Provides the fundamentals, technologies, and best practices in designing, constructing and managing mission critical, energy efficient data centers Organizations in need of high-speed connectivity and nonstop systems operations depend upon data centers for a range of deployment solutions. A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems. It generally includes multiple power sources, redundant data communications connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression) and security devices. With contributions from an international list of experts, The Data Center Handbook instructs readers to: Prepare strategic plan that includes location plan, site selection, roadmap and capacity planning Design and build "green" data centers, with mission critical and energy-efficient infrastructure Apply best practices to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions Apply IT technologies such as cloud and virtualization Manage data centers in order to sustain operations with minimum costs Prepare and practice disaster reovery and business continuity plan The book imparts essential knowledge needed to implement data center design and construction, apply IT technologies, and continually improve data center operations.
A comprehensive guide to designing and operating reliable server environments Keep your data center cool, clean, scalable, and secure Learn the five principles of effective data center design Avoid the natural and man-made hazards that can jeopardize a data center site Learn how to lay out key infrastructure objects within the data center for greatest efficiency, from buffer zones to server rows Apply proven installation methods by studying sample illustrations of both overhead and under-floor systems Extract the best practices and design strategies for both in-room and standby electrical infrastructure Avoid accidental downtime, improve productivity, and ensure user safety Safeguard and streamline your network infrastructure with a well-organized physical hierarchy Understand the special challenges of retrofitting overburdened server environments Implement solutions from a wide array of sample illustrations and examples of essential data center signage Safeguard servers with operations standards for people working in or visiting the data center Download templates used by Cisco to design its data centers, customizable to square footage and geography Avoid excess construction costs by designing a data center that meets your needs today and for many years to come All data centers are unique, but they all share the same mission: to protect your company's valuable information. Build the Best Data Center Facility for Your Business answers your individual questions in one flexible step-by-step reference guide. Benefit from the author's concise and practical approach to data center design and management. The author distills this complex topic by sharing his first-hand and worldwide experience and expertise. Regardless of your experience level, you can fill your knowledge gaps on how to safeguard your company's valuable equipment and intellectual property. This easy-to-navigate book is divided into two parts: Part I covers data center design and physical infrastructure details, and Part II covers data center management and operations. You can also access supplementary online materials for installation instructions, which include customizable data center design templates, written cabling specifications, and sample drawings. If you need a starting point for designing your first data center, regardless of size; if you need to prepare yourself with comprehensive strategies to retrofit or improve an existing o≠ or if you need proven methods to manage a data center for maximum productivity--this book is your readily accessible, comprehensive resource for answers and insights. Invest in the best future for your business by learning how to build and manage robust and productive data centers now. This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press, which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.
Alger presents technologies, design strategies, and operational approaches that can help any company improve the energy efficiency and "eco-friendliness" of their IT facilities. He walks step-by-step through "greening" physical construction, power, cooling, and servers; then covers equipment consolidation, virtualization, and much more.
This unique and critical book shares no-fail secrets for building software and offers tried-and-true practices and principles for software design, development, and testing for mission-critical systems that must not fail. A veteran software architect walks you through the lifecycle of a project as well as each area of production readiness—functionality, availability, performance and scalability, operability, maintainability, and extensibility, and highlights their key concepts.
Master the basics of data centers to build server farms that enhance your Web site performance Learn design guidelines that show how to deploy server farms in highly available and scalable environments Plan site performance capacity with discussions of server farm architectures and their real-life applications to determine your system needs Today's market demands that businesses have an Internet presence through which they can perform e-commerce and customer support, and establish a presence that can attract and increase their customer base. Underestimated hit ratios, compromised credit card records, perceived slow Web site access, or the infamous "Object Not Found" alerts make the difference between a successful online presence and one that is bound to fail. These challenges can be solved in part with the use of data center technology. Data centers switch traffic based on information at the Network, Transport, or Application layers. Content switches perform the "best server" selection process to direct users' requests for a specific service to a server in a server farm. The best server selection process takes into account both server load and availability, and the existence and consistency of the requested content. Data Center Fundamentals helps you understand the basic concepts behind the design and scaling of server farms using data center and content switching technologies. It addresses the principles and concepts needed to take on the most common challenges encountered during planning, implementing, and managing Internet and intranet IP-based server farms. An in-depth analysis of the data center technology with real-life scenarios make Data Center Fundamentals an ideal reference for understanding, planning, and designing Web hosting and e-commerce environments.
Energy Efficient Servers: Blueprints for Data Center Optimization introduces engineers and IT professionals to the power management technologies and techniques used in energy efficient servers. The book includes a deep examination of different features used in processors, memory, interconnects, I/O devices, and other platform components. It outlines the power and performance impact of these features and the role firmware and software play in initialization and control. Using examples from cloud, HPC, and enterprise environments, the book demonstrates how various power management technologies are utilized across a range of server utilization. It teaches the reader how to monitor, analyze, and optimize their environment to best suit their needs. It shares optimization techniques used by data center administrators and system optimization experts at the world’s most advanced data centers.
Enterprise Data Center Design and Methodology is the practical, start-to-finish guide to data center design and retrofitting. It introduces a scalable, modular methodology for designing data centers of any size and capability, and breakthrough techniques for accurate capacity planning. Sun Enterprise Architect Rob Snevely offers realistic solutions for every facet of planning and implementation, including site selection, network connectivity and infrastructure, environmental considerations, building codes, construction, and hazard avoidance.
Financial markets are witnessing an unprecedented explosion in the availability of data, and the firms that survive will be able to leverage this information to increase their profit and expand their opportunities in a global world. Financial firms have two options: to build their own data centers or to outsource them to hosting services such as Google and Amazon ‘cloud’ services. While outsourcing data centers is a trend for small firms, it is not applicable to bigger firms who want more control over their huge amounts of data. Large firms thus build their own data centers. In such an environment, the CIO’s ability is crucial to lead an effective data strategy to capture, process and connect data to all the relevant lines of business. At the core of this strategy lies the data center – the repository of all information. In recognition of the importance of information, firms are rushing to invest in data centers, but they are finding that just throwing technology at the problem is not good enough. Despite the investments, data centers prove frustrating in terms of inefficiencies and rising costs, directly cutting into the profitability of lines of business that they serve. While there are books that discuss the mechanics, hardware and technicalities of data centers, no book has yet made the connection between enterprise strategy and data center investment, design and management. This book is a solution driven book for management demonstrating how to leverage technology to manage the seemingly infinite amount of data available today. Each chapter offers cutting-edge management and technology solutions to effectively manage data through data centers. • Feature: Presents cutting-edge technology solutions not available in one place until now • Benefit: Saves time going to numerous websites, calling vendors, going to conferences • Feature: Includes step-by-step instructions on how to implement a data center strategy based on the author’s recent success with Wachovia’s data center • Benefit: Readers can follow these steps with confidence that they will work and not have to re-invent the wheel • Feature: Demonstrates how business and IT can be aligned in financial services • Benefit: Demonstrating this alignment is crucial for any proposal for IT related resources today
"This book covers a wide spectrum of topics relevant to implementing and managing a modern data center. The chapters are comprehensive and the flow of concepts is easy to understand." -Cisco reviewer Gain a practical knowledge of data center concepts To create a well-designed data center (including storage and network architecture, VoIP implementation, and server consolidation) you must understand a variety of key concepts and technologies. This book explains those factors in a way that smoothes the path to implementation and management. Whether you need an introduction to the technologies, a refresher course for IT managers and data center personnel, or an additional resource for advanced study, you'll find these guidelines and solutions provide a solid foundation for building reliable designs and secure data center policies. * Understand the common causes and high costs of service outages * Learn how to measure high availability and achieve maximum levels * Design a data center using optimum physical, environmental, and technological elements * Explore a modular design for cabling, Points of Distribution, and WAN connections from ISPs * See what must be considered when consolidating data center resources * Expand your knowledge of best practices and security * Create a data center environment that is user- and manager-friendly * Learn how high availability, clustering, and disaster recovery solutions can be deployed to protect critical information * Find out how to use a single network infrastructure for IP data, voice, and storage
