Data Center Handbook

5Data Center Site Search and Selection

Ken Baudry

K.J. Baudry, Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA

5.1 Introduction

Almost all data center disasters can be traced back to poor decisions in the selection, design, construction, or maintenance of the facility. This chapter will help you find the right combination and eliminate poor site selection as a cause of failure. It begins with setting objectives and building a team, examining the process, and selection considerations. The chapter concludes with a look at industry trends and how they may affect site selection.

Site selection is the process of identification, evaluation, and, ultimately, selection of a single site. In this context, a “site” is a community, city, or other populated area with a base of infrastructure (streets and utilities) and core services such as police, fire, and safety, education, and parks and recreation. This definition is not meant to eliminate a location in the middle of a nowhere, the proverbial “corn field” location. However, experience indicates that unless an organization is really set on that idea, there are few such locations that have the key utilities (power and fiber) and core required to support a data center. Most organizations back away from this idea as they estimate the cost and logistics of operating such a facility.

Site search and selection can be as comprehensive or as simple as necessary to meet the goals of the organization. In practice, it consists of asking a lot of questions, gathering information, ...