M247 Ltd Manchester Datacentre Build Blog

We have today launched a new website for IceColo – our Manchester Colocation brand

The website also contains lots of information about the major Manchester Network deployment required by our networking division GlobalAXS to support the datacentre.

As part of their case study, our UPS manufacturer sent a photographer to take some pictures of our completed datacentre. See below for the results

Apart from a final ’snag list’ of cosmetic touch-ups, the datacentre is now complete

• The fully resilient network is now operational
• The N+1 close-control cooling is up and running
• Local Authority Building Control have signed off all the works
• Electrical infrastructure is fully complete, certified and online, including generator and N+1 UPS protection and power conditioning
• The numerous fire detection and suppression systems are now active
• Security systems are online, including detailed internal & external IP CCTV, proximity door access and priority-response RedCare alarm system

There are now more than 200 live operational servers online at the facility, with another 300 due to be moved over the coming weeks.

The finishing touches are being completed to the office areas, with a view to our permanent sales, technical support and NOC operations moving here within the next couple of weeks.

See below for some photographs of progress over the past week or so…

The final leg of our fibre network was completed yesterday evening. The 20Gbps network is now live and running with full diversity and protection all the way back to London and out to the Internet.

The air-conditioning install is continuing, but was pushed a day or so behind schedule

No photos today unfortunately – expect more shortly…

Everything is progressing very well. The fist of our office furniture has arrived, including a rather large solid oak reception desk. Installation of the Paxton proximity door security system is nearly complete and the two main fire suppression and detection systems are now up and running.

Installation of the air-conditioning systems has been progressing well this week, and is scheduled to be finished by Wednesday next week. Final fibre pulling and splicing was completed at 5am this morning (due to traffic control restrictions) and we’re hoping to bring this 10G link into live service on Monday

See below for photos of this week’s progress

Friday was a very successful day. The UPS cluster and first generator have been commissioned, fully tested and also undergone several hours of load-bank testing. A number of different ‘real’ mains-failure scenarios were tested and the power backup systems performed flawlessly (without a single ‘tweak’ required!). The entire electrical infrastructure is now fully operational.

The cold-aisle containment is also now complete on the first pod (ie two contained rows) of racks.

There is more fibre pulling scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, with final splicing & testing on Wednesday. The final 10G network link will then be operational towards the end of the week. Thursday will see the main downflow air conditioning equipment installed and commissioned.

We’re very much on target for full completion by the end of the week

Photos from Friday below…

The first dark-fibre network link is now operational. This link is actually the 27km 10Gig backup route, linking the datacentre to one of our two  main Manchester Points-of-Precense (POPs) located at one of the Telecity facilities on the Science Park. The primary network link will be a shorter 9km dark-fibre route and is anticipated to be online within the next week or so (weather permitting!).

We had hoped to also bring this second network route online this weekend, but the final duct construction ‘en route’ had been delayed due to the recent adverse weather conditions. These duct and box builds are are now progressing well (see photos below) and are due to be completed within the next 48 hours. The final 2km of fibre pulling is scheduled for later this week – again, weather permitting!

Work is progressing well. Installation of our heavy-duty raised flooring is now complete and attention is focussed on completing the electrical installation and our overhead data cable containment. The civils work for two of our diverse fibre ducts is nearing completion, in anticipation for fibre pulling towards the end of next week

Electrical containment installation is nearly complete,  ready for cabling installation to commence over the next couple of days

Installation of our diverse fibre ducting has commenced. This expected to be complete by the end of January 2009

We are constructing a highly secure and energy-efficient facility with all the protection you’d expect from a premium datacentre, including:

• N+1 UPS Protection
• N+1 Downflow Cooling
• Dedicated 11Kv substation on-site
• Full generator backup, with several days’ on-site fuel storage
• 24-hour monitored and recorded CCTV security
• 20Gbps resilient network ring linking the site to key datacentres in Manchester and London

We have chosen a premium, newly built, detached office building on a secure site with ample parking to use for our facility.