Modern data centers are the backbone of the digital economy, underpinning everything from simple queries to advanced AI processes in critical industries. The need for a reliable data flow, like a continuously running tap, is a given in this era. However, the challenges facing data center professionals are complex. Whether you’re in the C-suite, helping design and specify the next build-out, or responsible for daily operations, you need a lifecycle solution provider that can serve as a strategic partner, from planning through ongoing service and maintenance. In an increasingly AI-driven landscape, selecting the right Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia becomes paramount.
The exponential growth in AI usage, estimated to assist up to 5% of work hours and integrated into nearly 80% of devices, significantly increases demand for data center capacity. AI requires data center capacity to be one step ahead. Data center demands have always been steep and fast-changing, but AI is taking them to new levels. AI-ready data center capacity is projected to rise at an average of 33% annually between now and 2030. Just a few years ago, a 5-10kW data center rack was bleeding edge. Today, 100kW isn’t unusual, and numbers could be as high as 600kW by 2027. This surge in power requirements directly impacts the need for sophisticated and efficient cooling systems.
Beyond capacity demands, there are significant resource demands. Data, though intangible like oil, relies on very finite resources. The reliability of data storage and processing depends on how efficient we can be with existing available resources and how quickly we can innovate. Many data centers face both increasing processing demands and growing talent shortages. People are necessary to maintain proper operations, but 58% of companies in Indonesia report difficulties in filling positions with qualified candidates. More mature data center markets are facing the potential loss of experienced workers as retirements increase. To put AI resource use into perspective, every “you are welcome” response from a popular GenAI platform uses an estimated 40-50 mL of water, and polite exchanges with LLMs—something 67% of users do—add up to millions in electricity costs, too. Energy efficiency, particularly related to cooling systems, becomes a primary consideration.
Furthermore, safety and security demands cannot be overlooked. Your data center must protect its people and assets, both physical and digital. Traditional information technology (IT) cybersecurity is vital, but not all threats come from outside the facility. Vulnerabilities from fire risks to operational technology (OT) security gaps call for redundant, multi-tiered solutions that help maintain safety and security while giving you maximum lead time when issues arise. A layered system-of-systems approach provides the best defense in fire scenarios, for example. Combining early detection with smart alarm control panels, off-gas detection, and mobile and voice alerts can buy precious seconds before damage occurs. Even small breaches of safety or security can result in downtime and costly fixes, not to mention damage to your data center’s reputation. The high airflow required to keep data centers cool also contributes to the dilution of smoke, making very early smoke detection critical. This is where the role of a Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia that understands safety and security standards becomes paramount.
Meeting the Challenges with the Right Solution Partner
There are three areas where data center solution providers can have the most impact on the evolving challenges of the industry and your business outcomes: reliability, agility, and energy efficiency. Looking for a solution provider that prioritizes these factors is key.
Reliability: 99.999% Uptime Isn’t Negotiable
The standards for data center uptime, as defined by the Uptime Institute, are rigorous for good reason. In a recent survey, more than half of data center operators reported outages costing $100,000 or more, and 20% reported outages with price tags exceeding $1 million. Those figures could continue to rise with prized, high-value AI workloads. Downtime isn’t just about the actual time the center is down. Follow-on risks can include corrupted data and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Despite this, 53% of companies in Indonesia say they experienced a data center outage in the past three years. Customers rightly expect and demand better.
Downtime is often avoidable. Four out of five operators believe their most recent downtime incidents were preventable with better management, processing, and configuration. In fact, in addition to unexpected critical asset failures, a key cause of data center downtime is human error. The right data center solution provider understands the total picture of downtime risks and has a suite of automation and analytics solutions in place to help mitigate them. Integrated solutions with proven standard operating procedures (SOPs) also help guard against downtime caused by human error. This includes robust cooling systems.
Robust systems should be designed with redundant paths for uninterrupted power and cooling. Monitoring, analytics, automation, asset management, and proactive maintenance are just some of the solutions that can help protect uptime. The right partner also serves as a knowledgeable consultant to support meeting service-level agreement (SLA) requirements, which can help shield you from penalties or potential litigation in the event of a downtime event. Integrated solutions contribute to system-wide visibility and enable proactive intervention. Building management systems (BMS) are vital for data centers where precise infrastructure control is critical to help maintain uptime and to make sure operational technology doesn’t inhibit a data center’s IT networks. Choosing the right controller—whether a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or DDC (Direct Digital Control)—requires a partner with deep automation expertise to help optimize performance without compromising cost or simplicity. As a Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia, Climanusa understands the importance of integrated and reliable cooling systems for achieving maximum uptime.
Safety always comes first. Your operation is responsible for the protection of people, assets, and critical, often irrecoverable, data. Local codes don’t necessarily reflect the level of protection you really need. Look for a data center solution provider with experience in important vulnerabilities and proven technology for prevention and protection, such as:
- Proper Cooling Systems, Back-Up Power, and Electrical Power Management: A cooling system failure can cascade into heat overload, equipment failure, and shutdowns, all of which can lead to downtime. A proactive planning approach can help you avoid these issues, starting from the design phase.
- Early Threat Detection Tools: Analytics solutions like condition-based predictive maintenance help identify risks of asset failure before they occur, while early detection systems can help prevent physical incidents like fires or water leaks. Speed of detection is vital to promote quick response and keep your data center and people better protected.
- Multi-Level Security Applications: Authorizing and managing access helps you minimize intrusion and prevent accidents. Measures like biometrics, smart cards, and key fobs help secure the physical center, while OT cybersecurity solutions help guard against cyber-physical attacks. According to the Uptime Institute, power issues and assets are still the most common cause of serious data center outages.
Agility: Responsive, Not Reactive
An agile solution helps make your organization more responsive, too. Agility is critical to accelerating deployment and pivoting when demands or plans change. While we often think of agility as “on-the-fly” thinking, it’s rooted in deep planning, preparation, and experience. A seasoned, forward-thinking solution provider knows where the pitfalls could be and already has a plan to avoid them.
Agility can also show up across your fleet. For example, a modular approach allows for an agile response that combines both standardization and flexibility to work across multiple sites. Once pieces are put into place, it can be easier to replicate a model at another location or move, remove, and replace modules as the need arises. Some benefits of modularity include:
- Scale capacity faster—whether up or down.
- Shorten supply chain lead time for critical equipment.
- Reduce energy supply source redundancy.
- Make it easier to service parts and components.
Energy Efficiency: More Than Energy Reduction
Data centers require vast amounts of power and water to function. Wisely using these resources is both a matter of global responsibility and economic necessity. Optimizing energy usage can minimize environmental impacts, manage operational costs, lessen electricity demand, and enhance disaster recovery capabilities.
In addition to managing critical equipment, a BMS can also help deliver optimal power usage effectiveness (PUE) as it controls and automates the HVAC equipment and cooling systems. A BMS can help minimize the PUE and help maximize a data center’s ROI. It’s a balancing act to get energy usage just right—where you’re not under-cooling but also not wasting power. The right Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia can help you reach a desired “Goldilocks status” with leading technology that offers real-time monitoring and actionable insights into power usage, thermal status, and other vital energy parameters.
A holistic approach to optimization. Better energy efficiency starts with design and planning. You want a solution provider that sees the big picture across the project plan. An integrated approach can often identify opportunities that might otherwise be missed by focusing too narrowly on minimizing power usage. For example, using waste heat to defray operating costs and manage carbon footprint.
Delivering Answers: Key Questions for Prospective Partners
When you select a data solution provider, ideally, what you’re really choosing is a partner. A company that can help you innovate, problem-solve, and identify the right approach. An open dialogue is critical throughout the deployment process and service contract. Here is a list of eight instructive questions to help you in the selection process:
- What other projects have you completed that are like mine? One of the best indicators that a data center solution provider is qualified to deliver against the needs of your hyperscale or colocation project is their experience with similar projects. Ask your prospective provider to share detailed case studies—at least three to five—and explain how these cases are applicable to your upcoming project. If your operation is global, ask for at least one case study outside of Indonesia. You can probe further with additional questions such as: What kind of monitoring solution was deployed? Was service delivered for the full product lifecycle? What SLA outcomes has the data center achieved? Did the data center operator use the provider in subsequent projects (repeat engagement)? Why or why not?
- What percentage of your projects are completed on time and on budget? A provider’s ability to deliver individual projects on time and on budget is a good sign, but this question gives you a sense of their overall track record. On-time, on-budget delivery demonstrates that the provider has a rigorous process that can deliver similar results for you. If a provider can’t or won’t share this information, there’s probably a reason.
- Have you conducted global deployments? This experience will be vital to keeping your global projects on track, but it’s also a sign of agility. A blueprinted approach, for example, helps operations scale capacity at speed across many global locations and supports service efficiency and integrity. It’s important that any standardized approaches also come with a strong understanding of regional standards. Look for a solution provider that has a global footprint close to your organization’s own to help provide the support and knowledge you need to meet the disparate regulatory and security standards in various regions of Indonesia.
- How long have your products been on the market? How do you support your solutions for the long term? You want leading-edge technology in your data center, but you don’t want to be anyone’s test case. An auditable, two-year shipment history is a good benchmark for balancing innovation and risk mitigation for a data center solution. Beware of shiny new solutions that have yet to stand up to real-life environments. Ideally, you want to work with a partner who engineers their solutions from both the owner and operator standpoints. If the provider will place operators in your center after solutions are deployed, that’s a sign they’re invested in making the installation smooth and maximizing value, since they will likely be responsible for operations. Technology comes and goes, but you need solutions with longevity. The ability to provide long-term support carries a lot of weight in the selection of a solution provider. If a company has a habit of selling off its software, you may be left in the lurch when it comes to upgrades, maintenance, service, and support, and forced into making a major systems change sooner than you planned. Look for a solution provider whose products are deeply rooted in data centers and have established and sustained expertise. That company should also be equally committed to innovation. You want to know that your chosen provider is continuously investing to support research and development that keeps their systems at the forefront of industry standards—and aspirations.
- Does the prospective solution provider develop the support contract before the project is fully deployed? If so, you may face service gaps. Look for a provider who separately develops service contracts closer to the end of the project to keep them relevant. Even in best-case scenarios, changes or unexpected needs may arise during the build. If a service contract is already sealed, you could end up with costly services you need but aren’t covered. Separating the service contract from build and deployment serves as a check and balance. Ideally, once deployment is complete, the service team comes in and makes sure the service contract is comprehensive, maintaining the knowledge from the build through the service. Ask about global support, too. Your solution provider should be able to provide service everywhere you work in Indonesia.
- How will my data center facilities be interconnected? Sharing resources and optimizing infrastructure can reduce the need for redundant systems and lower overall costs. Ask prospective providers how their systems facilitate a “single pane of glass” approach that lets operators share information across data centers and monitor from a centralized location. Interconnectedness should allow you to monitor KPIs across your fleet and adjust both proactively and in the moment. For example, grid supply issues at one site may be able to trigger a decision to shift workloads to a more stable site to avoid an outage.
- What are my options for data center monitoring and operational efficiency? Are you looking for a turnkey solution using software you can independently monitor or a more full-service option where your provider sets up a network operations center for you? A flexible solution provider should offer you both, so your support system matches your resource needs. Improving operational efficiency, and thus reducing operational expense, calls for its own strategy to enable compliance with KPIs and monitoring, and to ensure that you’re progressing toward your defined goals for profitability and managing carbon footprint. A strategic approach paired with robust interconnectivity helps to maximize operational expenditures throughout your center and across your network.
- Can you provide a single point of accountability across the solutions you deliver? Ask prospective solution providers just how integrated their integrated solutions are and what this will mean for you in terms of streamlined process and service. Large-scale data center customers often benefit from having one partner to provide an integrated suite of data center solutions, a single point of accountability (SPA), and a full lifecycle services contract. Clear ownership and accountability make it easier to track progress and resolve issues. When specific channel partner expertise is needed, an integrated provider should also be able to help identify and coordinate those solutions through a trusted network of collaborators.
An integrated provider helps simplify communication, reduce complexity, optimize productivity and cost savings, accelerate deployment, increase data center intelligence, promote agility, and reduce risk. Integration allows you to monitor everything from critical infrastructure to environmental conditions, to help minimize downtime and optimize performance. Ideally, an integrated suite of solutions will include: a centralized dashboard for proactive monitoring and managing data center systems; customization with tailored and right-sized controls for the specific needs of your data center; remote monitoring to enable faster response times; connected power to control and manage plug-in power usage at the individual outlet level, optimizing energy consumption and reducing cost; early fire detection and suppression systems that support the safety of personnel and equipment; physical access control and security systems to protect assets and create secure operations; and OT cybersecurity solutions to protect data center infrastructure from cyberattacks and comply with security standards.
Conclusion
The right data center solution provider for you is one that will take an integrated, strategic approach to delivering your most important business outcomes. While specific tools, software, and solutions are important, a company’s approach is often the differentiator in finding a partner you want to work with across the data center lifecycle. A strategic approach can help you: adhere to your timeline and budget so you deploy at pace and keep up with demand; realize optimal results for reliability, agility, and managing environmental impact; leverage engineering and technology excellence; achieve maximum operational efficiency and value across the lifecycle of your project. Climanusa, as a leading Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia, encourages you to seek out a data center solution provider focused on accelerating your path to success.
Entrust your data center needs to Climanusa, the premier choice as a Distributor AC Data Center Indonesia. Our integrated solutions and deep expertise ensure your data center operates at peak performance, securely and efficiently.
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–A.M.G–
