One of the outcomes from integrating of the central departments of Information Technology for the UW-Extension and Colleges was the build out of an Enterprise Data Center.

The new facility has full environmental controls and tight security access. It will house the new infrastructure for the integrated operations of the Colleges and Extension, and provide controlled DC space for other Madison departments. The Data Center will be ready for occupancy in 2008.

Specifications

• 544 sq ft facility
• 80kW of electrical power available for powering a computing equipment that is conditioned and protected via the UPS in an N+1 battery configuration
• An onsite diesel generator with capacity to supply an electrical current of 150 amps at 480 volts in event of loss of main power
• Computer systems located in the Data Center will be set up with a minimum runtime to convert to backup electrical power
• Cooling is provided via 6 chilled water In-row air conditioning units
• The air conditioners capture heat directly from the hot aisle in the rack configuration and distribute cool air
  • ensures failover protection and regulates temperatures to set point conditions
  • energy-efficient design lowers total cost of ownership by monitoring IT equipment inlet temperatures to modulate capacity based on the demand for cooling
• The physical layout of the data center is 2 rows of 8 42U racks numbering 1-16
  • can accommodate up to 672 physical servers
• The data center is protected by a water sprinkler system
  • sensors in the Data Center can detect any leaks of water that may occur
• Environmental conditions within the room, including smoke, temperature, humidity, water, and door positions are monitored 24x7 by an online system which can notify staff via email, page, and phone in cases of emergency
• Perimeter security for the data center will be provided by electronic card readers
  • provides an audit trail of who has accessed the facility
  • video surveillance is also configured within the Data Center
  • remote KVM console and RILO controls for servers housed within the Data Center allows staff to have full control of equipment without requiring physical access