R&M Data Center Handbook

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For cabling structure designers, the TIA-942 Tiers offers an appropriate basis to design a data center. The names
show some differences too. TIA-942 uses Latin numbers, whereas the Uptime Institute uses Roman numbering.
Implementation Time and Investment Costs
TIER I TIER II TIER III TIER IV
Implementation time 3 months 3 - 6 months 15 - 20 months 15 - 20 months
Relative investment costs 100% 150% 200% 250%
Costs per square meter ~ $ 4,800 ~ $ 7,200 ~ $ 9,600 ~ $ 12,000
Source: Uptime Institute
2.3. Governance, Risk Management and Compliance
Today, a large number of organizations (public authorities and private companies) rely on modern information and
communication technologies (ICT). Information technology provides the basis for business processes. More and
more companies are therefore highly dependent on IT systems that work flawlessly.
In 2008, the Federal Statistical Agency of German supplied the following information:
• 97% of all companies with more than 10 employees use IT systems;
• 77% of these companies present their products on the Internet;
• 95% of all companies in Germany make use of the Internet.
Since the 1960s, Switzerland ranks second worldwide (behind the U.S.) in terms of using IT. In proportion to the
size of the population, more computers are used in Switzerland than in other European countries.
Of business that suffered a major system failure ...
43%
28%
23%
8%
… never recover
… go out of business
within three years
… are acquired or merge
… fully recover
Source: Wirtschaftswoche magazine, Issue 18, 24 April 1997
Governance, risk management and compliance or GRC is an umbrella term that covers an organization's approach
to these three areas.
Page 26 of 156 © 08/2011 Reichle & De-Massari AG R&M Data Center Handbook V2.0