Decommissioning a data center is a complex and multi-faceted process that requires careful planning and execution. From identifying the equipment and systems that will be removed, to ensuring that all safety protocols and environmental regulations are followed, there are many steps that must be taken to ensure a successful outcome for such a large project.
For a typical data center decommission, facility managers are responsible for coordinating with departments within their company to determine the scope of the project. Next, they must also request bids from a variety of vendors to complete a number of tasks, or alternatively, they will hire a company such as USA Decom to provide turnkey decommissioning services.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to decommission a data center successfully for a client, including discussing the scope with them and their landlord, creating an inventory of equipment, determining the value or credit of the equipment to be removed, and much more. By following these steps, we ensure that your data center decommissioning process is completed efficiently and successfully, leaving your data center ready for its next phase of life.
1. Discuss the scope with the client and landlord
The first step to decommission a data center is to discuss the scope of the project with the client and landlord. This includes identifying the equipment and systems that will be removed, as well as any challenges or constraints that need to be taken into account.
2. Tour site to be decommissioned
Following the initial phone conversation about the project, one of our team members will visit prospective clients at their data center for a tour, where we create an inventory of equipment to be sold or disposed of and determine any removal challenges. This allows for a better understanding of the scope of the project and any potential issues that may arise during the decommissioning process.
3. Finalize the scope with the customer and landlord
Based on the information gathered during the site tour, we will finalize the scope of the project with the client and landlord to ensure that all parties have a clear understanding of what needs to be done and how it will be accomplished.
4. Determine the value or credit of the equipment to be removed
The assets that will be removed from the data center site have a dollar value, and depending on the age and condition of the equipment at the site, some of it can be sold, and some of it will be disposed of. The result of this evaluation will be an important part of the proposal that will be presented to the client, because it may lower the cost of the entire project if equipment will be sold, or it may increase the overall cost due to the disposal costs.
5. Proposal presented and accepted by the client
Once the scope and value/credit of the project have been determined, we will create a detailed proposal and will present it to the client. Upon acceptance of the proposal, the decommissioning process can begin.
6. Electrically safe off all equipment
Before any equipment can be removed, it must be electrically safed-off by an electrician to ensure that the equipment is no longer live and poses no risk of electrical shock or fire.
7. Remove all refrigerant
A mechanical team must remove the refrigerant from all CRAC units and condensers before that equipment can be removed from the data center. This is done to ensure that the refrigerant is disposed of properly and does not harm the environment.
8. Remove diesel fuel from generator
The process of decommissioning a data center necessitates the extraction of diesel fuel from all generator systems. This fuel can be either sold for reuse or responsibly recycled to minimize environmental impact.
9. Prepare generator for removal
Generators must be prepared for removal by disconnecting all power and fuel lines to ensure that they can be safely removed from the data center.
10. Remove all servers and network equipment from server racks
All servers and network equipment must be disconnected and pulled out from the server racks before the racks can be removed from the site. This is done to ensure that they are handled properly so they can be sold or disposed of.
11. Remove all server racks
Once all servers and network equipment have been taken out, the server racks can be removed and sold or recycled.
12. Remove PDUs
Our team will remove all PDUs (Power Distribution Units) from the data center and their related feeds to the server rack rows.
13. Remove CRAC units
All CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioning) units must be removed from the data center to be disposed of by recycling or being sold.
14. Remove CRAC ducting
All CRAC ducting must be removed from the data center and recycled.
15. Remove raised floor
Once all the equipment like electrical gear, CRAC units and PDUs have been removed, the raised flooring will be removed from the data center and disposed of or sold.
16. Remove electrical equipment including switchgear and transformers
All electrical equipment including switchgear and transformers must be removed from the data center and disposed of or sold.
17. Remove all CRAC unit conduit
If the conduit connected to the CRAC units were under the raised flooring, it will all be removed and recycled.
18. Crane onsite
We will arrange for a crane to be brought onsite to facilitate the removal of large equipment such as condensers, generators, and large transformers.
19. Remove condensers from exterior
The crane will be used to remove the condensers from the exterior of the data center, whether they are located on the roof or ground.
20. Remove and load generator(s)
The crane will also be used to remove and load the generators onto a truck for safe disposal or repurposing.
21. Repair the roof as required
Any damage to the roof of the data center caused by the removal of condensers and electrical equipment will be repaired. Use the roofing company that the landlord requires in order to keep the warranty active.
22. Remove all electrical conduit and copper feeds
All electrical conduit feeds and copper feeds must be removed from the data center and will be recycled.
23. Perform all required interior building renovations
After the removal of all equipment and systems, the data center will be renovated as necessary, including repairs to drywall, painting, and floor and ceiling repairs.
24. Broom sweep building
The data center will be thoroughly cleaned by sweeping all debris and dust to ensure that the site is ready for the next step of the process.
25. Final walk-through with the client and/or landlord
A final walk-through of the data center will be conducted with the client and/or landlord to ensure that all tasks have been completed to their satisfaction and that the data center is ready for its next use.
USA Decom is a leading company to provide decommission of data center services. We have a team of experienced professionals who have the expertise and skills to handle all of the tasks listed above, as well as a commitment to safety, compliance, and quality. We have experience working with a wide range of clients and industries and are dedicated to providing the best possible service at all times. With USA Decom, you can trust that your data center decommissioning project will be done safely, efficiently, and within budget. Contact us today to tell us about your upcoming decommissioning project.