UNCOVERING THE LAYERS
ENSURING EFFECTIVE LOADBANK TESTING IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR DATA CENTRE PROVIDERS LOOKING TO SAFEGUARD PERFORMANCE AND AVOID CATASTROPHIC , DOWNTIME- RELATED CONSEQUENCES . can reduce ongoing OpEx costs . Data gleaned from these testing processes can also be used for benchmarking purposes , with metrics used to evaluate performance trends and how potential changes impact the overall system . Consequently , data centre owners and operators can be assured their facility has been extensively tested , inefficiencies have been pinpointed , and statisticallyinformed performance optimisation and predictive strategies can be put in place .
Best of both worlds
However , commissioning professionals must also be able to provide the best of both worlds – global standardisation and an awareness of local conditions . It bears repeating that no two sites are the same , with each having unique , pressing and newly developing concerns that could disrupt data centre operations .
For example , the Nordics region ’ s colder climate can affect humidity and moisture levels on a construction site that , if left unchecked , could lead to system failure . But as well as this , testing professionals need to be aware of climate change ’ s impact on the region , with areas such as Lapland experiencing record-high temperatures earlier this year .
Such differing temperatures necessitates an agile equipment procurement strategy throughout the year . Conversely , it also demonstrates the danger of not adopting more flexibility in this approach , as effective testing will not have been carried out in all environments under full load demand conditions .
Total cost of ownership
When considering the viability of loadbank testing , it ’ s important to note the total cost of ownership over a facility ’ s lifetime . Such processes , carried out by sector experts , will result in more efficient operations and bolster the resilience of key critical infrastructure , alongside providing owners and operators with peace of mind that their facility will remain resilient even under highly demanding conditions . However , achieving this may be difficult in a market currently suffering from skills shortages but still experiencing soaring demand for new projects .
In such scenarios , the ability to provide assurances on budgets and timescales is vital . Aggreko , for example , can deploy large teams to Nordics-based data centre operators and contractors , providing multiple or single combined resistive and reactive loadbanks , as well as DC loadbanks and resistive-only AC loadbanks .
These solutions can be used on single or three phrase and available in different sizes , with remote operation possible through hand-held devices and laptops .
Data collection via this means can then be used for both loadbank testing and future strategies , further maintaining performance levels .
Ensuring effective loadbank testing is a huge priority for data centre providers looking to safeguard performance and avoid catastrophic , downtime-related consequences . With the Nordic data construction market currently under pressure due to skills shortages at a time of skyrocketing demand , readily accessible third-party expertise may be key to costeffectively addressing this situation while ensuring resilience facilities . ◊
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