IBM Global Technology Services

Thought Leadership White Paper

December 2010

Portable modular data centersaddcapacity where and when you need itQuickly enabling a exible, physically secure,environmentally isolated, containerized data center

2 Portable modular data centersadd capacity where and when you need it

Executive summaryIn a global economy, organizations may nd that they need extradata center capacity installed just outside an existing buildingor halfway around the globe in a remote locationto supportnew and changing business and IT demands. There may be aneed for a quick-to-deploy data center solution or the need tobring data center functions closer to customers, manufacturingsites or remote operations to support growth or high-densitycomputing needs. To meet exible and short-term needsor toprovide temporary relief while waiting the 18 to 24 monthsrequired to build a traditional data centermany organizationsare considering and deploying containerized data centers.

A data center infrastructure delivered in a container can provideall of the operational features of a fully functional data center.The IBM IT Facilities Assessment, Design and ConstructionServicesportable modular data center is a containerized datacenter that meets these objectives with an open IT architectureand design to support continuous operations, exibility andquick deployment. This paper will share IBMs recommenda-tions for considering a containerized data center solution to support multiple vendor technologies while sharing the benetsof the IBM solution which can include the entire data centerinfrastructure and can be deployed in as little as 12 to 14 weeks.

Design according to your intended useIn the evaluation stage of your decision, the best approach is torst identify your intended use and need for a data center solu-tion, whether containerized, modular or traditional. In our dis-cussions with thousands of organizations, it has become clear

that thoughtful consideration early in your data center planningcan help you achieve optimal results and avoid wasted capitalexpense.

Having a clear understanding of your expected results will helpdetermine the type of data center that is the best solution foryour needs. A modular data center housed in a container is thebest t for one or more of the following scenarios:

Remote data center: You have a need for capacity installed andoperated somewhere else in the world and not at your existingdata center.

Temporary data center: Your organization needs a solution tobridge the gap while you build a traditional brick and mortarsolution, which can take 18 to 24 months.

Mobile data center: Your users are on the move and need asolution that can move with them or you need a mobile solu-tion for disaster recovery or avoidance.

Data center expansion: Your traditional data center is short onspace, power or cooling and you need additional capacitylocated close to your existing facilities or in a remote location.

Cloud computing: You need a high-density or cloud comput-ing solution ready to deploy and operate quickly.

The following table expands on the points listed above anddetails different requirements for a containerized solution likethe portable modular data center from IBM and reasons anorganization might consider their application.

IBM Global Technology Services 3

Requirement Why you might consider a portable modular data center for this requirement

Remote data center

Temporary data center

Mobile data center

Data center expansion

Location limits your ability to build a data centerEmerging market locations with limited critical data center design and build skillsSpace challengesAlternative to collocation which may not always meet your specic needsRemote locations may enable you to take advantage of low energy costsPoint-of-use support for remote users such as oil and gas exploration, cell tower installations, communications,military, remote sales or manufacturing operations, disaster recovery operations and other remote needs

Address increased data processing needs during constructionDisaster recovery and avoidanceBusiness cycle coverage

Military needsSporting eventsMovie productionDisaster avoidance and recoveryMultilocation supportRedeployment capabilities

Address space concerns, add data center space without major constructionHigh-density cooling solutions to compliment existing low-density data centersCollocation alternative to meet your specic needs and keep control of your data center space and operationsLow-cost real estate and can result in tax and depreciation advantagesQuick to deploy solution, install a complete data center in as little as 12-14 weeksConsolidation and rationalization

Cloud computing

High performance computing applications, public and private cloud environmentsPoint-of-use locations, install and operate anywhereLocate in low-cost areas for lower total cost of ownership (TCO)Specialized needs

Focus on the right criteria for yourevaluationMany vendors focus primarily on how much IT equipment andmaximum power density can be handled within a container solu-tion. While IT capacity planning is always required for new datacenters, our experience shows that traditional data center opera-tional considerations remain the more critical evaluation criteriafor all data centers including containers. As with all types of datacenters, containers have to provide availability for continuousoperations, exibility of design and implementation and quickdeployment capabilities.

Planning for continuous IT operationsIncreasing demand for continuous application availability,decreasing tolerance for downtime and shrinking applicationoutage windows are drivers that make availability a priority con-sideration for any type of data center solution. You need to planfor any exposures that could lead to downtime or business disruption.

While ISO containers are designed and built for constant out-door weather exposure, when used inside a building or a protec-tive structure they are primarily serving as an alternative solutionfor hot or cold air containment systems and should be evaluatedagainst other containment solutions.

4 Portable modular data centersadd capacity where and when you need it

Physically secure environmentTo take advantage of the true container capabilities and exibil-ity, we have found the majority of organizations plan to use theirdata centers in outdoor environments rather than within theconnes of a warehouse or other building structure. Typically,warehouses and other building structures offer protection fromrain and snow but are not environmentally (i.e., temperature and humidity) controlled, which means the container needs toprovide protection for the IT environment from uncontrolledtemperatures, excessive humidity and other climate conditionsthat are challenging for data center installation and operation.

The portable modular data center from IBM is suitable forinstallation and operation in almost any location and environ-ment, from dry, hot deserts to moist, cold regions. Each con-tainer is fully insulated and sealed, providing continuousoperations in any weather conditions. The container insulationprotects the data center from external temperatures, humidity,smoke, dust and re, as well as radio frequency interference(RFI) and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Also, each accessdoor is triple sealed against water, re and smoke to further protect the data center operating environment. There is no need to use a protective covering or building when the containersolution is properly designed. This avoids costly constructioncosts, construction time and potential delays, as well as the costand time needed to obtain permits. A container solution can alsohelp limit real estate taxes and ongoing building maintenance.

In addition to this requirement of environmental isolation, everydata center needs to be secureregardless of location. Everycontainer door requires access control to limit accessibility onlyto those who are authorized. Closed-circuit television (CCTV)cameras should be installed at every access door as well as insidethe containers to remotely monitor who gains access and whathappens within the container. The portable modular data centerfrom IBM provides both access control and CCTV monitoringon every container.

Internal service and maintenance without disruptionTo support your need for continuous IT operations while per-forming service or maintenance of IT equipment, our containersolution helps ensure that there are no adverse effects to the datacenter environment or service and operation limitations. Ourenvironment makes it easy for your staff to move or installequipment, make network connections and install cabling for asmoother deployment and operation of your IT solution. Forexample, we use an IT rack rail system with complete front andrear IT rack access inside the closed, secure container to provideeasy access to all IT equipment as well as all power and networkconnections and distribution.

Integrated IT and data center infrastructure with highavailability and monitoringA container solution with an integrated and comprehensive ITand data center infrastructure with environmental monitoringcan help ensure availability of your operations. The ability tomonitor your data center environment remotely can help youidentify and address any potential threats to availability or otherissues before they have an operational impact.

Consider the impact if a component, such as a cooling unit or a UPS module, should fail. Data center infrastructure redun-dancy provides backup capabilities and also helps eliminatedowntime related to equipment failures and service. Theportable modular data center solution provides redundancyoptions for all subsystems, allowing for continuous operationsand concurrent maintenance. Each component can be designedto provide redundancy of N+1, 2N, or 2(N+1) as required tomeet your availability requirements.

5IBM Global Technology Services

Designing for exibility to meet your specic requirementsNo two data centers are exactly the same. Thats why exibility is critical to any data center design, including your containerizedimplementation. Building exibility into your design can helpyou meet current IT and data center needs with the scalability tomeet future demands.

Complete data center infrastructureWhen IBM delivers a portable modular data center, we design,build and test the total solution as one comprehensive integratedsystem with virtually all the IT and physical infrastructure com-ponents you need. We can design your container to includechillers, condensers, UPS systems, and re and monitoring sys-tems. Or, if you do not need a complete infrastructure, we canadjust the solution to meet your specic subset of IT or physicalinfrastructure requirements. Whether you want a self-sufficientsolution or want to augment your existing data center, we canaddress the full range of your requirements by incorporatingindustry-leading infrastructure equipment from IBMs ecosystemof leading infrastructure equipment providers around the globe.

IBM has designed single and multiple container solutions thatincorporate key data center featuresand we have done so in away that gives you the exibility to alter the container designs tomeet your specic needs.

Building a modular container data center parkA data center development company required the ability toprovide on-demand data center capacity to meet theneeds of their collocation clients. With clients that have vary-ing capacity, redundancy, conguration and security needs,a single data center solution would not meet the uniqueneeds of each client and the typical collocation space wouldnot t this new business model. This company also requiredthe ability to defer capital and operating costs until the busi-ness could generate the need for more data center spacewhile maintaining the ability to provide exible facilities totheir clients.

To meet these needs and obtain a exible and cost-efficientsolution, this company turned to IBM and the portable mod-ular data center solution. IBM delivered a exible and scala-ble design to meet the companys multiple needs with a fullytested, ready-to-run and quick-to-deploy solution that canbe integrated into the existing support infrastructure. Withthe exibility of the solution, any additional containers can bedesigned differently to meet the specic needs of other collocation clients. The solution provides an open IT archi-tecture to support varying IT equipment and varying levels of redundancy (N, N+1, 2N and 2(N+1)) at the same site tohelp ensure continuous operations.

With this solution, the company can quickly respond to newclient needs with the ability to plug into existing power, cool-ing and connectivity at the installation site, as well as providethe data center capacity needed with individually secureareas. In addition, the company was able to defer capital andoperating costs of data center space until needed.

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Single container solution Multicontainer solution

All-in-One Design (example layout)

IT Container

Infrastructure Container

Multicontainer Design (example layout)

Single unit data center solution. Multiple unit data center solution.

All-in-one design IT equipment and infrastructure in a single container A complete data center solution, including the IT racks and neces-

sary infrastructure equipment Use when space for containers or IT equipment needs are limited Lower-cost, compact solution

Multicontainer design IT and infrastructure equipment in separate containers Use for maximized IT equipment installations

IT equipment container (server container) IT equipment, cooling, power distribution, fire suppression, remote

monitoring and physical security in one container Supported by physical infrastructure container or existing building

services Physical infrastructure container (services container)

UPS and batteries, electrical switchboard, chiller, fire detection andsuppression, cooling and monitoring

Designed to support IT equipment container or traditional datacenter environment

Open architecture to support any manufactures IT racksAlmost every data center will include a mix of IT equipmentfrom a variety of manufacturers, making the ability to support anopen architecture a key evaluation criteria.

IBM support includes standard, full-sized IT equipment racks tosupport installation of any rack-mounted IT equipment, as wellas unique format racks such as the IBM iDataPlex and somenonrack-mounted equipment. This capability provides a datacenter environment with optimal conguration exibility. Ourportable modular data center also supports any network solution,including both copper and ber cabling systems, to help ensureyour container data center can support any vendors technology.

Installation exibility for any environmentAs you consider the placement of your container solutions, lookfor installation exibility in any environment. For instance, theunique environmental isolation systems in our portable modulardata center support continuous operation in any environment,further eliminating the need for protective coverings or buildings.

With IBMs solution, various cooling systems and cooling unitscan be employed in the container solution to meet your specicneeds. We help you evaluate multiple cooling systems, includingDX, chilled water or natural free air cooling systems, to workwithin your environment and to provide an efficient and effec-tive solution.

7IBM Global Technology Services

Addressing the challenges of a hazardous locationA large industrial company in Europe needed to protect its IToperations from long-term interruptions because of theirlocation in an earthquake-prone area. The company neededa data center solution that could protect their investment andresources in the event of severe environmental conditions.Having suffered from a 7.6 magnitude earthquake and theneed to evacuate with no ability to operate their data center,the company needed a solution that could help themthrough a similar situation in the future.

IBM helped this company implement a portable modulardata center solution that could be relocated if ever needed toa safer environment and operated from this remote location.The IT vendor-neutral, high-density computer-processingsolution supports any rack-mount technology and includesUPS, air conditioning units, re detection and gas extinguish-ing systems. An access control system helps secure thecontainer while a CCTV camera provides continual monitor-ing of the environment.

If your container will be housed in an earthquake-prone area,including seismic isolation systems is critical for your solution.We can provide seismic isolation at either the container or racklevel. IBMs solution includes options for both of these capabili-ties, enabling worry-free installation.

Deploying a quick, turnkey data center solutionTraditional approaches to data center design and constructioncan take 18 to 24 monthsor longerto complete. If you needdata center capacity in less time, a containerized solution can bedesigned, built and deployed in typically 12 to 14 weeks insteadof many months or years, and without the complexity of a majorconstruction project or building retrot.

Tightly controlled constructionWhen making your selection of containerized data centers, insiston tightly controlled manufacturing facilities to help ensurehigh-quality, on-time solutions. Your portable modular data cen-ter from IBM is built in one of three global manufacturing facili-ties to ensure local electrical and safety code requirements areaddressed for your installation location. We follow prescribed,repeatable and tightly monitored processes and make use of fullytrained and experienced personnel.

When your containerized data center is built in a controlled fac-tory environment and fully tested prior to being shipped to theinstallation location, you can be condent you will receive a fullyoperational data center ready to plug in and operate. You canrequest witness testing of the solution or monitor constructionto ensure the highest quality solution. And because it arrives as afully integrated and complete solution, you will avoid potentialconstruction, weather, material, labor and inspection delayskeeping your project on time and within budget.

8 Portable modular data centersadd capacity where and when you need it

Providing a exible, cost-effective data centerFaced with an unexpected increase in demand, a companyfrom Australia needed additional data center capacity imme-diately. However, the company was unable to secure moredata center space and collocation space did not meet itsneeds. To make matters worse, the company faced tightimplementation deadlines.

IBM helped implement a portable modular data center whichincluded an open IT architecture solution to support thecompanys IT equipment. IBM designed, built, tested anddelivered the complete solution, including IT and physicaldata center infrastructure containers with UPS, batteries,chiller, rear door heat exchanger cooling units, security sys-tems, power distribution, re systems, engine generator,switchgear and fuel tanks.

Within eight weeks, the company was able to address its ITneedsmuch faster than possible through other methodswhile allowing for future disaster recovery operations.

Select a data center partner for asuccessful deploymentPlanning a data center from concept to implementation can be achallenging task. Just as changes have occurred in home con-struction that incorporates new products and construction tech-niques, the same has happened with data center design. Thereare many new approaches and products to help your data centerinfrastructure be responsive to change, including containerizeddata centers.

Many organizations have not designed or built a data center inthe past 10 to 20 years and may lack the expertise required tomanage the IT and facilities planning and integration with in-house resources. Designing and implementing a containerizeddata center solution requires many skills to provide a compre-hensive solution, including those of data center and informationtechnology experts, architecture and engineering partners, datacenter and IT equipment vendors, mechanical and electricalcontractors, utility providers, and other services. The need for abroad spectrum of skills is a primary reason why one out of threeorganizations will look to work with a partner for data centerdesign and build.

With over 450 global implementations of custom and standard-ized modular data center implementations in the past three yearsalone, IBM has the experience to be your trusted data centeradvisor. We know that not all data centers are the same and thatall organizations may not have the same availability and capacityrequirements. Our objective is to provide a solution that meetsyour specic business needs at a reasonable price while keepingfuture exibility in mind. Our data center specialists will workwith you to understand your business, technical and nancialobjectives and translate them into a turnkey scalable, modulardata center solution.

9IBM Global Technology Services

IBMs life-cycle approach to delivering a portable, modular datacenter solution helps ensure your active involvement in the deci-sion making process while leveraging our knowledge. IBM canaugment your in-house resources for a quick and cost-effectiveimplementation, working with your IT staff and coordinatingspecialists across your IT infrastructure and facilities. IBM pro-vides the end-to-end project management expertise while working with you to help ensure that your business, technicaland nancial goals are met. We gather your data center require-ments; plan and design the data center solution; build, test andturn it over to you. We can also cost-effectively relocate your oldserver room to the new data center.

Leverage comprehensive data centercapabilities from IBMWith IBMs depth of experience in designing, installing andbuilding customized and standardized data centers, we can helpdesign a data center tailored to meet your specic needsinsizes ranging from small and compact to as large as you need togrow. IBM IT Facilities Assessment, Design and ConstructionServicesportable modular data center is part of the IBM DataCenter Family of solutions and provides comprehensive designand build services combined with a standardized, modularapproach to enable faster time to deployment.

Delivery of portable modular data center from IBM

Why IBM?IBM currently manages more than eight million square feet in400 IBM global data centers. Our structured methodology, intel-lectual capital and global reach enable us to deliver robust andcomprehensive data center solutions to your organization.Combined with our strong ecosystem of data center technologypartners, including strategic relationships with industry-leadingpower and cooling equipment vendors, IBM offers exceptionalinsight into industry trends and evolving data center energy andtechnology needshelping us to deliver a comprehensive,robust data center solution that aligns with and empowers you toachieve your business objectives.

10 Portable modular data centersadd capacity where and when you need it

Portable modular data center specications

Container sizes

Container insulation

Operating temperature range

Container security

Container power density

IT rack power density

Power protection

Chilled water unit

Cooling options (chilled water)

Cooling options direct expansion (DX)

Cooling options natural freecooling

Power usage effectiveness (PUE)

20' (6.1 m) L 8' (2.4 m) W 9.5' (2.9 m) H40' (12.2 m) L 8' (2.4 m) W 9.5' (2.9 m) H53' (16.2 m) L 8' (2.4 m) W 9.5' (2.9 m) H

Fully insulated and sealed containers providing protection from: External temperature and humidity Fire, smoke and dust Water Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)R34 equivalent insulationTested to 1600 F/871 C

-50 F - +150 F/-46 C - +66 C

Access-control security systems (Magnetic strip reader, biometric scanner or numeric keypad)CCTV cameras internal (Standard) and external (Optional)

Up to 750 kW per 53' (16.15 m) containerUp to 600 kW per 40' (12.2 m) containerUp to 300 kW per 20' (6.1 m) container

Up to 30+kW/rack

UPS Systems with batteries, N, N+1, 2N and 2(N+1) congurations

Modular systems for N, N+1 and 2N congurations

IBM rear-door heat exchanger Overhead fan coil units In-row cooling

Overhead fan coil units In-row cooling

Up to 400 kW per natural free cooling unit Complete isolation between internal and external air Horizontal and vertical congurations

1.30typical, including complete infrastructure and as low as 1.07 with natural free cooling (environment dependant)

IT equipment access Complete IT equipment access for service and maintenance from within a physically secure and environmentallyisolated container. No exposure to the outside environment, helping to eliminate operational interruptions.

Notes

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For more informationTo learn more about the IBM IT Facilities Assessment, Designand Construction Services portable modular data center, pleasecontact your IBM marketing representative, or visit the follow-ing website: ibm.com/services/siteandfacilities

Additionally, nancing solutions from IBM Global Financingcan enable effective cash management, protection from technol-ogy obsolescence, improved total cost of ownership and returnon investment. Also, our Global Asset Recovery Services helpaddress environmental concerns with new, more energy-efficientsolutions. For more information on IBM Global Financing, visit:ibm.com/nancing

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UntitledPortable modular data centersaddcapacitQuickly enabling a exible, physically sExecutive summaryDesign according to your intended useRequirementFocus on the right criteria for yourevalPlanning for continuous IT operationsDesigning for exibility to meet your spBuilding a modular container data centerAddressing the challenges of a hazardousDeploying a quick, turnkey data center sProviding a exible, cost-effective dataSelect a data center partner for asuccesLeverage comprehensive data centercapabiWhy IBM?Portable modular data center specicatioFor more information