Successfully commissioning data centers: From project to operational readiness

Installation projects in data centres do not end with the final cable being laid or the completion of the functional test. What is crucial for long-term success is that the handover to the operations team is structured, well-documented, and seamless. This involves not only completing the work on schedule, but also providing comprehensive documentation and planning for maintenance and service.

In this interview, Samuel Premkumar, Senior Executive for Services at Rosenberger OSI, shares insights into how such transitions are managed in practice and what is essential to ensure smooth data centre operations right from the start.

Table of contents:

• How do you make sure that installations are completed on time?
• How is the installed infrastructure handed over to the operations team?
• What documentation is provided for the operating personnel?
• What long-term maintenance and service plans are drawn up after installation?

The installed infrastructure is handed over to the operations team in a number of clearly structured steps. Smaller-scale partial acceptances may be performed during the project in order to make sure that individual sections of the installation meet the requirements. These partial acceptances provide an opportunity to identify and remedy anomalies at an early stage.

At the end of the project, an overall acceptance is then performed together with the customer. During this, all of the installed infrastructure is inspected and accepted by all the parties – including by the customer. Every acceptance is logged in order to provide clear proof of the inspections performed and the quality of the work.

The associated measurement reports can either be called up electronically or be made available as hardcopy if required, depending on the form of documentation that the customer prefers. This handover ensures that the operations team receives all the information it needs to operate the infrastructure correctly and be in a position to react quickly if problems occur.

The type of documentation depends primarily on what the customer wants and what requirements they place on the infrastructure. However, we offer various documentary elements to support the operating personnel as standard.

• Routing plans: This documentation shows the precise routing of the cables and makes it possible to understand the layout of the infrastructure and precisely localize any required maintenance work.
• Cabling diagrams: Another option is to provide cabling diagrams that contain a visual presentation of the cable connections and structures.
• Port assignment plan: This plan contains all the relevant information on the individual ports, including the cabinet ID, HU (height unit) and port specifications. This makes it easy for the operating personnel to determine exactly which port is connected with which device and how the cabling is organized.

At Rosenberger OSI, the long-term maintenance and service plans are highly customer-specific because we tailor our service to the customer’s particular requirements. In the data center sector, in particular, we offer a range of bespoke maintenance and service solutions designed to meet the customer’s specific needs.

One key element is the definition of Service Level Agreements(SLAs), which set out predefined metrics and reactiontimes for rectification. These SLAs guarantee clearly defined performance levels and reaction times in the event of malfunctions.

In addition, we can supply personnel to ensure efficient operation and offer planning services for future extensions or adaptations to the infrastructure. Depending on the customer’s requirements, we can also provide stand-by services to ensure a rapid response to any problems that arise.

All these services are defined at the contractual level in order to guarantee transparency for the customer and permit reliable planning.