Data Center Industry Standards: A Primer

Data centers are highly complex, with near-infinite variations. However, they share a common objective — the reliable delivery of IT services. Over time, various groups have documented methods that are calculated to achieve this result. Some of these methods have been formalized into standards.

The data center industry has dozens of standards covering every aspect of design, operations, and management. Standards serve as a roadmap for data center operators and help customers gauge the data center’s ability to meet certain basic requirements.

Standards vs. Best Practices

The terms “standards” and “best practices” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts. Standards are agreed-upon and repeatable methods that are formally adopted by an authority or by general consent. They are general enough to allow flexibility but specific enough to ensure consistency. 

Best practices are widely accepted techniques and processes that have been proven through use to achieve a particular goal. Following best practices can help data center operators meet and maintain compliance with standards. 

Performance Standards

Performance standards are designed to help data center operators ensure the overall efficiency and reliability of their facilities. They tend to focus on design and buildout, although some also cover maintenance and management. They’re often measured with data center performance metrics such as power usage effectiveness (PUE).

Uptime Institute Tier Standard

The Uptime Institute groups data centers into four “tiers” according to the percentage of availability:

• Tier I — 99.671 percent availability (28.8 hours of downtime annually)
• Tier II — 99.749 percent availability (22.7 hours of downtime annually)
• Tier III — 99.982 percent availability (1.6 hours of downtime annually)
• Tier IV — 99.995 percent availability (25 minutes of downtime annually)

The Uptime Institute Tier Standard provides guidance on the redundancy and fault tolerance needed to achieve each level of availability. The standard is meant to be used during data center design, construction, and commissioning.

ANSI / TIA 942-A

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is accredited by the American National Standards Institute as a standards-developing organization. ANSI / TIA 942-A is an international redundancy and reliability standard, roughly based on the Uptime Institute’s tiers. The standard covers all elements of the data center's physical infrastructure, including architectural, electrical, fire safety, mechanical, security, and telecom systems. It is publicly available and continually updated to reflect evolving technologies and design principles.

EN 50600

EN 50600 is a European standard covering data center planning, design, construction, and operation. It was developed by CENELEC, the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization. The standard is divided into four primary sections:

• EN 50600-1 — Overview
• EN 50600-2 — Design
• EN 50600-3 — Operations and management 
• EN 50600-4 — Key performance indicators

Subsections cover building construction, power distribution, environmental controls, cabling, and security systems. Facilities are ranked according to Classes 1 through 4.

ASHRAE Standard 90.4

Developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE Standard 90.4 sets minimum standards for data center energy efficiency. It specifies requirements for mechanical and electrical systems installed in new and existing data centers based on the power load.

Operational Standards

Operational standards recognize that effective maintenance and management play a vital role in data center performance. They provide a framework for the development and execution of operational policies and practices that help ensure reliability, security, and sustainability.

SSAE 16 / ISAE 3402

SSAE 16 and ISAE 3402 are auditing standards for reporting on the controls used by service organizations such as data centers. At a high level, SSAE 16 is a U.S. standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Account, and ISAE 3402 is a global version developed by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. The reports issued from these assessments provide visibility into a data center’s operational integrity.

BICSI 009

Building Industry Consulting Service International is an association of information and communications technology professionals. BISCI 009 is an open standard covering data center operations, maintenance, management, security, and emergency response. It was developed by volunteers who drew upon their experience in the data center industry.

ISO 14000

ISO 14000 is a family of standards designed to help organizations minimize the negative environmental impacts of their operations. The standard includes the following subtopics:

• 14001 — Environmental management systems
• 14002 — Environmental auditing
• 14003 — Environmental labeling 
• 14004 — Environmental performance evaluation
• 14005 — Lifecycle assessment
• 14006 — Greenhouse gas and climate change management

ISO 14000 provides comprehensive guidance for environmental management.

Proudly Supporting Data Center Industry Standards

Enconnex products are engineered to deliver the highest levels of performance, efficiency, and flexibility. Our team has real-world experience with data centers worldwide and can deliver solutions that help meet or exceed data center industry standards. We are proud to have achieved both ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications. Learn more about our commitment to quality and our environmental impact and get in touch today.