Duration

5 days

Overview

Create a comprehensive data centre design that supports the critical needs of the business, examining in-depth the key constraints of data centre functionality to deliver a balanced, efficient and sustainable solution.

The Certified Data Centre Design Professional (CDCDP®) program is proven to be an essential certification for individuals wishing to demonstrate their technical knowledge of data centre architecture and component operating conditions.

This five-day program has a comprehensive agenda that explores and addresses the key elements associated with designing a data centre. It teaches best practice principles for the design, construction and operation of computer rooms and data centre operational support facilities. The program also addresses the importance of accurate interpretation of detailed customer requirements at the planning stage to ensure that the business needs remain focal to all decision making.

Learners will also explore the key elements of physical infrastructure, electrical distribution systems, air-conditioning, data cabling and building support systems. The program concludes with a comprehensive case study exercise that guides learners through the design steps from initiation to commission, covering the business decisions, design scope and implementation phases that need to be addressed throughout all aspects of the process.

A certified CDCDP® also considers the requirements for compliance, having a full understanding of national and international regulations, codes and standards. During the program, learners will be provided a valuable opportunity to access the latest industry standards.

Following this program, you are encouraged to continue your professional development by advancing your knowledge and skills to gain further official certifications and qualifications by progressing through The Global Digital Infrastructure Education Framework which maps education programs to career advancement throughout the network infrastructure and data centre sectors.

Learner Profile

The program will prove beneficial for professionals already designing projects for implementation within a data centre facility, or those looking to advance into the data centre design from associated data centre technical or operational roles.

Pre-requisites

Experience of working within a data centre environment is essential; preferably with two years experience in a technical IT, operational or facilities role. If you would like to discuss your experience or suitability for this program please contact us.

Program Requirements

Learners are required to undertake pre-class study, which is fully supported by an experienced and dedicated online Tutor. Learners are also required to have a webcam enabled laptop or suitable device with unrestricted wireless internet connectivity, the latest internet browser and suitable applications for reading/annotating PDFs and editing standard office documents.

Program Objectives

CDCDP® certified individuals will possess unrivalled knowledge, expertise and capability to deliver a comprehensive data centre design to meet on-going operational and business needs.

Qualification

Internationally and industry recognised BTEC Level 5 Professional Award Certified Data Centre Design Professional

Certification

Official Certified Data Centre Design Professional (CDCDP®) certification
Use of CDCDP post nominal title
Use of the CDCDP® logo
Use of the official Certified Data Centre Design Professional (CDCDP®) Digital Badge
Certifications are a commitment to life-long learning and offer the perfect portal to ensure knowledge, skills and certification remain current and up-todate. Each certification gained requires re-certifying every three years via an online learning management system.

Outline

What is a Data Centre?

The data centre stack
Types of data centre

The Design Planning Process

Main design considerations
Developing a project plan

Scoping the Requirement

Identifying key stakeholders
Market and political drivers
National and international standards
Availability and resilience classifications
Introduction to availability models (Uptime Tier, TIA 942-B

Rating, BICSI Classes & Syska Hennessy Critical Levels)

Recommendations for location, size, heights, floor loading, lighting and decor

Whitespace Floor

National and international standards
Structural and load requirements
Recommended floor heights
Airflow and sealing
Ramps and access
Seismic protection
Slab floor construction considerations

Cabinets

Requirements of a cabinet
Security, safety and stabilisation
Clearance, accessibility and ventilation
Cable management
Seismic stability considerations
Design specifications

Power

Regulations and codes
The meaning of N, N+1, 2(N+1) etc.
Power delivery and distribution losses
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) options
Generator considerations
Power distributions units
Power distribution to, and in, a rack
Remote Power Panels (RPPs)
Emergency Power Off (EPO)
Estimating power requirements

Cooling

National and International standards
Basics of air conditioning principles
CRAHs and CRACs
ASHRAE operational parameters
Under floor plenum approach
Hot aisle/cold aisle layout principles
Hot and cold aisle containment
Psychrometric charts
Min and max throw distances for under floor air
Bypass and recirculation
Airflow management
Chilled water racks, CO2, free air cooling

Earthing & Bonding

Applicable standards
The terminology of earthing, grounding & bonding
Equipotential bonding
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
Functional earths
The Signal Reference Grid (SRG)

Cable Containment, Management & Protection

Applicable standards
Separation of power and data cables
Administration and labelling
Types of conduit, trunking, tray, etc available
Earthing and bonding
Containment fill ratio
Underfloor v overhead containment
Cable management, in and to a rack
Fire stopping

Delivering the IT strategy

Data centre equipment
Functions and protocols, current and future
Data centre connections
Cabling requirements
Cabling standards
Cabling options
The impact of 40G and 100G
The impact of virtualisation

Copper and Optical Fibre Cabling Connectivity

Cabling standards
Cable standards, 10GBASE-T, CAT6A, Cat 7A & Cat 8
Screened vs unscreened cables
High density patching
Alien crosstalk
Copper test requirements
Design for growth management
Channel connections
Connection topologies
Optical connectors, past and present
Optical fibre management
Types of optical cable
Advantages/disadvantages of pre-terminating cables
Optical component loss and link power budgets
Application link loss
Optical testing requirements
Pre-terminated cabling

Safety and Manageability

Local codes and regulations
Fire safety plan
ASD and detection systems
Fire suppression systems
Fire safety cable requirements
Security and access control

Commission and Handover

Benefits of commissioning
Commission process and test sequence
Handover process and training
Lessons learned

Power Review

Power consumption trends
Energy availability, security and cost
Energy challenges facing the data centre

Power Regulations

Which regulations affect data centres?
Environmental regulations and pressures
Energy and environmental programs

Power Basics

Ohm’s law, Joule’s law, the Kirchhoff laws
Electrical parameters
AC and DC
Single phase and three phase
Residual currents
Harmonics

Power to the Data Centre

Where does the electricity come from?
Electrical supply options
Transformers
Surge suppression devices
Costs of electrical power
Types of tariff available
Alternate power supply options

Distribution in the Data Centre

Electrical circuit requirements
Switching devices
Power factor correction units
Automatic and static transfer switches
Main, feeder, sub-main circuits
Power distribution units
Remote power panels
Final circuits
Cable and fuse sizing
Power distribution and associated losses
TN-S systems
Energy efficiency

Standby Power

UPS, components, batteries and redundant systems
UPS options and considerations
Static and maintenance bypasses
Standby generators

Cooling Review

Data centre limiting factors
Sources of cooling inefficiencies
Cooling trends

Regulatory Climate

Which regulations affect data centres?
Environmental pressures
Cooling efficiency
Design considerations & planning redundancy
Overview of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Periodic review process

Environmental Parameters

Standards, NEBS, ETSI, ASHRAE
Operating environment ranges
Rate of change
ASHRAE psychrometric charts
Humidification systems
The need for sensors
Measuring and monitoring

Collecting the Heat

Cooling system overview
CRACs and CRAHs
Maximising existing investment
Rack v row options
Dynamics and problems of air flow
Liquid cooling
Comparison of high-density cooling
Available cooling options

Heat Rejection or Reuse

Heat transfer considerations
DX systems
Chilled water CRAHs
Chiller options
Adiabatic cooling
CWS and CHWS plant
Design considerations
Free cooling and free - air cooling
Commissioning maintenance
Planned preventative maintenance

Energy Use Systems

Energy efficiency issues
Layers of inefficiency
Power system provision
Cooling system provision
Understanding areas of improvement

IT Infrastructure

Extending the operating envelope
Environment zones
Accurate IT calculations
Energy use in the IT equipment
Software and storage considerations
Transformation options
Energy efficient IT equipment

Power Systems

Energy use in the data centre
DC power train
Matching the support to the IT load
Transformer efficiencies
UPS & motor efficiencies
DCiE for modular provisioning
Maximising the power factor
Measuring and monitoring
Infrared inspections
Planned electrical safety inspections
Implementing data centre electrical efficiency

Cooling Efficiency

Cooling a cascade system
Affinity laws and cooling equation
CRAC and CRAH efficiencies
Optimising air-side systems & water-side systems
DCiE for cooling options
Diagnostic and site specific monitoring
Design considerations

Data Centre Metrics

Where and what can we measure?
The metric stack
Metric characteristics
Current industry metrics (PUE, CUE, WUE, ERE, RCI & RTI)
Chained value metrics (CADE)
Proxy metrics (FVER, DPPE, DCeP)

Efficiency Models & Best Practices

Energy calculations
Levels of modelling
Modelling tools
Sources of guidance
Effective v Efficient
The DC language barrier
The multi-functional team
Design for efficiency, operability & flexibility
Industry recognised best practices

Design Management

Characteristics of project management
Key project processes
Identifying and engaging with key stakeholders
Setting goals
Prioritisation of activities
Cornerstones of project management

Managing the Design Process

What is to be delivered?
What constraints are there?
Managing dependencies
Managing the tribes
Managing conflict
Identifying risk
Risk and issue management
Change management
Reporting and communication

Managing the Design Implementation Process

Project charter and specification
Risk assessment and management
Scope management
Float and critical path
Human resource management
Project integration and work breakdown structure
Time and cost management
Handover and progressive acceptance

Programme scope, delivery arrangements and suitability are confirmed during enquiry.