Data center Tiers (I-IV) Explained

Data Center Tiers (I-IV) Classification as per Uptime Institute

What do Data center Tiers signify?

• Tier classifications in a data center signify a standardized methodology used to describe site level infrastructure required to sustain data center infrastructure analyzing its expected availability (performance), functionality and capacity.

The 4 Data Center Tiers

• Tier 1- Basic Data center Site Infrastructure

• Tier 2 - Redundant Site Infrastructure Capacity Components

• Tier 3- Concurrently Maintainable Site Infrastructure

• Tier 4- Fault Tolerant Site Infrastructure

Evaluation Parameters of Data Center Tiers

• The Tier number designation to any data center is based on the evaluation of following parameters

• Investment• ROI (return on investment)• Infrastructure

Tier 1- Data center Site Basic Infrastructure

• Expected Availability- 99.671% Uptime/year• No redundancy• 28.8 hrs of downtime/year• Susceptible to operational & human errors• Demands annual maintenance requiring site-

wide shutdown

Tier 2 - Redundant Site Infrastructure Capacity Components

• Expected Uptime- 99.749% Uptime/year• Partial redundancy in power and cooling• Experiences 22 hours of downtime/year• Susceptible to operational & human errors• Demands annual maintenance requiring site-

wide shutdown• Component removal doesn’t impacts

computer equipment

Tier 3- Concurrently Maintainable Site Infrastructure

• Expected availability- 99.982% Uptime/year • Max 1.6 hrs of downtime/year• N+1 fault tolerant providing at least 72 hours

power outage protection• Facility to manage maintenance periods without

affecting the continuity of service on the servers• Less susceptible to operational & human errors• Annual maintenance without operational

shutdowns

Tier 4- Fault Tolerant Site Infrastructure

• Expected availability- 99.995% Uptime/year • 2N+1 fully redundant & fault tolerant

infrastructure • 26.3 minutes downtime/year• Not susceptible to operational & human

errors• Annual maintenance without operational

shutdowns

Data Center Tiers Summed Up

• Tier 1 = Non-redundant capacity components (single uplink and servers).

• Tier 2 = Tier 1 + Redundant capacity components• Tier 3 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Dual-powered

equipment and multiple uplinks.• Tier 4 = Tier 1 + Tier 2 + Tier 3 + all components

are fully fault-tolerant including uplinks, storage, chillers, HVAC systems, servers etc.

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