Some of the most popular shows on TV these days are about home improvement. But before any attempt at building or rebuilding, you need the right tools and a plan.

The same is true in data centers. Whether starting from scratch or upgrading and modernizing, proper planning and design will keep your new data center speed, efficiency, flexibility, and scalability.

Our handy guide to data center planning and design has everything you need, from methodologies to calculators at a glance. Now is the time to dip into our design guide and make sure your data center is ready for what’s next.

It is becoming increasingly critical, and trends such as the explosion of Big Data are only adding to the demands that IT groups must meet. To keep pace, companies often need to create additional data center space by adding to an existing facility or building a new one, usually under tight deadlines. It probably goes without saying that the planning phase is crucial for any data center project. But the specific planning process you use will go a long way in determining how well the data center will meet the requirements it was meant to meet.

Schneider Electric has some great advice on the subject and lays it out in a new eBook, “A Practical Guide to Data Center Planning and Design.” The process aims to ensure that the right decision-makers get the right information at the most appropriate time. This involves only four tasks, as follows:

1. Establish key project parameters to control system architecture and budget
2. Develop a system concept
3. Incorporate user preferences and constraints
4. Determine implementation requirements

Looking at the list, if you’re like me, number 2 might appear as one that could take a considerable amount of time. But, as the guide makes clear, this is not necessary at all, thanks to the availability of many reference designs from Schneider Electric.

The key step to accomplish task 2 is simply to select a reference design. A data center reference design is a tested, validated, and documented design package for physical infrastructure systems. This can be an entire data center or just a subset, such as a computer room, power plant, or cooling plant. At first glance, this may seem like a daunting task, given that Schneider Electric alone offers more than 40 models in its data center reference design library.

It’s not. The guide provides six project parameters – criticality, capacity, growth, efficiency, density, and budget – to serve as a guide in choosing a reference design (or, more accurately, in excluding certain designs).

Schneider Electric’s reference designs reflect the company’s decades of experience building data centers – what worked and what didn’t. Moreover, they are not static, take it or leave it. On the contrary, you can adapt them to your specific needs. One size doesn’t fit all, so we know you’re looking for flexible solutions in everything you do. When you buy a box of Legos, there may be instructions on how to build a race car, but really there’s nothing stopping you from building another type of car. Reference designs are customizable in the same way: different inputs you put into the model will create different outputs.

If you have a data center project in your future, do yourself a favor and check out Schneider Electric’s eBook, “A Practical Guide to Data Center Planning and Design.” Along with other tips on the planning process, you’ll learn about issues such as cost analyses, site selection, and best practices learned from three real customers.

Just like those planning their dream kitchen, it’s important for data center professionals to properly plan and design their next investment. If executed correctly, wave data center design / The construction requirements, just like the list of “needs” for your new kitchen, will very quickly be converted into complete design plans which will save you time and money.

For more information, download Schneider Electric’s e-Guide to Planning and Design.

Download here