In the realm of Data Centers, the classifications of TIER III and TIER IV denote high levels of security and reliability. Although TIER IV is acknowledged as the highest level of certification, it’s important to note that Data Centers TIER III and TIER III+ also provide a very high degree of security and availability. Let’s delve into the similarities and differences between these two levels.
Security in TIER III and TIER IV Data Centers
Both TIER III and TIER IV Data Centers offer a high degree of security and are designed to ensure service continuity and data protection. The main difference lies in the level of redundancy and guaranteed availability.
TIER III and TIER III+
- Availability: TIER III Data Centers offer a guaranteed availability of 99.982%. This translates to a maximum downtime of approximately 1.6 hours per year.
- Redundancy: In TIER III Data Centers, critical components are duplicated, meaning the center can sustain at least one significant failure without service interruption.
- Maintenance: These centers allow for maintenance activities without disrupting client operations.
TIER IV
- Availability: TIER IV Data Centers guarantee an availability of 99.995%, equating to just about 26 minutes of downtime per year.
- Redundancy: The infrastructure of a TIER IV Data Center is fully duplicated, including all critical and non-critical elements. This means they can withstand multiple simultaneous failures without impacting operations.
- Fault Tolerance: These centers are designed to be fully fault-tolerant, which includes independent and redundant cooling and power systems.
Comparison and Appropriate Choice
When choosing between a TIER III and TIER IV Data Center, organizations need to consider their specific needs for availability, fault tolerance, and budget.
- For Standard Needs: A TIER III Data Center is suitable for most businesses that require high availability but do not need the absolute redundancy and fault tolerance of a TIER IV.
- For Critical Requirements: Businesses with critical operations, where even the slightest downtime is unacceptable, might prefer a TIER IV Data Center.
Conclusion
Both TIER III and TIER IV Data Centers offer high levels of security and availability. The choice between them will depend on the specific needs of the business, their risk appetite, and available budget. While a TIER IV offers the utmost guarantee in terms of availability and fault tolerance, a TIER III Data Center remains a very secure and reliable option for most business applications.