Modular container DPCs

The modular containerized data processing center includes the IT equipment, means of a power supply and the cooling system. As soon as it became possible to integrate all this in one container, there were more and more widespread own modules from different suppliers.

Modular DPCs are a technology which main objective is reduction and cost optimization on construction of IT infrastructure. How infrastructure resources in this model are distributed, in many respects reminds distribution of computing powers in a cloud. The client pays for that amount of capacities which he uses, and if something happens can increase or reduce resources rather easily. The same and with modular construction of data centers: according to the solution of the customer resources increase and diminished quite quickly and rather cheap.

Advantages of mobile data processing centers

Mobile data processing centers have a row advantage in comparison with stationary data centers. First of all advantages of modular DPCs estimated those who look for the disaster-proof solutions capable to work in any conditions – mobile operators, the raw sector.

Secondly, it is the companies for which business continuity is important, and the cost of idle time of the IT equipment is extremely high, for example, financial and insurance companies, banks.

Well and in the third, it is IT service providers who look for ways of reduction of capital costs of construction^[1].

All is learned in comparison, and the low cost of modular data centers becomes obvious when they appear on different bowls of scales with traditional. First, modular DPCs do not require capital construction or expensive re-equipment of the existing premises. This so powerful advantage that it easily blocks a little significant shortcomings. The builder and the customer do not need to invest that is called "in concrete". Capital construction easily eats a half of the budget on deployment of a data processing center.

Besides, the built buildings or the DPC placed on leased squares do not differ in mobility. If at the client the lease term comes to an end or there is a need to move to other office, then for a case with the capital building it is wrapped in investment accident: it is necessary to make investments comparable by the sizes to construction of one more DPC. And the modular data center can just be sorted and unrolled on any other space. Besides it is not tied to premises amount, besides that the amount of objects of a commercial real estate appears an obstacle to building of IT infrastructure.

The similarity with cloud model about which was told slightly above consists that the modular DPC is easily scaled. For example, you have an open section of one thousand square meters. You can build modular DPC of sufficient power to 300 sq.m, and to fill other territory with new modules in process of growth of business needs. Such step-by-step scaling allows to reduce considerably both capital, and operating expenses^[2].

MTSODY are more effective: they do not require special infrastructure, the term of construction is about 2-3 months, they are mobile and can be located with sources of cheap energy. Besides, they can be used for expansion of power of stationary DPCs.

If to carry out contrastive analysis of mobile and stationary data processing centers, then it will look so:

Wherever the enterprise was placed, you can always set the mobile center there. Availability of ready-made solutions of production of module containers, absence or considerable reduction of such stages as design of infrastructure for stationary DPCs, lead approval of project solutions of supervisory authorities, construction and the minimum requirements to preparation of the platform to considerable reduction of delivery dates and units of World Data Centres for comparison with hospitals by the centers.

The subject of the mobile centers for data processing, or Mobile Data Center (MDC) is often covered in the press, both foreign, and Russian. This attracts interest of domestic entrepreneurs and specialists of the IT industry. Mobile data processing centers are capable to solve a number of problems which often rise before the Russian enterprises working in the field of information technologies.

Mobile data processing centers are capable to solve a number of problems which often rise before the Russian enterprises and the organizations working in the field of information technologies: need of deployment of new racks in most short time or creation of new racks for a short time based on the existing main and reserve capacities and components of engineering infrastructure in the absence of premises or at mismatch of the available premises to requirements imposed to DPC.

Besides, World Data Centres allow to create the time server premises in volume the moment when stationary is not completed yet or is not put into operation. In the time premises the equipment which is necessary for functioning of business during this period can be installed.

Also in case of the shortage of the specialized premises for placement of DPC, either specialists of necessary qualification, or the stationary data processing centers providing the required level of reliability – World Data Centres can become an optimal solution. The mobile DPC can be applied to expansion of infrastructure of IT. At active expansion to regions or merger of other companies branches open without delays, and acquired assets are quickly integrated into uniform information infrastructure.

Among factors of increase in demand for mobile data processing centers it is possible to call increase in Internet traffic, importance of continuous work of Internet-applications and integration with world economy. Thus, mobile data centers stopped being the niche offer, and became demanded not only in field conditions, but also in megalopolises where there are not enough free areas.

Mobile DPC: whether it is necessary to you?

The confusion existing in the industry with interpretation of the term "mobile DPC" is capable not only to mislead Chief information officers, but also to lead to the choice of the inefficient solution. The term Term "mobile" is descended by the origin from the solutions used by the American military. These DPCs really had an opportunity to move with the equipment installed inside and to be developed quickly on the new place. Such data centers usually in containers were placed that afterwards led to mixing of determinations: container DPCs began to identify with mobile and modular. However the existing "container solutions" have little general with the military predecessors – most of them cannot be transported with the engineering equipment installed inside not only IT, but even (especially on the Russian roads). Who needs it? Movement of a data processing center – very specific requirement and probability that it will arise at the company is low. If such moving also happens, it is improbable that he will wear a uniform of military special operation^[3].

Among characteristics of "mobile" DPCs, most of clients considers key the following:

• possibility of delivery to remote places;
• possibility of the choice of the place (is closer to users, power sources, near the building);
• reduction of terms of implementation;
• possibility of step-by-step accumulation of power (on demand);
• possibility of movement in the future of the new place of operation.

These options are also specified as the advantages by producers of "mobile" DPCs based on ISO container solutions. Pre-fabricated of DPC or mobile? It is important to understand: in addition to container (or mobile) solutions in the market there are pre-fabricated (or collected from previously made constructions) DPCs which not just give to clients the same opportunities, but also on a number of key characteristics exceed "container DPCs".

Pre-fabricated of DPC give the chance of more flexible scaling (scaling quantum on racks, but not modules). In pre-fabricated of DPC there is no problem the nondelivery of service space characteristic of "container" data centers. At the same time some combined modular DPCs have the smaller cost of transportation at bigger flexibility and even speed of delivery, than "mobile".

History

2019: The world market of modular data centers grew by 65%

The amount of the world market of combined modular data centers in 2019 grew more than by 65% and was nearly $2 billion against $1.2 billion the previous year. Data of Omdia research company demonstrate to it.

Analysts connected rapid growth of the considered market with advantages of modular DPCs, such as scalability, production and assembly at the plants and also the high speed of deployment.

Rapid growth of amounts of data and infinite demand for computing resources stimulate rapid deployment of new DPCs. On commissioning of traditional DPC from 18 to 24 months leave, however more deadlines often are required — the top analyst of Omdia company in the field of cloud computing and DPCs Lucas Beran says. — Suppliers of modular DPCs of factory readiness provide the solution, on average, in four-six months.

The world market of modular data centers for 2019 grew by 65%

In the research Omdia types of combined modular DPCs for different scenarios of use are described. The IT solutions and models developed taking into account features of specific objects and also so-called universal modules (with the built-in infrastructure of IT, a power supply and cooling) which are usually used in the field of education and health care, in the industry and also in remote regions and the difficult production environment are given.

According to analysts, the growing demand for peripheral calculations stimulates use of universal modules on peripheral objects where the small DPC near users is necessary. The possibility of automatic commissioning is good the fact that it not only reduces deployment time to several days instead of weeks and months, but also reduces the probability of defects as all components are in advance collected and tested industrially, researchers explained.^[4]

2012: Research APC by Schneider Electric

According to researches of specialists of APC by Schneider Electric, modular container Data processing centers quicker in deployment, more reliable in work also have lower total ownership cost, than DPCs constructed independently of different components.

Specialists of APC by Schneider Electric made in 2012 a detailed research of a problem of a power supply and cooling of the modular containerized data processing centers and contrastive analysis with independently constructed by DPC.

The main cases in point on a subject:

1. Whether really modular container Data processing centers quicker in deployment also have lower total ownership cost, than DPCs constructed of different components?

It quite so. We are still on early phases of deployment of the containerized power supply and cooling systems, but the analysis which is carried out by specialists of APC so far shows that implementation of container DPCs leads to 30% reduction of TCO, 13% reducing costs for initial installation and 60% to reduction of time of deployment.

2. What main drivers for this cost reduction?

They are three:

• First, use of factory assembly. It is much cheaper to collect systems at factory in comparison with the worker conditions of separate IT of structures as because of labor costs, and the logistics connected with supply of equipment in parts.

• Secondly, much less works on preparation of infrastructure, cable connections, etc. are required and also disposable technical costs on design of different subsystems, such as automation of the building and management system which are delivered with a container data processing center decrease.

• But possibly the biggest economy turns out from a possibility of the choice of the correct size of DPC for structure of IT which you have today, and a possibility of easy expansion, considering modular structure of container DPC, that you think that you will have in 5 or 10 years.

3. What main drivers for saving of time of deployment of container DPCs?

Here again economy consists of several parts. Clients can expect that they will receive significant saving of time on fast deployment when using modular means just because they are much simpler in installation in comparison with the DPC which is brought together in parts.

Also time is considerably saved on the development and preliminary design which are usually required in planning process of a data processing center. Testing time because many components are tested at factory decreases. As the market becomes more mature, we expect that you will see increase in saving of time with the modular DPCs available in essence from the shelf.

4. What does a modular container data processing center to more reliable, than created independently?

The majority of problems which appear in data processing centers are result of the mistakes made during creation such as errors in the choice of devices and the errors connected with the wrong connection of devices in operating conditions. Moving of the most part of such works to managed environment of factory where specialists check and tested connections, improves reliability of DPC.

Besides, many problems of a data processing center can arise from the unique project of DPC. When you have the unique project, receive unique problems. Building, container block systems use the standard projects excluding the most part of problems and a downtime which we see in data processing centers.

5. For what type of clients the modular, containerized data processing centers are the most suitable?

Most of clients will benefit by a container power supply and the cooling infrastructure. Only some clients with unique physical features of their building will not be able to use these systems.

However, we think that most IT of structures will remain in rooms and containers will be the specialized market focused on the companies unrolling at the same time thousands of servers in places where it is difficult to place them in the building. Container DPCs are also convenient for the places hardly accessible for deployment of normal DPC and in "field" conditions.

6. Whether really modular, containerized data processing centers are suitable only for new data processing centers?

So most of people thinks, but it should be noted such important feature as modularity of container DPCs which does convenient and easy expansion in process of growth of the enterprise.

Let's consider also a data processing center which exhausted the potential on a power supply and cooling, but has still the sufficient power of the IT equipment, we will tell about 25%. Modular options - a great way to add means for increase in working capacity and prolongation of life of a data processing center.

Due to the increasing cost of energy and the fact that data processing centers spend increasing number of energy for satisfaction of the increasing customer needs the energy efficiency becomes one of the central problems. Here container DPCs also have important advantages over normal.

2011: Research of efficiency of modular container DPCs

The consortium The Green Grid published in November, 2011 results of a research of efficiency of the data processing centers collected from the ready modular assemblies which are already containing the necessary equipment and programs. Similar modules are released by a number of the companies, including Dell, HP, SGI, Capgemini and Microsoft.

Construction of the modular centers costs cheaper thanks to cost reduction on design. Density of placement of the equipment in modules is, as a rule, higher, than in the normal centers, and they take less places, and their performance is often higher as shortcomings of construction come to light at a design stage of modules. Besides, usually modular data centers optimize concerning energy consumption and efficiency of cooling and also project counting upon work over a wide range of temperatures and humidity, the Common problem of the modular centers is reliability, according to the report of The Green Grid. Level of duplication, stability and the guaranteed operating time of different components of the module can strongly differ, and as a result reliability of all module begins to depend on one element. Many are disturbed also by ensuring physical security of modules.

At this time in Russia no more than 10% of the mobile data processing centers (MDPC) work. Activation of this direction was expected – already more than seven companies offer projects of creation of container data centers. All these companies note increase in demand for World Data Centres: for 2011 the number of orders for projects of the mobile centers exceeded the number of orders for 2009-2010. Such large companies as VimpelCom or aircraft manufacturing concern "Irkut" already estimated advantages of mobile data processing centers that, undoubtedly, demonstrates the growing popularity of World Data Centres in the Russian market.

Customers of project data understand that, packaging a data processing center in a container, they will receive "turnkey" completely ready-made product with the minimum finance costs and high payback. World Data Centres can become as the main center for storage and data processing, and reserve.

2010: In the world only 80 containers are sold

Despite rapid growth of offers of World Data Centres from leading manufacturers, this segment of the market, by estimates of IDC, remains small, though fast-growing. In 2010 in the world a little more than 80 containers are sold that, however, it is twice more, than in 2009.

Pacing factors of market development of commercial DPCs in Russia analysts of J'son & Partners company (J&P) call integration of the Russian business into world economy, growth of Internet traffic, national projects and state programs and also the continuity of work as competitive advantage of the companies. In spite of the fact that demand for World Data Centres is not high yet (no more than ten projects are still implemented), already more than seven Russian leading IT companies were developed and offered the options of creation of mobile data processing centers.

At this time World Data Centres are demanded in the world by the companies of the communications industry, an oil and gas sector, large industrial and production holdings, the enterprises of the metallurgical sphere, power.

The separate companies integrators in Russia continue to work on technological solutions in this sphere:

• Stack Group proposing the Stack mobile solution. Cube,
• IT,
• "Radius-VIP",
• Sitronics IT and
• TechnoServ A/S.

In this direction such companies as Cherus and NVision Group had a number of projects also.^[5]

2005-2006: Google and Sun create the first container DPCs

Earlier was considered that Sun Microsystems became the pioneer in creation of mobile DPCs having released the first product Blackbox in 2006. However, as it became recently known, the Google corporation which even in the fall of 2005 created the first data center based on 45 containers acted as the pioneer, each of which contained 1160 servers and consumed 250 Kw of the electric power. Density of power was 780 W on square foot, and temperature in "cold" pass did not exceed 27.2 degrees.

See Also

• Overview of TAdviser: Commercial DPCs
• Data processing center (data center)
• Key services based on DPC
• Colocation
• Russian market of DPC
• Trends in the Russian market of data centers
• Cloud services (market of Russia)
• Russian IaaS market
• What is "green" data center?
• Measurement of profitability of DPC
• Container DPCs
• Technologies for DPC: Solid state drives (SSD)
• World market of DPC

Notes