Dell shrinks the Container Data Center to 45kW, targeting the Military Market

Ever since the 40' container wave started I have made the point that most have not gone through the exercise on what is the right size for a container.  Dell has announced the MDC - Mobile data center - 45 kW of IT capacity.

The Dell press release is here.

Deployable to any location, Dell’s Tactical Mobile Data Center can expand customers’ current data center, used as a back-up or recovery site to provide disaster recovery services or create new data centers in remote locations. The system can operate under a wide range of temperatures and conditions allowing for powerful operations in many environments. 

“Many of our military and government customers are forced to quickly deploy to remote environments, like combat outposts in Afghanistan, or even in more developed communities following a natural disaster,” said Joe Ayers, vice president and general manager, Dell Federal. “In today’s operational environment in order to have access to the tools and information most organizations need to accomplish their mission, they must also have a robust IT infrastructure, and we’ve designed this solution specifically to meet the needs of these very special customers.”

It fits in military airframes and can be forklifted into place. Dimensions look to be 108"L x 88"W x 96"H an ISU-96 size used by the military.

I wonder if Dell will offer the color options that AAR mobile systems does.

Modular Rally Car Design is behind Ken Block's Viral Video

In the data center industry, we all hear about modular data centers.  Some designs are more flexible than others.  Ken Block's Gymkhana 5 video has reached over 3.7 million Youtube views in less than 2 days.  The car behind the video is a modular design.  You can watch this video to see the three different configurations that have suspension, engine, tire, and cooling system changes.

For the mechanical engineers here are some details.

"Many people may not realize this, but despite the fundamental similarities between stage rally, rallycross and gymkhana, in order to be the best at each, you must have specific built vehicles," says Block. "My WRC Fiesta just can't do what my Gymkhana Fiesta can, and vice versa. But having to campaign three separate cars is a nightmare, so we built one car that can be transformed to suit each form of racing I do on the highest level."

The chassis of the H.F.H.V. is based on M-Sport's current 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC car, but in order to achieve the power outputs required for both rallycross and gymkhana, the 1.6L engine has been replaced with a Pipo Moteurs-built 2.0L, inline-four cylinder. This mill is based off the power plant found previously in the Ford Focus RS WRC car, a motor that has over 10 years of development. The result is a massive 600hp and 665 ft. lbs. of torque when using the 45mm restrictor required by the Global Rally Cross series. While the 2.0l engine makes the H.F.H.V. ineligible for WRC competition, the addition of a 34mm restrictor will allow the car to compete in the Rally America series. Engine management is handled by Cosworth Electronics.

Mated to the Ford EcoBoost motor is a custom AWD system designed by Sadev. The drivetrain features a 6-speed Sadev sequential transmission and three adjustable Sadev mechanical differentials. Different gear ratios are used for each of the Hybrid's three modes. To handle the varying surface conditions, specific Reiger suspension set-ups have been developed for each of the three modes.

If you don't know the video I am talking about.  Here it is.

Let's see a modular data center that can be this cool.

Modular Data Center is not a guarantee of less cost, time, waste

Some Modular Data Center vendors would lead you to believe that a modular design is a guarantee to lower cost, less time to build, and reduces waste.

Modular uses Prefab construction ideas.  An article written by Postgreen Home's President Chad Ludeman provides some details on what is possible in home construction using Prefab.  The perspective given is prefab used in a modern home.  

Some nuggets that will get you thinking.

Prefab manufacturers and resellers will tell you that prefab is cheaper because of the time and labor savings, but let’s list the key factors that actually make prefab more expensive than site built:

• Manufacturing Facility Overhead – Prefab manufacturers work in buildings with support staff above and beyond those actually building the houses. They also have facility costs such as equipment, utilities and maintenance … Site built homes, built by most residential builders, don’t have any of these.
• Manufacturing Company Profit – These manufacturers are making at least as much profit as the average general contractor and often more.  The majority of cost savings resulting from the prefab manufacturing process stays in the pockets of the manufacturer.
• Delivery, Setting, and Crane Fees - These can easily run $10K per house (cranes aren’t cheap) and can be significantly more if the distance from manufacturer to site is large.  Most manufacturers also dictate who the labor crew will be, and often they won’t be the best value available.
• Architect or Reseller Fees – In some cases the fees charged by the architect providing the prefab can run as high as $30,000 or more.  Even in cases where no additional site customization or design work is needed, a substantial fee will still be added by the architect or reseller.

...

Less Waste. Since prefab is built in a factory they claim to create much less waste by setting aside their scrap and reusing it in other projects.  What they do not often advertise is that their structures use 20% – 30% more raw materials than stick-built homes in order to withstand transportation.  That’s no small figure in my book, especially considering that even if there is waste on-site with stick-built homes you can now easily hire a waste removal company that will recycle 90%+ of your construction waste.

...

I recently walked through a delivered prefab with the owner and he offered me pallets of free OSB because he had so much extra and had no idea what he was going to do with it.  I’m sure every prefab company is not this sloppy, but it is another indication of waste in an industry claiming extreme efficiency.

I have some friends who are not believers in containers and they say they can stick build a data center cheaper than containers.  How?  They have ideas like this.

Quality Stock Plans
The first place to start when trying to streamline and cut costs from any building project is with high-quality building plans from qualified architects.  If every detail down to the last sheet of drywall and bucket of paint is nailed down and proven out in each set of plans, it becomes much easier for a GC to provide the best price from his crew and any subcontractors that are hired for the job.  This can not be undervalued, since any uncertainty on the part of those bidding on the project will instantly up the quotes.  This is where prefab gets most of the efficiency gains in their process, by building exactly the same home over and over.  They know exactly how much material and how much labor goes into each home plan in their library of options.

 If you don't agree with this author you can rebuttals here.

To Conclude . . . Finally

There are many amazing things being done in prefab, and if it weren’t for my self-imposed ban on mentioning specific companies and architects, I could name a bunch that I personally admire.  However, there are also a large number of misconceptions about the benefits of prefab that need to be discussed, and this post is simply trying to get that discussion started.  Are there points of dispute here?  Certainly. Am I perfectly correct in everything I have said?  Probably not. So, go to the comments and tell me what you think.

Editor Update 9/18/08: Tedd Benson of Bensonwood Homes has a lengthy, articulate response to this article, and Lloyd Alter of Treehugger mentioned a few points to consider as well.  Allyson Wendt of Building Green also added her thoughts on the future possibilities of affordable, green prefab.

One of the posts by Tedd Benson gives you more to think about.

On the other hand, I do understand why costs might be higher. One of the big reasons is that the contractors hired to put the package together often have no motivation to be efficient, and furthermore, have a very convenient excuse if things take longer and cost more: it’s not their fault; they are the solution, the prefab package is the problem. In addition, the subcontractors who bid on the portions of work not accomplished with the prefabrication tend to charge 15-25% more for the same reason. It’s very often not whether the work will be more or less difficult, but just the fact that it’s different. It’s the out-of-my-comfort-zone tax, and it’s one of the hidden costs of any alternative form of construction. Too often, there’s simply an up-charge for having to think.

This last point wakes you up to what a tract home is like.  Actually, there are some data centers that have been built like tract homes too.

My biggest problem with site construction is that it often results in “devalue” engineering. Frequently, the people on the site think they know more than engineers and they reduce the framing schedule, reduce the fastening patterns, don’t install all the clips and tie-downs and otherwise save themselves effort and time by reducing the structural quality of the building. My start in the building industry was with tract home construction in suburban developments. Before I knew anything, the shortcuts and the flimsy buildings were appalling to me. We sometimes forget that the standard of building in America isn’t the custom homes built by the good builders, or the good prefabrication efforts by responsible companies. That vast majority of homes are tract homes built by low-skilled, unqualified labor.

Three Modular Data Centers that pass the Supply Chain Test - Dell, HP, and Compass DC

Almost everyone in the data center build says they build modular/container data centers.  Uptime says there are 45 suppliers.  Gartner and IDC tell its subscribers that modular should be one of the options they evaluate.  There are no shortage of people who say they can build you a modular data center.

How do you make sense of the marketing hype vs. reality.?

My tip is to get nerdy on the topic of modularity.  The modular approach is a way to address the supply chain.

HP and Dell being experienced OEM Server vendors know supply chain.  Frank Frankovsky at Facebook is ex-Dell and he has taken the Supply Chain ideas into Facebook and passed them on to the Open Compute Project.

Open Compute Shakes Up Server Supply Chain
By: Rich Miller
May 8th, 2012

Jason Waxman of Intel (left) moderated a panel of suppliers who are meeting the Open Compute Project standards. Mike Yang of Quanta and Sohrab Modi of Huawei discussed meeting customers' needs while also addressing cap ex and op ex management.

SAN ANTONIO – There is meaningful change occurring in how servers are designed, built and sold. The disruptions in the server ecosystem were on display at last week’s Open Compute Summit in the rising profile of original design manufacturing (ODM) providers and other alternatives to working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Dell, HP and IBM that have dominated server sales in the U.S.

HP and Dell are both vendors involved in Open Compute.

In discussions with Compass Data Centers's Chris Crosby we have gone into extensive discussions on his supply chain.  So, Compass Data Centers passes this test.

Many Big Brands have supply chain strategies.  Facebook shared some its supply chain practices at the Open Compute Summit.

There are others who may embrace the supply chain approach, but I feel comfortable finding three I can have conversations with - HP, Dell, and Compass Data Centers.

Oh, one problem though if you are looking to use the supply chain test is if you are not experienced at supply chains yourself it can be hard for you to evaluate the suppliers.

When I was getting my degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at UC Berkeley, I spent a lot of time studying queueing theory, probability and statistics, markov chains.  I worked at HP in process engineering and distribution logistics.  At Apple I was in distribution logistics and OEM program management for computer peripherals.  So, all this supply chain in data centers is brushing up on things I did full time for years and years.  So, yes i am biased.  i think supply chain in a key to build modular data centers.

Or you believe in Cargo Cult Science and all data centers will be the same.  

Who cares if they are all the same (which they are not ) if you can't build them with a great supply chain your product will have problems with the issues listed below cost, speed, quality, consistency, innovation, global availability.  

The supply chain is what many of these below brands great.

Cutting through the Myth, what is a Modular Data Center

I've been writing about modular/container data centers for a while and I stopped trying to post on all the different news.  How bad is it?  How about 35 suppliers.  See what DatacenterKnowledge posts.

A Shift in the Modular Conversation

This year’s Uptime Symposium reflected an ongoing shift in the industry discussion of modular designs, with a growing focus on economics and other factors directly tied to purchasing decisions. The event featured three keynotes and an entire content track on the economics of modular data centers, along with a modular data center campus in the expo hall featuring offerings from four providers.

“We’re tracking 35 suppliers,” said Lawrence. “They think this is a market worth chasing. It’s undeniable that it is a very effective means of deploying data center space for some users. The adoption won’t be linear, and won’t be universal.”

Compass Data Centers is trying to educate.

“Modular—Composed of standardized units or sections for easy construction or flexible arrangement”—Random House American Dictionary 

But, I think this still goes over many heads.  Let's try this for an explanation.  

All this stuff about Modular is just the idea of interchangeable parts at data center scale.  I am going to scrape parts from the wikipedia post in interchangeable to illustration a few points http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interchangeable_parts

Ok first what are interchangeable parts?

Interchangeable parts are parts that are, for practical purposes, identical. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any device of the same type. One such part can freely replace another, without any custom fitting (such as filing). This interchangeability allows easy assembly of new devices, and easier repair of existing devices, while minimizing both the time and skill required of the person doing the assembly or repair.

Ford assembly line, 1913. The magneto was the first to be assembled.

The concept of interchangeability was crucial to the introduction of the assembly line at the beginning of the 20th century, and has become a ubiquitous element of modern manufacturing.

Yep. I want my data center to built on interchangeable parts that does all of the above.  Much clearer explanation than I want modular.

What was the technology behind interchangeable parts?

Interchangeability of parts was achieved by combining a number of innovations and improvements in machining operations and the invention of several machine tools, such as the slide rest lathe, screw-cutting lathe, turret lathe, milling machine and metal planer. Additional innovations included jigs for guiding the machine tools, fixtures for holding the workpiece in the proper position, and blocks and gauges to check the accuracy of the finished parts.^[1] Electrification allowed individual machine tools to be powered by electric motors, eliminating line shaft drives from steam engines or water power and allowing higher speeds, making modern large scale manufacturing possible.^[2] Modern machines tools often have numerical control (NC) which evolved into CNC (computerized numeric control) when microprocessors became available.

Cutting tools made of high speed steel allowed steel rather than wrought iron to be used for parts.^[3][4] The ability to machine hardened parts eliminated the problem of warping and dimensional changes associated with heat treatment hardening of parts after machining.^[5] Modern cutting edges also use materials such as tungsten carbide. Other innovations were drop forging and stamped steel parts, which reduced or eliminated the amount of machining in the United States.

Being able to put the pieces all together just like above is the goal.

Now somehow with the momentum of Modular Data Centers you are lead to think that the past data centers were custom built.  Like the way guns were made before the 18th century.

Before the 18th century, devices such as guns were made one at a time by gunsmiths, and each gun was unique. If one single component of a weapon needed a replacement, the entire weapon either had to be sent to an expert gunsmith for custom repairs, or discarded and replaced by another weapon. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, the idea of replacing these methods with a system of interchangeable manufacture was gradually developed.^[6][7] The development took decades and involved many people.^[6][7]

This is of course ridiculous to think that the last 5 years of data centers are custom built.  

The data centers built 25 years were custom, but now everyone uses interchangeable parts. 

Eli Whitney showed how interchangeable parts could revolutionize gun manufacuring.

Eli Whitney and an early attempt

In the US, Eli Whitney saw the potential benefit of developing "interchangeable parts" for the firearms of the United States military. In July 1801 he built ten guns, all containing the same exact parts and mechanisms, then disassembled them before the United States Congress. He placed the parts in a mixed pile and, with help, reassembled all of the weapons right in front of Congress, much like Blanc had done some years before.^[8]

Doesn't the sound like presentations and videos that have been shown that all the pieces go together.  

Eli Whitney sold Congress.

The Congress was captivated and ordered a standard for all United States equipment. Interchangeable parts removed problems concerning the inability to consistently produce new parts for old equipment without significant hand finishing that had plagued the era of unique weapons and equipment. If one weapon part failed, another could be ordered, and the weapon wouldn't have to be discarded. The catch was that the Whitney's guns were costly and handmade by skilled workmen.

Note this last part. "costly and handmade by skilled workmen."  

Eli Whitney overpromised and under delivered.

Whitney was never able to design a manufacturing process capable of producing guns with interchangeable parts. Fitch (1882:4)^[6] credited Whitney with successfully executing a firearms contract with interchangeable parts using the American System, but historians Merritt Roe Smith and Robert B. Gordon have since determined that Whitney never achieved interchangeable parts manufacturing. His family's arms company, however, did so after his death.

Now welcome to the part of Modular Data Center construction that almost no one talks about, especially in public.  The projects that don't work.

I was sitting next to a Telco data center guy at dinner on Tuesday night. And, modular data centers came up and I said yeh, those overhyped heavily marketed containers.

He pulls out his phone shows pictures of his containers he would like to sell.  I wonder if he can get them  listed on eBay or Craigslist?  He hates his containers.  

They are expensive to operate and hard to repair.

So, does this mean modular data centers will not work.  No.  

But, the probability of users being able to pick the right solution with 35 companies and heavy marketing, the odds are not good.