By Nico Ninov, Data Center Segment Manager of ABB Smart Buildings
Expanding Data Centers more quickly to rapidly generate profit is an increasingly important aspect especially considering that the global “colocation” market -a space rental service for servers- is expected to grow to more than 62 billion dollars by the end of 2022, more than twice the growth rate of 20171.
In order to keep pace with these market requirements, ABB has developed a range of solutions and strategies designed to help clients in the colocation field put their infrastructure into service faster and achieve profit more quickly.
The goal is to allow colocation providers to avoid excessive investments in expansion which would remain partially inactive for long periods, generating losses instead of profits. In this context, ABB has developed the “pay-as-you-grow” approach: a range of solutions and strategies designed to help clients in the colocation field put their infrastructure into service faster and achieve profit even quicker.
The days of the “stick-built” Data Center are numbered
Building a Data Center entirely on site using the traditional “stick-built” – piece-by-piece – method can take 18 to 24 months or even longer. For a typical colocation site, each month of inactivity represents the loss of around 1.5 million USD2: the shorter the construction or development time, the sooner our clients can turn a profit. When it comes to the speed at which a Data Center is built, time really is money.
By working with the right solution provider, Data Center owners can benefit from tried and tested solutions able to reduce implementation times by 30 to 50%.
In light of this, ABB has defined three strategies designed to accelerate Data Center construction times.
1) Use of advanced online tools for fast, accurate configuration
Planning the energy distribution in Data Centers can be complex, demanding and subject to errors.
Consultants, Design Engineers can make use of a Server Room Sub-Distribution Configurator to create and visualize their sub-distribution layouts and receive a bill of material – a complete list of components with their related quantity and technical information required to build a Data Center- in no time.
With 3D visual interface, this configurator provides a detailed wiring diagram of the power distribution system in just a few simple steps, optimized based on energy density, safety and flexibility.
2) Digitization to facilitate implementation of solutions
Digitization is commonly associated with improved Data Center conditions and visibility, contributing to more rapid implementation and profitability. Choosing digital solutions for equipment such as a distribution board is another way to increase the speed of implementation.
Thanks to the collection and analysis of data, connectivity-based solutions can optimize the administration of assets through the monitoring and control of costs and operations. A good example of such a solution is the System pro M compact® InSite range from ABB, composed of a series of energy and resource management solutions for intelligent, scalable and more efficient sub distribution from the point of view of consumption and continuity of operations. The system gathers data from devices such as energy and power meters, analyzes them and makes them available for optimization and automated monitoring in the field, reducing installation and configuration times, eliminating downtime and keeping costs in check.
3) Modular and pre-engineered solutions to promote scalability and support faster builds
The traditional approach, which involves planning, design and fabrication in-situ, is highly time-consuming. The move to modern, modular and pre-configured solutions allows for significant timeframe reduction, accelerating income generation. This also applies to the power-supply side.
The remote power panel (RPP) built with ABB’s SMISSLINE TP’s is a good example of how pre-engineered solutions can optimize processes. These power protection modules, already factory-tested, meet all standards and regulations, saving time and certification costs dramatically.
The configurable remote power panels are the ideal solution for Data Center engineers, as they can save time for planning and drawing since they meet 80% of the typical Data Center market application.
These three strategic elements from ABB allow owners and operators of Data Centers to accelerate the development of their structures and to obtain returns more quickly without sacrificing functionality, reliability and safety.
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Sources
1. Marketsandmarkets – Data Center Colocation Market – Global Forecast to 2022
2. https://www.abb-conversations.com/2022/02/the-need-for-speed-abb-helps-to-develop-data-centers-between-30-and-50-percent-faster/
About the author
Nico Ninov is the Data Center Segment Manager of ABB Smart Buildings since October 2018. In this position he has full accountability for the global marketing and sales activities of the Smart Buildings business in ABB towards the data center segment. Smart Buildings Division includes a broad portfolio of market leading protection devices and building automation solutions as well as the portfolio for LV energy distribution in data centers After starting his career in Germany back in 2009 as a Product Manager for Smart Home Applications at Busch-Jaeger, a leading supplier of home and building automation solutions, Nico built global leadership experience with ABB Switzerland, a multinational industrial company, where he held various leadership positions in the e-mobility and data center business areas. Nico joined the Global Data Center Team of ABB in August 2015 as Low Voltage Global Marketing Manager. In October 2018, he was promoted to Global Segment Manager to lead the data center business of the Smart Buildings Division of ABB. Nico holds a diploma degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Applied Science in Gelsenkirchen, Germany and he currently resides in Flurlingen, Switzerland. Being a tech savvy and passionate of new technologies, in February 2016 Nico founded the dronemaps24 platform by nicopter GmbH, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland with its own independent drone pilots’ fleet all over Europe.
