1. Tier Certification Explained
Keith Klesner
Senior Vice President North America
Uptime Institute

2. The Global Data Center Authority
706 Certifications in 71 Countries – Tier Cert count
84 MOSA in 16 Countries – MOSA count
9 EIT in 3 Countries – EIT SOA & ACT count
= 799 rounding up and adding + because we’ve done more Tier than what the count shows

3. Summary
What is the Tier Certification Process?
The vast majority of data centers do not perform as designed on day one.
What are the common mistakes or deficiencies that lead to project failures?
How can companies prepare for project success when considering a Tier and Operations Certification?

4. Tier Classification System vs Tier Certification
Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System was developed two decades ago as a flexible system to rate data center facility infrastructure based on performance criteria.
Tier Certification is a performance-based evaluation of a data center’s specific infrastructure, solely performed by Uptime Institute. The process ensures that a data center has been constructed as designed, and is it capable of meeting the defined Tier requirements.

5. Summary Tier Requirements
The Tiers (I-IV) are progressive; each Tier incorporates the requirements of all the lower Tiers.
Tier I – Basic Capacity
Tier II – Redundant Components
Tier III – Concurrently Maintainable (Applies to EACH and EVERY component and path)
Tier IV – Fault Tolerant
See Uptime Institute Tier Standard: Topology for more information

6. Why Tier Certification?
With multiple vendors, subcontractors, and typically more than 50 different disciplines involved in any data center project— structural, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, fuel pumps, networking, and more—it would be remarkable if there were no errors introduced or corner cut during the construction process.

7. Tier Certification: How it Works, Part 1
Data Center Owner Defines Tier Requirement Uptime Institute reviews design documents, ensuring that each and every electrical, mechanical, monitoring, and automation subsystem meets the Tier objective requirements. Uptime Institute reports findings to the owner, noting any deficiencies. The owner’s team revises the drawings to address any deficiencies.

8. Tier Certification: How it Works, Part 2
Uptime Institute evaluates revised design drawings and ensures any deficiencies have been corrected. Tier Certification of Design Documents foil may be awarded at this time. Following commissioning, Uptime Institute Consultants conduct a site visit, with live system demonstrations under real-world conditions, validating performance.

9. Benefits of Tier and Operations Certification
Ensures data center facilities investment meets business requirements
Enterprise—Recognizes organizational accomplishment
Service Providers – Use for competitive differentiation and supporting tenant due diligence
Operations certification addresses the human factor and drive continuous improvement

10. 1000+ Certifications in over 80 Countries

11. Outages and errors are still rampant
New data from surveys and field reports
Outages and errors are still rampant

12. Survey Stats: Outages Still Rampant
Nearly 50% of Enterprise IT organizations responding to Uptime Institute’s Annual Industry Survey experienced a business impacting outage in their own data centers in a 12 month period. Nearly 1/3 had experienced a business impacting outage at a colocation provider’s site.

13. Recent Analysis of 200+ Tier Certifications:
Uptime Institute Consultants found system faults in nearly every Tier Certification site visit.
The vast majority of data center sites do not operate as designed/installed on day one.
Data center owners comment that the Tier Certification demonstrations were more rigorous than their commissioning program.
Tier Certification is a failsafe against a data center that doesn’t work day 1, or worse in year 5.

14. There is a data center somewhere…

15. Avoiding common points of project failure
What goes wrong
Avoiding common points of project failure

16. The Devil is in the Details
Common shortcuts that would defeat the Tier objective include:
Eliminating valves needed for Concurrent Maintainability
Reducing the number of automatic transfer switches (ATS) by consolidating equipment onto a single ATS
Deploying one distinct panel rather than two, confounding Fault Tolerance
Integrating economizer and energy-efficiency systems in a way that does not allow for Concurrent Maintainability or Fault Tolerant operation

17. Ensure adequate commissioning
Time and budget must be dedicated to a full commissioning program
Representative load banks should be installed in the data center for the design IT load
Test power and cooling together to ensure that the data center operates as designed in all specified maintenance and failure scenarios.
All equipment and systems should be functioning as specified, and changes from the design intent should be minimal and insignificant.

18. Operation focus is key to long-term success
Integrate operations concept as part of the project planning and design process
Involve operations staff to influence design and learn from commissioning
Follow industry Operational Sustainability model
Don’t underestimate value of regular assessment and certification to acknowledge operations drive continuous improvement

19. Conclusions
There are more ongoing Tier Certifications today than at any point in history.
The vast majority of even the world’s most elite data center sites do not operate as designed/installed on day one.
Tier Certification is achievable if you follow Uptime Institute’s guidance.

20. Thank you
Keith Klesner, Uptime Institute