Considerations when Choosing a Solution](http://futuretech.wpengine.com/data-centre-design-basic-considerations "Data Centre Design "). We have “oversized” the air handling units because the condensers have to be located 95mtrs away on the roof of the building. There were a number of solutions we presented to Perenco when it came to the cooling solution and condenser location. However due to some very tough planning restrictions in the Kensington & Chelsea area all external plant had to go on the roof. We then worked back from this constraint and settled on oversized DX air handling front discharge equipment. We did also look at a chilled water system but on this size of facility it was price prohibitive. Week five will see the false ceiling and lighting installed, and the fire system finished. Then we will be expecting the aisle containment system to arrive. If you have any questions surrounding the design and construction of data centres or would like a consultation on your data centre feel free to contact me at **Categories:** Case Studies, Engineering --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/) **Published:** June 5, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Why Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/why-future-tech/) **Published:** July 3, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Why future-tech? # The Global Data Centre Engineering Experts Future-tech is a specialist data centre engineering consultancy providing M&A, investment, design, project management and operations focussed services. The company is an independent organisation made up of designers, engineers, consultants, project managers, technical specialists, and Revit/BIM operators. Together with our own experiences, we have engaged with organisations such as the Uptime Institute, Royal Institute of British Architects, the Institute of Engineering & Technology, the British Standards Institute, The International Standards Organisation, The European Commission, and the UK and European Data Centre Associations to gain further knowledge and insight as well as positively influencing and promoting data centre best practices and standards development globally. Our specialist data centre knowledge and experience, combined with our collaborative and engaging approach, enables us to deliver class-leading services that are uniquely tailored to your business requirements and specific project. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) ![17 future tech about us noareoplane | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/17-Future-tech-About-Us_NoAreoplane.png "17futuretechaboutusnoareoplane | futuretech") ## OUr Values ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") For more than 30 years we have provided specialist technical data centre design, build and management services. During this time, we have instilled our core values of partnership, innovation, and quality into our entire team. We believe that by truly integrating with our clients, providing them with specialist expert knowledge and resources within a flexible and innovative framework we ensure their projects are built on solid foundations and achieve successful outcomes every time. Our values drive our approach to every project and each client interaction. We believe this is one of the reasons Future-tech has gained the respect and trust of our clients and peers across the world. By being a catalyst for change, by challenging ourselves and by constantly striving forward we grow, having a true sense of personal and professional fulfilment. These are our core beliefs and they drive our people, our designs, our services and our business. ![Globe v4 mar22 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Globe-v4-Mar22.gif "Globe v4 mar22 | futuretech") #### **FUTURE-TECH Global Experience** Our teams have provided services and solutions in EMEA and APAC as well as the USA. Our projects have taken us to locations including: Europe MEA (Middle East & Africa) ROW (Rest of World) Austria Belgium Bulgaria Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Ireland Italy Kazakhstan Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Spain Sweden Switzerland UK Bahrain Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Morocco Mozambique Nigeria Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia South Africa UAE Uganda Brazil Canada India Malaysia Pakistan Thailand USA Over the last three years, Future-tech has been engaged on more than 4GW of data centre capacity. ## Accreditations and associations ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") At Future-tech we pride ourselves on our knowledge, and dedication to the data centre industry. Our excellence is reflected through our awards, accreditations, industry associations, standards bodies and growing client list. These clients have engaged Future-tech to provide technical due diligence for mergers and acquisitions, design engineering for new build projects, design of refurbishments and upgrades to existing facilities, client-side management and coordination of design, construction and operational works and facility management services and consulting. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Future-Tech_ISO_14001-239x300.png) ISO14001 certification is at statement of our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our work. Future-tech makes a significant contribution to increasing the efficiency of data centres and offers a significant contribution towards environmental sustainability. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Future-Tech_ISO_9001-237x300.png) ISO0991 accreditation is an assurance to our clients that Future-tech is committed to delivering a consistently high level of service and that our procedures are robust and effective. This is of particular importance within mission-critical environments as our business is about mitigating risk and delivering uptime. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The-Institute-of-Engineering-and-Technology.png) Future-tech has multiple employees that are Fellows, Chartered Members, or Associates of The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET). The IET is a world-leading professional organisation, with 152,000 members worldwide in 127 countries promoting science, engineering, and technology across the world. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CEng-logo2.png.jpg) A CEng demonstrates both experience and competence at the highest level in the engineering profession, independently assessed and verified by peers and recognised worldwide. Future-tech has a number of qualified Chartered Engineers employed full time within the business. CEng is equivalent to Professional Engineer (PE), in the USA. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/EURLNG-Senior2.png.jpg) FEANI (Fédération Européenne d’Associations Nationales d’Ingénieurs) aims to facilitate the mutual recognition of engineering qualifications in Europe. This is supported by the award of the prenominal title European Engineer (EUR ING – Ingénieur Européen), which is carried by senior Future-tech engineers. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IEEE-Logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech employs Senior Members of the US based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). IEEE and its members inspire innovation across a global community through highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities around the globe. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ATS-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech has a number of Uptime Institute qualified Engineers on staff. This includes Future-tech’s Critical Support Director, who was awarded all Uptime accreditations while working for the Uptime Institute as a Tier Certification Consultant and EMEA Network Director. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ATD-Logo2.jpg) The Accredited Tier Designer (ATD) offered by the Uptime Institute is an individual qualification intended to provide data centre professionals with a detailed understanding of data centre design according to Uptime Institute principles. Future-tech employs a number of full-time ATD qualified Engineers. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AOS-logo2.jpg) The Uptime Institute Accredited Operations Specialist (AOS) qualification provides a complete understanding of the concepts and criteria used by The Uptime Institute to develop world-class data centre Management and Operations. Future-tech employs a number of full-time AOS qualified Engineers. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BCS-logo2.jpg) Future-tech has full time employees that are Fellows and Chartered Members of the Chartered Institute of Information Technology (BCS). Future-tech also actively engages with the BCS by committee membership of the Data Centre Specialist Group and through the award of CEEDA Gold Certifications achieved on customer data centre projects. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/PM-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech has a number of Chartered PMI Members. The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the leading not-for-profit professional membership association for the project management profession worldwide. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Prince-logo2.png.jpg) PRINCE2 (an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a de facto process-based method for effective project management. Used extensively by the UK Government, PRINCE2 is also widely recognised and used in the private sector, both in the UK and internationally. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ITIL-logo2.png.jpg) **ITIL** (formerly an acronym for Information Technology Infrastructure Library) qualifications are held by a number of Future-tech employees including our Fit-out & Migrations Manager. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Code-of-Conduct-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech were early contributors and remain official Endorsers of the European Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Future-tech employ the current editor of the annual document updates and current chair the annual best practice review committee. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BSI-Logo2.jpg) The British Standards Institute (BSI) is the official UK Standards Development Organisation (SDO). Future-tech have been members of the committee responsible for UK contributions to global data centre standards and metrics for almost a decade and remain actively engaged. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CENLEC-logo2.png.jpg) CENELEC is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization. Future-tech are leading influencers of the development of European Data Centre standards as the UK representative on TC 215 responsible for the development of the EN50600 series of standards (Information technology – Data centre facilities and infrastructures). ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ISO-logo2.jpg) ISO is the leading independent, non-governmental membership organisation and the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards. Future-tech in involved in a leadership capacity in the development of global data centre Standards and KPIs through membership of ISO/IEC JCT1 SC39. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ISO-JCT1.jpg) This committee is responsible for the development of the ISO/IEC 30134 series of standards (data centre resource efficiency KPIs) and the developing ISO/IEC TS 22237 series based on the European EN50600 Standard. Future-tech are currently hold the position of UK representative on this international committee. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/tech-uk2.jpg) Future-tech are active members of techUK’s Data Centre Programme. With a specialist focus on the data centre sector techUK champions the UK technology sector. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/BREEAM-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech acted as an advisor and contributor to the recent (November 2019) revision of the Building Research Establishment (BRE), Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), data centre annex. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DCA-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech are engaged with the Data Centre Alliance (DCA), with a membership of the DCA Advisory Board. The DCA exists in order to serve its membership and the wider community of organisations who rely on the data centre sector to support their own business goals. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investors-logo2.png.jpg) Future-tech’s key strength is its people. Our success as an industry-leading data centre specialist results directly from the knowledge, skills, and integrity of our staff. Our teams’ commitment to customers, quality, and innovation underpins this success. The Investors in People accreditation is an affirmation of our investment in the training and development of our key asset. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/safe-logo2.jpg) Future-tech’s independent Safecontractor accreditation illustrates that we uphold the highest standards in health and safety and are committed to continual training and development in this area. The Safecontractor accreditation is a statement of our belief that our people’s welfare is paramount. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ADCA.png) The Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA) is the trade organization of data centres on the African continent. The ADCA unites leading data centres in the Africa with a common mission: the strengthening of economic growth and the profiling of the data centre sector to society, government and media. ![](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ceeda-logo2e16d0bafill-280x185-1.jpg) Future-tech are recognised as approved partners for the delivery of The Certified Energy Efficient Datacenter Award (CEEDA®), which is an independently evaluated global certification programme designed to recognise the implementation of energy efficiency best practices in data centres. The CEEDA® framework is based on a combination of standards from: EN50600, ASHRAE, Energy Star, ISO and the European Code of Conduct among others. ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Infrastructure](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/) **Published:** July 22, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Equipment & Solutions # Infrastructure This section includes those elements that form the key infrastructure within the data centre IT spaces. This includes racks and cabinets, aisle containment, cabling and cable containment, access flooring, environmental monitoring, fire suppression, security and solutions for mini or micro data centres. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ## Services include ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](#) - [Structured Cabling](#) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](#) - [Data Centre Security Systems](#) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](#) ## Cabinets & Racks As with the terminology for data centres, server rooms, computer rooms etc, so the words “racks” and “cabs” or “cabinets” are often used interchangeably. Mostly we now see IT equipment installed into enclosures with doors which might properly be described as cabinets. Typical data centre rack dimensions are 1000mm deep x 600mm wide for server racks and 800mm wide for comms racks. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Structured Cabling Data centre structured cabling systems provide connectivity within the data centre and with the outside world. They can be copper, fibre or often a mixture of both. Like all data centre systems and solutions, selection should be based upon the requirements, drivers and constraints of your project. Structured cabling is the same and the choice of which cabling specification you adopt will depend on the speeds required and distances involved. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Data Centre Fire Systems Data centre fire detection, suppression and prevention are a necessary part of most data centre installations but such systems, especially fire suppression, can add considerable cost to a data centre build. Future-tech have considerable experience in making sure that any chosen system is designed as cost effectively as possible, whilst still providing the protection required. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Data Centre Security Systems It doesn’t matter what your facility is supporting, exacting the highest data centre security standards to protect the hardware and the data that sits within the data centre is vital. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ to data centre security and the chosen systems should be tailored to your own organisations needs and requirements. Future-tech are experienced in using a risk vs impact matrix to determine the correct system for an individual client, ensuring that maximum protection at lowest cost is achieved. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Modular & Containerised Solutions Modular and containerised data centres offer a solution to certain environmental and logistic challenges and constraints. Whether you need to deploy a data centre in a temporary location, have a short time frame, or need the ‘facility’ to be self-sufficient in terms of power & cooling, Future-tech have the in-house expertise necessary to advise on and deploy a modular or containerised data centre that suits your exact requirements. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Equipment Supply The hardware selected for an individual data centre project should always be driven by the needs of the client. Factors such as operational performance, approach temperatures, power factors and minimum fan speeds as well as regional supply security, servicing costs and parts availability need to be considered as well as associated costs and budgets. Global location, environmental conditions, budget, delivery deadline and energy efficiency are just some of the factors that can influence the equipment and manufacturers specified on any data centre project, but ultimately, all data centre equipment specified should be aligned to the project’s overall requirements. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our vendor neutrality sets us apart from other organisations offering data centre design and build services. It is this neutrality that enables us to select and specify data centre equipment purely on its ability to carry out a specific function within the constraints of a particular project and also means we remain at the forefront of data centre innovation. Not only that, our in-house teams have considerable experience and expertise in equipment selection, enabling us to provide better, more resilient, more efficient data centre facilities to our clients. ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Sitemap](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sitemap/) **Published:** September 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** # Sitemap - [Home](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/) - Services - [Advisory and Feasability](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Design & Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Delivery & Implementation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/) - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - 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[Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) - [Lifecycle Services](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Capacity Planning](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) - [Data Centre Management](/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) - [Equipment and Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/) - [Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems and Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) - [Equipment Supply](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/equipment-supply/) - [Infrastructure](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/) - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) - [Power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) - [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) - [Process](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/process/) - [About Us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/) - [Why Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/why-future-tech/) - [Content Hub](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/content-hub/) - [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) - [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/) - [Contact Us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/privacy-policy/) - [Glossary](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/glossary/) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/terms-conditions/) - [Sitemap](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sitemap/) --- ### [Sustainability & CSR](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/sustainability-csr/) **Published:** March 18, 2021 **Author:** admin **Content:** ### About Us # Sustainability & CSR ## The Importance Of Responsibility At Future-tech we believe that we all have a huge responsibility as the current custodians of our environment and must consider our current environmental impact for future generations. We therefore feel that contribution to projects that have a direct impact and contribution to the health and longevity of the spaces we occupy is vitally important. We have chosen to focus on reforestation projects based on the many benefits these bring. Trees are ultimately essential for people, wildlife and the environment and we recognise both the social and ecological benefits of reforestation schemes. To this end we are thrilled to be able to contribute to the projects below. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) ![Grove partner badge erp 002 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Grove_Partner_Badge_ERP-002.png "Grovepartnerbadgeerp 002 | futuretech") ## Our Projects Locations: - Maputo/Boane, Mahubo, Mozambique - Kitiligini, Kijabe Forest Trust, Kenya When an economy digitises, those lower on the economic ladder can be easily left behind. These people are often those that are also most affected by regional climate change and the broader effects associated with habitat destruction. Future-tech is working with Eden Reforestation Projects to employ these people, provide them dignity through employment, an opportunity to earn a sustainable wage, send their children to school, improve their lives and restore their local environments. Future-tech has committed to employing people in Mozambique and Kenya for a minimum of 4 years. This will enable these teams to plant a minimum of 1 million trees across the two locations during this time. [Eden Reforestation Projects](https://www.eden-plus.org/about) ![Grouped images | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/grouped-images.png "Groupedimages | futuretech") ## Content hub ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [About Us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/about-us/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** ### About Us # Leading Global Data Centre Innovators We believe that humans are hardwired to try and improve upon what has gone before them, to try and make things better. We believe the greatest sense of success comes from improving, learning and evolving as individuals and, perhaps more rewardingly, as groups, as teams and as communities. By being a catalyst for change, by challenging ourselves and by constantly pushing forward we grow, gaining a true sense of personal and professional fulfilment. These are our core beliefs and they drive our people, our designs, our services and our business. [Get in touch](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) ![17 about us v2 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/17-About-Us-v2.gif "17 about us v2 | futuretech") ## How we evolve ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Over the last three years, Future-tech has been engaged on more than 3GW of data centre capacity. These engagements have been varied and included concept, developed and detailed designs, peer review, cost analysis, technical and commercial due diligence, technology analysis, optimisation, post outage forensic engineering, co-location selection and operational consulting and supervision. During these engagements, we have seen designers, developers, investors and operators make many of the same mistakes time and time again. In each instance, we have integrated with these teams, identified and helped rectify these mistakes, producing better designs, better infrastructure and ultimately better data centres. This insight is one of the benefits of being a specialist organisation that is dedicated to data centre M&A, investment, design, construction and operations focussed services. In addition to our own experiences, we have engaged with organisations such as the Uptime Institute, Royal Institute of British Architects, the Institute of Engineering & Technology, the British Standards Institute and the UK and European Data Centre Associations to gain further knowledge and expertise. ![Partnership | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/partnership.png "Partnership | futuretech") #### collaboration We work in partnership with our clients. Our approach is one of stakeholder inclusion and we believe that only by truly understanding the needs and requirements of all involved parties, that we can ensure that the end result fully meets all expectations. ![Man | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/man-1.png "Man | futuretech") #### Experience Our experience demonstrates that there is always a better way to deliver more resilient, more efficient, more cost-effective data centres, and that innovation in design and build is the best way to achieve this. Our commitment to vendor neutrality ensures that we can be truly innovative in our approach, whatever the project, its complexity, location, budget or requirements. ![Quality | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/quality.png "Quality | futuretech") #### Quality We want you to be proud of your data centre, whatever its age, size or type and whatever the project requirements. From refits and energy optimisation, through advisory and consulting to full design and delivery, we guarantee quality in design, quality in build, quality in engineering, quality in performance and quality in the overall service you receive from us throughout the entire lifecycle of your data centre. ## business Timeline ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") ![Ft timeline 27 08 20 | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/FT-Timeline-27.08.20.jpg "Ft timeline 27 08 20 | futuretech") Between 2009 and 2015 the data centre industry made huge strides in energy efficiency improvement. Annualised Power Utilisation Efficiency (PUE) Ratios fell from an average of 2 to 1.2 in new build applications and from 2.5 to 1.6 in existing sites. During this period Future-tech received eight independent awards because of our adoption, development and refinement of energy-efficient design principles and technologies. In 2007, when most of the industry had little to no awareness of compressor free cooling for data centres and energy efficiency in general was not important, Future-tech was already developing and implementing free cooling systems that still operate at the industry’s leading edge today. ## Content hub ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Design & Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/) **Published:** June 24, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services # Data Centre Design & Consulting ## FROM CONCEPT DESIGN THROUGH MASTER PLANS TO DETAILED DESIGN, OUR DATA CENTRE DESIGN AND CONSULTING TEAM IS HERE TO SUPPORT YOU With specialist expertise in the industry, our data centre design consulting service team deliver world-class technical insight and understanding globally based upon multiple decades of direct data centre industry involvement and specialism. Our multiple data centre design and consulting awards are a testament to our expertise in new data centre design. As a world-leading specialist in the provision of data centre solutions and engineering consultancy, Future-tech will guide and support you throughout the entire life cycle of your facility. Creating and delivering smart solutions focus on speed to deployment, flexibility, Total Cost of Ownership, energy efficiency and the use of innovative technologies alongside a deep understanding of the data centres means that whatever your requirement, at whatever stage of your facility’s life cycle, our Design and Consulting service will result in the most suitable data centre perfectly adapted to the requirements of your business with a minimum cost of ownership. Improve data centre efficiencies and reduce costs today with Future-tech’s innovative global design and consultancy team. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Design consultancy static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Design-Consultancy-static.png "Design consulting | futuretech") ## Data Centre Design & Consulting Services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](#) - [Site Surveys & Selection](#) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](#) - [Technical Data Centre Design](#) - [Design Development](#) - [Design Peer Reviews](#) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](#) - [Energy Efficiency](#) - [Standards Compliance](#) - [Customised Consulting](#) ## Site Surveys & Selection In order to minimise risk, a site survey should be conducted whenever a company has identified a potentially suitable location for a data centre. Future-tech has a thorough understanding of the risks, benefits and engineering challenges from a location, site suitability and cost perspective as well as a wealth of experience in matching corporate requirements to potential data centre locations. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "Site surveys selection | futuretech") ## Conceptual Data Centre Design Future-tech has over 30 years of experience in the preparation of conceptual data centre design specifications (RIBA stage 2). Our innovative approach, attention to detail and focus on the specific project requirements as well as our commitment to vendor neutrality means that whatever the size or type of project, the end result is a documented conceptual design exactly matched to client needs and objectives. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "Conceptual data centre design | futuretech") ## Design Development Future-tech offers a world-leading data centre design development service. This is based upon a world-class consultancy team each of whom has direct experience in the design and build of large mission-critical data centres in multiple geographies. These experts have all been employed based on their previous experience in designing world-leading data centre sites or in the development of intellectual property relating to the design and construction of high availability, business critical data centres. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "Design development | futuretech") ## Technical Data Centre Design Future-tech’s multi-award winning team of in-house data centre design consultants and specialists are experts in creating innovative, efficient and cost-effective detailed data centre designs (RIBA stages 3&4). These are exactly matched to specific client needs and requirements. Whatever the size or type of data centre and whatever your budget, our technical data centre design service will give you the tools needed to ensure a successful data centre build, using engineering best practice in data centre design. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Design Peer Reviews If your facility has been designed by an architect or engineer without in-depth knowledge in data centre design, a design review by an industry-specific specialist is essential. The design review will evaluate whether data centre best practices have been taken, risk minimised and expected standards of quality and performance have been met according to industry leading experience. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Requirements Analysis Planning to upgrade an existing data centre or need a new facility? Whatever the type of data centre project, whether new build, a legacy data centre refit, data centre consolidation or data centre decommissioning – a full requirements analysis should always be the first step. Future-tech are here to help you complete this essential first stage of any data centre project. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Availability Class & Tier Level The Tier level / Availability Class of a data centre determines the overall predicted service availability for the site and the opportunity for site maintenance required to keep the installed infrastructure in a reliable operating condition. The relationship between Resiliency, Redundancy and Availability of a facility is possibly one of the most misunderstood areas of the data centre industry. Future-tech’s data centre consultants have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Uptime Institute Tiers, EN50600 Availability Classes and TIA 942 Availability along with other classification systems and regularly help clients to navigate the complexities involved in determining both current and planned Tier Level or Availability Class. Help is available during the design of a new building to ensure that a specified Tier Level or Availability Class is achieved and that this is appropriate for the organisation’s business needs. This also includes refitting/upgrading a facility to a higher level. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Standards Compliance There are a large number of standards that are both directly and exclusively written for data centres or have elements that apply to data centres within them. This standards landscape is confusing and the uncertainty is increased by some standards broadly contradicting each other, while others remain open to interpretation. Some bodies also publish documents that claim to be data centre standards which in reality are not, so the landscape is far from easy to navigate. Future-tech will guide you through this labyrinth to ensure that the most appropriate standards are adopted and correctly applied. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Customised Consulting Future-tech can offer a fully customised service offering data centre specific expert consultancy covering a range of data centre specific topics and areas of subject matter expertise that are not restricted to any specific subject matter area. This flexible service is based upon world-leading data centre expertise based upon several decades of designing, building, maintaining and operating data centres. This expertise and experience can be brought to bear by our dedicated data centre engineering consultants on a customised basis depending on client requirements. Our aim is to help clients to improve understanding of a particular issue or provide either strategic or tactical insight and advice on any facet of data centre design, construction or operation. Individual consultants will utilise decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services along with industry-specific expertise to address the issues and technical challenges that they are presented with. Deliverables may be in the form of detailed reports, formal presentations, workshop sessions, representation at meetings, knowledge transfer or simple response to enquiries. Our customised consulting service offers the benefit of world-class insight and multiple decades of data centre specific experience delivered by Future-tech consultants who are currently involved in the industry thought leadership and standards development. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ![02 future tech sub design consulting | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/02-Future-tech-Sub-Design-Consulting.png "02 futuretech subdesign consulting | futuretech") ## Energy Efficiency Future-tech is at the forefront of data centre energy efficiency. We have designed, implemented and optimised a huge variety of new and legacy systems, always ensuring resilience and up-time is maintained whilst redefining what is considered possible for data centre performance in both large and small facilities. Since 2009 our continual efforts, dedication and passion for this area of data centre design and operation has been recognised with five industry awards. Our combination of experience and innovation will ensure your data centre is at the industry’s leading edge. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Energy efficiency | futuretech") ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Advisory and Feasibility](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/) **Published:** June 16, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services # data Centre Advisory & Feasibility ## Evaluate Risks, Commercial Viability and Technical Capabilities with Future-tech Data Centre Advisory and Feasibility Services Be confident that from the initial concept through to end of life planning, our professional services offer access to specialist data centre expertise. Our world-leading professional data centre audit and review services are designed to provide a solid foundation for any data centre project – not just today but for the future too. We will provide a clear engineering focused understanding of site infrastructure, condition, capacity and capabilities. This includes project feasibility studies and market analyses to determine appropriate solutions and potential costs/benefits. Get in touch with a member of our professional advisory and feasibility team to find out more about how Future-tech’s data centre Advisory and Feasibility services can help you to build the solid foundations required for your data centre project. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@2x.png "Advisory and feasability | futuretech") ## DATA CENTRE ADVISORY & FEASIBILITY Services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](#) - [Investor’s Representative](#) - [Market Intelligence](#) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](#) - [Commercial Due Diligence](#) ## Commercial Due Diligence Our service provides a clear commercially focused, engineering led understanding of site infrastructure design, function, condition, capacity and capabilities. This includes project feasibility studies and market analyses to determine project viability as well as offering appropriate solutions and potential costs / benefits for any issues discovered. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Commercial due diligence | futuretech") ## Technical Due Diligence Future-tech specialists can complete a technical site review to provide a detailed engineering report offering an assessment of a site’s true capabilities, capacities, and condition. The report would also note any functional or operational issues that would be a cause for concern for a customer, operator, or investor. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Technical due diligence | futuretech") ## Investor's representative The Future-tech consulting team have the ability to provide data centre specific support, management or governance on projects on behalf of investors for programmes of all sizes. This includes strategic advice as well and tactical delivery across a range of disciplines. This service offers investors in data centre projects risk-free project delivery focused on long term data centre infrastructure goals and operational reliability. Future-tech can offer investors’ confidence that the project will result in a data centre site capable of performing to stated customer requirements with the ability to sustain reliable operational delivery. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Investors representative | futuretech") ## Market Intelligence Future-tech team members have experience being both customers and providers of data centre services, having a broad understanding of data centre services and detailed knowledge in key specialist areas. This gives us a unique perspective on the data centre market and the range of customer requirements within that market. This experience allows Future-tech to offer data centre market analysis and intelligence for clients seeking to better understand the market in general or specific aspects of the market relating to differing customer requirements, regional variation, the applicability of different options to a specific market and broad market demand. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Market intelligence | futuretech") ## Financial Feasibility & Model Development A data centre feasibility study is intended to identify the potential ‘risk and reward’ of any new data centre project. Future-tech help clients to understand potential ROI, risk factors and the impact of change resulting from any new data centre initiative. By spending time on a feasibility study, organisations are armed with all the information they need to decide the best route forward among the options available. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "Financial feasibility model development | futuretech") ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # Energy Efficiency Future-tech is at the fore front of data centre energy efficiency. We have designed, implemented and optimised a huge variety of new and legacy systems, always ensuring resilience and uptime is maintained whilst redefining what is consider possible for data centre performance in both large and small facilities. Since 2009 our continual efforts, dedication and passion for this area of data centre design and operation has been recognised with five industry awards. Our combination of experience and innovation will ensure your data centre is at the industry’s leading edge. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ### Experience Our specialist Teams have designed, implemented, operated and optimised every cooling solution available in today’s data centre market. With this knowledge we ensure the technologies and methodologies specified for your data centre are both energy efficient and pragmatic. The result is solutions that are simple and cost effective to maintain, that are lower risk and that deliver class leading energy efficiency. ### Innovation Innovation is at our core. Our attitude is one of flexibility and adaptability. Our knowledge of systems and solution combined with our vendor neutrality and creative approach results in the most energy efficient and flexible infrastructures that support your business today and into the future. ### Passion We passionately believe in pushing the boundaries of what is considered possible with data centre energy efficiency. We have consistently produced results that have redefined facility performance and we continually strive to improve and optimise what we have done before. Our people are committed to making all data centres, large and small, as sustainable as possible. ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Availability Class & Tier Level The Tier level / Availability Class of a data centre determines the overall predicted service availability for the site and the opportunity for site maintenance required to keep the installed infrastructure in a reliable operating condition. The relationship between Resiliency, Redundancy and Availability of a facility is possibly one of the most misunderstood areas of the data centre industry. Future-tech’s data centre consultants have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Uptime Institute Tiers, EN50600 Availability Classes and TIA 942 Availability along with other classification systems and regularly help clients to navigate the complexities involved in determining both current and planned Tier Level or Availability Class. Help is available during the design of a new building to ensure that a specified Tier Level / Availability Class is achieved and that this is appropriate for the organisation’s business needs. This also includes refitting/upgrading a facility to a higher level. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Why do I need Tier / Availability Classification Systems? Each individual organisation has its own specific needs and requirements with regard to expected levels of service availability from their data centre(s). Use of a classification system is a convenient way to ensure that the M&E infrastructure within the facility meets those needs and adheres to a widely accepted benchmark. For organisations with mission critical service availability expectations and third party service providers a high Availability Class or Tier Level can give assurance to either internal or external customers that the data centre is protected against unplanned downtime. Although most facilities are designed in a bespoke manner using elements of possible classifications systems these systems are a convenient way to determine and ultimately express the level of resiliency, redundancy and opportunity for non-service affecting maintenance offered by the M&E infrastructure within a data centre. ### Our Approach Navigating the data centre classification systems can be a complex undertaking. As experts in data centre design and build, Future-tech’s data centre design consultants have a thorough understanding of all these systems and most importantly their relevance to individual organisations and business requirements. As there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, we always take a holistic approach to determining the relevant elements of the chosen classification system appropriate to each client. Every project starts with an understanding of an organisation’s business availability requirements. Once these are determined, our design consultants can advise on the appropriate design and whether a bespoke hybrid solution is required. Adept in the assessment of third party design briefs and existing facility due diligence, we regularly work with clients to ensure that third party designs meet the specified requirements or that a facility being considered for outsourcing is suitable from an availability or tier level perspective. ### Methodology A Data Centre Design Consultant is assigned to each individual project. The first stage involves a requirement gathering process focussed on business requirements followed by the selection of an appropriate infrastructure level represented by the classification system of the client’s choice. Advice is available of the merits of the various classification systems available and may involve the use of a hybrid solution if appropriate. Our highly qualified consultants will then review the data centre design to ensure all elements of the requirements are fully covered. If the project involves an existing facility, our experts will evaluate it against the original requirement and specification as well as current needs. If there are discrepancies, we will work to create an improvement strategy outlining the necessary steps to increase your data centre infrastructure resilience and ultimately service availability. ### Output On completion of a review or survey, clients will be issued with an Evaluation Report. This document outlines the chosen classification scheme, the achieved level or bespoke specification, details the review process and its findings before making recommendations. When auditing a third party facility, the report will include a summary of risk factors and any discrepancies from a client’s desired level for a chosen classifications scheme. This might include Uptime Institute Tier Level, EN50600 Availability Class or TIA 942 Availability Level as well as other schemes. This allows informed decisions to be made as to whether a facility is suitable for the client’s critical IT systems and business availability requirements. ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Conceptual Data Centre Design Future-tech have over 30 years of experience in the preparation of conceptual data centre design specifications (RIBA stage 2). Our innovative approach, attention to detail and focus on the specific project requirements as well as our commitment to vendor neutrality means that whatever the size or type of project, the end result is a document exactly matched to client needs and objectives. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### About Our Conceptual Data Centre Design Services Whatever the size or type of data centre project, it is likely that the first stage will involve the creation of conceptual data centre design specification documents. This process involves the creation of high level specifications for the purposes of inclusion in a business plan, feasibility report or strategy document clients also use the conceptual design process to progress a project through to tender stage. ### Why Choose Future-tech? Our multi award winning in-house design team have enviable expertise in conceptual data centre design services. Most importantly, we understand that although ‘conceptual’ in nature, this design process needs to be undertaken with the client’s needs and requirements in mind – no two data centre projects are the same and no two data centre design solutions should be either. Known for our innovative approach to our client’s unique challenges and specifications, our team are adept at creating bespoke conceptual designs that suit the age, size and type of facility and exactly match the client needs. We also believe vendor neutrality is crucial – our neutrality means that we are free to determine the best solution for your individual requirements without the constraints of companies linked to a particular manufacturer. ### Methodology All Future-tech conceptual data centre design projects begin with in-depth stakeholder meetings to establish the client drivers, requirements and constraints. Clients are assigned a data centre design team, consisting of Mechanical and Electrical data centre design engineers and other relevant design specialists. Our conceptual data centre design service takes a project through RIBA Work Stages 3 and 4. The final High Level data centre design document will include a performance specification together with plan drawings and 3D conceptual renders of internal and external areas. The drawings will include data halls as well as other essential areas such as plant rooms, network operation centre, plant compounds and office space. It will also include electrical and mechanical schematics illustrating the data centre’s infrastructure topography, resilience and redundancy and any alternative solutions will be outlined an presented with analysis as to suitability, advantages and disadvantages, The detailed conceptual data centre design document can be used as part of a detailed business plan, feasibility report or strategy document. It can also be used to progress your project through to tender stage by forming part of your Invitation to tender document (ITT). ## other Services within design & consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Site Surveys & Selection In order to minimise risk, a site survey should be conducted whenever a company has identified a potentially suitable location for a data centre. Future-tech have a thorough understanding of risks, benefits and technological challenges from a location, site suitability and cost perspective and have a wealth of experience in matching corporate requirements to potential data centre location. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Site Surveys? Once you have identified a location (or several potential locations) for your new build data centre, a site survey will provide an understanding of any risk factors associated with the site as well as an analysis of general suitability, access, and cost factors will enable informed decisions to be taken and costly errors avoided. A Future-tech site selection report will ensure that you choose the best site for the specific project requirements, ensuring a smoother, faster, cost effective data centre delivery. ### Our Approach Future-tech experts are regularly engaged to perform suitability checks. We understand that each data centre project is unique and that potential sites should be assessed against our client’s corporate requirements. This approach means our clients can be assured that recommendations are unique to their technological needs, risk profile and future strategy. Our engagement with the client always starts with an understanding of data centre requirements and corporate priorities before a hands on approach to the actual site is taken. ### Methodology The Future-tech data centre site survey and selection methodology encompasses both the physical aspects of the proposed location and also the strategic implications. In keeping with our company ethos, we take a partnership approach to a site analysis to ensure that assessments are in line with corporate data centre objectives. Physical assessment involves an expert data centre surveyor’s analysis of essential elements such as power availability, connectivity, access, transport links, environmental threats and security as well as potential location specific risk factors. Site visits and site research are employed. When assessing the suitability of an existing building on the site, the analysis will include construction type, materials and structural limitations. Our experts then analyse these findings against specific corporate requirements ensuring that all recommendations are based on your individual data centre needs. ### Output Future-tech provide the client with a comprehensive report detailing the findings of the site selection assessment, comparing these with project specific requirements, drivers and constraints. Elements covered include: pro’s and con’s of each site; flexibility, risk evaluation, capacity predictions, limitations, estimated build and operational costs, power and connectivity availability. The report can also include high level layouts, a phased expansion plan and recommended power, cooling and construction solutions. ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Equipment and Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/) **Published:** June 24, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services # DATA CENTRE Equipment & Solutions ## OUR VENDOR NEUTRALITY ENABLES US TO MATCH OUR CLIENTS’ REQUIREMENTS WITH THE BEST TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND EQUIPMENT Our Data Centre Services portfolio covers all areas required to achieve highly reliable and energy/cost-efficient maintenance and operations within a data centre. This includes all elements of infrastructure maintenance and engineering including the management of operating costs, energy management and infrastructure optimisation. Future-tech are experts in risk-free maintenance and critical facilities management in live operational environments with a clear focus on minimising any impact on ongoing service delivery. Future-tech engineers focus on maintaining service availability and uptime, reducing costs and increasing efficiencies with a comprehensive portfolio of Data Centre Operations, Engineering and Maintenance Services. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Equipment-and-Solutions.png "Equipment and solutions | futuretech") ## DATA CENTRE EQUIPMENT & Solutions Services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Infrastructure](#) - [Cooling](#) - [Power](#) - [Equipment Supply](#) ## Infrastructure This section includes those elements that form the key infrastructure within the data centre IT spaces. This includes racks and cabinets, aisle containment, cabling and cable containment, access flooring, environmental monitoring, fire suppression, security and solutions for mini or micro data centres. [Find Out More](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") #### Services include - [Cabinets & Racks](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Structured Cabling](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Cooling This section includes all elements that are key to the provision of effective data centre cooling and encompasses all potential technologies and best practices essential to maximising cooling capacity and energy efficiency. [Find Out More](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") #### Services include - [Free cooling](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Cooling Systems & Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Power This section includes all the elements within the entire power path that are key to the provision of reliable and resilient electrical power to the critical IT load within a data centre. [Find Out More](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") #### Services include - [Data Centre Power Systems](/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ## Equipment Supply Your data centre is only as efficient as the equipment chosen to support it. Many organisations offering data centre design and build services are tied to a particular equipment manufacturer and this hampers their ability to choose the hardware most appropriate to overall requirements.At Future-tech we are proud of our commitment to vendor neutrality, an approach that has led us to continually match our clients’ facilities to the correct data centre equipment in order to meet specific needs and requirements. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/equipment-supply/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Management & Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/) **Published:** June 23, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services # DATA CENTRE Management & Maintenance ## MAnagement AND MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS CRITICAL DATA CENTRES Future-tech site management and maintenance solutions only utilise dedicated and experienced engineers specialising in critical environments. Our engineers use building monitoring management and maintenance systems to proactively protect, optimise and ensure the continuity of highly available data centre services. The Future-tech team offers a focussed and detailed knowledge of data centres with an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of site management, maintenance, operational best practice and industry standards as well as more than a decade of direct experience in providing highly reliable and risk free operation of business critical data centre sites. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Operations | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/operations.png "Operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Data Centre Management & Maintenance Services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](#) - [Lifecycle Services](#) - [Data Centre Management](#) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](#) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](#) - [Remote Services](#) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](#) ## Operational Reviews & Audits A key component of Future-tech’s consultancy services is the operational reviews and audits that we can perform to ensure the optimal operation of your site. This includes all aspects of energy efficiency, capacity optimisation, risk mitigation, and strategic planning as well as detailed root cause analyses should any unforeseen problems occur. [Find Out More](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") #### Services include - [Audit & Risk Analysis](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [Energy Audits](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Lifecycle Services Lifecycle services encompass all elements of critical infrastructure lifetime management once a design and/or delivery project has moved into live operation. This includes capacity increases, equipment upgrade or replacement, new technology recommendations, equipment sourcing, re-commissioning, de-commissioning, site refurbishment, expansion, migration, and consolidation. [Find Out More](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") #### Services include - [Capacity Planning](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ## Data Centre Management Managing a data centre site can become a full-time job and a significant strain on internal company resources. Our clients have recognised that having the expertise and overhead in-house is often not the most cost-effective way of managing a data centre efficiently or effectively. For over 35 years our clients have demonstrated that by outsourcing part or all of the sites management to Future-tech they are guaranteeing that their data centres are managed by specialist data centre experts with the resources to maintain or improve site operations and reduce the risk of failure. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Data Centre Site Monitoring Data Centre environment and building management and maintenance systems provide a wealth of valuable information. This information can be used by our experienced engineering teams to improve operational efficiencies, optimise site performance in terms of both available capacity and energy efficiency and to limit unplanned downtime. Continual monitoring can be a strain on internal IT and engineering resources, especially those inexperienced in this area, which is why for over 35 years our clients have outsourced their data centre site monitoring to Future-tech. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Planned & Predictive MANAGEMENT AND Maintenance Future-tech provides Planned Preventative and Predictive data centre management and maintenance as a standalone service or as one part of an overall data centre site management package. Regularly servicing a data centre’s supporting infrastructure greatly reduces the chances of component or system failure. This service improves site reliability and ultimately reduces the risk of a loss of service. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Remote Services Future-tech’s Remote Services for Data Centres are designed for Edge, Enterprise, Telecom, Colocation and Hyperscale Data Centres in order to enable operators to reduce operational expenditure without reducing operational reliability or the quality of engineering support. One of the biggest overheads for data centre operators is its ‘on premise’ engineering teams and management and maintenance services. A typical support model is to employ a team of engineers on site working on shift patterns at a large cost to the business. When a data centre is designed and built with a high degree of site resilience and correctly maintained it should be recognised that the risk to uptime is low and a permanent team of engineers based on site is not always necessary. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Data Centre Emergency Response Future-tech provides data centre emergency response as a standalone service or as one element of an overall data centre site management and maintenance package. If a fault occurs that presents a risk to the uptime of your data centre it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible by knowledgeable engineers with the key skills and experience to address issues rapidly as they arise. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ![04 future tech sub operations and maintenance | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/04-Future-tech-Sub-Operations-and-Maintenance.png "04 futuretech sub operations and maintenance | futuretech") ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Delivery & Implementation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/) **Published:** June 24, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services # DATA CENTRE Delivery & Implementation ## IMPROVE DATA CENTRE PROJECT DELIVERY AND IMPLEMENTATION WITH FUTURE-TECH EXPERTS **Delivering global innovative, risk-free data centre installations for over 30 years** Our relationships with our clients are enhanced by our expertise and successes in data centre delivery and implementation. With an emphasis on innovation, we consistently deliver the most cost-effective, efficient, scalable, new build or upgraded data centres to our clients. Future-tech are experts in project management and risk-free installation in live operational environments with a clear focus on minimising any impact on ongoing service delivery. Our in-house team are adept at the meticulous planning and preparation that is a necessary part of working on an existing data centre and our holistic approach ensures that there are no unforeseen issues impacting on the day to day running of your mission-critical facility. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Delivery-and-Implementation.png "Delivery and implementation | futuretech") ## Data Centre Implementation Services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](#) - [Construction Management](#) - [Construction](#) - [Design & Build as a Service](#) - [Integrated Witness Testing](#) - [Commissioning](#) - [Procurement](#) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](#) ## Project Management Future-tech has over 30 years’ experience in delivering a range of data centre project management services. We understand that whatever the type or scale of the undertaking, strict co-ordination of all process elements is vital to the success, timely delivery and overall cost of any data centre project. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Construction Management Future-tech has the in-house ability to offer Construction Project Management or Project Governance for any data centre related project. Our experienced consulting team have the ability to deliver end to end data centre specific construction management or governance on data centre projects. Utilising decades of data centre specific project delivery and construction management experience along with industry-specific expertise our consultants will ensure that all projects are delivered on time and to budget. We offer risk-free construction management guaranteeing that the constructed data centre site meets the design criteria established at the start of the project. Compliance with these original design requirements and operational parameters form an integral part of our focus during site construction and final testing. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Construction In cases where a detailed data centre design has been prepared in-house or by a consultancy, Future-tech work with clients to facilitate the actual construction of the new facility. Our expertise in data centre design and build means that we are able to work closely and efficiently with external contractors to ensure that your data centre build out remains within budget whilst meeting your exact design requirements. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Design & Build as a Service For more than 30 years Future-tech has provided turn-key data centre design and build services to organisations large and small across a variety of global locations. From Tier I to Tier IV, from micro to mega, and from greenfield to conversion of existing buildings, all our projects are undertaken with the same degree of personal service, attention to detail and exact matching of corporate requirements to the end result. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Integrated Witness Testing Following data centre construction, full and thorough testing under design load conditions should be performed. As independent experts in design, build and optimisation, Future-tech are the obvious choice to undertake such a critical task. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Commissioning Following on from construction and testing, Data Centre Commissioning is essential to ensure that the completed facility is configured for maximum efficiency. With a wealth of experience in data centre efficiency and innovation, Future-tech consultants help clients achieve significant cost savings by examining characteristics of the current IT load, identifying where equipment manufacturers standard specifications are not appropriate, and configuring the supporting infrastructure accordingly. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Procurement We offer clients the opportunity to lead the management of procurement on their behalf. This allows our clients to concentrate on their core business while introducing specialist data centre engineering knowledge and experience that may not be available within a client’s organisation.This service has the advantage of access to the decades of data centre specific expertise within the Future-tech team as well as ability to offer significant volume discounts by pooling purchasing agreements on behalf of multiple clients. These volume discounts will be far greater than can be achieved by an individual customer alone. Our procurement services are highly flexible and can accommodate the need to purchase specialist services or equipment. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Tender Documents & Evaluation Unwieldy and confusing tender documentation has a considerable impact on project timeframes, decision making and the overall success of a project. Future-tech has spent considerable time working with tender documentation and we have used this experience to develop a document creation and evaluation service. Our service ensures that client tender documents are simple, concise and enable key objectives to be met. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ![03 future tech sub delivery implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/03-Future-tech-Sub-Delivery-implementation.png "03 futuretech subdelivery implementation | futuretech") ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Contact Us](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/contact-us/) **Published:** June 16, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** --- ### [Content Hub](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/content-hub/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Content Hub # All Media ![Post header | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/post-header.png "Postheader | futuretech") Search for: [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Process](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/process/) **Published:** July 2, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Process # Data Centre Development Process ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Process.png "Process | futuretech") ## We have defined a data centre specific multi-staged approach to data centre development and lifecycle management Future-tech’s services cover the full range of activities throughout the entire lifecycle of any data centre project. From an initial feasibility study and requirements definition through the design stages, equipment specification and procurement, followed by construction, completion and handover. These stages include the essential transition to live operational management and maintenance as well as catering for migration projects, upgrades and refurbishments. From greenfield data centre development to the conversion of existing buildings, and from micro to mega facilities, Future-tech are recognised as industry leaders in the provision of data centre consultancy and technical project delivery. It is important to note that a client can enter the Future-tech process at any stage. Future-tech’s engagement on a project does not have to start at Stage 0 but rather Future-tech’s expertise and world leading consultants can be seamlessly integrated into a project at any stage. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ## the stages ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Stage 0](#stage0) - [Stage 1](#stage1) - [Stage 2](#stage2) - [Stage 3](#stage3) - [Stage 4](#stage4) - [Stage 5](#stage5) - [Stage 6](#stage6) - [Stage 7](#stage7) - [1](#stage1) - [2](#stage2) - [ 3](#stage3) - [4](#stage4) - [5](#stage5) - [6](#stage6) - [ 7](#stage7) ## Stage 0: Strategic Definition ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") This stage is not necessary for all data centre projects. Its purpose is to establish a project’s feasibility without investing significant capital or resources. First, Future-tech, data centre specialists, create an overarching brief, outlining the goals, objectives, key requirements and timeline as well as a high-level description of the project. This then enables us to explore the data centre project in detail. We’ll create a financial plan using empirical data, industry benchmarking and some high-level site/project specific information. We can look into site selection for new-build data centres, examining the implication of factors ranging from taxation to flood risk. We can also create a master plan of the data centre project. This is a low cost way of understanding a project’s feasibility and can be a useful tool to share with other stakeholders, from investors and team members to local planning authorities. #### Services include - [Capacity Planning](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Investor’s Representative](/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Technical Due Diligence](/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) ## Stage 1: Preparation & Brief ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Thorough preparation from the start of the data centre project enables it to move forward smoothly and efficiently. At Future-tech, we use a process called the Requirements Analysis Process (RAP), developed using PRINCE2 project management principles and our extensive experience. After establishing and engaging with the stakeholders and project team, we create a project and a performance brief. These clearly define the team’s roles and responsibilities, and all of the project’s requirements, drivers and constraints. These will be presented back for formal agreement before moving forward. Timelines, critical paths and reporting schedules can then be set and established in the data centre project programme. We will also create a RAID (Risks, Actions, Issues and Decisions) log. Each log is unique to its project and is a working document throughout. #### Services include - [Capacity Planning](/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Requirements Analysis](/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) ## Stage 2: Concept Design ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") This stage covers everything from conceptual data centre design to budget cost schedules to establishing the supply chain. Based on the performance brief, our team will develop a conceptual data centre design to meet its requirements. This covers every phase up to and including its final day capacity. We’ll then engage local architects and civil engineers, as well as identify relevant equipment manufacturers. With the concept data centre design complete, we can create CAPEX and OPEX budget schedules and an operation cost schedule. The local architect meets with planners to discuss the initial data centre design, flagging any issues prior to design development. To minimise risk, a H&S design review will be completed in accordance with best practice. As H&S standards vary from country/region to country/region the review will be focused on the operational sustainability of the site and creating the base H&S file, and will include input from the local architect. The data centre project programme is reviewed and updated, along with the RAID log. At this point the concept data centre design is signed off too. #### Services include - [Equipment & Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Design Peer Reviews](/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Standards Compliance](/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) ## Stage 3: Developed Design ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") It’s now time for formal data centre planning application and to prepare a number of important documents. Firstly, the Equipment Data Sheet for all equipment and works packages is prepared ready for tender. This also informs the detailed performance specifications that will be created. Using 3D Revit, the data centre project work book is compiled. This document features drawings of all major elements and enables installation contractors to quote accurately. We also create the Basis of Design document, outlining the performance overall as well as of specific elements. This is the first document in the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Documentation, providing an operational foundation to the data centre build and critical systems. The formal data centre planning application is submitted with drawings and documentation from the local architect – who will also have the opportunity to update the Revit model to meet any specific planning requirements. As we involve the planning authority at the concept stage, the data centre planning process should now be straightforward and hassle-free. At the end of the data centre planning stage, we will again review, and update where necessary, the RAID log and project programme. #### Services include - [Availability Class & Tier Level](/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Design & Development](/design-consulting/design-development/ "Design & Development") - [Design Peer Reviews](/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Standards Compliance](/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) ## Stage 4: Technical Design ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Whether inviting a number of contractors to tender, or relying on one through an existing relationship, we will produce a full tender document. Even if one contractor is proposed, this is the opportunity for them to demonstrate that the data centre project has been fully understood. For a competitive tender, we will create a submission matrix enabling objective scrutiny of submissions. Tenders are evaluated by specialist data centre engineers and consultants, and may include site visits for top bidders. We will then recommend contractors based on their submissions. Contracts are then awarded. The RAID log and project programme are again reviewed and updated. With contracts awarded and programmes finalised, a definitive project programme can now be produced. The critical path and completion date can also be confirmed. #### Services include - [Equipment & Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Procurement](/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Standards Compliance](/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Stage 5: Construction ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") During the data centre construction stage, Future-tech will fulfil the role of client-side representative. We will ensure the quality of information, equipment and workmanship provided by the appointed General Contractor is up to standard and meets specification. Before any materials orders are placed, our data centre design team will sign off equipment, drawings and proposed works using an A, B, C classification process. Elements with long lead times will be prioritized. Likewise, major plant equipment will be signed off by the lead designer and/or specialist consultant following witness testing at the manufacturer’s test facility. Installation works will be signed off as they are completed. Any snagging will be highlighted during regular visits by members of the data centre project team to ensure a smooth, efficient process. All rectification works will be completed before moving on to the Integrated Systems Testing (IST) stage. Regular reports, data centre project programme updates and any RAID log updates will continue during this stage. #### Services include - [Availability Class & Tier Level](/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Contruction](/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Construction Management](/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Design Peer Reviews](/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Standards Compliance](/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) ## Stage 6: Handover & Close Out ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Integrated System Testing (IST) takes place once the data centre construction works phases are finished. All individual elements are tested together as one integrated system to ensure the data centre operates as one holistic system. It also checks BMS/DCIM reporting, and that all redundant equipment operates correctly in the event of a fault. A written script for the IST procedures details every action and the expected consequences, with a tick box record of the results and supporting records such as BMS screen shots produced for the O&M documentation. The IST script will be followed, with complete reruns, until a 100% correct result is achieved. We recommend client teams attend IST as it can provide valuable training for staff who will be working on site day to day. A full testing schedule for UPS Power Quality will also be created and submitted as part of the facilities O&M information post data centre construction. Prior to handover, the Future-tech team will review and sign off the O&M information produced by the General Contractor. This will include data centre Construction Level drawings and schematics. We will also present a debrief report, to be reviewed and approved. Should it be required, we may also provide additional data centre support for the first 12 months of the Data Centre’s lifecycle. #### Services include - [Availability Class & Tier Level](/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Commissioning](/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Construction Management](/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Design Peer Reviews](/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) ## Stage 7: In Use ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Available as an additional service, or as a standalone product for existing data centres, our experienced facilities management delivers exceptional service and results. Currently monitoring 98 data centres for 48 clients across the UK and Ireland (all with mission critical environments), we have maintained above a 99.999% uptime over the last five years. We provide a dedicated account manager and regular meetings to discuss reports, performance, activities and future plans for your data centre. You will also benefit from a Consultant Engineer review reports, provide optimisation suggestions, share new best practice and be on hand in the event of a complex technical issue. An agreed schedule for Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) for each 12 month period will be put in place at the beginning of the contract. These visits include general data centre maintenance checks, cleaning, leak tests and lubrication, filter replacements, electrical inspections, fire system checks and more. Our service engineers will provide a full report, reviewed by our Consulting Engineers who will feedback any observations, recommendations or risks. We provide a comprehensive monitoring system and fast emergency response. During working hours, this is managed from our head office in Wokingham. Specialist data centre engineers are dispatched if required, with regular updates to your IT services team. Out of hours, we have three geographically diverse call centres monitoring alerts and our on-call service data centre engineers are well-equipped to provide first line diagnostics, managing the response and resolving any issues quickly. Our average response time is 14 minutes, with an average time to site of 2 hours 16 minutes. As part of our risk management strategy, we create thorough Management Operating Procedures (MOP), Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Emergency Operating Procedure (EOP) documents. Our life-cycle data centre planning and reports enable you to minimise risk and efficiently manage changes, as well as planning future budgets. #### Services include - [Equipment & Solutions](/equipment-and-solutions/) - [Operations & Maintenance](/operations-maintenance/) - [Lifecycle Services](/operations-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Commissioning](/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Construction Management](/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Customised Consulting](/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) - [Design & Build as a Service](/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Project Management](/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Standards Compliance](/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Terms & Conditions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/terms-conditions/) **Published:** July 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** # Terms & Conditions These conditions set out the entire agreement between Future-tech S.C.I. Ltd (FT) and you relating to your use of this Web site. Use of this site indicates your acceptance of these terms and is entirely at your own risk. ## Content Unless otherwise indicated, the content featured or displayed on this Web site including, but not limited to, text, graphics, photographs, images, moving images, sounds illustrations and software, belong to FT, its licensors and content providers, and is protected by the copyright, trademark and other laws relating to intellectual property rights, of both the United Kingdom and foreign jurisdictions. Unauthorised use of the materials available on this Web site is strictly forbidden. Where there are links on this site to other sites not under our control we are not responsible for the contents of any such linked sites. FT is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by FT. ## Warranties FT does not guarantee that access to this Web site will be uninterrupted or that the site will be free from viruses and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, disclaims all warranties, including the warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement of third parties rights. FT makes no warranties about accuracy, reliability completeness, or timeless of the material, services, graphics, and/or links. Neither FT nor its directors, employees, licensors, content providers, affiliates or other representatives will be liable for any loss, expense or damages whatsoever arising from the use or performance of this Web site or from any information, services or products represented or provided through this Web site. FT reserves the right to change these terms and conditions of use at any time. --- ### [Careers at Future-tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/careers-at-future-tech/) **Published:** June 15, 2021 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### ABOUT US # Careers At Future-tech ## OUR COMMUNITY ![line](/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png)At Future-tech we pride ourselves on being a community of specialist data centre engineering consultants and supporting staff who all share the same goals, attitudes and ethics. Even as a multi-disciplined and diverse team we act as a cohesive whole, supporting each other in our specialist capacities. The result is that the whole is very much greater than the sum of our vitally important people who make up the varied parts of our team. Within Future-tech we encourage innovation and ambition. To aid this we offer the development of specialist skills, training, exposure to exciting projects in multiple countries and the opportunity to grow within a very successful and rapidly expanding business. As an organisation we operate within a fast paced, increasingly important and currently booming industry sector. This gives us all the opportunity to solve problems and learn on a daily basis in order to directly resolve the challenges posed by increasing global data centre energy consumption and the need to continually improve the energy efficiency of our designs and reduce our sector’s overall environmental impact. We believe there are lessons to be learnt on every project and by working together, sharing our knowledge, supporting each other and engaging with like-minded companies, and individuals, we will continue to make a significant contribution to our industry as well as our business and our own individual sense of achievement and satisfaction. As a demonstration of our energy, dedication and accomplishment the Future-tech team has grown from 21 people in 2017 to now over 70 in 2021. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ## BENEFITS OF A FUTURE-TECH CAREER ![line](/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png) ![Staff | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/staff.png "Staff | futuretech") Work alongside and learn from our experienced staff ![Skills | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/skills.png "Skills | futuretech") Gain additional skills through specialist training ![Culture | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/culture.png "Culture | futuretech") Be a part of our supportive culture ![Learn | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/learn.png "Learn | futuretech") Continue to learn in a job you can be passionate about ![Support | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/support.png "Support | futuretech") Receive support throughout your development ![Direct | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/direct.png "Direct | futuretech") Make a direct impact on the data centre industry ## THE SKILLS WE EMPLOY AND THE ROLES AVAILABLE ![line](/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png)- MEP Systems design - Lead Consultants & Design Managers - Mechanical engineers - Electrical engineers (HV & LV) - Design coordination & Project managers - Revit, AutoCAD & BIM operators - CFD modelling & MTBF assessment engineers - Technical & commercial due diligence specialists - Data Centre site selection specialists - Risk analysis experts - Fault diagnostic & forensic engineers - Asset lifecycle planning & design engineers - BMS, EPMS and controls engineers - Fire prevention system engineers - Engineering project managers - Investors’ and clients’ representatives ## OUR CLIENTS ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") Our expertise has enabled us to work with a vast array of companies across a wide range of locations and on projects of all shapes and sizes. We have worked for data centre colocation operators and enterprises across most industry verticals, from universities and healthcare organisations through to financial institutions and telecom companies, and on micro through to mega data centres, the largest being over 200MW. ![Advisory feasability static | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/advisory-feasability-static.png "Advisoryfeasabilitystatic | futuretech") ## Content hub ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Power](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/) **Published:** July 22, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Equipment & Solutions # Power This section includes all the elements within the entire power path that are key to the provision of reliable and resilient electrical power to the critical IT load within a data centre. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ## Services include ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Data Centre Power Systems](#) - [Switchgear & Electrical](#) - [Generators](#) - [UPS Solutions](#) ## Data Centre Power Systems A resilient infrastructure for timely and uninterrupted data centre power distribution is essential to any facility. Whether it is the power to the data cabinets, cooling infrastructure or security systems, ensuring your mission critical facility is risk free and concurrently maintainable are crucial aspects of its electrical design. Future-tech have a vast amount of experience in creating the most resilient and efficient data centre power infrastructure and removing single points of failure. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Switchgear & Electrical Power is the life-blood of every data centre. Good design and careful installation by qualified engineers will ensure that effective data centre power distribution enables power to flow to your IT equipment all of the time, and that your facility delivers the uptime your organisations demands. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Generators Whilst your Uninterruptible Power Supply system ensures your IT equipment remains unaffected by short-term power outages, it is both uneconomic and impractical to size batteries for more than 15 or 20 minutes of full load operation on most data centre facilities. What is more, unless you have the cooling system on a UPS (which will increase the batteries required considerably) then most modern data centres will overheat within a short time. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## UPS Solutions Most data centres incorporate Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) in their electrical distribution circuits. Their primary function is to maintain power to your IT equipment in the event of a mains failure. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Equipment Supply The hardware selected for an individual data centre project should always be driven by the needs of the client. Factors such as operational performance, approach temperatures, power factors and minimum fan speeds as well as regional supply security, servicing costs and parts availability need to be considered as well as associated costs and budgets. Global location, environmental conditions, budget, delivery deadline and energy efficiency are just some of the factors that can influence the equipment and manufacturers specified on any data centre project, but ultimately, all data centre equipment specified should be aligned to the project’s overall requirements. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our vendor neutrality sets us apart from other organisations offering data centre design and build services. It is this neutrality that enables us to select and specify data centre equipment purely on its ability to carry out a specific function within the constraints of a particular project and also means we remain at the forefront of data centre innovation. Not only that, our in-house teams have considerable experience and expertise in equipment selection, enabling us to provide better, more resilient, more efficient data centre facilities to our clients. ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Data Centre Emergency Response Future-tech provides data centre emergency response as a standalone service or as one element of an overall data centre site management package. If a fault occurs that presents a risk to the uptime of your data centre it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible by knowledgeable engineers with the key skills and experience to address issues rapidly as they arise. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Data Centre Emergency Response? Site specific knowledge and experience available at short notice can be the difference between a fault or incident becoming a service impacting failure. In order to respond rapidly to faults or incidents clients’ installations can be monitored remotely with varying levels of complexity to suit business needs, from basic critical alarm with “push” notification to text or email, to a full BMS system showing real-time performance of power and cooling systems together with web-cam monitoring of the data centre and plant areas. ### Methodology In the event of a fault or incident the decision to attend site will be made by our Data Centre Service Engineer depending on the type of alert in question and its potential impact on services. Unique protocols are established for each client dependant on their particular requirements and site criticality. For highly critical data centre sites Future-tech can provide data centre technicians based on-site for 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. This allows continual systems monitoring to keep the plant operating at peak performance and provides the ability to deal with any potential issues instantly as they arise in order to significantly reduce the risk of loss of service. For sites outside of the UK we use a network of vetted and approved contractors to attend site within 4 hours. All telephone support and client liaison is still provided by our own in-house UK based teams. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our in-house engineers will respond to a fault alert in a manner that best supports the needs of an organisation and its internal resources. For some organisations this means providing instant telephone support and a detailed knowledge of the data centre site in question. This allows our engineers to assist and advise the onsite team, resolving the issue without requiring attendance. For others, who do not have their own internal resources, our engineers will be on site within 4 hours. ## other Services within Management & Maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Remote Services Future-tech’s Remote Services for Data Centres are designed for Edge, Enterprise, Telecom, Colocation and Hyperscale Data Centres in order to enable operators to reduce operational expenditure without reducing operational reliability or the quality of engineering support. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### What are Future-tech’s Remote Services for data centres? One of the biggest overheads for data centre operators is its ‘on premise’ engineering teams and maintenance services. In the UK the typical support model is to employ a team of engineers on-site engineers that work on shift patterns at a large cost to the business. Where a data centre is designed and built with a high degree of site resilience and correctly maintained it should be recognised that the risk to uptime is very low and a permanent team of engineers based on site is not necessary. This is also true if the applications and data hosted within the site have multi-site resilience such as site failover or genuine Synchronous Replication. Those of our US-based clients who recognise this and are taking advantage of our services are significantly reducing OPEX costs by operating ‘dim’ or ‘dark sites’ where part or all engineering support is contracted out to a third-party operator. Future-tech’s Remote Services are therefore particularly well suited to those wishing to move to a ‘Dark Site’ Operating model to reduce the extremely high costs of onsite personnel. With the increasing industry focus on ‘Edge’ data centres and the requirement for proximal processing and data storage, Future-tech have ensured that our Remote Service offering fully supports the requirements of this increasingly popular type of data centre deployment. ### Methodology The typical Edge data centre will be unstaffed and follow a dark site operating model typically with a smaller footprint than traditional core data centres. In this scenario, without full time engineers on site, predictive maintenance techniques used in addition to preventative maintenance and high levels of engineering skill become increasingly important to ensure operational reliability. The use of this approach along with specially trained engineers who can perform tasks across multiple disciplines rather than the more traditional siloed approach to engineering delivery will ensure that the site infrastructure is kept in the optimal operating condition without the requirement for site based staff. Additionally, the predictive maintenance techniques ensure that any potential issues are highlighted, and their impact anticipated to be dealt with according to an agreed and scheduled plan before they develop into problems. Future-tech ensures full integration with your business as the vital engineering support function. With Future-tech Remote Services you have the support of Future-techs’ team; on call engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, design consultants, project managers and designers when you need us. We provide Planned Preventative, Predictive and Reactive data centre maintenance and emergency response services to support your business whilst reducing your OPEX. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our Remote Service will continue to maintain the plant and equipment that supports your critical IT environment in line with manufacturers’ recommendations or specific additional business requirement. Above and beyond this routine maintenance we support you with Engineering Services for the full life cycle of your data centre. In doing this we ensure that your physical infrastructure is optimised and balanced; re-commission plant equipment, monitoring capacity and ensuring that each system is operating at optimum performance as your IT requirements and equipment deployments change with your business demands. We are also continually available to provide support in the event of an emergency. This service is delivered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to clients requiring this additional protection and peace of mind. This offers our clients total confidence in the knowledge that a Future-tech Service Engineer, with first-hand knowledge of the supported site, is available to be contacted by phone and available to visit the site in person within an agreed 4hr SLA period. ## other Services within Management & Maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Planned & Predictive Maintenance Future-tech provides Planned Preventative and Predictive data centre maintenance as a standalone service or as one part of an overall data centre site management package. Regularly servicing a data centre’s supporting infrastructure greatly reduces the chances of component or system failure, improves reliability and ultimately reduces the risk of a potential loss of service. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Data Centre Maintenance? The requirement for continued service availability and site risk reduction is often the key driver for performing planned maintenance visits however a further benefit is that installed building plant equipment, in particular cooling systems, will be tuned in order to continue to operate at optimum efficiency and reliability. This has the potential to reduce energy consumption, reduce operating costs and increase useable capacity. ### Why choose Future-tech? Being able to spot potential problems before they occur has been a significant contributor to our uptime record of better than 99.999%. Data centre plant equipment is operating 24 hours per day 365 days per year, components do age and failures can happen. By being aware of all critical assets that support a data centre site combined with routine checks and regular servicing in line with their manufacturers guidelines and/or accepted industry best practice it is possible to greatly reduce the chances of a failure occurring. ### Planned vs Predictive Maintenance Planned Preventative Maintenance relies upon manufacturer’s recommendations or widely accepted industry best practice for routine and regular maintenance activities at set intervals and according to a regular schedule regardless of equipment condition. Predictive Maintenance relies on a greater degree of analysis of equipment condition, industry experience with similar equipment, historic performance trends and data gathering, advanced testing techniques and remote sensing along with the increasing use analytical techniques. Both types of maintenance are complimentary rather than mutually exclusive and typically a complete maintenance regime includes elements of both types of maintenance. ### Methodology One of our in-house Service Team Engineers supported by the equipment manufacturer or third party specialist will carry out all Planned Preventative Maintenance visits and any required works. Our engineer provides a single point of contact for these visits. This appointed engineer will coordinate all activities on site and deal with all security aspects associated with bringing 3rd party engineers into a client’s data centre. Our engineer will also have specific knowledge of the specific data centre systems including how these have been configured and commissioned. This avoids the risk of systems being returned back to default or “factory setting”. This is particularly important if systems have been configured in a unique way. ## other Services within Management & Maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Data Centre Site Monitoring Data Centre environment and building management systems provide a wealth of valuable information. This information can be used by our experienced engineering teams to improve operational efficiencies, optimise site performance in terms of both available capacity and energy efficiency and to limit unplanned downtime. Continual monitoring can be a strain on internal IT and engineering resources, especially those inexperienced in this area, which is why for over 35 years our clients have outsourced their data centre site monitoring to Future-tech. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Data Centre Site Monitoring? The information gathered via environmental and building management systems, when interpreted and used correctly, is crucial to the smooth and reliable running of any data centre. Ranging from basic fault conditions on power and cooling infrastructure, to full environmental monitoring, including temperature, humidity control, energy efficiency and available capacity, such information can enable both cost and energy efficiencies, reduce risk and increase both equipment performance and longevity, ultimately saving money. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our data centre site monitoring services are managed by an in-house expert data centre site management team. All have extensive knowledge of data centre infrastructure systems and are highly trained in order to ensure that faults and issues are picked up, correctly interpreted, and appropriate action is taken. For over 35 years, Future-tech has provided 24/365 monitoring services for data centres on 3 continents. This ongoing monitoring and management combined with our effective planned preventative maintenance regimes and good design, we ensure that our clients are protected from the risk of failure and can achieve the highest levels of service availability possible. ### Methodology By using a combination of email, SMS and auto dialler alert systems Future-tech provides monitoring to more than 110 data centre sites on a 24/365 basis. A vast array of information can be produced by data centre environmental monitoring and building management systems. This can range from basic fault conditions on power and cooling infrastructure to full environmental monitoring such as temperature, humidity, access control, energy efficiency and control of set points and systems. Expert engineering resources are on hand to interpret this data and respond appropriately to any anomalous conditions that are highlighted. The data centre monitoring service is provided by Future-tech’s in-house team along with a 3rd party call centre and cloud-based communications system. This delivers two independent notification systems that are totally unrelated, ensuring our service is resilient, reliable and fault-tolerant. Through planned preventative maintenance and good design we are continually striving to eliminate failure. By having a knowledgeable and experienced team monitoring data centre site conditions we can ensure that the critical infrastructure supporting IT systems and services continues to be reliable and highly available. ## other Services within Management & maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Data Centre Management Managing a data centre site can become a full time job and a significant strain on internal company resources. Our clients have recognised that having the expertise and overhead in house is often not the most cost effective way of managing a data centre efficiently or effectively. For over 35 years our clients have demonstrated that by outsourcing part or all of the sites management to Future-tech they are guaranteeing that their data centres are managed by specialist data centre experts with the resources to maintain or improve site operations and reduce the risk of failure. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Data Centre Site Management? Running a data centre is a complex task and requires a team with specialist knowledge and expertise. Hiring and retaining personnel with the necessary skill set can be both expensive and time consuming, especially with the current skills shortage in this area. Hiring the wrong people can put a mission critical site at risk of service impacting failure. Ineffective site management can lead not only to significantly increased business risk, but also to increased operational cost and inefficient use of capacity and energy. By outsourcing some or all data centre site management, on a temporary or full time basis, clients are gaining access to a team of highly experienced professionals with expertise in all elements of critical data centre operations. This approach leads to reduced business risk, increased operational efficiency and decreased costs. ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech we genuinely care about our clients’ data centres and ongoing service availability. With over 35 years data centre maintenance and management experience, we have a thorough understanding of the total data centre environment and considerable expertise in efficient data centre operations and management. We pride ourselves on the fact that our data centre management experts work as a fully integrated part of the client team, and that all our engineers all have in-depth knowledge of each of our maintained data centres and their installed systems. All our services are tailored to individual client needs and we do not offer an ‘out of the box’ site management solution. We recognise that each data centre is unique and so too are its individual management requirements and business expectations. By outsourcing to Future-tech, clients are gaining cost effective access to a team of award winning data centre experts who will integrate seamlessly with existing in-house professionals. The end result is greatly reduced business risk, decreased cost and increased operational efficiency. ### Methodology All Future-tech data centre management projects begin with a face to face meeting to allow us to fully understand detailed client requirements and business expectations. Whether clients require occasional site maintenance, full data centre management or something in between, we will tailor a bespoke solution to match critical data centre management needs. If an internal site management resource audit is needed, our team will prepare this prior to determining a suitable site management package. Once the appropriate level of partnership is agreed, we will either allocate a full time member of the Future-tech team to a client’s site or offer a dedicated business contact point. Whether a simple fault response service or full management service is required, we provide robust SLAs and regular review periods. All formal reporting is prepared to specific client requirements guaranteeing a truly bespoke service in each case. ## other Services within Management & maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – MANAGEMENT & Maintenance # Operational Reviews & Audits A key component of Future-tech’s consultancy services is the operational reviews and audits that we can perform to ensure the optimal operation of your site. This includes all aspects of energy efficiency, capacity optimisation, risk mitigation, and strategic planning as well as detailed root cause analyses should any unforeseen problems occur. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ## Services include ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit and Risk Analysis](#) - [Forensic Engineering](#) - [Energy Audits](#) - [Cooling and Airflow Management Audits](#) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](#) - [Operational Strategy Review](#) ## Audit & Risk Analysis With a wealth of experience in conducting Data Centre Audits and Data Centre Risk Assessments, Future-Tech are experts in examination and analysis of current assets and future plans. From physical infrastructure and operations through to financial management and governance, our highly experienced team investigate all areas during the data centre assessments, from physical infrastructure and operations through to financial management and governance. The end result is a solid foundation on which to make future decisions related to your facility or portfolio. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Forensic Engineering Forensic engineering offers an analysis of incidents resulting in service outages or near misses due to either equipment failure or operating / human error. Senior Future-tech consultants working as qualified engineers and utilising decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services will be available to ascertain the true Root Cause of an incident. They will use industry-specific expertise to address the issues and detailed technical challenges that they are presented with. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Energy Audits As a company at the forefront of data centre innovation, Future-tech are experts in enabling data centre energy efficiencies. Improvements can only be made following an assessment of current practice and usage. A data centre energy audit is an essential first step in reducing energy consumption. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Cooling & Airflow Management Audits An examination of site Cooling and Airflow Management Efficiency against industry standard criteria leading to an understanding of potential reductions in both energy usage and operating costs along with significant potential for site capacity increase. This service includes recommendations and implementation of risk free improvements and a demonstration of genuine short terms returns on investment. Typical minimum cooling energy savings in established data centres is 10% and can be as high as 24%. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## EU CoC Assessment & Reporting This service offers to both assess against the best practices included in the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency and prepare for submission to the European Commission for acceptance as a Participant of the EU Code of Conduct scheme. This allows the use of the European Commission logo in recognition of the use of data centre energy efficiency best practices. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Operational Strategy Review An operational data centre strategy review ensures that all elements of the data centre, from the physical infrastructure through to the management team, are working together to achieve optimum performance. Future-tech are experienced in working with clients to align culture, values and business goals to operational data centre strategy and management. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## other Services within Management & maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Management & Maintenance # Lifecycle Services Lifecycle services encompass all elements of critical infrastructure lifetime management once a design and/or delivery project has moved into live operation. This includes capacity increases, equipment upgrade or replacement, new technology recommendations, equipment sourcing, re-commissioning, de-commissioning, site refurbishment, migration, and consolidation. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ## Services include ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Capacity Planning](#) - [Data Centre Refit and Refresh](#) - [Migration and Consolidation](#) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](#) ## Capacity Planning Capacity planning is essential for any data centre. Wasted capacity means wasted money whatever the size, age or specification of the facility. Future-tech’s data centre consulting services help clients to identify capacity issues and causes. This enables effective use of space, can negate the need to relocate or extend a data centre, improves efficiencies and ultimately saves costs. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Data Centre Refit & Refresh Data centre refurbishment projects present many challenges. Refurbishments often take place while the data centre is ‘live’ and projects may be hindered by physical constraints such as the positions of existing equipment or infrastructure services, as well as working space and access. By choosing Future-tech for your refit project, you’re reducing the risk involved in such an undertaking, and can be confident that the impact on day to day business operations will be minimal. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Migration & Consolidation An organisations data centre assets may be inadequate for future growth, or consist of a vast array of diverse and costly facilities. Data centre migration or consolidation can help an organisation increase capacity, cut costs and simplify process. Future-tech clients can be confident that their complex data centre migration and consolidation projects will be cost effective, successful and have the minimal impact on day to day business operations. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Upgrading Data Centre Systems Up to date data centre infrastructure is key to running a successful, efficient and cost effective facility. As corporate IT requirements change, a data centre system upgrade may be necessary to manage growth, meet efficiency targets or lower operational costs. Future-tech are experts in designing and implementing cost effective data centre systems upgrades for data centres of all age, type and size. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## other Services within management & maintenance ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Operational Reviews & Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/) - [Lifecycle Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/) - [Data Centre Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-management/) - [Data Centre Site Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-site-monitoring/) - [Planned & Predictive Maintenance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/planned-predictive-maintenance/) - [Remote Services](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/remote-services/) - [Data Centre Emergency Response](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/data-centre-emergency-response/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Tender Documents & Evaluation Unwieldy and confusing tender documentation has a considerable impact on project timeframes, decision making and the overall success of a project. Future-tech have spent considerable time working with tender documentation and we used this experience to design a document creation and evaluation service. Our service ensures that client tender documents are simple, concise and enable objectives to be met. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Tender Documents Service? A formal tender process should aid you to make informed decisions when approaching the market place for a data centre project. However, badly thought out tender documents can make your decision making more complex and are difficult for potential contractors to navigate. This can lead to fewer than expected third parties responding to your tender, higher cost levels and a project specification which does not meet your requirements. Engaging Future-tech to aid with tender documentation creation means that documents are not only fit for purpose and designed to meet overall corporate objectives, but that project time frames, costs and outcomes are met. ### Our Approach The Future-tech Tender Documentation Service was specifically designed to help companies to write clear, concise tender documentation that meets all project and corporate requirements. Our Design Teams work with you to produce a tender document that is thorough, detailed, objective and clearly states the project’s drivers, constraints, requirements and assessment criteria. This approach makes it easier for potential contractors to understand what needs to be achieved, greatly reduces the number of contractor questions and makes final assessment by your team easier, quicker and more robust. ### Methodology Our data centre tender document creation and evaluation service takes your project through RIBA Work Stages G & H. Our Design Consultants work with you to establish the requirements, drivers and constraints of the project and use this information to create a performance specification for your tender document. In our experience, stating the requirements, drivers and constraints involved, but not prescribing a specific design solution can result in the submission of innovative solutions by potential contractors. If a high level or detailed design has already been produced, the tender document can be shaped around this solution. ### Output A Performance Specification, Technical Requirements Document and Evaluation Document are produced for use in the tender process. Upon submission, our Engineers and Consultants work with you to evaluate final contractor submissions. A further document is then issued scoring the contractor design solutions, project methodologies and overall submission. A final meeting is arranged between your internal evaluation team and Future-tech to discuss the results. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Commissioning Following on from construction and testing, Data Centre Commissioning is essential to ensure that the completed facility is configured for maximum efficiency. With a wealth of experience in data centre efficiency and innovation, Future-tech consultants help clients achieve significant cost savings by examining characteristics of the current IT load, identifying where equipment manufacturers standard specifications are not appropriate, and configuring the supporting infrastructure accordingly. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Data Centre Commissioning? Missing out the essential Data Centre Commissioning can lead to an inefficient facility and higher than expected operational costs. By simply identifying where equipment manufacturers’ standard specifications are not appropriate for the IT load, the supporting infrastructure, in particular the cooling plant, can be configured to meet the requirements of the facility and lead to much higher levels of efficiency. Data centre commissioning can lead to significant energy savings when implemented correctly by a specialist commissioning team. By engaging Future-tech to ensure that systems are running correctly, clients have saved up to 67% on facility operational costs. ### Our Approach Recognised as leaders in data centre energy efficiency, at Future-tech we understand that use of innovative technologies and best practice can ensure the data centre is designed for efficiency, but to ensure it is operated efficiently. Data centre commissioning is essential, we take the approach that as all data centres are unique, all operating practice will be individual to the organisation. The best designed facility in the world will still be inefficient if the supporting infrastructure is not configured to the actual IT load intervals. Recognised leaders in data centre innovation, Future-tech have designed cooling systems that are able to automatically re-commission themselves as IT loads fluctuate. This application is generally applied when the facility experiences large fluctuations in IT load and can lead to an annualized PUE of below 1.18 within Tier II and III environments. ### Methodology A Data Centre Commissioning team will be assigned prior to the data centre testing stage. Where Future-tech has designed the facility, this team include the original Design Team members plus Mechanical and Electrical Servicing Engineers. In our experience, this ensures continuity as the original team are familiar with the design parameters and fully understand how the facility should operate. Where the data centre was designed by a third party, we assemble a Commissioning Team made up of a Lead Data Centre Design Consultant, an Electrical Design Engineer and a Mechanical Design Engineer. As always, we work in partnership with the client, their contractors and any other stakeholder in the project during the entire process. From equipment specification requests, through to the preparation of the commissioning plan and method statement and the eventual site visit all relevant parties are asked for input and where appropriate invited to attend on site. ### Output Once data centre commissioning is complete, the client is provided with a Systems Configurations Document describing the new system set points and behavioural characteristics. The document will detail new system capacities and limitations together with recommended trigger points for system revision, such as increased IT load. The revised PUE will be provided and annualised savings shown. Future-tech are also provide training during the re-commissioning to make sure that client members of staff understand what has been changed and how re-configured systems operate. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Integrated Witness Testing Following data centre construction, full and thorough testing under design load conditions should be performed. As independent experts in design, build and optimisation, Future-tech are the obvious choice to undertake such a critical task. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Integrated Witness Testing? Without thorough testing following completion of the data centre build, you cannot be sure that stated deliverables have been met or that the facility is fit for purpose in terms of efficiency, resiliency and redundancy. This creates future potential risk. Testing is vital to ensure that the facility operates as expected and fulfills the deliverables contracted for. The ability of the completed facility to meet PUE expectations at loads of varying percentages is crucial to the overall efficiency of your data centre. Simulation at varying loads will determine whether stated efficiencies have been achieved. Simulation of full systems will determine whether stated levels of resiliency and redundancy are correct. ### Our Approach As correlation of the original proposal with the completed facility is the aim of testing, as well as the identification of any discrepancies, Future-tech are well placed to act on your behalf. Our holistic approach to the entire facility as well as granular testing of individual elements ensures that all areas are covered. We understand that a collaborative approach is necessary during the testing phase, especially where Future-tech have been engaged to test a facility designed by a third party. In such cases the original contractor will be given opportunity to simulate the test conditions before witness testing. During the formal testing, all parties, including the client and original contractor will be in attendance .If any issues arise, our team will work in partnership with a contractor to resolve them. ### Methodology In order to ensure that there are no delays to your project, an integrated witness testing team, made up of expert engineers and design consultants will be assigned to you before completion of the facility. Where the original design phase was conducted by Future-tech, this team will comprise of the original Design Team members plus Mechanical and Electrical Servicing Engineers. The reasoning behind this is that this team will be familiar with the original design parameters and their understanding of the expected facility operation. Where Future-tech are instructed as an independent third party we deploy an expert team including a Lead Data Centre Design Consultant, an Electrical Design Engineer and a Mechanical Design Engineer. Upon receipt of the original tender specification document, construction drawings and schematics, the Future-tech Integrated Witness Testing Team will evaluate the information and submit a method statement and test documentation for your approval. Representatives from the principle contract and the client will be invited to attend the testing and the procedure employed will be invited to attend. ### Output A formal data centre Witness Testing Report detailing the process taken and the results cross referenced against original tender document and performance specification. If elements of the data centre that have not met specification or have failed during testing these will be highlighted with recommendations provided. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Design & Build as a Service For more than 30 years Future-tech has provided turn-key data centre design and build services to organisations large and small across a variety of global locations. From Tier I to Tier IV, from micro to mega, and from greenfield to conversion of existing buildings, all our projects are undertaken with the same degree of personal service, attention to detail and exact matching of corporate requirements to the end result. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### About Design and Build No two data centre design projects are the same. There are endless permutations of layout, UPS topography, power distribution, cooling systems, fire systems, security systems, and other elements that can be applied and all need to be exactly matched to client requirements. The best approach for your data centre design and build project will depend upon a number of factors including the requirements of the IT equipment, the physical characteristics of the building, your organisation’s demands in terms of resilience, energy efficiency, expandability, life span, and of course the budget. ### Methodology The starting point for every project is for us to fully understand your specific drivers, requirements, and constraints. You may already have a written project brief and specification which contains all the information required but if not, we can prepare this for you. Our philosophy is always to work in partnership with our clients and we take care to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are engaged with at an early stage, either through our requirements analysis workshop method or individually. This means that we have a full understanding of all needs, wishes and concerns, and the perfect foundation for our holistic data centre design and build the solution, one which provides an appropriate infrastructure platform for your organisation. ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech are acknowledged throughout the industry as leaders in data centre design and build. 30 years of specialist experience, a partnership approach and our commitment to innovation mean that clients can be confident that their data centre will exactly match their requirements, incorporate energy efficiency best practices and provide the level of resiliency necessary for supporting business needs today and tomorrow. Future-tech have won 11 independent awards for innovation, resilience and energy efficiency in our data centre design. As a company, we continue to push the boundaries of technological innovation to ensure all our clients end up with a cost effective, efficient, scalable, facility. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Construction In cases where a detailed data centre design has been prepared in-house or by a consultancy, Future-tech work with clients to facilitate the actual construction of the new facility. Our expertise in data centre design and build means that we are able to work closely and efficiently with external contractors to ensure that your data centre build out remains within budget whilst meeting your exact design requirements. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### CONSTRUCTION SERVICES Whatever the size or type of data centre construction project, the build phase involves the exact meeting of the detailed design specifications and budgets whilst remaining within the given time frame. Where designs have been prepared in-house or by an external third party without build expertise, engaging with data centre experts to facilitate the construction phase will result in a more successful, and cost effective facility build. ### METHODOLOGY All data centre construction projects begin with key stakeholder meetings to discuss the proposed design documentation and its suitability to meet overall requirements. Once designs have been assessed, approved and all areas of concern identified our in-house team work closely with the client to develop a project management plan which includes all budgetary requirements, time frames and key milestones. All of Future-tech’s data centre build clients are assigned a full time project manager and site supervisor giving access to a single point of contact for the duration of the process. Our involvement does not end with the completion of the build. In order to ensure that all clients have a ‘soft landing’, we offer support through the witness testing and full commissioning phases, offer training for client staff and offer up to 6 months post-delivery support. ### Why Choose Future-tech? Future-tech have over 30 years’ experience in building data centres. We have a through and holistic understanding of the entire data centre design and build process and are experts in understanding exact client requirements. Where the data centre design we are provided with does not exactly match the needs and requirements of the organisation, or is conceptual rather than practical, our in-house design team are able to make adjustments to the specifications to ensure that the end result is in line with the original objective whilst remaining within budget. Our expertise in data centre builds of all size and type, from greenfield to change of use or refurbishment of an existing facility, means that we are able to identify and overcome any constraints, make recommendations where appropriate and effectively and efficiently manage your data centre construction. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Project Management Future-tech has over 30 years’ experience in delivering a range of data centre project management services. We understand that whatever the type or scale of the undertaking, strict co-ordination of all process elements is vital to the success, timely delivery and overall cost of any data centre project. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Project Management Services? The success of any data centre project is determined by the strength of the planning and process design and implementation. Whether you are designing and building a new data centre or refitting, consolidating or migrating an existing facility, the multi-discipline nature of the procedure means that strict co-ordination is vital. Synchronisation of all work and tasks and their completion in the correct order speeds up the project and ensures budgets do not rise. This specialist task requires a specialist approach and by outsourcing data centre project management to Future-tech, our clients gain access to project managers with a vast range of experience and expertise in this area. ### Our Approach For more than 30 years Future-tech has delivered data centre project management services across a broad range of projects. These have ranged from micro to enterprise, from Tier I to III and from improvements and upgrades of existing facilities to complete new builds. We understand that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and tailor our services according to client needs. As data centre specialists, we are adept at designing a project management solution specific to your data centre. Our unique understanding of data centre design, construction and management allows us to expertly manage the synchronisation of work and tasks. This means your project will be completed on time. ### Methodology Our Project Managers will work with stakeholders to develop a programme that accommodates and overcomes all associated constraints. These may include restricted working hours, access, noise levels, road closures and other external factors. From conceptual and technical design sign off, through the submission of planning applications, ordering and delivery of plant such as generators and UPS, our data centre management process will cover all elements of your projects. ### Output Whatever the stage of your project, from design through to implementation, our Project Managers will create a data centre project programme that provides a level of detail appropriate to your needs. Our high level programmes show all major work processes and key milestones. Our detailed programmes often include more than 200 line items and provide granular visibility of all tasks and milestones. The result is that your data centre project will have an accurate and achievable timeline. ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Standards Compliance There are a large number of data centre standards that are both directly and exclusively written for data centres or have elements that apply to data centres within them. This standards landscape can be confusing and this confusion is increased by some standards broadly contradicting each other, while others remain open to interpretation. Some bodies also publish documents that claim to be data centre standards which in reality are not, so the landscape is far from easy to navigate. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Standards? Standards offer widely accepted benchmarks that help to both compare different site capabilities as well as offering a good indication of how well a site will perform against a client’s service availability requirements. Understanding what data centre standards are available and how they are used will help clients achieve specific project goals and objectives. Clear understanding will also ensure that any data centre standards compliance requirements are fully met without any ambiguity. ### Methodology Your design will be given to our Standards Compliance Team. This team is made up of Design Consultants and Engineers who will go through the drawings and specification documentation to confirm they comply with the required standards or classification scheme. Certification against data centre standards is something of a grey area and not totally transparent so our Standards Compliance Team will assess any certifications that may be in place to determine whether these are indeed valid. This includes assessment of any third party site standards or certification claims. ### Output You will receive a report covering any non-compliance aspects of a design and any certifications against it. Depending on the scope of the brief this may also be accompanied with an improvement or amendment notice. This document will describe what changes need to be made to bring the design in line with the specified standard or classification scheme. Time can also be made available for you to discuss the report with one of our Design Consultants or Engineers. ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Requirements Analysis Planning to upgrade an existing data centre or need a new facility? Whatever the type of data centre project, whether new build, a legacy data centre refit, data centre consolidation or data centre decommissioning – a full requirements analysis should always be the first step. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Requirements Analysis? Each business has its own reasons for choosing to embark on a data centre project. A thorough understanding of your data centre requirements and the overall aims and objectives, from capacity and performance through to budget and delivery, is essential to ensure the end result will be fit for purpose. ### Our Approach At Future-tech we take a top down approach to the data centre requirements process. Our expert teams work in partnership with our clients to gain a thorough understanding of the business objectives behind the project. We then drill down into any constraints, needs, performance goals and capacity requirements. This approach ensures that the end result is exactly matched to your business goals. Ultimately saving you time, money and ensuring corporate objectives are met. ### Methodology The Requirements Analysis Process (RAP) is carried out by Future-tech’s in-house design consultants in partnership with the client and all relevant stakeholders. We understand that determining key factors and gaining a general consensus for any data centre design project can be a lengthy process. That is why we designed and developed our data centre Requirements Analysis Workshop (RAW), a fast and efficient way of conducting the necessary ground work. RAW is a 1 day workshop, usually held at the clients’ premises, attended by all interested parties including IT, Estates, Facilities, Finance and other key stakeholders for the project. Its aim? To facilitate open discussion and provide a best practice approach to risk assessment and requirements gathering prior to full data centre design. The outcome is a solid foundation for the next stages of the project. ### Output The end result of the data centre requirements analysis and RAW process is a thorough understanding of all the drivers, constraints and objectives impacting on the eventual data centre project. Clients are provided with a comprehensive report, unique to their own project but always detailing: - Data Centre Physical Requirements - Drivers - Constraints - Risks The Requirements Analysis Process incorporates the first two stages of the Prince2 project management model and together with the output from the High Level data centre design will form the Project Initiation Document. ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Design Peer Reviews If your facility has been designed by an architect or engineer without in-depth knowledge in data centre design, a design review by an industry-specific specialist is essential. The design review will evaluate whether data centre best practices have been taken, risk minimised and expected standards of quality and performance have been met. As industry-leading specialist data centre design services, build and management consultants, Future-tech have over 30 years of experience in conducting data centre peer reviews for a wide range of clients. We are respected throughout the industry for our independent, fair and sensitive approach to the peer-review process. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Our Approach Whether the original data centre design was conducted in-house or external to your organisation, our experts will work in partnership with you and your team to ensure the facility is capable of fulfilling your IT requirements are designed for maximum efficiency and that all potential scenarios are accounted for. Engagement with our specialist data centre Design Consultants and Engineers will always add value to your project. ### **Output** Once any issues have been identified and agreement has been reached by the Design Team, the Lead Design Consultant will collate all the findings into a concise report to be issued to the client. A further meeting can be arranged should further clarification be required ### Methodology Future-tech has the capabilities to review whole data centre designs or individual elements. The process begins with the establishment of a clear review brief and following this, a team of Design Engineers and Consultants will be assigned to the project. In the initial stage, the team will examine the various elements of the design individually to identify any areas that will not meet or comply with the client’s brief, a meeting is arranged to go through these which provides a robust mechanism for identifying shortfalls or potential issues. Depending on the nature of the project, further meetings will be arranged throughout the process. Data Centre Peer reviews can happen at any stage of your design’s development. Engaging early will ensure your design team is fully prepared, have their requirements clearly identified, and understand the drivers and constraints of the project. ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Technical Data Centre Design Service Future-tech’s multi-award winning team of in-house data centre design consultants and specialists are experts in creating innovative, efficient and cost effective detailed/technical data centre designs (RIBA stages 3&4) exactly matched to client needs and requirements. Whatever the size or type of data centre and whatever your budget, our detailed/technical data centre design service will give you the tools needed to ensure a successful data centre build, using the best practises in data centre design. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### About Technical Data Centre Design In best practise, a detailed/technical data centre design service involves the preparation of the specifications that will be used to drive your data centre build or refit project. Covering all elements required before build commences, the design will include detailed plant specifications and budgets as well as architectural and M&E detail. Considerations such as size and type of project as well as budget and constraints are used to determine the exact approach to each individual detailed data centre design project. The end result of the process is a design workbook containing architectural and layout drawings which include structural steel work, pipework, power and data cabling, containment, fire and security systems, equipment positions, walls, composite modular partitions, doors and other required elements. ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech’s multi-award winning, in-house team of data centre design consultants are experts in ensuring that all detailed/technical data centre design projects use best practise and are exactly matched to client needs, requirements and budget. With 30 years’ specialist experience in detailed data centre design, our commitment to innovation, vendor neutrality and thorough understanding of the holistic data centre environment means that we are highly regarded throughout the industry as leaders in data centre design. ### Methodology All Future-tech’s detailed design clients are assigned a personal team of data centre design consultants. This team is led by specialists in Mechanical and Electrical Design and also includes other relevant specialists (Data Centre Operations Consultants, Communications and Connectivity Design Consultants, Architectural Design Consultants, Auto CAD Designer Engineers and Project Managers) All of our data centre design projects begin with stakeholder meetings to determine project drivers, requirements and constraints. Where our in-house team worked with you to produce your facility’s conceptual design and performance specification, the same team will be assigned to the detailed/technical design project. This speeds up the design process as all members are familiar with the selected solutions, equipment and topographies as well as providing an element of continuity. If your high level design has been produced internally or by another design consultancy we will assess the proposed solution using your project’s requirements, drivers and constraints and make suggestions as to its suitability. Once this review stage is complete the design team will create the detailed/technical design documents. The end result is a detained/technical design workbook, written design document and a project program. ### Output The design workbook includes all drawings associated with the construction of your facility and this provides a comprehensive specification for your principle contractor to work to, the written design document details manufacturer and model numbers of all equipment, from raised modular flooring, man-trap doors and ceilings to air handling units, uninterruptible power supplies and power distribution units, and also explains how the building management system and environmental controls should operate and integrate with existing data centre and building systems. Realistic timelines will be provided for all phases as well as suggested project milestones and co-ordination methods to enable smooth and punctual deliveries. ## other Services within design & consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Design Development Future-tech offers a world-leading data centre design development service. This is based upon a world-class consultancy team each of whom has direct experience in the design and build of large mission-critical data centres in multiple locations. These experts have all been employed to be responsible for the design of world-leading data centre sites or the development of intellectual property relating to the design and construction of high availability data centres. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ### Description The Future-tech consultants also represent the company at the national and international standards institutes and agencies responsible for the definition of the global standards relating to the design and operation of data centre. These include The European Commission Joint Research Centre, Building Research Establishment (BRE), The Uptime Institute, CEN/CENELEC and the InternationalStandards Organisation (ISO). Senior Future-tech consultants are also regular speakers at international conferences on Data Centre design and standards developments. With this background Future-tech can offer the development of data centre designs that are world-leading in terms of innovation, cost-effectiveness, reliability of operation, site resilience according to the client business requirements, energy efficiency and minimised TCO. ### Methodology Future-tech consultants will determine the specific strategic and tactical requirements dictated byan individual client’s particular business to develop a design that conforms strictly to the criteriaestablished with the client during an evaluation phase. Consultancy and advice can be provided toensure that the design developed truly matches business objectives and that the criteria establishedwith the client are the most appropriate for their particular needs. This service offers clients a risk free option to develop a design tailor made to their business yetincorporating the most up to date technologies, practices, techniques and innovations to ensureboth cost effectiveness and the appropriate levels of energy efficiency and operational reliability. ### Deliverables The result will be a fully documented design to the level of detail required by the client according to the established business objectives and requirements. This will be based on Future-tech’s many years of experience in both designing data centre sites and also in operating and maintaining sites for clients, thereby gaining valuable knowledge in the operational performance of design elements as well as the conceptual process of engineering design. Future-tech can offer clients confidence that the design development on their behalf and with their specific requirements will result in a data centre site capable of performing to established business requirements at the most cost effective level possible without compromising on resilience or reliability. ## other Services within design & consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) **Published:** July 9, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # Financial Feasibility & Model Development A Data Centre Feasibility study is intended to identify the potential ‘risk and reward’ of any new data centre project. Future-tech help clients to understand potential ROI, risk factors and the impact of change resulting from any new data centre initiative. By spending time on a feasibility study, organisations are armed with all the information they need to decide the best route forward. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Data Centre Feasibility Study? Whether you are planning a new data centre, intend to refit an existing data centre or are considering a data centre consolidation project, an understanding of the potential impact of such a project on your organisation is essential. The purpose of a feasibility study is to assess the impact of any change in your data centre infrastructure in terms of risk, cost and returns is the first step in determining whether a planned data centre project is the correct approach for your organisation. It will also identify any areas for further investigation. ### Our Approach Although the approach taken will be determined by the type of feasibility project we have been engaged on, in all cases, Future-tech take a holistic view of the organisation, its infrastructure and the reasons behind any proposed data centre project. We pride ourselves on our ability to work in partnership with our clients and this is particularly important during a feasibility phase. All data centre feasibility studies are bespoke and unique not only to the individual client but also the individual project. All elements of the project, from the team deployed, the number of expert consultants allocated and the length of time taken will be determined by your organisations requirements. ### Methodology Data centre feasibility studies start with an initial free consultation meeting with an expert Pre-Sales Consultant. The purpose of the meeting is to establish the type of study required, the drivers behind the study and your next steps. Specialist experts relevant to your individual project will always be assigned as well as a team formed of experts in other disciplines. For example a study evaluating the upgrade or replacement of specific data centre equipment will be led by a Solution Specialist whilst a study evaluating the feasibility of a construction project will be led by a Design Consultant. Experts in other disciplines will work alongside the team lead to ensure that a broad holistic view is achieved as well as specialist detailed expertise. ### Output The client is provided with a detailed written data centre feasibility report covering the risk and opportunities presented by the project in question. Depending on the nature of the project, the report will cover elements such as cost, risk, resources required, energy savings and or operational expenditure. We include a management summary at the end of all reports. ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # Market Intelligence Future-tech team members have experience being both customers and providers of data centre services, understanding a broad range of data centre services and have detailed knowledge in key specialist areas. This offers a unique perspective on the data centre market and the range of customer requirements within that market. This perspective allows Future-tech to offer data centre Market Analysis for clients seeking to better understand the market in general or specific aspects of the market relating to differing customer requirements, regional variation, the applicability of different options to a specific market and broad market demand. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ### Deliverables / Output Deliverables may be in the form of detailed reports, formal presentations, workshop sessions, representation at meetings, knowledge transfer or simple response to enquiry. **The areas of potential engagement are:** - Future market outlook - Outline data centre market trends - Comment on competitive landscape and relationship between Enterprise, large cloud and co-location operators - Comment on competitiveness and USPs of specific locations internationally - Comment on implications of regulatory restrictions on customer’s choice of data centre location - Comment on the attractiveness of potential design and build options based on current customer demand, expectations, growth potential and emerging technologies - Assess the size, competitive landscape, customer types and likely future development of the data centre market for all sectors internationally - Is an intended or existing site fit for purpose against criteria such as location, business model, intended use, reliability/resiliency expectations, customer demand etc. ### Outcomes / Benefits This service offers the benefit of world class insight and multiple decades of data centre specific experience. There is the potential for a clearly demonstrable customer value add highlighted through consultants currently involved in industry thought leadership and standards development. ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # Technical Due Diligence Our service provides a clear commercially focused, engineering led understanding of site infrastructure design, function, condition, capacity and capabilities. This includes project feasibility studies and market analyses to determine project viability as well as offering appropriate solutions and potential costs / benefits for any issues discovered. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ### Description A full service intended to provide data centre specific technical engineering expertise in order to evaluate data centre sites for clients or potential investors. The Future-tech consulting team have the experience and expertise to deliver world class data centre specific technical due diligence based upon multiple decades of direct data centre industry involvement. Beyond immediate technical site evaluation, specific strategic and tactical advice can be provided based on a client’s requirements or expectations taking into account a site’s installed or planned engineering infrastructure. This service offers a clear technical understanding of a particular site’s engineering infrastructure, condition and capabilities. Additionally the suitability for a particular client’s requirements will be taken into account and any technical issues, risks or opportunities will be highlighted. ### Deliverables Individual consultants will utilise decades of data centre specific experience to complete site surveys using Future-tech’s in house data centre consultants augmented by specialist external resources and toolsets as required. The result will be a detailed engineering report assessing the site infrastructure capabilities, capacities and condition noting any functional or operational issues that would be a cause for concern for an operator or investor. Commentary will also be given on the suitability of a particular site against a client’s stated objectives and requirements. This will be based on the consultant’s experience of providing both strategic and tactical advice to data centre clients over a period of many years. ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # COMMERCIAL DUE DILLGENCE Our Future-tech specialists will complete a site survey providing you with a detailed engineering report assessing the site infrastructure capabilities,capacities and condition noting any functional or operational issues that would be a cause for concern for a customer, operator or investor. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ### What is future-tech’s commercial due diligence service? Future-tech’s Commercial Due Diligence Service provides an in-depth analysis of a data centre’s commercial capability based on multiple factors including location, size, design details, build quality, condition, market suitability, current or anticipated operating costs and potential commercial risk. The service can be applied to both existing and proposed sites and will include a focus on the suitability for a particular client’s requirements as well as highlighting any issues, risks or opportunities. Beyond site evaluations specific strategic and tactical advice can be addressed based on a client’s requirements or expectations for an existing site or planned development. ### Methodology Our consultants will utilise decades of data centre specific experience to complete due diligence audits surveys using in house data centre consultants augmented by external resources if required. Commentary will be given on the suitability of a site against a client’s stated objectives and requirements based on multiple factors. Our consulting team have the ability to deliver world class data centre specific commercial due diligence based on each consultant’s experience of providing both strategic and tactical advice to data centre clients over a period of many years. ### Information Sources (New and Existing Sites) - Detailed discussions with client management or investment team - Detailed information packages on existing data centre(s) or proposed site(s) including detailed design plans and technical specifications - Market analysis - Operating model - Sample customer/supplier contracts - Customer or intended customer interviews ### Existing Business Review - Review and assess product offering, customers, pricing and commercial KPIs for existing data centres (including, churn, renewal pricing etc.) - Benchmark KPIs against international, national and local competitors and discuss attractiveness of the offering - Review sample customer/supplier contracts and suggest improvements where applicable - Interview existing and target customers to determine how the site is perceived by customers in terms of overall service offering, site capabilities and condition, service - levels and pricing - Determine customers’ key selection criteria and measure these against site capability Provide detailed report based on analysis. - Provide support in customer contract preparation as required ### Future Business Plan Review - Describe local demand/supply and assess the commercial assumptions (to include product offering, ramp-up times, pricing, build costs, operating costs, etc.) for the project(s) - Benchmark commercial assumptions against international, national and local competitors and discuss the attractiveness of the proposed offering - Benchmark assumptions against anticipated industry developments - Conduct interviews with identified potential customers to understand their rationale, expectations, decision criteria and highlight potential risks - Review draft customer/supplier contracts for new data centre(s) and benchmark against market standards The final output will be a detailed report assessing a site’s commercial potential based on location, design, and current market noting any commercial, functional or operational issues that would be a cause for concern. ### Benefits Oversight, opinion and technical evaluation by a team of data centre consultants capable of utilising decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services, an understanding of commercial drivers and market conditions as well as involvement in ongoing data centre standards development. ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Power # UPS Solutions Most data centres incorporate Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) in their electrical distribution circuits. Their primary function is to maintain power to your IT equipment in the event of a mains failure. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre UPS Solutions This may be for only a matter of seconds while the standby generator(s) come on line or, if your site does not have standby generators, the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) may have a longer battery autonomy (run time) to maintain power through short-duration outages. Then, if mains power is still not restored within a reasonable time, a UPS data centre solution will ensure a controlled shut-down of the IT systems. Although a shutdown is often avoided at any cost if your management protocols can accept a shutdown doing so in a controlled manner will enable you to bring your IT systems back on line more quickly and easily once power is restored. Also, shutting down non-critical applications will allow your critical services to stay on for longer – possibly until power is restored, rather than running everything until the batteries run out. IT equipment also requires a smooth clean power supply. Data centre UPS systems carryout other vital functions such as voltage stabilisation, power factor correction, cleaning and conditioning of the incoming mains power. These functions protect your IT systems from spikes, dips, brown outs and black outs. Exposure to any of these can cause damage to your mission critical data centre hardware. ### UPS Sizing and Capacities UPS duties/capacities are measured in kilo Volt Amps or kVA. This can sometimes cause confusion for data centre mangers as IT equipment power consumption is measured in Watts. Due to the power factor of a UPS these figures may not match. This is because the power factor of UPS’s change from manufacturer to manufacturer. Systems operate at 0.8pf, 0.9pf or 1pf, also referred to as unity power factor. A 100kVA UPS with a 0.8pf will only deliver 80kW of usable power to your IT systems. A 0.9pf will provide 90kW and a unity unit will provide 100kW. It is very important to understand the power factor of a UPS before making a purchase or specifying a particular make and model. ### UPS Deployment Most small to medium sized data centres will use multiple UPS’s of around 30 to 300kVA. Having a larger number of smaller units increases resilience and enables capacity to be closely matched to load, improving energy efficiency. Using multiple UPS in your data centre also means you can grow your facility’s power provision in phases. This allows you to match your IT power requirement as it grows giving the benefit of lower initial cost for your data centre. ### UPS Energy Efficiency UPS efficiency has a major impact on data centre energy use. It is important to select a UPS that will be efficient at the actual operating load of your facility and not just its fully rated capacity. With greater focus being placed on data centre energy efficiency many UPS manufacturers are working hard to increase the energy efficiency of their models. New models now provide an array of “eco” modes that deliver efficiencies of up to 99.5%. Some data centre operators do not operate their UPS system in “eco” mode as the units are not operating in true double conversion, and although small, this does increase the level of risk your IT equipment is exposed to. Most modern UPS now operate at around 96% efficiency in double conversion mode. Although 3.5% may not appear to be much if you are operating a 1mW (mega Watt) data centre and paying 12 pence per killer Watt hour for electricity it will cost you £36,792 more to provide UPS backed power to your IT systems. Whether operating in double conversion or “eco” mode UPS efficiencies drop off the less well utilised the unit is. The graphs below show how modern UPS efficiency diminishes as they operate below full capacity. Older units often have much greater losses. ### Selection and Topology Selecting the best UPS system for your application and deploying the correct topology provides an opportunity to significantly reduce running costs and to shrink your carbon footprint. We work with our clients to understand how their IT load is going to change and grow over time. This means we can design systems that provide the highest level of resilience, flexibility and efficiency and still control initial capital cost. Understanding your level of required uptime will help us provide a level of redundancy that is suitable for your business needs. Our experienced Electrical Engineers will design and tailor a solution that ensures your data centre achieves the business objectives and goals set for it, whilst still conforming to the most up to date standards and best practices. ### Manufacturers As Future-tech is a vendor neutral company we have access and relationships with all the major UPS manufacturers. Below is a list of some of the manufacturers we have worked with over the years. - Eaton Power Quality - APC - Riello - Borri - Emerson - The UPS Company ## other Services within power ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ## Content hub ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Power # Generators Whilst your Uninterruptible Power Supply system ensures your IT equipment remains unaffected by short-term power outages, it is both uneconomic and impractical to size batteries for more than 15 or 20 minutes of full load operation on most data centre facilities. What is more, unless you have the cooling system on a UPS (which will increase the batteries required considerably) then most modern data centres will overheat within a short time. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Generators One solution to this is to instigate a graceful shut down of the IT systems, however in applications where this is not an option a cost effective and reliable solution is to install a standby data centre generator or generators, depending on the size and Tier level of your facility. Data Centre Generators provide a cost effective and, providing they are maintained regularly, reliable form of onsite power generation. They can be configured in similar way to UPS systems using either N, N+1, 2N and 2N+1 redundancy. ### Data Centre Generator Sizing and Capacities The generator(s) should be sized to support the critical IT loads and their associated supporting infrastructure, such as cooling equipment. This enables the data centre to operate normally in the event of a prolonged power outage. Similar to UPS systems, a data centre generator’s capacities are also measure in killo Volt Amps (kVA). This can result in confusion when appropriately sizing generators to support facility loads that are measured in killo Watts (kW). Start up currents, power factors, step loads and a number of other factors must be considered when sizing generators to ensure they can deal with a facility’s critical electrical load. Adequate fuel storage and a filling systems are also required to ensure the generator can maintain live systems. By sizing the fuel storage correctly and employing a robust re-fuelling strategy means a generator can keep your data centre operational during power-cuts of any duration. ### Data Centre Generator Types There are a number of data centre generators available for back up. The main difference with these systems is the type of fuel they are able to use. Diesel, Bio Diesel and Natural Gas have different advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs and environment. Understanding these will help you select the correct unit for your application. ### Diesel Rotary UPS (DRUPS) Diesel rotary UPS (DRUPS) systems combine the generator and the UPS into one unit. An alternator provides the power to the data centre and this is normally driven by the mains supply. In the event of power failure a large flywheel keeps the alternator rotating while the diesel engine starts. Once the engine is running a clutch engages and the alternator is driven by the engine. ### Generator Applications Although in the UK, generators are generally regarded as backup power supplies for when the local grid supply is cut this is not the case elsewhere in the world. Many countries have less reliable domestic power supplies and generators are seen as the primary source of data centre power. In cases such as this generators are referred to as Prime Sets and they are sized differently. This is also the case if you want to achieve a Tier 4 certification for you data centre. In this instance the data centre’s generators are seen as the primary source of power. ### Data Centre Generator Manufacturers As Future-Tech is a vendor neutral company we have access and relationships with all the major Generator manufacturers. Below is a list of some of the manufacturers we have worked with over the years. - Cummins - FG Wilson - CAT - Perkins - AVK - SDMO Noise – Data Centre generator engines are noisy so some form of acoustic treatment is essential. This can be from a standard enclosure which will typically give 82dB at 1 metre to purpose designed canopies able to meet whatever criteria is required. ## other Services within power ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Power # Switchgear & Electrical Power is the life-blood of every data centre. Good design and careful installation by qualified engineers will ensure that effective data centre power distribution enables power to flow to your IT equipment all of the time, and that your facility delivers the uptime your organisations demands. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Switchgear and Electrical Electrical design will take into account the level of resilience most appropriate to the requirement of your organisation. The switchgear for data centres can either be of the standard “off-the-shelf” type or be purpose made for a specific application. In either case it must be designed such that: - There are no single points of failure - Maintenance can be carried out safely without shutting down the IT load - There is capacity for future expansion which can be added without shutting down the IT load With proper design, standard switchgear can be made to meet the above criteria however but it does have limitations. For example, on occasions it will be necessary to isolate a switchboard. With dual A & B supplies this does not necessitate shutting down the room but it does mean the room is on one supply for a time, and so is at risk. This can be overcome by using ‘Form 4’ switchgear which can be worked on safely while live. Having switchgear purpose made for the particular application also means other requirements, e.g. metering, bus-couplers, isolation transformers ‘Castell’ interlocks and so on, can be incorporated. Bespoke switchgear may appear more expensive initially, but over the life of a data centre it will pay for itself in lower maintenance costs, increased functionality and reduced risk. ### Why choose Future-tech? We are NICEIC registered contractors and accordingly our installations are independently inspected on a regular basis. This is the minimum standard we work to and we are proud of the fact that the quality of our work is second to none. We have direct experience of all elements of data centre electrical systems from the sub-station to the server. And because our design engineers and electricians work only on data centres they are familiar with their special requirements. ## other Services within power ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Power # Data Centre Power Systems A resilient infrastructure for timely and uninterrupted data centre power distribution is essential to any facility. Whether it is the power to the data cabinets, cooling infrastructure or security systems, ensuring your mission critical facility is risk free and concurrently maintainable are crucial aspects of its electrical design. Future-tech have a vast amount of experience in creating the most resilient and efficient data centre power infrastructure and removing single points of failure. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Power Systems Data centre power systems and their infrastructure are a crucial element of any data centre design project. The aim is always to create the most resilient and efficient design possible within the constraints of the project. Removing single points of failure is always the goal. A holistic understanding of your business need is important when determining the correct approach to power systems, as it is often easy to over-engineer and over-specify a project resulting in unnecessary costs for little payback. Conversely, under-engineering can lead to unplanned downtime and business risk. Future-tech has designed and delivered data centre power solutions that include the following elements: - High Voltage Transformers - Low Voltage Mains Distribution - Bespoke Designed Mains Distribution Boards - Standby & Prime Generators - Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS) - Diesel Rotary Uninterruptable Power Supplies (DRUPS) - Combined Heat & Power Solutions - Multiple Power Source Solutions - Synchronised & Export Systems ### Why choose Future-tech? Our uptime record speaks for itself. In the past 5 years, across 40 data centres, we have delivered over 2 million hours of live data centre services with a result 5x better than 99.999% uptime. Our 30 years of experience in data centre and mission critical power systems, our vendor neutrality and our innovative approach mean that the systems we design are always the most appropriate and suitable for your facility. Our Electrical Design Teams have expertise in all aspects of resilient and reliable electrical power delivery, from high voltage transformers to rack mounted PDUs, and all elements in between. ## other Services within power ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Data Centre Power Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/data-centre-power-systems/) - [Switchgear & Electrical](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/switchgear-electrical/) - [Generators](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/generators/) - [UPS Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/power/ups-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Environmental Monitoring Environmental monitoring is vital to data centre maintenance. Maintaining constant uptime is often crucial to an organisation, with the success of the IT department defined by its ability to provide services to its clients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Properly designed data centres will have redundant hardware such as UPS, air-conditioning and generators and these should be constantly monitored so that any faults can be dealt with before they affect the running of the IT services. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Environmental Monitoring Environmental Monitoring Systems (EMS) are available in a variety of formats, from those which are an integral part of the overall Building Management System (BMS) to stand-alone single U rack mountable units. There are now many systems that have been developed specifically for data centres. Understanding these potential solutions and which will provide the correct type and level of monitoring for your data centre is important. Parameters that are monitored should include: - Air temperature and humidity with alert set points for cold and hot aisle - Fault conditions on all supporting infrastructure - Fire systems - Leaks and/or water ingress - Entry and exit of personnel By monitoring the Parameters, it will give early warning of potential issues allowing preventative action to be taken before live services are affected. Notification of Alerts as well as recording conditions and allowing real time viewing of systems locally and via the internet, the monitoring system can provide active notification of critical alarms using a range of technologies including: - SNMP - Email - SMS - Web interface ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Data Centre Cooling Systems and Solutions Getting the best performance out of your data centres cooling systems is crucial to its overall efficiency and operational cost. Just as no two data centre projects are the same, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to choice and deployment of a cooling solution. Future-tech’s extensive knowledge of, and experience in, deployment of a vast range of cooling systems and solutions means that we have the ability to exactly match a particular solution to your needs and requirements. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Cooling Systems and Solutions Whatever the type or size of your data centre, it will require cooling infrastructure. IT equipment produces heat and it is vitally important to remove that heat from the data centre if IT equipment is to operate efficiently and without failure. The range of data centre cooling solutions available are considerable, but the most appropriate will depend on a range of factors including location, type of building, budget and corporate requirements. Over the past 30 years, Future-tech have designed and installed the following bespoke data centre cooling systems: - Direct fresh air free cooling - Indirect fresh air free cooling - Chilled water free cooling systems - Heat sink heat transfer - Water cooled direct expansion systems - Traditional direct expansion - Hybrid systems - Evaporative cooling - Direct chip cooling - Absorption cooling using waste heat ### Why Choose Future-tech? Our considerable experience in the design and deployment of a wide range of data centre cooling solutions, together with our vendor neutrality, means that Future-tech clients can be confident that their solution has been specifically selected to match their needs and requirements, and also takes into account any project constraints. With 11 independent awards for innovation in cooling systems, a design team of individual experts, and a holistic approach to the entire data centre infrastructure, Future-tech really are at the forefront of data centre cooling best practice and deployment. ### More About Data Centre Cooling Appropriate data centre cooling methods and infrastructure may be determined by the age of your facility. For example, Legacy IT equipment operates within a tighter environmental window than newer equipment and over recent years this operational window has widened from the traditional 20°C +/- 1°C and 50% relative humidity (RH) +/- 5% to today’s ASHRAE allowable range of 22°C +/- 4°C and 50% +/- 30% RH. Although this widening of data centre temperature set points may seem small it has a considerable impact on the energy consumption of the systems that provide cooling. As a very simple guide, for every degree Celsius you raise you server air-on temperature you are likely to see an approximate rise in efficiency of 2%. This means if your data centre cooling system is currently maintaining an 18°C supply air temperature and you are able to raise this to 23°C you will realise a circa 10% reduction in your data centre’s cooling costs. The range in relative humidity (RH) has increased and also has a huge effect on energy consumption. By adopting the new ASHRAE allowable RH levels you may reduce your humidification energy consumption by 80%. Depending on the method of humidification used in your facility this could equate to a sizable financial saving. Getting the right data centre cooling solution in any facility is vital. Working with a company that has extensive experience designing and installing a broad range of solutions ensures resilience, efficiency and cost effectiveness. ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Air Handling All data centres that utilise conventional air cooled servers require some form of server room air conditioning to maintain a stable environment. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Air Handling Units Data centre air handling units (AHUs) come in a number of different configurations. The most common types are as follows: - Down-flow – this is the most common type of server room air conditioner experienced in enterprise data centres. The term downflow refers to the way the air moves through the unit. In this configurations exhaust air from the servers enters the top of the AHU, is pulled across a cooling coil and blown, by internal fans, into the data centre’s under-floor plenum. These units generally have EU4 filtration or similar internally and can be combined with direct fresh air systems. Downflow units are deployed using either chilled water or direct expansion cooling systems, or a combination of the two together in some free-cooling applications. - Up-flow – generally only encountered in legacy data centres up flow air handling units work the opposite way to downflow units. Due to advances in aisle containment technology and data centre design up flow units are very rarely deployed in new data centres. Both Down-flow and Up-flow AHU’s are often still referred to as CRAC Units or simply CRAC’s, from their historic name i.e. Computer Room Air Conditioning Units - In-Row – originally brought to market by APC most AHU manufacturers now have an in-row product offering. Whereas up and downflow systems move the air vertically in-row units move air horizontally, pulling it directly from the hot aisle, cooling it, then delivering it directly to the cold aisle. Within certain sets of physical constraints, in-row units do have advantages over vertical airflow systems. In-rows are very efficient in their use of fan energy as there is no external resistance to the airflow and they offer high cooling duties relative to their footprint. - Rear door heat exchangers – both active and passive rear door systems, like in-row systems, move the air horizontally. Rear door systems place the cooling coils at the rear of the server cabinet and can support very high densities. They are extremely space efficient and offer even greater cooling duty per m2 of floor space than In-row cooling. With good design and the right configuration of heat rejection plant, they can provide exceptional energy efficiency. ### Why Choose Future-tech? These are some of the more common server room air conditioners and CRAC systems used in today’s data centre air handling. There are others and it is important to note is that each configuration will have different pro’s and con’s depending upon the particular requirements and constraints of each application. When it comes to data centre air flow there is no “one size fits all” solution. Depending on the physical constraints associated with your specific building or location any of the above could be best. By working with Future-Tech we can help establish your project’s unique drivers, requirements and constraints and with this information we will select the air handling solution that best achieves your projects goals. ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Data Centre Air Conditioning Adequate and reliable cooling is essential to the operation of any data centre, computer room or server room. After the IT load, it is the biggest user of energy. For this reason, efficient data centre air conditioning is a key element in creating an energy-efficient data centre. Finding the right data centre air conditioning system for your data centre will depend upon various factors such as power density and the availability of space for the cooling plant. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Air Conditioning The design and installation of air conditioning is critical to the data centre environment, as it controls both the temperature and the humidity of the air. The cooling system needs to be filtered to the level of cleanliness required and provide fresh air for any occupants, to ensure efficiency and reliability throughout the site. Data centre’s require a sustainable air conditioning system as they can use a high percentage of the overall power consumption. The most common way of achieving this is with floor standing air handling units known as CRAC units, designed to run 24/7/365. ### Why Choose Future-tech? Whatever your circumstances, we will find the right solution for your needs. In fact, Future-tech has pioneered a number of energy saving schemes for data centre air conditioning. Systems we have installed include: - Full fresh air free cooling - Water to air free cooling - Enclosed hot aisles - Enclosed cold aisles - Elevated operating temperatures - Evaporative humidification/cooling These are a combination of the most efficient installations e.g. enclosed hot aisle to elevate return temperatures with a fresh air or water-to-air free cooling system. Also, both from the energy efficiency aspect and for reliability, it is important that the air conditioning installed is designed for use in an IT environment. The basic requirements of a reliable and energy efficient data centre air conditioning system include: - High SHR - EC fans - Electronic expansion valves - Good filtration - Control of relative humidity - Designed to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Aisle Containment Separating the hot from the cold aisles in a data centre prevents cold air short-circuiting straight back to the air conditioning system before it has done any useful work. This offers one of the easiest ways of reducing cooling energy costs and can be incorporated into new designs or retro-fitted in existing data centres. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Hot and Cold Aisle Containment Either the hot or the cold aisle can be contained and which one is best will vary from one data centre to another. Hot aisle containment has the advantage that the room as whole is at a comfortable temperature while cold aisle containment is easier to retro-fit. In principle there is no difference between the two systems in their potential for saving energy, although in practice, hot aisle containment can be run hotter than a cold aisle containment which would improve its performance. In existing data centres the type of air handling plant and the air distribution system will be deciding factors as to which solution is adopted. For example, APC in-row cooling is ideal for an enclosed hot aisle whilst an under-floor supply with room return to CRAC units would be better suited to cold aisle containment. ### Why Choose Future-tech? At Future-tech we have designed and installed a broad range of aisle containment solutions and the use of hot and cold aisle containment is standard practice for all our new data centres. We have also designed and installed many retro fitted systems to live legacy facilities. This has had the benefits of removing hot spots and often increasing available cooling d ### The Benefits - Preventing mixing of cold supply air with hot return air thus immediately improving energy efficiency - Allowing increased return temperatures which will further reduce cooling energy use - Reducing air volumes thus saving on fan energy - Eliminating ‘hot-spots’ - Increasing AHU cooling capacities ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Cooling # Free Cooling When it comes data centre cooling solutions, the term “free cooling” has entered general use in the data centre industry. Most people understand that it actually refers to “compressor free” cooling. That is to say, that there will be some cost and energy used in removing heat from the server racks but this is greatly reduced by eliminating the need to run compressors. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Free Cooling Free cooling is a data centre cooling solution achieved by using ambient air to cool the data centre either directly as in “Fresh Air Free Cooling” or indirectly with heat exchangers. The heat exchangers in an indirect system can be water-to-water, air-to-water or air to some other heat transfer medium such as in thermal wheels and Phase Change Materials (PCM’s). It is possible, in theory at least, to have a completely energy free cooling system by using the ‘stack effect’ of the warm air as used in passive ventilation systems. However we are not aware of any such systems being in use (yet!). ### Why choose Future-tech? At Future-tech we have over 30 years experience of free cooling data centres and have installed most types of system including: - Direct fresh air cooling - Water-to-air dry coolers with DX systems - Water-to-air dry coolers with chilled water systems - Water-to-water heat exchangers with a heat sink Whichever method you choose, free cooling will significantly improve your data centre’s PUE and DCiE. ## other Services within cooling ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) - [Aisle Containment](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) - [Data Centre Air Conditioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) - [Air Handling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems & Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) - [Environmental Monitoring](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Infrastructure # data centre Structured Cabling Data centre structured cabling systems provide connectivity within the data centre and with the outside world. They can be copper, fibre or often a mixture of both. Like all data centre cabling systems and solutions, selection should be based upon the requirements, drivers and constraints of your project. Structured cabling is the same and the choice of which cabling specification you adopt will depend on the speeds required and distances involved. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Structured Cabling Our network specialists can advise on the best structured data centre cabling system for your particular application. When designing a data centre, we look at the whole picture, ensuring separation between power and data cables and incorporating diverse cable routes. We also help design the overall structure of the network, for example determining the positions and numbers of network cabs within the data centre and also of any satellite comms rooms in larger buildings. Our installation engineers are fully qualified and all installations are certified and warranted by the cable manufacturer. ### Increasing Density Whilst Reducing Power Consumption In line with the desire of organisations to provide more performance in less space, whilst meeting power consumption objectives, Future-tech design data centre environments using focused product sets that meet the design objectives of guaranteed high density performance, seamless migration and user flexibility at a reduced power level. Compared to traditional data centre cable solutions, Future-tech’s high density solutions can provide many cost benefits, including: - Up to 20% reduced floor space - Between 10% and 20% less maintenance time - Up to 5% lower power consumption ### Why choose Future-tech? We have experience in the design and installation of data centre structured cabling including: - Category 5e/class D, category 6/class E, category 6A/class EA, category 7/class F, category 7A/class FA - UTP, F/UTP, S/FTP, F/FTP - Single and multi-mode fibre - Intelligent Infrastructure Management (IIM) - Voice-over-IP - Horizontal and backbone structured cabling installations from a few dozen to thousands of outlets ### Vendor Neutrality In line with our policy of offering the best solution for your particular need we are happy to install systems from any of the leading manufacturers including: - Siemon - ADC Krone - Amp Netconnect - Austin Taylor - Belden IBDN - Brand Rex - Connectix - Excel - Hellerman Tyton - Molex - Nexans - Panduit ## other Services within infratructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Infrastructure # Data Centre Security Systems It doesn’t matter what your facility is supporting, exacting the highest data centre security standards to protect the hardware and the data that sits within the data centre is vital. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ to data centre security and the chosen systems should be tailored to your own organisations needs and requirements. Future-tech are experienced in using a risk vs impact matrix to determine the correct system for an individual client, ensuring that maximum protection at lowest cost is achieved. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Security Systems Whether your facility is by necessity a high security data centre, requiring bio metric access readers, weight measuring security portals, high definition total facility CCTV coverage and more, or simply requires card swipe access linked to an existing house system, maintaining the correct balance ensures that the protection meets your business needs without wasting money on over specification.. Over our 30 year history we have designed, installed and maintained many data centre security systems and solutions. Future-tech have experience in the following data centre security systems: - High definition closed circuit television cameras - Infrared / night vision CCTV systems - Security portals up to class 4 EN 1627:30 (2000) - Anti tailgating devises - Smart access control systems - Biometric access systems - Video and speech access systems - Swipe card access systems - Pin access systems - Hybrid access systems - Motion detection - Optical detection - Vehicle control systems - Perimeter Security Fencing - Electromagnetic screening ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech are acknowledged throughout the industry as leaders in data centre design and build. 30 years of specialist experience, a partnership approach and our commitment to innovation mean that clients can be confident that their data centre will exactly match their requirements, incorporate energy efficiency best practices and provide the level of resiliency necessary for supporting business needs today and tomorrow. Our designed and built data centres have won 11 independent awards for innovation, resilience and energy efficiency, and as a company we continue to push the boundaries of technological innovation to ensure all our clients end up with a cost effective, efficient, scalable, facility. ## other Services within infratructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Infrastructure # Modular & Containerised Solutions Modular and containerised data centres offer a solution to certain environmental and logistic challenges and constraints. Whether you need to deploy a data centre in a temporary location, have a short time frame, or need the ‘facility’ to be self-sufficient in terms of power & cooling, Future-tech have the in-house expertise necessary to advise on and deploy a modular or containerised data centre that suits your exact requirements. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Modular & Containerised Solutions Initially developed for military deployment in the field, modular and containerised data centres have increased in popularity across all types of organisation over the past 6 years. Such solutions can enable an organisation to use space unsuitable for a brick and mortar data centre, reduce time frames or deploy a temporary facility with relative ease. ### Methodology Like all data centre design and deployment, our focus is on the drivers, requirements, and constraints of the project in question. Through years of experience, we know that in some circumstances, although the client may feel a modular solution is a correct approach, an alternative solution would better match their needs. Equally, there are projects where a modular of containerised data centre solution is ideal. Once we have established that such a solution matches your overall requirements, we work in partnership with you to determine which of the many and varied solutions in the market match your particular need. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our vendor-neutrality and our ability to match a solution exactly to corporate requirements, means that Future-tech is the obvious choice for any company considering either a modular data centre or container data centre. We have a detailed understanding of all the different systems in the market place, their pros and cons, and their relevance to individual projects. If a containerised or modular data centre solution is right for you, we can assist you in selecting a solution that matches your need – once we have an understanding of your project’s specific drivers, requirements and constraints. ## other Services within infrastructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Infrastructure # Portable & Containerised Data Centres Portable and containerised data centres can provide the perfect solution to certain environmental and logistic challenges and constraints. Being highly mobile allows you to deploy such solutions in temporary locations. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### ABOUT Portable & Containerised Data Centres Portable and containerised data centres can provide the perfect solution to certain environmental and logistic challenges and constraints. Being highly mobile allows you to deploy such solutions in temporary locations. Relocation can be completed within very small time windows. Depending on their specification modules can also be totally “self-sufficient” in terms of power and cooling. Initially developed for military deployment in the field, portable and containerised data centres are being adopted by other organisations such as NGOs, Oil and Gas exploration and Communications Providers to name a few. Although these organisations are different to military institutions such as the British Army they are selecting portable and containerised data centre solutions because there deployments are subject to many of the same drivers and constraints. Other organisations that deploy data centres in less demanding and challenging environments are also finding suitability in these solutions. Organisations that have run out of space in their current buildings can sometimes find space for a relatively self-contained unit, the size of a shipping container, externally and this can provide an effective solution. Others who are currently based in short term locations can also benefit from the mobile nature of the facilities. Like all data centre design and deployment what should be focused on is the drivers, requirements and constraints of the project in question. We have worked with clients who have been convinced a containerised solution is correct for them. However on thorough investigation there have been alternatives that have better match their true needs. Equally there have been others that a containerised solution has been ideal for. If it is established that such a solution is correct for your particular deployment there are now a growing number of containerised data centres in the market place. Many can be customised to suit your particular requirements. Most have pro’s and con’s compared to each other and selecting the correct solution once again comes down to having a firm understanding of your specific drivers, requirements and constraints. ### Why choose future-tech Future-Tech is totally vendor-neutral; we have a detailed understanding of the different systems in the market place and how they compare with each other. We can help you define your project’s specific drivers, requirements, and constraints and help you gain an understanding of what solutions are available. If a containerised or portable solution is right for you we can assist you in going to market and selecting the right one. ## other Services within infrastructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – InfraStructure # Data Centre Fire Systems Data centre fire detection, suppression and prevention are a necessary part of most data centre installations but such systems, especially fire suppression, can add considerable cost to a data centre build. Future-tech have considerable experience in making sure that any chosen system is designed as cost effectively as possible, whilst still providing the protection required. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Fire Systems The various data centre fire suppression systems all have their own advantages and disadvantages. Identifying how you need your fire system to operate and what the risk parameters are will define which of the available solutions is most suitable for your facility. Future-tech have worked with, and have considerable experience in, the following systems: - FM200 gas suppression systems - Novec gas suppression systems - Argonite gas suppression systems - Oxygen reduction fire prevention systems - Water mist systems - VESDA early warning smoke detection systems - Fire rating requirements ### Why choose Future-tech? At Future-tech not only do we have extensive experience designing, installing and maintaining data centre fire systems, we are experts in matching a system to your own individual project requirements, drivers and constraints. Our vendor neutrality means we are not tied to any individual equipment supplier or solution so you can be sure that the fire suppression system chosen for your data centre is based on its suitability for your facility, not because we have partnered with a particular vendor. ## other Services within infratructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Infrastructure # Cabinets & Racks As with the terminology for data centres, server rooms, computer rooms etc, so the words “racks” and “cabs” or “cabinets” are often used interchangeably. Mostly we now see IT equipment installed into enclosures with doors which might properly be described as cabinets. Typical data centre rack dimensions are 1000mm deep x 600mm wide for server racks and 800mm wide for comms racks. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Racks When server density increase so does the number of network links required within each rack. Consequently 800mm width is becoming common for servers as well as comms. Heights are expressed in ‘U’ one ‘U’ being 44.45mm (1¾ inches). Typical heights are 42U (overall height around 2,000mm) up to 48U (overall height around 2,300mm). As most equipment now is cooled by a flow of air from front to back, racks should always have perforated doors front and rear. For high density facilities, e.g. loads of over 10kW per data rack, close coupled cooling systems such as in-row or rear door cooling are preferred. These can be provided by the rack manufacturer or cooling specialists as an add-on. Not only do these enable higher power loads to be accommodated they can significantly reduce energy costs. Power within the racks should be from a minimum of two separate supplies to provide redundancy and distributed by in-rack Power Distribution Units (PDU’s). The in-rack PDU’s can have any number and configuration of outlets to suit the equipment being supplied and can have metering – either of the PDU as a whole or for each outlet. Similarly remote switching can be provided to facilitate a remote re-boot and again this can be per PDU or per outlet. Supplies to each data rack can be from above or below and are usually presented as “commando” sockets, rated at either 16 amps or 32 amps. At least two supplies should always be provided so that if a fault trips one the other takes up the full load. For this reason the load on a pair of supplies should not exceed the capacity of each, which at 230 volts and 32 amps is a maximum of 7.36kW although it could be less, depending on the power factor of the IT equipment. Increasingly, racks have loads greater than 32 amps and these can be accommodated by either having four or even six supplies to each rack or by increasing the capacity of each supply to, say, 40 amps, 63 amps or, occasionally, to three phase. Good in-rack network cable management is important because large numbers of cables have to be accommodated while ensuring a free flow of air through the server. Future-tech can advise you on all your rack and accessory options and ensure the final choice meets your needs today, with future-proofing to anticipate your requirements over the coming years. ## other Services within infrastructure ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Cabinets & Racks](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/cabinets-racks/) - [Data Centre Fire Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-fire-systems/) - [Portable & Containerised Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/portable-containerised-data-centres/) - [Data Centre Security Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/data-centre-security-systems/) - [Structured Cabling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/structured-cabling/) - [Modular & Containerised Solutions](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/infrastructure/modular-containerised-solutions/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Equipment Supply](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/equipment-supply/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Equipment & Solutions # Equipment Supply Your data centre is only as efficient as the equipment chosen to support it. Many organisations offering data centre design and build services are tied to a particular equipment manufacturer and this hampers their ability to choose the hardware most appropriate to overall requirements. At Future-tech we are proud of our commitment to vendor neutrality, an approach that has led us to continually match our clients’ facilities to the right data centre equipment to their exact needs and requirements. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Equipment Supply The hardware selected for an individual data centre project should always be driven by the needs of the client. Factors such as operational performance, approach temperatures, power factors and minimum fan speeds as well as regional supply security, servicing costs and parts availability need to be considered as well as associated costs and budgets. Global location, environmental conditions, budget, delivery deadline and energy efficiency are just some of the factors that can influence the equipment and manufacturers specified on any data centre project, but ultimately, all data centre equipment specified should be aligned to the project’s overall requirements. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our vendor neutrality sets us apart from other organisations offering data centre design and build services. It is this neutrality that enables us to select and specify data centre equipment purely on its ability to carry out a specific function within the constraints of a particular project and also means we remain at the forefront of data centre innovation. Not only that, our in-house teams have considerable experience and expertise in equipment selection, enabling us to provide better, more resilient, more efficient data centre facilities to our clients. ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Cooling](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/) **Published:** July 22, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Equipment & Solutions # Cooling This section includes all elements that are key to the provision of effective data centre cooling and encompasses all potential technologies and best practices essential to maximising cooling capacity and energy efficiency. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![09 future tech equipment and solutions | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/09-Future-Tech-Equipment-and-Solutions.png "09 future tech equipment and solutions | futuretech") ## Services include ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Free Cooling](#) - [Aisle Containment](#) - [Data Centre Air Cooling](#) - [Air Handling](#) - [Data Centre Cooling Systems and Solutions](#) - [Environmental Monitoring](#) ## Free Cooling When it comes data centre cooling solutions, the term “free cooling” has entered general use in the data centre industry. Most people understand that it actually refers to “compressor free” cooling. That is to say, that there will be some cost and energy used in removing heat from the server racks but this is greatly reduced by eliminating the need to run compressors. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/free-cooling/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Aisle Containment Separating the hot from the cold aisles in a data centre prevents cold air short-circuiting straight back to the air conditioning system before it has done any useful work. This offers one of the easiest ways of reducing cooling energy costs and can be incorporated into new designs or retro-fitted in existing data centres. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/aisle-containment/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Data Centre Air Conditioning Adequate and reliable cooling is essential to the operation of any data centre, computer room or server room. After the IT load, it is the biggest user of energy. For this reason, efficient air conditioning is a key element in creating an energy-efficient data centre. Finding the right data centre air conditioning system for your data centre will depend upon various factors such as power density and the availability of space for the cooling plant. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-air-conditioning/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Air Handling All data centres that utilise conventional air cooled servers require some form of server room air conditioning to maintain a stable environment. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/air-handling/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Data Centre Cooling Systems and Solutions Getting the best performance out of your data centres cooling systems is crucial to its overall efficiency and operational cost. Just as no two data centre projects are the same, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to choice and deployment of a cooling solution. Future-tech’s extensive knowledge of, and experience in, deployment of a vast range of cooling systems and solutions means that we have the ability to exactly match a particular solution to your needs and requirements. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/data-centre-cooling-systems-and-solutions/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ## Environmental Monitoring Environmental monitoring is vital to data centre maintenance. Maintaining constant uptime is often crucial to an organisation, with the success of the IT department defined by its ability to provide services to its clients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Properly designed data centres will have redundant hardware such as UPS, air-conditioning and generators and these should be constantly monitored so that any faults can be dealt with before they affect the running of the IT services. [Find Out more](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/equipment-and-solutions/cooling/environmental-monitoring/) ![01 future tech sub advisory and feasibility | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/01-Future-tech-Sub-Advisory-and-Feasibility-1.png "01 futuretech subadvisory and feasibility | futuretech") ### About Data Centre Equipment Supply The hardware selected for an individual data centre project should always be driven by the needs of the client. Factors such as operational performance, approach temperatures, power factors and minimum fan speeds as well as regional supply security, servicing costs and parts availability need to be considered as well as associated costs and budgets. Global location, environmental conditions, budget, delivery deadline and energy efficiency are just some of the factors that can influence the equipment and manufacturers specified on any data centre project, but ultimately, all data centre equipment specified should be aligned to the project’s overall requirements. ### Why choose Future-tech? Our vendor neutrality sets us apart from other organisations offering data centre design and build services. It is this neutrality that enables us to select and specify data centre equipment purely on its ability to carry out a specific function within the constraints of a particular project and also means we remain at the forefront of data centre innovation. Not only that, our in-house teams have considerable experience and expertise in equipment selection, enabling us to provide better, more resilient, more efficient data centre facilities to our clients. ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) [![Sustainability report | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sustaibaility-report-2-1024x576.png "Sustainability report | futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/)## [Sustainability Reporting Service for Data Centres](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/sustainability-reporting-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Oct 14, 2025 --- ### [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Lifecycle Services # Upgrading Data Centre Systems Up to date data centre infrastructure is key to running a successful, efficient and cost effective facility. As corporate IT requirements change, a data centre system upgrade may be necessary to manage growth, meet efficiency targets or lower operational costs. Future-tech are experts in designing and implementing cost effective data centre systems upgrades for data centres of all age, type and size. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Data Centre Systems Upgrade? Legacy, or older facilities will be less efficient, more costly to operate and less able to deal with increased capacity needs than new build data centres. This doesn’t mean that an organisation needs to build a costly new facility in order to take advantage of more recent improvements in data centre infrastructure – a data centre systems upgrade can have an enormous impact on efficiency, operational cost and capacity for much lower capital outlay. ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech have a wealth of experience in projects involving upgrades and improvements to legacy data centre facilities. Our expertise in data centre systems and commitment to vendor neutrality means that we are able to design and implement a bespoke solution for your data centre upgrade whatever the type or size of facility and whatever the budget. We have personally maintained and managed data centres through multiple equipment refresh cycles and pride ourselves on our ability to increase efficiency and reduce operational cost with the minimum capital outlay. ### Methodology Future-tech work in partnership with our clients to ensure that any systems upgrade project is successful and meets corporate objectives. A thorough and in-depth understanding of current issues together with overall project objectives and the desired outcome is always the first stage of any project and regular meetings are held with clients and key stakeholders to ensure that key milestones and targets are met. This approach ensures a successful and cost effective systems upgrade. ## other Services within lifecycle services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Capacity Planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Migration & Consolidation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Lifecycle Services # Migration & Consolidation An organisations data centre assets may be inadequate for future growth, or consist of a vast array of diverse and costly facilities. Data centre migration or consolidation can help an organisation increase capacity, cut costs and simplify process. Future-tech clients can be confident that their complex data centre migration and consolidation projects will be cost effective, successful and have the minimal impact on day to day business operations. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need to Migrate or Consolidate my Data Centre/s As your business evolves, your IT needs will change and this will inevitably impact on your data centre requirements. Either consolidating data centre assets or Migrating IT equipment to a new in-house data centre facility or colocation provider may be considered necessary to increase capacity or decrease costs. ### Why choose Future-tech? With over 30 years’ experience in managing data centre consolidation and migration for our clients, Future-tech are experts in ensuring that mission critical assets are migrated or consolidated with minimal impact to your day to day operations. We have successfully managed vital transformation for over 55 data centres and have a full and thorough understanding of the planning, change management process and physical challenges involved in the migration and consolidation of mission critical IT asserts. ### Methodology All migration or consolidation project begin with a thorough understanding of corporate drivers, requirements and constraints. Meetings with key stakeholders are held to determine corporate objectives and then objectives are assessed to determine whether they can be met without migration/consolidation by retrieval of ‘lost’ capacity in an existing facility for example; our in house consultants design a bespoke solution to meet individual corporate requirements. Planning is key to success and all devices, facility infrastructure and other elements will be documented, assessed for any issues identified and dealt with prior to the move. ## other Services within lifecycle services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Capacity Planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Lifecycle Services # Data Centre Refit & Refresh Data centre refurbishment projects present many challenges. Refurbishments often take place while the data centre is ‘live’ and projects may be hindered by physical constraints such as the positions of existing equipment or infrastructure services, as well as working space and access. By choosing Future-tech for your refit project, you’re reducing the risk involved in such an undertaking, and can be confident that the impact on day to day business operations will be minimal. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Data Centre Refresh and Refit? Your data centre is a mission critical business asset. As corporate needs grow or change, your data centre infrastructure may not be adequate to support your current and future requirements. Whilst a new data centre may seem like the solution, often a data centre refit and/or refresh can increase capacity, increase efficiencies and improve optimisation. Or it may be that your legacy data centre infrastructure is at risk of failure, in which case, a refit or refurbishment will dramatically reduce the risk of unplanned downtime. ### Why choose Future-tech? Future-tech are experts in data centre refresh and refit projects. During our 30 years, we have designed, project managed and delivered an extensive variety of data centre refurbishment projects ranging from upgrades of power and cooling infrastructure to complete facility redesigns and fit outs, most of which involved data centres remaining ‘live’ during the process. Our meticulous planning ensures that risk is minimised, downtime is avoided and impact on day to day business operations is negligible. ### Methodology The key to the success of a data centre refurbishment is that all drivers, requirements and constraints are clearly defined before any solutions or methodologies are decided on. As with all data centre projects, these fundamental elements often determine the correct approach and final data centre solution. Establishing these fundamentals at the start will save you time, money and most importantly limit the risk to any of your live IT services. ## other Services within lifecycle services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Capacity Planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Capacity Planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Lifecycle Services # Capacity Planning Capacity planning is essential for any data centre. Wasted or ‘stranded’ capacity means wasted money whatever the size, age or specification of the facility. Future-tech’s data centre consulting services help clients to identify capacity issues and causes. This enables more effective use of space, which in turn can negate the need to relocate or extend a data centre, deferring capital costs while improving efficiencies and saving operating costs too. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need a Capacity Planning? The capacity of a data centre is often determined by the power and cooling or network capabilities rather than the physical space available. An understanding of your available space and any constraints relating to the underlying infrastructure underpins any project aimed at increasing utilisation. Identification of limiting factors leads to potential solutions – for example, If power is your limiting factor, ways can be identified to free up capacity allowing you to add more servers if needed. If cooling is the primary issue, air flow and system set points can be altered so your air handling units provide more duty. Such alterations can often be carried out at little cost and may extend the life of your data centre, negate the need to extend or re-locate your facility and will almost always result in operational cost savings. ### Our Approach Future-tech’s key strengths – experience and innovation – are crucial to approaching data centre capacity planning. A fundamental and thorough understanding of data centre infrastructure, combined with an innovative approach and knowledge of the latest technologies and best practice, mean that we are able to view capacity holistically. This facility –wide approach means that clients can be confident that not only is all ‘lost’ capacity identified and recovered, but that future capacity is planned effectively and efficiently. ### Methodology Our data centre capacity planning process begins with a meeting with one of our Pre-Sales or Design Consultants. The purpose is to establish capacity issues, data centre operations, problems and additional capacity needs. Following this, the Future-tech representative will meet with our Specialist Engineering Team to who will then attend the data centre facility survey. During the visit the facility’s supporting infrastructure will be examined to determine where capacity can be freed and/or reallocated. ### Output Once the survey is completed the Specialist Engineer(s) will work with a Design Consultant to produce a Capacity Report. The document will describe the data centre’s current operation, provide a number of “quick wins” to provide immediate action points and will give detailed analysis and costs associated with increasing capacity in the desired area of operation. A meeting is held with the client to explain the options available and answer any questions regarding our recommendations. ## other Services within lifecycle services ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Capacity Planning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/capacity-planning/) - [Data Centre Refit & Refresh](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/data-centre-refit-refresh/) - [Migration & Consolidation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/migration-consolidation/) - [Upgrading Data Centre Systems](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/lifecycle-services/upgrading-data-centre-systems/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # Operational Strategy Review An operational data centre strategy review ensures that all elements of the data centre, from the physical infrastructure through to the management team, are working together to achieve optimum performance. Future-tech are experienced in working with clients to align culture, values and business goals to operational data centre strategy and management. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need an Operational Strategy Review? The reliable delivery of any IT service is reliant on all of the components in the data centre ‘stack’ playing their part. A data centre operational strategy review is intended to assess the entire stack from the underlying M&E infrastructure through to the data centre operational and management team and identify whether any risk factors are present. A data centre operational strategy review can help an organisation minimise downtime, ensure the smooth running of a facility over its lifetime and lead to operational cost savings. ### Our Approach A data centre Operational Strategy Review can only be undertaken by a team with experience in both infrastructure and operations. The Future-tech team are experts in data centre design, M&E infrastructure, efficiency principles and data centre management which means they are well placed to take a holistic approach to the strategy review. ### Methodology The Operational Strategy Review is ideally developed during the design process to enable a cohesive approach to design and operation. Goals need to be established, disclosed and understood by key business and technology stakeholders in order to design a comprehensive operational strategy. The process is one of controlled discovery. Future-tech use a proven mix of interviews, workshops and milestone meetings to engage with and gain information from, key stakeholders before determining operational strategy deliverables. ### Output In keeping with our partnership approach to such projects, the output method is determined by the client. Depending on the client organisations style and culture, the findings can be delivered in a formal report, as a presentation, or a mixture of both. Findings are designed to be part of a ‘living’ process, subject to periodic review to incorporate inevitable changes in the organisation. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # EU CoC Assessment & Reporting This service offers to both assess against the best practices included in the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency and prepare for submission to the European Commission for acceptance as a Participant of the EU Code of Conduct scheme. This allows the use of the European Commission logo in recognition of the use of data centre energy efficiency best practices. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Methodology Future-tech have been instrumental in the creation EU Code of Conduct and continue to be involved in ongoing annual revisions. One of Future-tech’s senior consultants is a contributing author, Chair of the Best Practice Committee and the current editor of the Best Practices document upon which the Participation scheme is based. Specialist Future-tech consultants are available to visit and assess your site against the best practices highlighted in the EU CoC. Any shortfall against expected practices will be highlighted for either immediate resolution or to be included in an action plan included with an application for EU CoC Participant status. Future-tech can assist with both the application process and ongoing annual submissions. If an application for Participant status is being based on self-assessment Future-tech can review the data and documentation to be submitted in order to overcome any potential problems with acceptance and that all elements of the submission are correct. The ultimate outcome of this process being acceptance on the EU Code of Conduct participation scheme and recognition of the adoption of world leading best practices for data centre energy efficiency, underpinned by the European Government. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # Energy Audits As a company at the forefront of data centre innovation, Future-tech are experts in enabling data centre energy efficiencies. Improvements can only be made following an assessment of current practice and usage. A data centre energy audit is an essential first step in reducing energy consumption. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need Energy Audits? As a data centre operator, you’ll know that power consumption is often your largest operational expenditure. Even a small facility will use a significant number of kilowatt hours (and tonnes of Co2) and any saving in the amount of power consumed will amount to significant savings in operational cost. A data centre energy audit is an essential first step in improving efficiencies. Future-tech have saved clients up to 67% on infrastructure running costs, a direct result of an initial Energy Audit project. ### Our Approach Energy efficient data centre design is one of Future-tech’s specialist areas of expertise. Over the past four years our data centre designs received 11 independent industry awards for class leading data centre energy efficiency and innovation. This specialist knowledge and innovative approach to efficiency means that we are your best choice for any data centre audit project, regardless of age, size or type of facility. Once inefficiencies have been identified, clients can then take advantage of Future-tech’s knowledge and experience in implementation of innovative technologies and best practice to reduce energy consumption and cut operational costs. ### Methodology As a specialist data centre consultancy, all our work is bespoke and relevant to an individual client. Our energy audits and reports are no exception. Audits are tailored to your facility, its size, age and operational function. Depending on your needs and the facility design, the energy efficiency audit will be conducted by; a Pre-Sales Consultant, Specific Discipline Design Engineer, Design Consultant or a combination of the above. All audits start with a facility survey and an assessment of its supporting infrastructure. During the process, the Future-tech team work in partnership with key client stakeholders including the Data Centre Manager, Facilities Manager and Energy Manager. Information gained via sessions with these stakeholders will be used to add to the findings from the survey. The result is a holistic overview of the energy efficiency (or inefficiency!) of your data centre which can then be used to direct strategy going forward. ### Output Findings of all our data centre energy efficiency surveys and audits are presented in the form of a comprehensive report. The report covers our assessment of the data centre, its infrastructure and current operation as well as a current PUE rating. Recommendations as to, “quick wins”, changes that can be made to the facility for little or no cost but will have an immediate effect on its energy consumption and operation are given alongside recommendations relating to a level of capital investment. Any solutions are explained in detail with associated costs, savings and return on investment. Senior managers may find the summary table particularly useful as it details solutions, associated costs and return on investment in an easily digestible format. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # Cooling & Airflow Management Audits An examination of site Cooling and Airflow Management Efficiency against industry standard criteria leading to an understanding of potential reductions in both energy usage and operating costs along with significant potential for site capacity increase. This service includes recommendations and implementation of risk free improvements and a demonstration of genuine short terms returns on investment. Typical minimum cooling energy savings in established data centres is 10% and can be as high as 24%. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Objective To fully understand current data centre site cooling efficiency and energy usage and energy saving opportunities in terms of both internationally accepted benchmarks and identified short term return on investment leading to recurring cost reductions and/or potential capacity improvements that can offset significant capital expenditure. ### Methodology The methodology will be site dependent and depend to a significant extent on the age and type of site as well as the particular challenges faced at the site. These may be age or design related issues. Capacity related issues or ICT deployment / installation issues. All reviews will be based on industry leading and internationally accepted benchmarks and the unique expertise of the consultancy team and their support partners. Legacy data centres in particular can benefit from dramatic reductions in cooling costs and increases in available capacity. Cooling efficiency performance incorporates widely accepted industry benchmarks including the EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Energy Efficiency and CEN/CENELEC TR50600-99-1 as well as a full understanding of true PUE figures according to ISO/IEC 30134-2. ### Deliverables / Output Report detailing current energy consumption and detailing potential opportunities for cost reductions and energy efficiency performance improvement. Opportunities for operating capacity improvements, particularly on the cooling side and the potential to release ‘Stranded Capacity’ will also be highlighted. An agreed project will offer to guarantee a minimum cooling cost reduction of at least 10% which will be underpinned by contract. ### Outcomes / Benefits A reliable understanding of potential energy saving benefits and identified return on investment from making recommended changes. This can be used as a business case for improvement projects that can result in year on year savings over the operational lifetime of the data centre. Improvements in utilisation of existing cooling capacity may also offer the opportunity to defer capital expenditure on new equipment or space. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # Forensic Engineering Forensic engineering offers an analysis of incidents resulting in services outages or near misses due to either equipment failure or operating / human error.Senior Future-tech consultants working as qualified engineers and utilising decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services will be available to ascertain the true Root Cause of an incident. They will use industry-specific expertise to address the issues and detailed technical challenges that they are presented with. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Description Forensic engineering offers an analysis of incidents resulting in services outages or near misses dueto either equipment failure or operating / human error.Senior Future-tech consultants working as qualified engineers and utilising decades of data centrespecific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services will be available toascertain the true Root Cause of an incident. They will use industry specific expertise to address theissues and detailed technical challenges that they are presented with. ### Deliverables / Output An objective root cause analysis with recommendations for future actions and strategy highlighting lessons that should be learned and any required improvements in process, documentation, training etc. The format will be a detailed report with full disclosure of facts, and an unambiguous, fact-based understanding of the true reasons behind a service impacting outage or near miss based on sound engineering analysis. This can be used either in a presentation to a client or for greater internal understanding and improvement. ### Objective To ascertain the genuine cause of a service outage based on engineering rigour and understanding inorder to capture the root cause of an outage or near miss and make recommendations to avoidsimilar issues in the future. This will include a forensic examination of the factors leading to a serviceoutage or near miss based on data centre specific engineering expertise and experience. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) **Published:** June 30, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Operational Reviews & Audits # Audit & Risk Analysis With a wealth of experience in conducting Data Centre Audits and Data Centre Risk Assessments, Future-tech are experts in examination and analysis of current assets and future plans. From physical infrastructure and operations through to financial management and governance, our highly experienced team investigate all areas during the data centre assessments, from physical infrastructure and operations through to financial management and governance. The end result is a solid foundation on which to make future decisions related to your facility or portfolio. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![12 future tech operation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/12-Future-Tech-Operation.png "12 future tech operation | futuretech") ### Why do I need an Audit & Risk Assessment? Data Centres are mission critical business assets. A thorough data centre assessment provides an understanding of your data centre’s ability to fulfil current business needs and scale with business growth as well as its condition, management and operation is essential to the success of any Enterprise. Such an understanding helps not only to mitigate risk associated with data centre failure, but also to effectively plan and budget for future requirements. The principle behind an audit or risk analysis is to identify areas that should be addressed from a cost, operational or risk perspective. As a client, you want to be assured that any data centre audit or risk analysis takes into consideration not just the needs and potential risks of today but also includes your plans for the future ### Methodology Our methodology is one of controlled discovery. We use various techniques including interviews, workshops and milestone meetings to gain a thorough understanding of our client’s requirements, current situation and areas for concern. Our experts investigate and assess the physical facility, engineering drawings, site operational drawings and other collateral relating to the facility infrastructure. Where necessary, Dun and Bradstreet searches, due diligence on company officers and financial investigations will be included. These activities are conducted with the overall aim of providing the client with a thorough facility audit and a detailed investigation into the overall organisation, governance, viability, technical capability and life expectancy of the facility. In our view, without such an approach it is impossible to critically assess potential technological, financial and organisational risk. ### **Our Approach** At Future-tech, we work in partnership with our clients. An understanding of the drivers behind any audit or risk assessment together with overall corporate technology objectives is essential in order to ensure that the final report findings are aligned to individual client requirements. Our approach ensures that recommendations are relevant not only to your business today, but allow for business growth or change tomorrow. ### Output In keeping with our partnership approach, the method of final delivery is determined by the client. Whether you require a formal report, a presentation or other method of delivery, we will accommodate your needs. Whatever the final method of delivery, the ‘document’ is designed to be part of an organic process, subject to periodic review, to incorporate inevitable changes in the organisation and data centre environment. ## other Services within Operational Reviews & Audits ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Audit & Risk Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/audit-risk-analysis/) - [Forensic Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/forensic-engineering/) - [Energy Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/energy-audits/) - [Cooling & Airflow Management Audits](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/cooling-airflow-management-audits/) - [EU CoC Assessment & Reporting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/eu-coc-assessment-reporting/) - [Operational Strategy Review](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/management-and-maintenance/operational-reviews-audits/operational-strategy-review/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Procurement Future-tech offers clients the opportunity to lead the management of procurement on their behalf. This allows our clients to concentrate on their core business and also introduced specialist data centre engineering knowledge and experience that may not be available within a client’s organisation. This service has the advantage of both the expertise of the Future-tech team based on decades of data centre specific experience along with the ability to offer significant volume discounts by pooling purchasing agreements on behalf of multiple clients. These volume discounts will be far greater than can be achieved by an individual customer alone. Our procurement services are highly flexible and can accommodate the need to purchase specialist services or equipment. The fulfilment of these purchases can be either from our list of preferred suppliers, who are routinely evaluated on their performance and pricing or alternatively from suppliers we are less familiar with. The volume discounts achievable do inevitably improve with those suppliers with whom we do most business. Members of the Future-tech team have experience as both customers and providers of data centre services and understand a broad range of data centre environments. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Delivery & Implementation # Data Centre Construction Management Future-tech have the in-house ability to offer construction Project Management or Project Governance for any data centre related project. Our experienced consulting team have the ability to deliver end to end data centre specific construction management or governance on data centre projects. Utilising decades of data centre specific project delivery and construction management experience along with industry specific expertise our consultants will ensure that construction projects are delivered on time and to budget. We offer risk free data centre construction management guaranteeing that the constructed data centre site meets the design criteria established at the start of the project. Compliance with these original design requirements and operational parameters form an integral part of the focus during site construction and final testing. Our aim is to ensure a robust and reliable operational platform based on an effective and focussed construction programme offering long term risk free operational reliability and service delivery capability complying with design criteria and stated objectives for the completed data centre. Future-tech’s Data Centre Construction Management team Consists of data centre experts with advanced engineering qualifications and abilities across the Mechanical and Electrical field, with experience of supporting client contracts and construction projects worldwide. The members of the team have a depth of understanding a broad range of data centre projects and have detailed knowledge in key specialist areas. Each of our consultants and project managers offers a specialised and detailed knowledge of data centres projects and in-depth knowledge of Design, Construction, Commissioning, Maintenance, Operational Management Standards and Developing Standards. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![07 future tech deliver and implementation | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/07-Future-tech-Deliver-and-Implementation.png "07 futuretech deliver and implementation | futuretech") ## other Services within Delivery & Implementation ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Project Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/project-management/) - [Construction Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction-management/) - [Construction](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/construction/) - [Design & Build as a Service](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/design-build-as-a-service/) - [Integrated Witness Testing](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/integrated-witness-testing/) - [Commissioning](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/commissioning/) - [Procurement](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/procurement/) - [Tender Documents & Evaluation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/delivery-implementation/tender-documents-evaluation/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) **Published:** June 26, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Design & Consulting # Customised Consulting Future-tech can offer a fully customised service offering data centre specific expert consultancy covering a range of data centre specific topics and areas of subject matter expertise that are not restricted to any specific subject matter area. This flexible service is based upon world leading data centre expertise based upon several decades of designing, building, maintaining and operating data centres. This expertise and experience can be brought to bear by our dedicated data centre engineering consultants on a customised basis depending on client requirements. Our aim is to help clients to improve understanding of a particular issue or provide either strategic or tactical insight and advice on any facet of data centre design, construction or operation. Individual consultants will utilise decades of data centre specific experience based in both delivery and receipt of data centre services along with industry specific expertise to address the issues and technical challenges that they are presented with. Deliverables may be in the form of detailed reports, formal presentations, workshop sessions, representation at meetings, knowledge transfer or simple response to enquiry. Our customised consulting service offers the benefit of world class insight and multiple decades of data centre specific experience delivered by Future-tech consultants who are currently involved in industry thought leadership and standards development. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![08 future tech design and consultancy | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/08-Future-Tech-Design-and-Consultancy.png "08 future tech design and consultancy | futuretech") ## other Services within Design & Consulting ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Requirements Analysis](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/requirements-analysis/) - [Site Surveys & Selection](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/site-surveys-selection/) - [Conceptual Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/conceptual-data-centre-design/) - [Technical Data Centre Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/technical-data-centre-design/) - [Design Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-development/) - [Design Peer Reviews](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/design-peer-reviews/) - [Availability Class & Tier Level](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/availability-class-tier-level/) - [Energy Efficiency](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/energy-efficiency/) - [Standards Compliance](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/standards-compliance/) - [Customised Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/design-consulting/customised-consulting/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/)[Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/)[Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Customised-consulting-1-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/)## [What is Future-tech’s Data Centre Consultancy Service?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-consultancy-service/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 5, 2025 --- ### [Investor's Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) **Published:** June 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** #### Services – Advisory & Feasibility # Investor’s Representative The Future-tech consulting team have the ability to provide data centre specific support, management or governance on projects on behalf of investors for programmes of all sizes. This includes strategic advice as well and tactical delivery across a range of disciplines. This service offers investors in data centre projects risk free project delivery focused on long term data centre infrastructure goals and operational reliability. Future-tech can offer investors’ confidence that the project will result in a data centre site capable of performing to stated customer requirements with the ability to sustain reliable operational delivery. The Future-tech consulting team have the experience and expertise to deliver world class data centre specific technical governance and oversight based upon multiple decades of direct data centre industry involvement. The members of the team have experience as both customers and providers of data centre services, understanding a broad range of data centre environments with detailed knowledge in key specialist areas. The Future-tech consulting team offers a specialised and detailed knowledge of data centres with an in-depth knowledge of Design, Construction, Commissioning, Maintenance, Standards and Emerging Standards as well as a focussed view on the reliable day to day risk free operation of data centre environments. [Get in touch](/contact-us/) ![Investment advisory3x | future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Investment-advisory@3x.png "Investment advisory3x | futuretech") ## other Services within advisory & feasibility ![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/underline-title.png "Underlinetitle | futuretech") - [Technical Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/technical-due-diligence/) - [Investor’s Representative](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/investors-representative/) - [Market Intelligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/market-intelligence/) - [Financial Feasibility & Model Development](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/financial-feasibility-model-development/) - [Commercial Due Diligence](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/advisory-and-feasibility/commercial-due-diligence/) ## Content hub [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) [![| future tech](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/data-centre-developments-1024x576.png "| futuretech")](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/)## [What Were the Key factors impacting data centre developments during 2025?](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/data-centre-key-factors-2025/) [Mark Acton](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/author/macton/) | Dec 22, 2025 --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/privacy-policy/) **Published:** July 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** # Privacy Policy Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in May 2018 and is tailored by the UK Data Protection Act 2018, we have a legal duty to protect any personally identifiable information and data that we collect from you. We therefore undertake that such information will be kept strictly confidential and used only in accordance with the Act. We will only use your personal information and data for the purpose that it was originally intended, and we will not pass your information to any other parties unless this intent was made clear to you at the time you supplied it, and your consent for this use was given and recorded. All employees and contractors who have access to your personal data or are associated with the handling of that data are obliged to respect your confidentiality. To give you the best possible experience on this website, we use ‘cookies’, further details about the cookies that we use and how they are used can be found on our Cookies page. Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the information contained on this website and associated websites is correct and up to date, including hyperlinks to other websites. We cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. However, the information on our website is constantly undergoing review to bring you the latest information as accurately as possible. --- ### [Media](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/media/) **Published:** June 5, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** --- ### [Glossary](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/glossary/) **Published:** July 29, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** # Glossary ## Adiabatic Cooling **What is it?** Lowering the dry bulb air temperature without changing the total amount of heat in the system **Further Explanation** For water in liquid form to evaporate to become a vapour heat is required. This can be done by adding heat as in a kettle, or by allowing the water to absorb heat from air passing over it. In the latter case Evaporative Cooling takes place with, the total heat in the system being unchanged but more as latent heat and less as sensible heat. ## Air-Side Free Cooling **What is it?** Cooling by bringing outside air into the data centre **Further Explanation** See ‘Fresh Air Free Cooling’ ## ASD **What is it?** Aspirating Smoke Detection **Further Explanation** The generic term for systems such as VESDA, HSSD and HART. These systems provide a very early warning of a potential fire by sampling air through an aspirating system and detecting particles using a laser based system at the incipient (i.e. pre-combustion) stage. ## Autonomy (battery) **What is it?** The duration, usually expressed in minutes, that a UPS can support its load **Further Explanation** The time for which a UPS can support the load is a function of the power drawn and the battery capacity. Typically in a data centre this will be something like 10 to 15 minutes. It is possible to have longer autonomy times but the cost and bulk of batteries involved becomes prohibitive and generally it is better to install a standby generator. ## Big Data **What is it?** Big data is a blanket term for any collection of data sets that are extremely large and complex. **Further Explanation** Big Data is used to describe datasets whose volume and complexity is beyond the ability of typical database software tools to capture, store, manage, and analyse. ## Cab; Cabinet **What is it?** An enclosure for housing computer equipment also often called a rack **Further Explanation** Cabs are usually either 600mm wide for servers or 800mm wide for comms (to allow for the amount of cabling) and 1,000mm deep. Heights are expressed as ‘U’ (1 ‘U’ being 1.75 inches). Typical cab heights are 42U (overall height around 2,000mm) up to 48U (overall height around 2,300mm). Cabs always have doors (as opposed to “racks”, which can be open). At one time the doors were usually glass but now, with the adoption of front-to-back cooling of servers, the doors should always be perforated. ## CDM **What is it?** Construction ( Design & Management) Regulations 2007 **Further Explanation** Legislation that, put simply, states that every construction project must be designed and managed so as to be safe to build and safe to run. So the design has to take into account both the construction and the on-going maintenance of the completed facility. It applies to any project lasting longer than 30 days or involving more than 500 person days. This means all but the very smallest server room projects. All projects to which CDM applies have to be notified to the Health And Safety Executive before any work commences on site. ## CRAC Unit **What is it?** Computer Room Air Conditioning Unit **Further Explanation** An air conditioning unit specifically designed for use in an IT environment . Features which differentiate these from ordinary office air conditioning (comfort cooling) units include: high sensible heat ratio thus making them far more energy efficient; ability to control relative humidity; higher standard of filtration; greater cooling capacities available; designed to run 24 hours x 365 days a year. ## DCiE **What is it?** Data Centre Infrastructure Efficiency – see also PUE **Further Explanation** This is one of the key metrics used to express the energy efficiency of a data centre. It is the energy supplied to the IT equipment divided by the total energy supplied to the data centre and is the reciprocal of PUE ## Diesel Rotary UPS (DRUPS) **What is it?** A combined UPS and diesel generator **Further Explanation** A DRUPS comprises an electric motor, a fly-wheel and a diesel generator. Under normal operation the mains power drives the fly-wheel and generator supplying the data centre. In the event of a mains power failure the kinetic energy in the fly-wheel keeps the system running while the diesel engine starts and then this takes over. Advantages of the system are that the data centre supply is always isolated from any disturbances on the mains and there is no change-over required from mains to batteries and back is in a static UPS. Also more efficient than traditional static UPS’s although this is changing with the introduction systems such as Eaton’s EMS. ## Dry Bulb **What is it?** The temperature of the air measured by a thermometer with a dry bulb (as opposed to a “wet bulb” – see below) **Further Explanation** Whether it is a weather report or the specification for a data centre, unless it specifically states otherwise, a reference to air temperature will mean dry bulb temperature. It is the dry bulb temperature which determines the rate of heat transfer from the hot servers to the air passing through them. ## Dry Cooler **What is it?** A device comprising a coil and fan(s) by which heat is rejected to the outside air **Further Explanation** In simple terms a dry cooler is a big car radiator placed outside with fans blowing across it. Water (or more often a mixture of water and glycol) from the data centre air conditioning system is pumped through the dry cooler and thus any time the outside air is cooler than the data centre hot aisle air it is possible to get “free” cooling. The name “dry cooler” originates from the days when cooling towers were in common usage. A cooling tower has water sprayed into the atmosphere whereas a dry cooler does not. ## DX **What is it?** Direct Expansion (air conditioning unit) **Further Explanation** Type of air conditioning unit where the evaporator coil (i.e. the coil in which the refrigerant gas expands) is positioned directly in the air flow (as opposed to in a chilled water circuit). The heat rejection side of a DX system is also usually directly from the condenser coil to the outside air although increasingly it is to a condenser water circuit – see Water Cooled DX. ## EEV **What is it?** Electronic Expansion valve **Further Explanation** The cooling in a compressor driven air conditioning unit relies on the cooling effect which occurs when a gas is allowed to expand. The rate of expansion has to be controlled and this is achieved with an expansion valve. Traditionally these have been mechanical devices known as TEVs (Thermostatic Expansion valves). EEVs, being electronically controlled, are better at maintaining the optimum pressure and temperature with a marked improvement in efficiency. ## EN1047-2 **What is it?** British Standard for fire protection of data storage and IT equipment **Further Explanation** The normal fire ratings of buildings are designed primarily to protect life and as such are concerned with limiting the spread of fire and preventing the early collapse of structures which could then impede escape. The temperatures allowed would very quickly destroy storage media cause damage to IT equipment. EN1047 limits the temperature rise across the relevant structure (wall, ceiling, floor etc) to 50°C for the stated time (as opposed to 180°C) which will give time for a fire outside the data centre to be extinguished. ## Evaporative Cooling (also see Adiabatic Cooling) **What is it?** Cooling air by passing it over a wet surface **Further Explanation** Passing air over a wet surface causes the dry bulb temperature of the air to fall and so can be used to assist with data centre cooling. It is achieved by passing air through a fibrous matt which is continually wetted with water. It can only be used on full fresh air systems otherwise the RH of the air will quickly rise to the point where no more evaporation takes place. It is only effective when the RH of the incoming air is low, and it causes the RH to rise which means air at high RH is delivered to the servers which can be problematic. ## Free Cooling **What is it?** Cooling without the operation of a compressor **Further Explanation** Many older air conditioning systems have to run the compressors even when the outdoor temperature is well below the temperature of the data centre. ‘Free cooling’ systems operate without the need to run the compressors, bringing considerable savings in energy use – see ‘Fresh Air Free Cooling’ and ‘Indirect Free Cooling’. ## Fresh Air Free Cooling **What is it?** Cooling by bringing cool outside air into the data centre **Further Explanation** Cooling using outside air which is filtered, and, if required, tempered by mixing with return air and humidified using an evaporative humidifier. ## HART **What is it?** Proprietary ASD system **Further Explanation** See ASD ## HSSD **What is it?** High Sensitivity Smoke Detection **Further Explanation** See ASD ## Hybrid UPS **What is it?** A UPS comprising more than one means of energy storage e.g. fly-wheel +batteries **Further Explanation** A number of companies now produce hybrid UPS’s which combine batteries with fly-wheels, super capacitors or compressed air. ## Indirect Free Cooling **What is it?** Free Cooling using a water circuit – also called ‘Water-side free cooling’ **Further Explanation** System using a dry cooler or cooling tower to provide compressor-free cooling via a chilled water coil. ## Intelligent PDU **What is it?** PDU which allows remote switching and/or monitoring **Further Explanation** The term ‘Intelligent PDU’ is usually only applied to ‘Rack PDU’s’. Remote switching and monitoring can be per PDU or per individual outlet. ## kVA **What is it?** Kilovolt amp (i.e. Volts/1000 x amps) **Further Explanation** Kilovolts x amps which if the Power factor (see below) is 1 will be the same as kW. ## kW **What is it?** Kilowatt **Further Explanation** Kilowatts are the actual power used. Whatever is delivered in kW to the room comes out in heat so has to be removed by the air conditioning system. ## Latent Heat **What is it?** Change in thermal energy due to a change of state (e.g. water to steam) **Further Explanation** In the context of air conditioning, Latent Heat is heat removed in order to reduce the humidity of air. ## Modular Room **What is it?** A room constructed from pre-formed insulated steel panels **Further Explanation** Modular rooms generally give a higher for rating better protection against water ingress than other forms of construction. They are also faster to build and avoid the need for any “wet trades”. The insulation can be mineral wool or foam. Some, but not all, meet the requirements of EN1047-2 ## MPDU **What is it?** Main Power Distribution Unit **Further Explanation** A panel comprising an incoming isolator and outgoing circuit breakers supplying all of the equipment in the data centre such as the air conditioning, lighting and ancillary equipment as well as the IT load ( via the UPS system) – see also PDU ## PDU **What is it?** Power Distribution Unit **Further Explanation** A panel comprising an incoming isolator and outgoing circuit breakers supplying the IT load and fed from a UPS (see also ‘MPDU’ and ‘Rack PDU’). ## PF **What is it?** Power Factor **Further Explanation** Power factor expresses the difference between kW and kVA expressed as a ratio i.e. if the data centre is drawing 100kVA with an 80kW load the power factor is 0.8. Power factors can be lagging (inductive load) which was normal for IT equipment unit a few years ago or leading (capacitive) which is becoming more common particularly for blade servers. A purely resistive load (e.g. an electric fire) has a power factor of 1.0 (i.e. it draws the same in kW as in kVA). ## PUE **What is it?** Power Utilisation Effectiveness – see also DCiE **Further Explanation** This is one of the key metrics used to express the energy efficiency of a data centre. It is the total energy supplied to the data centre divided by the energy supplied to the IT equipment and is the reciprocal of DCiE ## Rack PDU **What is it?** The power distribution strip within a rack **Further Explanation** Strip of socket outlets mounted within the rack – minimum two per rack fed from separate circuits on the PDU(s). Sockets are usually 10amp IEC but can be others particularly for high power computers and blade servers. See also ‘Intelligent PDU’ ## Rack; Server rack; Comms rack **What is it?** An enclosure for housing computer equipment also often called a rack – also see “cab” **Further Explanation** The term “rack” is used interchangeably with “cab” or “cabinet” but the term originates in the telecommunications industry and strictly speaking refers to an open frame. ## Relative Humidity (RH) **What is it?** The amount of moisture in air expressed as a percentage of the total moisture it could hold (at its present temperature of pressure) **Further Explanation** As air temperature rises its capacity to hold water vapour increases, hence the Relative Humidity falls even though the amount of moisture remains the same. ## Rotary UPS **What is it?** A UPS which uses a rotating mass to store energy **Further Explanation** See ‘DRUPS’ and ‘Hybrid UPS’ ## Sensible Heat **What is it?** A change in thermal energy without a change of state **Further Explanation** In the context of air conditioning, Sensible Heat is the heat removed in order to reduce the temperature of air without adding to or reducing the amount moisture held. ## SHR **What is it?** Sensible Heat Ratio **Further Explanation** The sensible cooling duty as a proportion of the total cooling duty. Ideally in a computer room the SHR should be 1.0. A typical ‘comfort cooling’ air conditioner will have an SHR of about 0.7 i.e. only 70% of its power consumption is going into cooling the room the other 30% is condensing water vapour out of the air, resulting in low R.H. ## Static UPS **What is it?** A UPS which uses batteries to store energy and therefore has no moving parts (as opposed to a Rotary UPS) **Further Explanation** A piece of equipment comprising a rectifier, batteries and inverter which maintains its power output in the event of a failure in the incoming supply. The time for which it can maintain the supply is determined by the capacity of the batteries and is referred to as the ‘autonomy’. ## TIA **What is it?** Telecommunications Industry Association **Further Explanation** US based trade association for the telecoms industry. ## TIA 942 **What is it?** Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centres **Further Explanation** The most commonly used standard for specifying data centre infrastructure. Categorises by ‘Tiers’ from 1 to 4 with Tier 1 being the lowest and Tier 4 the highest. ## Tier **What is it?** Specification of data centre infrastructure from TIA 942 or The Uptime Institute **Further Explanation** The TIA “Tiers” run from Tier 1 to Tier 4 and define all the parameters of a data centre from its location in relation to transport and urban centres to the number of power supplies. Tier 1 is the lowest and almost any computer room will meet this, up to Tier 4 which requires 2N mechanical and electrical systems and dual incoming mains supplies. ## Tier Certification **What is it?** Specification of data centre infrastructure **Further explanation** There are two organisations, both based in the USA, offering standards for data centre infrastructure. These are the TIA and The Uptime Institute. Both rate data centres on their ability to cope with events such as power outages and component failures using a grading system from Tier 1 (lowest level) to Tier 4 (highest level). The TIA standard also covers a wide range of other criteria including such things as location in relation to transport and urban centres. ## Total Cooling Capacity **What is it?** Sensible cooling + latent cooling **Further Explanation** Air conditioning units are usually rated by their total cooling capacity whereas is a data centre it is only the sensible cooling that matters (see SHR). With comfort cooling units the difference is significant with a unit rated at say 10kW (total cooling) only providing 7kW of useful cooling in data centre. ## UPS **What is it?** Uninterruptible Power Supply **Further Explanation** A piece of equipment in the event of a failure in the incoming supply. ## VESDA **What is it?** Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus **Further Explanation** See ASD ## VIEW **What is it?** Very Early Intelligent Warning (smoke and fire detection) **Further Explanation** An alternative to ASD – uses a large number of laser detectors distributed around the room as opposed to drawing the air to a central sampling unit. ## Water Cooled DX **What is it?** DX air conditioning system where heat rejection is by a water cooled condenser **Further Explanation** The main advantage of these systems and the reason for their increasing popularity is that they allow ‘free cooling’ during low ambient conditions by having a chilled water coil as well as the DX coil. ## Water side free cooling **What is it?** Free Cooling using a water circuit **Further Explanation** See ‘Indirect Free Cooling’ ## Wet Bulb **What is it?** The temperature of the air measured by a thermometer with a bulb which is wetted by a wick **Further Explanation** When air passes over a wet surface it causes some of the moisture to evaporate. This change of state from liquid (water) to gas (water vapour) requires energy which comes from the air. This results in a fall in temperature which is how adiabatic (evaporative) cooling works. The rate of evaporation is dependent on the relative humidity (RH) and so the difference between the wet bulb and the dry bulb temperatures, known as the wet bulb depression, can be used to measure RH. --- ### [Case studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/) **Published:** June 5, 2020 **Author:** admin **Content:** --- ## Categories ### [Case Studies](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/case-studies/) --- ### [Articles](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/articles/) --- ### [Type](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/) --- ### [Best Practice](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/best-practice/) --- ### [Innovation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/innovation/) --- ### [Consulting](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/consulting/) --- ### [Crypto-Currency & Blockchain](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/crypto-currency-blockchain/) --- ### [Design](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/design/) --- ### [Efficiency & Optimisation](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/efficiency-optimisation/) --- ### [Engineering](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/engineering/) --- ### [Maintenance & Management](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/maintenance-management/) --- ### [Markets](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/type/markets/) --- ## Category ### [History](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/timeline-category/history/) --- ### [List icon](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/timeline-category/list-icon/) --- ### [color](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/timeline-category/color/) --- ### [Facebook](https://www.future-tech.co.uk/timeline-category/facebook/) ---