When designing and managing a data center, you're likely focused on achieving high availability, reducing downtime, and optimizing performance. That helps both you and also the people you serve.

This is where the TIA-942 standard comes in. It provides a comprehensive framework for creating reliable telecommunications infrastructure within a data center.

Let's review what TIA-942 is, why it's important, and how you can meet its requirements with advanced monitoring equipment.

TIA-942 Sets the Bar for Data Center Infrastructure Design

The TIA-942 (Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers) is a widely accepted guideline developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association. This standard defines best practices for designing and implementing telecommunications infrastructure in data centers.

Key components of TIA-942 include:

• Physical Infrastructure: Specifications for the layout of pathways, space allocation, and overall design.
• Cabling: Clear guidelines on cabling types, pathways, and distances.
• Power and Cooling: Recommendations for maintaining power and cooling systems that guarantee uptime.
• Redundancy: Essential principles for building fault-tolerant networks.
• Security: Physical security measures like access control and monitoring systems.

Together, these elements make sure that data centers are resilient, scalable, and capable of maintaining continuous operations. This includes (as is especially important during!) unexpected failures.

TIA-942 Is Essential for Data Center Reliability

Uptime is critical for data centers. A single outage can result in revenue loss, damaged reputations, and unhappy clients.

The TIA-942 standard addresses this issue by establishing a comprehensive framework to ensure data centers operate reliably. When you follow these standards, you'll:

• Reduce Downtime: With redundancy for both power and network systems, failures can be mitigated without affecting the entire operation.
• Ensure Safety and Security: TIA-942 outlines physical security requirements, helping protect sensitive infrastructure from unauthorized access or damage.
• Support Scalability: As your business grows, your data center must be scalable without sacrificing performance or reliability. TIA-942 guidelines support the growth of your network without compromising efficiency or safety.

Meet TIA-942 Requirements with the Right Equipment

To be sure that your data center meets the TIA-942 standard, you'll need to implement a range of monitoring and control systems that maintain redundancy, power integrity, and environmental stability. With the right equipment, you can achieve compliance and keep your infrastructure running smoothly.

Redundancy and Reliability with Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs)

For critical infrastructure monitoring, you'll need an RTU capable of continuously monitoring power systems, environmental sensors, and network components.

An RTU designed for redundancy will help maintain uninterrupted operations by providing real-time alarms for system failures or environmental conditions that deviate from the norm.

Look for an RTU with multiple alarm inputs (discrete and analog) to monitor a wide range of devices across your data center.

It's also important to choose a unit that supports dual power feeds to keep your monitoring active even if one power source fails.

Power & Environment Monitoring with Battery and Environmental Sensors

Another important component of complying with TIA-942 is monitoring your power systems. You'll need battery voltage monitoring sensors that track the health of your backup power systems. These sensors should monitor key metrics like voltage, temperature, and internal resistance to detect issues early.

In addition to power monitoring, your RTU should integrate environmental sensors that track temperature, humidity, and airflow.

These elements directly impact the reliability of your equipment. Monitoring them confirms your cooling systems are functioning properly, preventing issues like overheating or moisture buildup.

Alarm Monitoring and Reporting with a Centralized Alarm System

A centralized alarm monitoring system is essential for integrating alarms from various devices across your network. This system should be capable of polling different protocols and consolidating data from legacy devices. Doing this creates comprehensive monitoring without needing to replace all of your equipment.

Your system should also be able to send real-time notifications to alert personnel of any issues. This allows quick responses to potential failures. It's also ideal if this system can map alarms to a single interface to give operators a clear view of your entire network.

TIA-942 Compliant Gear Protects Your Operations

Protecting your operations (and the system that upholds them) requires using the right monitoring and control systems. DPS has a range of products that can help you meet these requirements. They offer redundancy, power monitoring, and environmental control.

Compliance with standards like this one is ultimately something you must determine for your organization, but I'll highlight some useful considerations for you now:

The NetGuardian Series Provides Redundancy

DPS Telecom's NetGuardian series, such as the NetGuardian 832A, is built to support redundancy. These devices monitor key environmental and power systems to make sure that critical infrastructure remains operational even in the event of component failure.

NetGuardian RTUs monitor discrete and analog inputs, giving you real-time insight into environmental conditions and power statuses at your remote sites. It provides redundancy through dual power feeds and it allows you to respond quickly to potential issues.

Battery Voltage Sensors Monitor Power Metrics

Monitoring power systems is critical to preventing downtime, which is why TIA-942 emphasizes power infrastructure. NetGuardian Battery Voltage Monitoring (BVM) sensors enable you to track battery performance - voltage, temperature, and internal resistance - in real time. This allows you to spot and resolve any potential power issues before they affect your data center.

Alarm Monitoring and Control with a Master Station

The T/Mon master station can be a key part of any data center. T/Mon consolidates alarms from multiple sources into a single interface, making it easier to track the health of your entire network at once.

It supports multiple protocols, including SNMPv3, allowing you to upgrade your monitoring without replacing your entire system. This can be particularly useful for older systems that don't support modern protocols but still need to comply with TIA-942.

Environmental Monitoring with D-Wire Sensors

Environmental conditions - such as temperature, humidity, and airflow - are crucial for maintaining your data center's reliability. D-Wire sensors can be connected to NetGuardian RTUs to monitor these variables. With external sensors, you can track environmental conditions throughout your data center, maintaining compliance with TIA-942's strict requirements for environmental control.

Take the Next Step to Improve Your Data Center's Reliability

If you're ready to meet the TIA-942 standard and improve your data center's performance, it's time to integrate DPS Telecom's solutions. With decades of experience in remote monitoring, DPS provides the tools you need to enhance visibility and minimize risks.

By choosing DPS Telecom products, you're not just complying with industry standards. You're protecting your data center against potential failures. That's an important goal, regardless of specific mandates.

Contact a DPS engineer today to discuss how our solutions can help you achieve your TIA-942 compliance goals. Call 1-800-693-0351 or email sales@dpstele.com to get started.