Data center design or computer room design is a process needed for properly prepare the documentation necessary for execution.
Construction of the data center, just like any other building, subject to legislative acts and regulations, so that must be properly prepared and designed both the technological and legal.
For investments require the issue of a building permit (which depends on the technical conditions of the premises or premises for the server room or data center, and the scope of the investment) shall be the building project including obtaining any required building law agreement and opinions (building permit). Building project aims to provide the public administration bodies building plans which in our case is to build a computer room or data center and carry it through the administrative review process, ie the verification of compliance of the planned work of construction law and regulations in force locally (eg, local zoning plan ).
Due to the wide range of work and technological solutions required for the server room and data center execution, building project is determined only significant (in terms of the administrative process) elements of these solutions. To determine the detailed scope of work, description of the planned installation of required technologies, materials and equipment, shall be, in turn, branch executive projects (detailed design). These projects shall also be conducted whenever the investment does not require a building permit.
Before the stage of preparation of the building project or implementing detailed projects will take place, work to the precise needs of the user should be taken, and consequently draw up the concept of building a data center (computer room), which will be the basis for further design work. This process is based first on performing an inventory of the current state of infrastructure, which has become part of the environment of the target computer room (inventory of existing IT infrastructure) and determine needs of the user should be taken (audit purposes), which in turn will create the basis of the concept of a data center or computer room , possibly the most suited to the requirements of the future user, both in terms of space arrangement and the installations and equipment. This concept must of course be based on real technical capabilities of the building and its infrastructure. In a situation when the investment is realized by the public sector in the "design and build" mode, in place of the concept is made functional and utilitarian (in Polish low "PFU"), which is the basis to declare a public tender.
Designing a computer room ends preparation of bill of quantities works and the investment cost estimates that will determine the detailed scope, amount and cost of planned work, equipment and components. This will ensure that investor knowledge of the planned cost of the implementation of the data center (required budget) and the possibility of checks carried out in the process of work and the delivered elements. It is also possible to determine the cost of implementation at the stage of conception, however, the valuation will be based on estimates, due to the general nature of the study.
In summary, the process of the data center design consists of the following steps, which guarantee a solid investition:
1. Design concept / functional - utility program.
- Audit needs.
- Inventory of existing IT infrastructure.
- Development of the concept / functional - utility program.
2. Implementation of a construction project.
3. Execution of detailed design.
4. Preparation a bill of quantities.