2. Getting involved
3. Standards Committees
4. DKE

DKE German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies of DIN and VDE

Overview

In modern information society, data centres are the control and storage centres for the electronic data exchange. The ever-growing performance requirements for data centres as well as the unlimited growth of their energy demand call for approved technical specifications that enable the planner and the operator to plan, expand and operate a data centre according to the state of the art in a future-proof manner. This includes requirements for the availability of the services of the data centre, its energy efficiency and economic aspects, amongst others. Of cause there are standards for the components and subsystems used in data centres (for example, for uninterrupted power supply), a standard suitable for the European market for the design, planning, procurement, integration, installations, operation and maintenance of facilities and infrastructures within data centres has so far been missing. Upon German request CENELEC/TC 215 "Electrotechnical aspects of telecommunication equipment" decided to prepare the series of the European Standards EN 50600. The primary function of a data centre is typically the accomodation of a large number of computing and telecommunications equipment, which impacts design, operation and physical security. Most data centres can specify particular backup requirements. Therefore, the planning of a data centre shall be executed by the planner and the various technical disciplines supporting him in planning and execution of the design of the data centre, for example electrical engineering, machinery, security, etcetera, in collaboration with the IT and telecommunications staff, network experts, the building technicians, IT end users and all other employees involved. Part 2-3 addresses environmental control within data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for "availability", "security" and "energy efficiency enablement" within DIN EN 50600-1 (VDE 0801-600-1). This includes in particular specifications and recommendations for a) temperature control; b) fluid movement control; c) relative humidity control; d) particulate control; e) vibration; f) floor layout and equipment locations; g) energy saving practices; f) physical security of environmental control systems. This standard has been prepared under Mandate M/462 "Standardization in the field of ICT to enable efficient energy use in fixed and mobile information and communication networks" given to CENELEC by the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association. The responsible committee is Joint Subcommittee DKE/GUK 715.3 "Informationstechnische Verkabelung von Gebäudekomplexen" ("Customer premises cabling") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

DKE/GK 719 - Rechenzentren