Chris Wellfair, Projects Director at Secure I.T. Environments, takes a whirlwind tour through data centre certification.

In today’s digital ecosystem, data centres serve as the critical infrastructure supporting the seamless operation and growth of businesses across the globe. These technological hubs are essential for storing, managing, and disseminating vast amounts of data, making their reliability, security, and efficiency non-negotiable.

At the heart of achieving these goals lay a set of rigorous data centre certification standards. They can be complex, but play a vital role in helping design data centres, demonstrate a commitment by the operators to high standards, and provide specifications for security, environmental standards and resilience – to name but a few areas. 

Getting to the heart of it

Certification standards act as key benchmarks for the planning, construction, and management of data centres, ensuring they meet specific criteria for safety, efficiency, and security. These standards are not just about compliance; they offer a roadmap to building a resilient and reliable infrastructure capable of supporting business operations even in the face of challenges. The benefits of adhering to these standards include improved reliability, enhanced security measures, and operational efficiency, all of which contribute to the bottom line of a business.

Historically, the evolution of data centre certification standards has mirrored the rapid advancements in technology and the growing demands of digital businesses. From basic facility requirements to advanced energy efficiency and sustainability criteria, these standards have continually adapted to support the increasingly complex needs of modern enterprises.

Tier Classification System

The Tier Classification System was developed by the Uptime Institute, and is a broad classification used to define the level of redundancy and resilience that an IT infrastructure meets. Depending on the mission critical nature of an infrastructure, it can be used as either a design guide, or a way to clearly explain to customers that it can meet their high availability needs, even when undergoing planned maintenance, or experiencing some sort of failure.

There are four tiers to the standard and each tier is designed such that each should be able to operate at the next level down when undergoing maintenance. Tier I is defined as no redundancy, where Tier IV has 2N+1 redundancy of all systems, including power and cooling. Tier III is the most seen classification and has an N+1 redundancy arrangement of all systems – though for smaller businesses, a Tier II N+1 arrangement, which does not require power and cooling to both have redundancy, may be perfectly adequate depending on the workloads running in that data centre.

In search of standards

Outside the data centre tiering system there are a number of ISO certification standards that define frameworks and approaches to different aspects of data centre management. These can not only make a data centre more secure, operationally resilient or energy efficient, but depending on the business a company operates in, may well be a requirement for handling certain types of data, or even gaining a licence to operate.

Selecting the appropriate certification requires a thorough understanding of your business needs, budget constraints, and industry-specific requirements. It’s crucial to align your certification choice with your overall business strategy, ensuring that the certification supports your objectives and enhances your value proposition to customers.

Obtaining a data centre certification involves a series of steps, including a detailed audit and assessment of the facility’s design, construction, and operational practices. This process ensures compliance with the chosen standards and identifies areas for improvement. This can be a time-consuming process and, of course, may require additional investment in the data centre. That’s why it’s critical to have a strategy for approaching your certifications, so that you are investing in those that will make a difference to your business.

It is also important to realise that maintaining standards is critical too. Once a certification is gained, it is crucial that operational standards are maintained to keep it. It is much easier to do this in the long run, than to approach recertification with a poorly run ship and incomplete record keeping. 

Here is a quick summary of some of the more common certifications that apply to data centres – but not all will be relevant to all data centres. If you are designing or upgrading a data centre, having a clear plan on the certifications you need – and want – will be critical to that process.

ISO 9001: This is a quality management system standard. Its emphasis is on ensuring high standards of service delivery, continuous improvement and that the data centre meets all its customer and regulatory requirements. It is a mark of confidence in the way a data centre is run and highly regarded in all industries. 

ISO 14001: For those that care passionately about demonstrating they take their sustainability and environmental responsibilities seriously, this is an essential certification. If your business regards itself as ‘green’ and runs data centres, this demonstrates a commitment to minimising the environmental impact of a data centre. The standard shows that a company is running efficient environmental management systems (EMS), which can also benefit the organisation by cutting running costs and energy consumption, reducing carbon emissions and lowering waste. 

ISO/IEC 27001: This standard focuses on information security management, offering a framework for managing sensitive company information. These standards are critical for businesses in industries where data security is paramount. 

There are many more certifications that can apply to most data centres. These include ISO 50001, which provides a framework for organisations to improve their energy performance by helping them implement, maintain and improve energy management systems.

Another general standard is Cyber Essentials, which any organisation can apply for, and is a scheme that helps organisations show their customers, suppliers, investors and any other interested parties that they have taken the steps needed to protect themselves from a possible cyberattack.

Other standards can apply to specific sectors – for example PCI DSS, which is critical for any data centre that handles payment card information. You also can find organisations such as the Uptime Institute, with its own certificates, like the Management and Operations Stamp of Approval. The key is to understand the requirements of your industry, and the expectations of your users and customers.

Looking forward

Emerging trends in data centre certification focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and the integration of artificial intelligence in data centre management. Staying ahead of these trends will ensure businesses remain competitive and prepared for the future.

Data centre certification standards are more than just compliance requirements; they are a strategic tool that businesses can leverage for improved reliability, efficiency, and competitive advantage. As the digital landscape evolves, understanding and adhering to these standards will be key to sustaining growth and resilience.

For businesses looking to enhance their data centre operations, now is the time to explore and invest in certification standards. Start by assessing your current infrastructure, identifying gaps, and exploring the certifications that align with your business goals.