ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 39 - Sustainability, IT and data centres

This document specifies water usage effectiveness (WUE) as a key performance indicator (KPI) for quantifying the water consumption of a data centre during the use phase of the data centre life cycle. WUE is a simple method for reporting the water intensity of the data centre operating. By reporting water consumption, it is possible to present the data centre's resource effectiveness. This document: a) defines the WUE of a data centre; b) introduces WUE measurement categories; c) describes the relationship of this KPI to a data centre’s infrastructure, information technology equipment and information technology operations; d) defines the measurement, the calculation and the reporting of the parameter; and e) provides information on the correct interpretation of the WUE.

This document specifies carbon usage effectiveness (CUE) as a key performance indicator (KPI) for quantifying the CO2 emissions of a data centre during the use phase of the data centre life cycle. CUE is a simple method for reporting the CO2 intensity of the data centre operating. By reporting CO2 emissions, it is possible to present the data centre's contribution to climate change (enhanced greenhouse effect). This document: a) defines the CUE of a data centre; b) introduces CUE measurement categories; c) describes the relationship of this KPI to a data centre’s infrastructure, information technology equipment and information technology operations; d) defines the measurement, the calculation and the reporting of the parameter; and e) provides information on the correct interpretation of the CUE.

This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the type of risk assessment to be employed concerning seismic activity and earthquakes in relation to data centres. In addition, it describes design concepts that can be employed as mitigation actions within the construction and other design elements of data centres.

This document addresses environmental control within data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for “availability”, “security” and “energy efficiency enablement” within ISO/IEC 22237‑1. This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: a) temperature control; b) fluid movement control; c) relative humidity control; d) particulate control; e) vibration; f) physical security of environmental control systems.

This document addresses power supplies to, and power distribution within, data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for “availability”, “physical security” and “energy efficiency enablement” within ISO/IEC 22237‑1. This document specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: a) power supplies to data centres; b) power distribution systems to all equipment within data centres; c) telecommunications infrastructure bonding; d) lightning protection; e) devices for the measurement of the power consumption and power quality characteristics at points along the power distribution system and their integration within management tools. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this document and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document can be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations. Conformance of data centres to the present document is covered in Clause 4. The use of the data centre stored energy or alternate sources to be used by the grid is not in the scope of this document and is for consideration in future specifications.

This document: a) describes the general principles for data centres upon which the requirements of the ISO/IEC22237 series are based; b) defines the common aspects of data centres including terminology, parameters and reference models (functional elements and their accommodation) addressing both the size and complexity of their intended purpose; c) describes general aspects of the facilities and infrastructures required to support data centres; d) specifies a classification system, based upon the key criteria of “availability”, “security” and “energy-efficiency” over the planned lifetime of the data centre, for the provision of effective facilities and infrastructure; e) details the issues to be addressed in a business risk and operating cost analysis enabling application of the classification of the data centre; f) provides a reference to the operation and management of data centres. The following topics are outside of the scope of the ISO/IEC 22237 series: 1) the selection of information technology and network telecommunications equipment, software and associated configuration issues are outside the scope of this International Standard; 2) quantitative analysis of overall service availability resulting from multi-site data centres; 3) safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements (covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document can be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations).

This document specifies the energy reuse factor (ERF) as a KPI to quantify the reuse of the energy consumed in a data centre. ERF is defined as the ratio of energy being reused divided by the sum of all energy consumed in a data centre. The ERF does reflect the efficiency of the reuse process; the reuse process is not part of a data centre.

This document specifies application platform energy effectiveness (APEE) as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) which quantifies the energy effectiveness of an application platform for an IT service in data centres. This KPI evaluates the energy consumption of an application platform prior to deployment. The purpose of this KPI is to measure the energy effectiveness of a set of target IT equipment, operating systems and middleware, to enable the selection of an energy effective IT stack. This document specifies a formula for calculating APEE and definitions of components of the formula. This document specifies a measurement method for assessing and reporting the energy effectiveness of an application platform. This document also specifies requirements for benchmarks to be used for APEE and requirements for reporting. The following topics are outside of the scope of this document: 1) KPIs intended to solely evaluate the energy effectiveness of target IT equipment hardware, 2) energy effectiveness of data centre facilities.

This document specifies a measurement method to assess and report the energy effectiveness of a computer server. This document does not set any pass/fail criteria for servers.

This document describes the treatment of data centre metrics in circumstances where electrical energy is stored and exported from within the data centre boundaries of other standards in the ISO/IEC 30134 series. This document specifies the Excess Electrical Energy Factor (XEEF) as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to quantify the electrical energy provided back from data centre to the utility. This document has the structure common to the standards of the ISO/IEC 30134 series.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-5:2018 addresses the wide range of telecommunications cabling infrastructures within data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for "availability" within ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1. ISO/IEC TS 22237-5:2018 specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: a) information technology and network telecommunications cabling (e.g. SAN and LAN); b) general information technology cabling to support the operation of the data centre; c) telecommunications cabling to monitor and control, as appropriate, power distribution, environmental control and physical security of the data centre; d) other building automation cabling; e) pathways, spaces and enclosures for the telecommunications cabling infrastructures. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this document and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document may be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations.

This document addresses the physical security of data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for "availability", "security" and "energy efficiency enablement" within ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1. This document provides designations for the data centre spaces defined in ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1. This document specifies requirements and recommendations for those data centre spaces, and the systems employed within those spaces, in relation to protection against: a) unauthorized access addressing constructional, organizational and technological solutions; b) fire events igniting within data centre spaces; c) other events within or outside the data centre spaces, which would affect the defined level of protection. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this document and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document may be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-2:2018 addresses the construction of buildings and other structures which provide accommodation for data centres based upon the criteria and classification for "physical security" within ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1 in support of availability. ISO/IEC TS 22237-2:2018 specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: a) location and site selection; b) building construction; c) building configuration; d) fire protection; e) quality construction measures. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this document and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document may be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations. Conformance of data centres to the present document is covered in Clause 4.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-7:2018 specifies processes for the management and operation of data centres. The primary focus of this document is the operational processes necessary to deliver the expected level of resilience, availability, risk management, risk mitigation, capacity planning, security and energy efficiency. The secondary focus is on management processes to align the actual and future demands of users.

ISO/IEC 30134-5:2017 specifies the IT Equipment Utilization for servers (ITEUsv) as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to quantify the utilization of servers in a data centre. ISO/IEC 30134-5:2017 is intended as a KPI for improving the aggregate energy efficiency of servers in a given data centre. ISO/IEC 30134-5:2017 a) describes the purposes of ITEUsv, b) defines ITEUsv in a conceptual manner, c) describes how to use ITEUsv, and d) describes reporting of ITEUsv.

ISO/IEC 30314-4:2017 specifies Information Technology Equipment Energy Efficiency for servers (ITEEsv), a key performance indicator (KPI) which quantifies the energy efficiency characteristics of servers in a data centre. ITEEsv can be calculated using a choice of pre-existing or context specific server performance benchmarks. ITEEsv intends to assist in improving the aggregate energy effectiveness of servers in a given data centre. ISO/IEC 30314-4:2017: a) defines ITEEsv; b) describes the purpose of ITEEsv; c) describes how to use ITEEsv; d) describes reporting of ITEEsv.

ISO/IEC TR 20913:2016 describes backgrounds, motivation, and general concept of holistic methodology for data centre key performance indicators (KPIs) to investigate the status of KPIs. It discusses the usefulness of holistic investigation methodology in terms of aggregating a KPI across different contexts, aggregation of two or more KPIs within a single context, aggregation of two or more KPIs across multiple contexts, and aggregation of the multiple KPIs into a single indicator. This document presents a conventional spider web chart-based data centre KPIs status observation method and a control chart method including upper bound and lower bound of the operational status of KPIs. This document presents SWOT analysis results for both methodologies. The methods described in this document are aimed at the self-monitoring of a data centre, not comparison among data centres. Specifically, ISO/IEC TR 20913:2016 a) describes backgrounds, motivation, and general concept of holistic investigation methodology for data centre KPIs, b) analyses the usefulness of holistic investigation methodology for aggregating KPIs, c) describes a spider web chart-based KPIs status observation method and a control chart extending spider web chart to observe the operational status of KPIs, d) describes alternative and/or additional methods of representing dissimilar KPIs to track holistic resource effectiveness of the data centre, and e) presents SWOT analysis results for holistic investigation methods described in this document.

ISO/IEC TR 30132-1:2016 establishes guidelines for improving the energy effectiveness for computing models. Specifically, this document provides - a reference computing model for evaluating end-to-end energy effectiveness, - a holistic framework for evaluating the applicability of energy effectiveness improving technologies, and - guidelines for evaluating energy effectiveness.

ISO/IEC 30134-3:2016 a) defines the renewable energy factor (REF) of a data centre, b) specifies a methodology to calculate and to present the REF, and c) provides information on the correct interpretation of the REF.

ISO/IEC 30134-2:2016 a) defines the power usage effectiveness (PUE) of a data centre, b) introduces PUE measurement categories, c) describes the relationship of this KPI to a data centre's infrastructure, information technology equipment and information technology operations, d) defines the measurement, the calculation and the reporting of the parameter, e) provides information on the correct interpretation of the PUE. PUE derivatives are described in Annex D.

ISO/IEC 30134-1:2016 specifies the following for the other parts of ISO/IEC 30134: a) a common structure; b) definitions, terminology and boundary conditions for KPIs of data centre resource usage effectiveness and efficiency; c) common requirements for KPIs of data centre resource usage effectiveness and efficiency; d) common objectives for KPIs of the data centre resource effectiveness and efficiency; e) general information regarding the use of KPIs of data centre resource usage effectiveness and efficiency.

ISO/IEC 19395:2015 provides Messages that facilitate integrated or "smart" monitoring and control of Resources in those islands. The Messages are exchanged between the Management Function and Resources. ISO/IEC 19395:2015 acknowledges that those Resources may be composed of other Resources (e.g. a rack may contain servers, ventilators, etc.). In addition, e.g. those servers may be viewed from their computing, energy consumption or dissipation aspects which ISO/IEC 19395:2015 models as Resource Components and groups into IT, power and fluid Domains, respectively.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-4:2018 addresses environmental control within data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for "availability", "security" and "energy efficiency enablement" within ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1. ISO/IEC TS 22237-4:2018 specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: 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; h) physical security of environmental control systems. Issues related to electromagnetic environment can be found in ISO/IEC TS 22237‑6.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-3:2018 addresses power supplies to, and power distribution within, data centres based upon the criteria and classifications for "availability", "physical security" and "energy efficiency enablement" within ISO/IEC TS 22237‑1. ISO/IEC TS 22237-3:2018 specifies requirements and recommendations for the following: a) power supplies to data centres; b) power distribution systems within data centres; c) facilities for both normal and emergency lighting; d) equipotential bonding and earthing; e) lightning protection; f) devices for the measurement of the power consumption characteristics at points along the power distribution system and their integration within management tools. Safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements are outside the scope of this document and are covered by other standards and regulations. However, information given in this document may be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations. Conformance of data centres to the present document is covered in Clause 4.

ISO/IEC TS 22237-1:2018: a) details the issues to be addressed in a business risk and operating cost analysis enabling application of an appropriate classification of the data centre; b) defines the common aspects of data centres including terminology, parameters and reference models (functional elements and their accommodation) addressing both the size and complexity of their intended purpose; c) describes general aspects of the facilities and infrastructures required to support effective operation of telecommunications within data centres; d) specifies a classification system, based upon the key criteria of "availability", "security" and "energy-efficiency" over the planned lifetime of the data centre, for the provision of effective facilities and infrastructure; e) describes the general design principles for data centres upon which the requirements of the ISO/IEC TS 22237 series are based including symbols, labels, coding in drawings, quality assurance and education. The following topics are outside of the scope of the ISO/IEC TS 22237 series: 1) the selection of information technology and network telecommunications equipment, software and associated configuration issues; 2) safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements (covered by other standards and regulations). However, information given in the ISO/IEC TS 22237 series may be of assistance in meeting these standards and regulations).