11/18/22, 5:22 PM What Are Data Center Tiers | FS Community

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What Are Data Center Tiers?

Howard    

Updated on Feb 21, 2022  2.2k

Data center tiers are a standardized ranking system used to classify data centers based on uptime and
reliability. It was developed by the Uptime Institute during the 1990s, and remains the international
standard for data center performance. The classification ranks data centers from Tier 1 to Tier 4, with
Tier 1 being the simplest and Tier 4 the most complex and best-performing level. The four tiers match a
particular business function and define criteria for maintenance, power, cooling and fault capabilities. In
addition, they are progressive, and each tier includes the components of the lower tiers.

Data Center Tier Levels

Tier 1

A Tier 1 data center only has basic capacity. It has a single path for power and cooling and few, if any,
components for redundancy and backup. It offers an expected uptime of 99.671%, which means 28.8
hours of downtime annually. The requirements for a Tier 1 facility include:

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for power sags, outages, and spikes

An area for IT systems

Dedicated cooling equipment that runs outside office hours

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An engine generator for power outages

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Tier 1 data center protects against disruptions from human error, but not unexpected failure or outage.
Redundant equipment includes chillers, pumps, UPS modules, and engine generators. The data center
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will have to shut down completely for preventive maintenance and repairs, without which the risk of
unplanned disruptions increases and there might be severe consequences from system failure.

Tier 2

A Tier 2 data center has redundant capacity. It has a single path for power and cooling and some
redundant and backup components. It offers an expected uptime of 99.741%, which means 22 hours of
downtime annually. Components of a Tier 2 data center include:

Engine generators

Energy storage

Chillers

Cooling units

UPS modules

Pumps

Heat rejection equipment

Fuel tanks

Fuel cells

The distribution path of Tier 2 serves a critical environment, and the components can be removed
without shutting it down. A Tier 2 data center provides better maintenance opportunities and safety
against disruptions, but like a Tier 1 data center, unexpected shutdown of a Tier 2 facility will affect the
system.

Tier 3

A Tier 3 data center is concurrently maintainable. It has multiple paths for power and cooling and
systems in place to update and maintain it without taking it offline. It has an expected uptime of
99.982%, which means 1.6 hours of downtime annually.

A tier 3 facility requires all the components present in a tier 2 data center, but these facilities must also
have N+1 redundancy:

"N" refers to the necessary capacity to support the full IT load.

"+1" stands for an extra component for backup purposes.

N+1 redundancy ensures an additional component starts working if the primary element runs into a
failure or is removed by staff for planned maintenance. Unlike Tier 1 and Tier 2, these facilities require
no shutdown when maintenance or replacement is needed, and IT operation will not be impacted.

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Tier 4
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A Tier 4 data center is built to be completely fault tolerant. It has several independent and physically
isolated systems that act as redundant capacity components and distribution paths. The separation is
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necessary to prevent an event from compromising both systems. A Tier 4 data center has an expected
uptime of 99.995%, which means 26.3 minutes of downtime annually.

Tier 4 data centers either have 2N or 2N+1 redundancy:

2N (or N+N) redundancy means the facility has a wholly mirrored, independent system on stand-by. If
anything happens to a primary component, an identical backup replica starts working to ensure
continued operations.

The 2N+1 model provides twice the operational capacity (2N) and an additional backup component
(+1) in case a failure happens while a secondary system is active.

When a piece of equipment fails, or there is an interruption in the distribution path, IT operations will
not be affected. However, if the redundant components or distribution paths are shut down for
maintenance, the environment may experience a higher risk of disruption if a failure occurs. That's why
a Tier 4 data center does not guarantee 100% uptime.

Which Data Center Tier Is Right for You?

Although higher tiers offer a more reliable service, this does not necessarily mean a Tier 4 data center is
best-suited for a business's needs. Companies of various types typically gravitate towards specific tiers.
It is ultimately up to the owner to determine which tier is best for their business needs. The following
offers a guideline on the usual customers who opt for each tier.

Tier 1: Tier 1 data centers are best suited for small businesses and start-ups that want the most
affordable and cost-efficient hosting option. Small companies without around-the-clock operations or
complex IT requirements are more tolerant of frequent downtime.

Tier 2: These data centers are the go-to option for SMBs looking for a cost-effective, more reliable
option than a Tier 1 facility. Small or medium-sized companies typically use Tier 2 facilities to host data
backups or non-mission-critical databases.

Tier 3: Tier 3 data centers are the ideal choice for large companies with complex IT requirements that
need extra fail-safes. Businesses that host critical and extensive databases, especially customer data,
usually go for this tier.

Tier 4: These facilities are suitable for enterprises with enough budget and mission-critical
requirements. Government organizations and large enterprises with crucial servers and intense
customer or business demands are prime users of a Tier 4 data center.

Typically, cost and uptime are the two primary considerations when choosing a tier. Paying for a Tier 3
or Tier 4 data center when a cheaper facility would suffice is a waste of money. Likewise, setting up at a
Tier 2 facility when you need higher uptime and have more complex IT requirements can leave your
business open to risk.

Data Center Tiers Compared

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To recap, the table below gives a clear overview of what the four data center tiers offer respectively and
their typical customers. 

Home Blog Case Study Tier 1

Knowledge Tier 2
Center Story Tier 3 Tier 4

Uptime guarantee 99.671% 99.741% 99.982% 99.995%

Downtime per year <28.8 hours <22 hours <1.6 hours <26.3 minutes

Partial
power and
Component Fault tolerant (2N or
None cooling Full N+1
redundancy 2N+1)
redundancy
(partial N+1)

Concurrently
No No Partially Yes
maintainable

Price $ $$ $$$ $$$$

Compartmentalization No No No Yes

Staffing None 1 shift 1+ shift 24/7/365

Small
companies Growing and
Government entities
Typical customer and start-ups SMBs large
and large enterprises
with simple businesses
requirements

A fine line
The most A good cost- A fault-tolerant facility
The main reason why between high
affordable to- ideal for consistently
companies select this performance
data center performance high levels of traffic or
tier and
tier ratio processing demands
affordability

Where you keep your data matters, so knowing the distinctions between different tiers that host your
data is crucial. We hope this article can help you make an informed decision and opt for a tier that best
suits your business needs.

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# Data Center # Data Center Tiers

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