Schneider Electric's Modular Data Centers bring valuable standarizatio and scalablity.

1. A New Language for
Specifying Modular Data Centers
Neil Rasmussen
Sr. Vice President, Innovation
APC by Schneider Electric

2. Desired characteristics
● Flexibility
● Scalability
● Handles uncertain growth plans
● Quick to deploy
● Cost effectiveness
● Right-sized
● Low energy costs
● Simplified planning and engineering
● Predictable
● Performance clearly established in advance
● Tested and validated designs
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3. Desired characteristics
● Flexibility
● Scalability
● Handles uncertain growth plans
● Quick to deploy
Scalability
● Cost effectiveness
● Right-sized
● Low energy costs Standardization
● Simplified planning and engineering
● Predictable
● Performance clearly established in advance
● Tested and validated designs
Standardization and Scalability are the key. Modularity is
just a technical tool that can help us achieve these.
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4. Modularity is valuable only to
the extent that it helps achieve
standardization and scalability
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5. Modularity is valuable only to
the extent that it helps achieve
standardization and scalability
Unique Modular Designs Modular but not
inherently scalable
Designs
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6. What is a modular architecture?
● It defines a set of modules from which data centers are
deployed
● The set of modules includes the necessary and
sufficient subsystems to create the data center
● Subsystems are packaged together to in order to
minimize complexity of deployment.
● It is comprised of rules, tools, and methods that
together prescribe how modules are deployed over
time to support the growth plan for the data center
● The compatibility and system performance of
prescribed combinations of modules are assured in
advance
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7. What makes a modular architecture better?
● The system is engineered to minimize the planning,
installation, configuration, and programming work
required to deploy IT capacity.
● The “granularity” of module sizes has been established
to be an effective tradeoff between cost, simplicity, and
rightsizing for the application
● It achieves better performance for the application
(smaller, lower PUE, lower water use, lower failure rate, etc)
● It allows for future options related to availability
(redundancy) and power density
● It is open enough to accommodate new modules from
multiple vendors
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8. Data Center Sub-systems to be
packaged in a modular architecture
Generators
IT Racks
Chilled Water Pumps
Heat Exchanger Stationary PDUs
Fire Suppression Rack PDUs
Cooling Towers
Condenser Water Pumps Busway
Switchgear CRAC Surveillance
Humidifiers Air Handers UPS
IT Racks
Aisle Containment Lighting
DCIM Software 8

9. Three characteristics needed to describe
modular architecture
How modularity is
Modularity types implemented in devices to
achieve functions
Level of the system where
Modularity hierarchy modularity is applied
Relationship between
Modularity linkages deployment of different
modules
Alternative modular architectures can vary in all three of
these dimensions
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10. Modularity Types how implemented in devices
Device modularity: devices are made up of modular
components
Examples:
a large UPS frame that holds UPS modules
a large air handler containing fan modules
Subsystem modularity: a functional block is made up of
multiple devices of the same type
Examples:
a parallel array of UPS
a parallel array of independent air handlers
The function can be obtained by either or a mix of types.
Subsystems (power, cooling, etc) can use different types
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11. Modularity Hierarchy Level of system where implemented
Data Center facility, comprised one or more units of
IT Rooms, comprised of one or more units of
IT Pods, comprised of one or more units of
IT Cabinets
Example:
Modular air handler or UPS could be deployed at
either the facility, IT room, IT Pod, or Rack level
Modularity of different subsystems can be applied at
different levels
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12. Modularity Linkages Relationship between deployment
of different modules
Packaged linkage: devices of different subsystems are
packaged together and must be deployed as a unit
Examples:
an IT pod module (or container) that contains a fixed group of
racks, air handlers, PDUs, and environmental monitoring
devices as a set
Rules based linkage: rules establish allowed
combinations of modules
Examples:
For 3 UPS modules a generator module must be deployed
Granularity of deployment may be different for different
subsystems, but relationship is defined
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13. Communicating an architecture
● Graphical means to show all three modularity attributes together
● Modularity Type
● Modularity Hierarchy
● Modularity Linkages
● Shows how all key subsystems are deployed
● Illustrates rules of when modules are deployed
● Allows comparison of different modular architectures for
● Scalability
● Implementation of redundancy
● Investment required vs capacity
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14. Pod Room Facility
Enclosure
Rack PDU
deployed at
Stationary PDU
UPS Pod
CRAH
Subsystems
Hot aisle containment
Cooling Distribution Unit
Humidifier deployed at
CW loop pump
Room
Lighting
Chiller
Economizer Heat
Exchanger
750KW
Tower deployed at
3 rooms
Facility
9 pods Generator
90 racks Switchgear
8kW/rack
80kW/pod Growth > 14

15. Four basic forms of modular power and cooling plants
Plant provides power and
1 cooling fluid to liquid
cooled IT pods in rooms
Plant provides power and
2 chilled air to air cooled IT
pods in rooms
3 Plant provides power and
cooling fluid to IT containers
Plant provides power and
4 chilled air to IT containers
Note: All systems designed for IT loads using hot aisle containment 15

16. Magic numbers affecting modularity
● 2.25MW: The maximum size generator set that ships on roadways
without special permits
● 8 x 8 x 40 ft: The size of an ISO shipping container
● 800KW: The maximum transformer size that does not require
supplemental downstream leakage current detection systems
● 3000A: The maximum current rating of switchgear before the
design must change to a larger and more expensive system
● 14kW: The maximum size of a 415/240V rack PDU that does not
require integral branch circuit breakers
● 10,000 Amps: The maximum fault current of a power bus supplied
to an IT space
● 89 degrees F: maximum temp an IT operator can be continuously
exposed to
Data centers are likely to to drive modules toward optimal
Numbers like these tend become a target for restrictions
whereand interfaces that should become standards
sizes water resources are scarce
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17. Benefits when modules are standardized
and scalable
● Allows standardization of DCIM software
● Simplification of design process
● Rightsizing
● Speed of deployment / commissioning
● Pre-characterized performance
● Pre-fabrication
● Higher efficiency
● Add capacity with less disruption
● Mixing of types of modules (density, redundancy)
● Simplified maintenance programs
● Lower initial and lifecycle cost
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18. Benefits when modules are standardized
and scalable
● Allows standardization of DCIM software ($0.4 - $1.5 per W)
● Simplification of design process ($0.1 - $0.3 per W)
● Rightsizing ($0.5 - $2.0 per W)
● Speed of deployment / commissioning ($0.1 - $0.2 per W)
● Pre-characterized performance
● Pre-fabrication ($0.2 - $0.5 per W)
● Higher efficiency ($0.5 - $2.0 per W)
● Add capacity with less disruption
● Mixing of types of modules (density, redundancy)
● Simplified maintenance programs ($0.2 - $0.5 per W)
● Lower initial and lifecycle cost* ($2.0 - $7.0 per W)
*Savings from a typical lifecycle cost of $15-$25 per watt 18

19. Modular approaches are well suited for
retrofits; drop in with less disturbance
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20. Downsides of standardized modularity
● Customers may need to abandon certain preferences and internal
standards
● Customers cannot choose an arbitrary final or step size, because
capacity may only be available in certain size increments
● Some building shells or sites may be poorly suited or incompatible
with available modules (ceiling height, room shape, accessways,
etc)
● Unless standards emerge, customers choosing one architecture
may feel “locked in” and find it difficult to move to alternative
vendors for future expansion
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21. The Future of Modularity
● Subsystems eventually packaged into three modules :
● Power plant
● Cooling plant
● IT space
● Differing needs will require different modular architectures:
● Size increments
● redundancy
● climate
● retrofits
● Industry standards for module interfaces need to emerge
● A common language for specification of modular data
centers will emerge
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22. Questions?
Resources
The Specification of Modular Data Center Architecture
Schneider Electric White Paper 160
Containerized Power and Cooling Modules for Data
Centers
Schneider Electric White Paper 163
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