Setting up your micro data centre at the edge

Edge computing is on the rise, driven by accelerating pervasive digitalisation and further buoyed by the ongoing pandemic. To offer the latency that users demand, organisations are turning to micro facilities at the edge to bring compute and storage closer to users than ever.

So how can you provision a micro data centre in a server closet, within a factory compound, retail store, or corporate office for your organisation? Whether you are upgrading an existing deployment or rolling out a new micro data centre for the first time, here are two considerations to bear in mind.

Deciding what you need

One of the first tasks entails deciding the systems and infrastructure you need, which is typically related to the desired level of availability. At Schneider Electric, our suggestion is to focus on one façade of the micro data centre deployment and create a checklist detailing the various improvements that might make sense.

For instance, the checklist around power might look like the following:

• Do you need an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)?
• Would a UPS with lithium-ion batteries make sense over traditional lead-acid ones?
• Do you need redundant power feeds to your equipment?
• Should servers with dual power supplies be plugged into a second UPS?
• How much UPS runtime do you require?
• Does the business need a diesel generator for extended outages?

Once done, reorder your list to put the improvements that make the largest difference to availability at the top. Then work through the same exercise on various components of your micro data centre, going to cooling, rack, physical security, fire protection, physical security, network connectivity (and diversity), and management.

This exercise essentially gives you a detailed checklist with various qualitatively ranked improvements. The next step is to work out how many of the items can be addressed using the stipulated budget; or whether it needs to be revised.

Deploying the micro data centre

The next step is to implement the various items in the previous section and getting the micro data centre ready for the delivery and installation of IT hardware. Much of the work equipment-wise is typically done by a system integrator, who have the responsibility of advising you and ensuring that the project is finished on time and within budget.

Be sure to assess the site ahead of delivery and installation, even if the system integrator is responsible for preparing your micro data centre for deployment. Common issues to watch out for would include an evaluation of the delivery path so that your new IT systems can be safely moved to the destination.

Finally, don't forget to ensure that the required power circuits are adequate for the loads placed on them and that cooling capacity is sufficient. These are typically handled by the relevant contractors, alongside physical locks and security cameras used to monitor the micro data centre.

To learn more about how you can deploy a micro data centre and ensure it stays available, take a look at the following white papers: Practical guide to ensuring availability at edge computing sites, and Practical guide to preparing edge site sand installing micro data centres.