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WES field engineering services are designed to address the specific needs at any particular site. This includes baseline and ongoing services that can be implemented either proactively or reactively.
Field Engineering Assessments
Maintaining an appropriate environment for mission critical hardware is an essential component of system availability.
Worldwide Environmental Services - WES - is a global provider of high availability environmental assessment, design and remediation services for mission critical computer facilities. WES has performed more than 5000 engagements at customer facilities in over 30 countries over the past 25 years, and has partnered with leading computer hardware manufacturers and services companies to provide integrated solutions at customer sites spanning all markets. As an industry leader with a unique knowledge-base, WES is committed to raising industry awareness regarding the impact of the environment on mission critical computer equipment and providing services and solutions to help customers avoid unplanned downtime.
The Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a comprehensive environmental evaluation designed specifically for computer facilities, concentrating on factors that affect hardware reliability and system availability. This service focuses both on actual room conditions at the time of the assessment as well as the ability of the facility to provide stable and appropriate conditions that consistently meet the specific requirements of the hardware. It provides both a useful baseline of conditions, as well as identification of actual problems and potential susceptibilities that could impact hardware operations. Each assessment is dynamically tailored to the specific requirements dictated by the individual site.
The Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) focuses on the following core elements:
- Visual examination & photo-documentation of conditions
- Temperature & relative humidity measurement throughout room and at hardware intakes
- Long-term temperature & relative humidity monitoring
- Air distribution assessment
- Cabinet / rack design and placement assessment
- Environmental support equipment design and installation assessment
- Perimeter integrity inspection
- Contaminant source identification
- Airborne particulate & gas concentration measurements
- Laboratory analysis of field samples
- Practices and procedures (cleaning, maintenance, etc.) assessment
- General safety & security inspection
- General electrical infrastructure & grounding review
- Computer room practices
- Future planning considerations
The
Environmental & Power Site Assessment (EPSA)
includes the following additional areas:
- Inspection of the accessible electrical distribution system serving critical subject areas
- Examination of critical equipment and supplemental grounding systems and practices.
- Examination of Building Monitoring System (BMS) and available site data & documentation
- Interviews with relevant site personnel regarding electrical system & critical hardware
- Short-term power quality measurements at accessible and approved points.
Both of these services include a detailed site inspection, comprehensive report and presentation of findings.
Infrastructure Services WES Infrastructure Services focus on the often overlooked critical components of the data processing center. These services will be custom tailored to meet the sites specific requirements.
Air Distribution Optimization Program
The WES staff will make adjustments to air distribution tile placement and the number of tiles in an effort to optimize conditioned air distribution efficiency within the existing design of the subject area. Additional actions may include resizing or filling access floor cut-outs, or adjusting environmental support equipment set-points.
Hardware Cabinet Evaluation
WES will examine the existing cabinets in regard to their appropriateness for the installed hardware, or evaluation of prospective designs in relation to planned hardware designs. At the completion of this service documentation of findings and recommendations for optimization within existing design or replacement (if necessary) will be provided.
Equipment Inventory Service
The WES staff will create a physical inventory of the hardware within subject data processing area. This inventory typically includes: manufacturer, model, serial number, customer reference number & room coordinates. The inventory may also include the manufacturer specifications for systems (kVA, BTU/hr, etc).
Equipment Inventory w/ Circuit Identification
A physical inventory of the site hardware, as per the Equipment Inventory Service above will be created with the addition of circuit identification for subject systems. The inventory includes documentation of circuits with existing hardware. This service may be contracted with optional labeling of cables, outlets, and hardware.
Power Related Studies and Services
Power quality is critical for the operation of every data center. WES has developed a wide range of power engineering services that will help you maintain a reliable power supply.
Short-Circuit Study
Review of existing one-line drawings (drawings will need to be created if they do not exist). Maximum available fault current calculated at each significant point in system and each interrupting protective device is analyzed to determine whether it is appropriately designed and sized.
Short circuits and fault currents pose a significant destructive threat to electrical distribution systems. A baseline short-circuit study should be conducted when the electrical system is designed and the study should be updated any time significant changes are made to the system.
Coordination Study
Examination of electrical system and available documentation to ensure that over-current protection devices are properly designed and coordinated. This will ensure that the triggering of one device does not affect other devices upstream from it. Findings include time-current coordination curves illustrating coordination among the devices shown on the one-line diagram to maximize coordination and selectivity.
A coordination study should be conducted any time significant changes are made to the electrical distribution system or load.
Short-Circuit & Coordination Study
This is a combination of the Short-Circuit Study and Coordination Study.
Electrical Distribution System Infra-red Scan
Examination of the electrical distribution system utilizing infra-red (IR) cameras and thermometers to locate high-resistance connections that can lead to nuisance breaker tripping or fires.
An IR scan should be part of the yearly maintenance program, particularly in critical distribution systems. This study does not require an interruption of any electrical equipment but the scope of the study is determined by the access allowed by the customer. Cabinet or panel covers must be removed to perform testing.
Transient Voltage Surge Suppression Survey
Examination of the electrical distribution system, included documentation of existing Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS) and recommendations for modifications to the existing system or installation of additional equipment.
High-energy, short-duration electrical disturbances (surges) can disrupt, damage, or destroy electronic or microprocessor-based equipment. Surges can be caused by external events (lightning, utility capacitor switching, etc.) or can be generated within the facility (motor on/off, transformers, photocopiers, printers, etc.). If properly placed and installed, TVSS devices can divert this energy.
Monitoring Programs and Services
Maintaining an efficient and appropriate environment for mission critical hardware is an essential component of system availability.
The WES Environmental Monitoring & Support Program (EMP) is a program of periodic site assessments and remote technical support designed to provide practical assistance with the issues that arise in a complex and dynamic facility. It provides many of the same benefits as the Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), with the addition of direct assistance for implementation of corrective actions and an ongoing resource to address both existing issues and future planning needs.
The program includes the following major work elements:
- On-site Testing - Temperature, relative humidity, air distribution, particulate concentrations, etc.
- Specialized Testing - Focused testing for power quality, contaminant analysis, life-safety issues, etc., conducted on rotating or as-needed basis
- Physical Examination - Visual inspection of conditions in room, plenum, hardware, environmental support equipment, etc.
- Equipment & Cabinets - Configuration, layout, influences from other hardware or A/C, conditions, air distribution, specifications, etc.
- Monitoring - Examination of monitoring equipment & data, installation of short-term data-loggers
- Control - Sensor calibration checks, set-point modifications, coordination with support personnel
- Air Distribution Optimization - Relocation of air distribution tiles, assistance with addressing oversized floor-cut-outs, perimeter plenum inspections, etc.
- Future Planning - Assistance to site personnel in planning or modifying hardware layout, cabinet design, environmental support equipment, etc.
- Technical Resources - Assistance with technical issues, hardware specifications, industry standards, etc.
- Technical Assistance - Coordination with internal groups, maintenance companies, contractors, etc. regarding environmental issues
- Training - Limited on-site or remote training available regarding environmental awareness or specific issues (such as cleaning practices)
- Ongoing Trending - Historical data and evaluation of trend conditions measured during site visits
- Site Visit Reports - Reports detailing site conditions, findings and recommendations
- Remote Technical Support - Availability for remote consulting via telephone, mail or email
Options for varying contract duration or number of visits per year are available, but all programs include remote support for the duration of the contract.
Contamination Assessments
Working as a team with our customers, WES provides a full complement of services to help eliminate existing and potential threats to hardware reliability and uptime.
Zinc Whisker Identification
Examination of strategically chosen points within the subject environment to determine the presence of zinc whisker contamination. This would include identification of the source (such as access floor tile surfaces), as well as airborne sampling and sampling at migration points. Contaminant identification focuses not only on elemental composition but also on characteristic morphology.
Contaminant Assessment
A focused examination of data center subject area or specific equipment designed to identify the presence or nature of specific contamination. This may focus on a known event such as a fire, flood, or identification of an unknown contaminant within the subject area.
Laboratory Analysis
Field sample analysis, filter analysis, or component analysis performed in an effort to identify contaminants or other environmental factors involved in hardware failures.
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