Forecasts for the data centre market in Poland: facility certification

The latest PMR research shows that one in three companies would be ready to pay a higher price for certified data centre services. However, almost two-thirds of companies assert that certification would not convince them to pay more for a similar service. During the year the results improved in favour of certified facilities.

PMR’s research for the report “Data centre market in Poland 2020. Market analysis and development forecasts for 2020-2025” shows that an increasing number of companies interested in data centre services ask for certificates, even if it is only an additional important factor in choosing a provider, rather than the most important issue. It is becoming less acceptable for a supplier to report that a facility meets certain standards, but without the audit being done.

According to PMR data, there are already six commercial facilities in Poland which boast officially awarded Tier/Rated certificates – two were issued by the Uptime Institute (Tier III), and four are guaranteed by ANSI/TIA (Rated 3 and 4). In addition, two entities have obtained other certificates: PN-EN50600 and EPI-DOCS.

Certification processes in Poland were initiated by technology parks. The Euro Centrum Science and Technology Park (currently 3S) was the first in Poland to obtain a certificate in the arena of Uptime Institute Tier III documentation, officially confirming the relevant safety, reliability and availability standards guaranteed at a level of 99.982% for its data centre, in Katowice.

As the second certification path – also at the Tier III level – another centre located in the technological park in Torun – Exea (TARR Centrum Innowacyjnosci) – was taken up. At present, it is the only facility in the country with a relevant Tier 2 certificate, which encompasses not only the design documentation, but also the data centre itself.

However, Beyond.pl has opted for the highest possible level. In November 2016, the company, for its new facility (Data Centre 2), as the first CPD not only in Poland, but in this part of Europe, received the official status of Rated 4 ANSI/TIA-942:2014 Certified. Rating 4 is the highest possible level of data centre certification. The certificate was issued for three years – from November 2016 until November 2019 and was successfully extended for another three years until 2023.

Another certification, obtained at the beginning of 2019, involves a server room, located in the building of the Science and Technology Park in Opole. The server room received the Rated 3 certificate (in accordance with the ANSI/TIA 942 standard). The certification process was preceded by tests which lasted several weeks, during which the accuracy of systems operations was checked. According to PNT, one of the forms of protection is a mini power plant, with a capacity of 1.2 MW, located at the back of the building. The server room uses two air conditioning systems, based on adiabatics and external air. The amount invested, along with the certification, came to almost PLN 20 million.

The two latest reports on certified facilities in the country cover the first quarter of 2020. The Rated 3 certificates for the project documentation were soon boasted by NASK SA (for CPD Praga-Pn, opened last year) and T-Mobile Polska, for planned investment in the new data centre in Warsaw.

AUTHOR
Paweł Olszynka
ICT Business Unit Director

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