CE — Critical Environments

1. The Evolution in Critical Environments - Philosophy and Lessons Learned

   • 1. The importance of critical environments
   • 2. Understanding “uptime” and “downtime”
   • 3. Failure expectations and risk factors that affect the critical environment
   • 4. Management of single points of failure

2. Initial Logic for Building a Critical Environment / Data Center

   • 1. Terminology used in the Critical Environment / Data Center
   • 2. Location and design considerations
   • 3. Understanding compliance with construction standards and codes, government agencies and regulatory entities
   • 4. Redundancy versus efficiency: how this applies to energy conservation

3. Infrastructure and “Uptime Tiering”

   • 1. Uptime Institute Tier structure
   • 2. Review and answer questions related to infrastructure
   • 3. The role of the Engineering team

4. Measurements and Reports for Successful Capacity Planning

   • 1. Capacity planning for power, cooling, space and security
   • 2. Forecasting growth and collecting data and trends
   • 3. Reporting methods
   • 4. Capacity and design – plans for “upgrades”

5. Understanding Procedures

   • 1. Usual procedures
   • 2. Creating procedures
   • 3. Document management and process improvement
   • 4. Disaster recovery procedures - risk management

6. Critical Infrastructure Maintenance

   • 1. Equipment maintenance
   • 2. Computerized maintenance management system - CMMS
   • 3. Inventory control
   • 4. Management of maintenance completion

7. Individual Components of a Critical Environment

   • 1. Equipment that supports the Critical Environment / Data Center: Chilled Water Plants, CRAC, Generator Sets, UPS, Batteries, PDU, BMS, EPO, ATS, ASTS, fire alarm, detection and suppression systems, etc.

8. Aesthetics of the Critical Environment

   • 1. Cleanliness, Workspaces, Access Controls, Lighting, Logistics and Receiving

1. Documentation, Drawings and Compliance

   • 1. Proper documentation practices
   • 2. Drawing and System Evaluations
   • 3. Written procedures
   • 4. The CMMS

2. HVAC and Chiller Installations

   • 1. System design elements
   • 2. Understanding heat sources
   • 3. CRACs and central air handling units
   • 4. Refrigeration systems and piping systems

3. Power Generation

   • 1. Primary and alternative power sources
   • 2. Programmable Logic Controller
   • 3. Generator load management
   • 4. Backup Methodology

4. Power Distribution

   • 1. Critical path for power
   • 2. Monitoring and metering of critical loads
   • 3. Infrastructure Layer Logic

5. Critical Power Source Transfer

   • 1. The UPS system and how it works
   • 2. The automatic transfer switch (ATS)
   • 3. The automatic static transfer switch (ASTS)

6. Security, Fire and Life Safety

   • 1. Physical security
   • 2. Fire systems
   • 3. Life safety systems
   • 4. The EPO switch

7. Servers, Networks and Cabling

   • 1. Equipment management
   • 2. The network system
   • 3. Design for criticality
   • 4. Cabling, security and leak detection

8. Capacity Planning and Reporting

   • 1. Capacity planning methods and logic
   • 2. Capacity planning concerns
   • 3. Tools for understanding capacity
   • 4. Reports and budgets

1. Documentation and Operating Procedures

   • 1. Reviewing documentation
   • 2. Creating new documentation and procedures
   • 3. Meeting asset management expectations
   • 4. Carrying out end-of-life (EOL) planning

2. Design, Construction Standards and Code Compliance

   • 1. Developing best practice programs
   • 2. Evaluating reliability and redundancy designs
   • 3. Understanding construction standards
   • 4. Applying code requirements

3. Drawing Evaluation

   • 1. Understanding the different types of drawings
   • 2. Managing projects and change management
   • 3. Evaluating systems and documentation to avoid outages
   • 4. Closing out pending items in the drawing evaluation program

4. Long-Term Budgeting

   • 1. Best practices for budgeting
   • 2. Budgeting methodology
   • 3. Types of budgets
   • 4. Total cost of ownership (TCO)

5. Energy-Efficient Operations

   • 1. Understanding service efficiency categories
   • 2. Understanding energy consumption
   • 3. Energy efficiency certifications
   • 4. Critical thinking about efficiency

6. Maintenance, Planning and Reporting

   • 1. Maintaining redundancy
   • 2. Capacity planning
   • 3. Creating detailed reports
   • 4. Trend analysis

7. Preparing to Be Audited

   • 1. Understanding the types of audits
   • 2. Audit preparation practices
   • 3. Managing meetings and data collection
   • 4. Staff training

8. CMMS Expectations

   • 1. Understanding the purpose and use of the CMMS
   • 2. CMMS planning aspects
   • 3. Maintenance and critical spare parts
   • 4. Preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance

1. Managing CE Projects

   • 1. Project Management
   • 2. Capital financing and end-of-life analysis
   • 3. Quality controls
   • 4. Self-audit / assessment

2. System Design Integrations and Concerns

   • 1. Understanding infrastructure design concerns
   • 2. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
   • 3. Controls: system and logic
   • 4. Impact and risk assessment

3. Outage Window Concerns

   • 1. Understanding outage windows and frequencies
   • 2. Methods for enforcing outage windows
   • 3. Actions taken during an outage window
   • 4. Lack of outage windows

4. Evaluating the CE

   • 1. Addressing Engineering Program gaps
   • 2. Aspects and resources for verification
   • 3. Tracking tools
   • 4. Scheduling

5. Training Programs

   • 1. Goals and objectives of training programs
   • 2. Identifying gaps and assessing effectiveness
   • 3. Internal and external training programs
   • 4. Assessment and Reporting Programs

6. Vendor Requirements and Contractual Obligations

   • 1. Understanding terminology
   • 2. Assessing vendor capabilities
   • 3. Vendor qualification
   • 4. Writing a scope of work

7. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

   • 1. Understanding Mechanical Engineering in the CE
   • 2. Understanding Electrical Engineering in the CE
   • 3. Evaluating in-house versus outsourced solutions
   • 4. Reporting requirements

8. Engineering Practices

   • 1. Common points for engineers
   • 2. Understanding historical experiences
   • 3. Articulating effective solutions
   • 4. Case studies

1. Audit Materials

   • 1. Building an audit program
   • 2. Methods for conducting the audit
   • 3. Audit materials
   • 4. Tools for a successful audit

2. Audit Planning

   • 1. Common audit reference materials
   • 2. Coordination requirements
   • 3. Referencing audit results
   • 4. Improving reference documents

3. Essential Data

   • 1. Identifying and accessing data
   • 2. Identifying stakeholders and team interaction
   • 3. Identifying risks to the CE
   • 4. Assessing data completeness

4. Identifying & Documenting Gaps

   • 1. Creating the audit schedule
   • 2. Notifying stakeholders and scheduling meetings
   • 3. Determining data collection needs
   • 4. Drafting expected deliverables

5. Documentation Review

   • 1. Data collection methods
   • 2. Document review
   • 3. Tours & procedure review
   • 4. Conducting interviews

6. Assessing Reliability - Meetings

   • 1. Types of meetings required
   • 2. Creating meeting agendas
   • 3. Managing staff review meetings
   • 4. Conducting opening and closing meetings

7. Formulating Audit Results

   • 1. Creating an effective presentation
   • 2. Documenting the findings
   • 3. Closing out audit results

8. Practical Audit

   • 1. There are two complete audits presented in the course. One under the instructor's guidance and another that is conducted by the students and evaluated by the instructor. 50% of the audit score is part of the final score used for certification.

Two program levels: Generalist and Specialist.

1. Introduction · Generalist

   • 1. Objectives and Overview
   • 2. Resources

2. DC Pro Overview · Generalist

   • 1. Benchmarking and PUE
   • 2. DC Pro & PUE Estimator Overview

3. IT Equipment · Generalist

   • 1. IT Equipment Energy Use
   • 2. Provisioning and Loss Minimization

4. Air Management · Generalist

   • 1. Environmental Specifications and Metrics
   • 2. Airflow and Temperature Management

5. Cooling Systems · Generalist

   • 1. Air- and Liquid-Cooled Systems
   • 2. Chilled Water Plant

6. Electrical Systems · Generalist

   • 1. Causes of Energy Inefficiencies
   • 2. Electrical Power Chain

7. Assessment Process Handbook · Generalist

   • 1. Objectives of DCEP Assessments
   • 2. DCEP Assessment Process

8. Data Center Profiler Case Study · Generalist

   • 1. Data Entry / Results
   • 2. Abbreviations and Acronyms

9. HVAC Specialist · Specialist

   • 1. Resources
   • 2. Performance Metrics

10. Air Handlers and Air Conditioners · Specialist

    • 1. HVAC Systems and Air Economizers
    • 2. Indirect Evaporative Coolers and Energy Efficiency

11. Liquid Cooling · Specialist

    • 1. Why and When to Consider Liquid Cooling
    • 2. Cooling Configurations

12. Chilled Water Plants · Specialist

    • 1. Metrics for Identifying Energy Efficiency Opportunities
    • 2. Optimizing Energy Use / Design Considerations

13. Cooling System Controls · Specialist

    • 1. Temperature, Humidity and Airflow Control
    • 2. Cooling Plant Control and IT Equipment Integration

14. Assessment Process · Specialist

    • 1. Role and Purpose of DCEPs
    • 2. DCEP Assessment Process

15. Data Center HVAC Systems Modeling · Specialist

    • 1. Energy Use Modeling
    • 2. Annual Energy Use vs. Annual Energy Cost

16. Environmental Requirements · Specialist

    • 1. Temperature and Humidity Specifications / RCI Compliance Metrics
    • 2. Recommended and Allowable Ranges (ASHRAE / NEBS)

17. Airflow and Temperature Management · Specialist

    • 1. Objectives, Outcomes, Data Collection and Measurements
    • 2. Energy vs. Thermal Performance

18. DOE Air Management Tool · Specialist

    • 1. DOE Tool Suite and Air Management Tool
    • 2. Application Example, Data Entry and Results