R&M Data Center Handbook

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Moreover, the influence factor of external consultants and experts needs to also be taken into account, the most
important ones being:
• Consultants held in high esteem by a company's management and contracted to provide support with a
project.
• Data center planners who are consulted because of their special know-how and relevant reference
projects.
• Suppliers of hardware, software and data center equipment who are interested in selling their products. If
there is a longstanding business relationship, their recommendations must not be underestimated.
Moreover, they are certain to have advance information on the ongoing project.
• Installers (electrical work, cabling measures) who did good work for the company in the past. Their
preference for systems and solutions as well as a good price offer usually leads to successful recommendations.
• Suppliers like system integrators and technology partners who have successfully worked for the company
before.
• Partner companies with specific requirements for their suppliers and partner companies, with longstanding
contacts at management level exchanging recommendations.
• Rental property owners who adopted the facility management in their lease terms.
Service Data Centers
Corporate group directives
Management
In-hous
Technical department, operations,
head of projects
Network management
Procurement
External
Consultants, data
center planners
Suppliers, installers,
service providers
Partner companies
Rental property
owners
Here, the main influencers are the:
• technical department (operations) and
• network management
When larger tasks are planned (extensions, conversions, new constructions or individual customer projects)
project groups are formed. They prepare the management decisions. Most of these organizations work with a flat
hierarchy, and the decision-makers are to be found in management.
With global data center operators, specifications for products and partners are being increasingly managed
centrally.
Here too, the influence of external consultants and experts is considerable.
As a rule, data center planners (engineering firms, specialized consultancy firms) take on the overall planning of a
data center – i.e. from finding the right location, to the building shell, safety and fire protection facilities, power
supply and raised floor design. In some cases, they are also involved with the selection of server cabinets but they
are usually not concerned with passive telecommunications infrastructures.
However, the market is undergoing changes. Data center planners are often commissioned to take on the entire
project (new construction, extension, upgrade), including the passive telecommunications infrastructure. They
usually work together in a partnership with industry-specific companies for individual projects. Often these planners
also support tendering and contracting procedures and are consulted by management on decision processes.
Page 38 of 156 © 08/2011 Reichle & De-Massari AG R&M Data Center Handbook V2.0