Data Center

Data Center Build-out Checklist

Scope of Work (SOW):

• General Scope of Work and overview of the entire project
• Include a description of the services required to complete the build
• Details included for each piece of equipment

• Additional instructions for the various build and engineering teams.

Level Of Effort (LOE):

• Determine the Level of Effort required to complete the build
• Determine the window of time you have to build on-site
• Determine how many technicians and engineers you will need for the duration of the project

Bill Of Materials (BOM):

Have a detailed Bill of Materials and identify lead times so orders are placed in time to minimize any risk of missing or late equipment.

• Racks and Cabinets and associated hardware
• Network, Systems and Storage Equipment
• Power and Network Cables
• Other non-serialized hardware

Data Center Location:

Select a Data Center location based upon:

• Location in relation to users, service providers, historic record of natural disasters and risks of other human events
• Power reliability, availability, and redundancy
• Security, both physical and logical
• Space for current build and future growth

Rack Elevations:

Determine elevation early so the cable BOM will be accurate and the installation team will know how the equipment will be mounted.

• Excel front and rear
• Visio front and rear

Cable Matrix:

• Excel format is recommended for ease of use and making changes
• Cable labeling requirements
• Wiring diagrams

Logical Configuration:

• OS or Firmware upgrade/downgrade
• Configurations and Logs
• BIOS Settings
• RAID Configuration
• Management IP
• Automation QA output

Product Information:

• Product specifications
• Product or materials special handling instructions
• Submittals used to sell products to customer

Proof Of Concept/First Article Build (POC/FAB):

• New rack builds will require a POC/FAB for the best design
• This may take several extra days to determine the final design
• For custom length cabled racks a fully built rack can help determine cable lengths without
  unneeded extra slack
• This is also essential for testing network architecture, configurations or compatibility prior to deployment
• POC is not required for rack builds that have a proven design

Project Plan:

• The on-site date required by the customer will dictate the shipping and deployment dates
• The LOE will determine the project plan working backward from the completion date with extra time to
  mitigate the risk of missing deadlines.
• The BOM and equipment will need to be ready and in the loading dock, storage area or pre-stage area
  prior to the first day of the build.
• Any delays in equipment or information may delay the project plan milestones or completion date.

Work Book:

• Work books are developed as a comprehensive as-built document fore very rack build
• These tabs/sheets are standard for rack build project workbooks