When operating a data center, you need several different systems to work seamlessly together. Three of the most important systems are power supply, load testing and cooling of the facility. At Pon Energy Rental, we can provide temporary solutions and back-up systems for both power and cooling for data centers.
Since we delivered our first solution in 2014, solutions for data centers have been an exciting part of our operations. Today, we have several customers who operate data centers across large parts of Eastern Norway and Central Europe. Data centers have emerged as an exciting industry, and it will be just as exciting to work with in the years to come.
Today we sat down to have a conversation with our Sales Engineer, Caroline Thon. She has worked with several of our data center customers and can tell us about an exciting development. Today, we deliver good solutions that create security and efficiency for our customers.
Data centers – always evolving
Today, there are many ways to define what a data center really is. For Caroline, who works closely with our data center customers, there is one definition in particular that presents the core of the function better than the others.
– The National Security Authority (NSM) describes a data center as an installation where digital services are produced, meaning they are processed and stored. Furthermore, they point out that the size of such an installation can vary from rooms with a few racks to large facilities with hundreds of racks. “These cabinets house servers, as well as network and storage equipment,” Caroline explains.
“As a society, we are currently depending on data centers to ensure the proper maintenance of emergency networks, internet access and TV signals, to name a few. If the systems malfunction it can quickly lead to major consequences if there is no back-up solution for power supply and cooling.
Pon Energy Rental offers temporary systems for the supply of power and cooling systems, so that data centers under construction, or that need to carry out maintenance of their fixed installations, can relieve these for periods of time without compromising operations.
Temporary power to data centers
Based on the above definition, we quickly get an idea of how dependent data centers are on a continuous and efficient supply of power. In cases where a data center is under construction, repairs or service are to be carried out on the power system, or in the worst-case scenario that there are not good enough conditions for the supply of power to the facility where it is located – external back-up systems can be brought in.
This is provided by us in Pon Energy Rental, and we tailor all solutions to the specific needs of the various data centers.
– We have delivered solutions to both critical facilities and commercial data centers over the past few years. For example, we are called in as an external supplier when there are delays in the delivery of the fixed power installation, time for maintenance and routine inspections of the installations at the building,” Caroline explains.
She goes on to say that they can supply back-up systems for power and cooling for both large and small data centers.
– “When it comes to temporary solutions, we have delivered generators from 100kVA on wheels to 15MW.
Among other things, we have delivered back-up generators to a data center in Rjukan, Norway consisting of a 2000 kVA, a 1500 kVA and a 1250 kVA generator. These are only connected to the building and start if there is a power failure, so they don’t have downtime and lose valuable time and data,” Caroline continues.
Cooling is one of the most important services we can provide to data centers today. There can be major consequences if a data center doesn’t have an adequate cooling system and they experience overheating of the components. Caroline tells us a little more about the importance of cooling.
Cooling for data centers
Ever since our first delivery in 2014, we have provided temporary cooling solutions for data centers that are either waiting for permanent installations or are carrying out maintenance and service on their systems.
Serious consequences can arise if the cooling of the building or the power supply stops for short or long periods. It is therefore crucial that all data centers have good backup systems in place.
– ” If cooling systems do not function properly, important storage and data can be lost,” Caroline explains.
She goes on to say that if there is downtime in the digital infrastructure, all services will be affected.
– If the infrastructure has not taken robustness and security into account to a sufficient degree, this can lead to major problems. “The services affected include mobile services, internet access, TV, radio, the Armed Forces’ various network services and emergency network services,” Caroline concludes.
“Today, a data center delivers services that many of us consumers take for granted, which is precisely why it is so crucial that we manage to maintain this. To ensure that the solutions we deliver meet all requirements, we perform load tests. We perform them on both our temporary solutions and on the permanent installations before we disconnect the temporary solution to ensure the reliability of the machines.
Load testing ensures quality of delivery
At Pon Energy Rental, we perform load testing to ensure that the fixed installation of generators delivers what it guarantees. We connect the equipment to a load bank that can gradually increase the load on the generator. Caroline explains a little more about how this works in practice.
– ” For example, let’s assume that the customer has ordered twelve generators that will deliver 3 MW per generator. The load banks will then be able to test each generator to ensure that this is the power output that is actually being supplied. This tells us, among other things, that the installation is properly executed, that it responds correctly in the event of a power outage and not least, that it can withstand the load it is supposed to,” Caroline concludes.
Anyone who uses generators should carry out a load test to ensure that all functions are working properly before they are put into use, so that any faults and defects can be identified before the machines are put into use and critical operational problems can be avoided.
Please contact us if you would like more information about the solutions we can offer your project. Here at Pon Energy Rental, we are committed to sharing our expertise so that we can deliver efficient, safe and environmentally friendly services to all our customers.
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