So BICSI released 002-2011 last year, but I only recently got my hands on the full version. It is a significant improvement over 002-2010, which I hadn't bothered to review because it was missing the critical system: Electrical chapter entirely, and had a few other areas that were less than mature.

But, the 002-2011 (Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices) is in fact, the first fully sanctioned 'Data Center Standard' encompassing end-to-end design and implementation elements as a full standard document. In an initial chapter, they mention how this standard combines the elements of a number of other standards into a single resource. Those standards include elements from other documents (many of which contain 'supplemental material' in their document, that aren't officially part of the standard). But BICSI aims to bring them all to a single point here. It aims to bring the core elements from NFPA, TIA, CENELEC, ISO, ASHRAE, ATIS, and other standards together (or at least reference to them where needed).

From a 'Tier' perspective, BICSI has created a different designation: the 'Class' or 'Fx - Facility Class' rating, where the scale is F0 to F4. It is a matrix based rating which takes into account the operational level of the data center (basically what "Tier" is in TIA and TS:T), and then aligns that with the scope of the DC (i.e. local only to Enterprise-wide). Hence, the highest rating a Local DC with an operating level of 4 would yield an F3 DC. F0 DC is more in line with the kind of 'Server Room' frequently found in office environments. It does not treat them as critical facilities, and there is expected lack of redundancy and maximum availability of F2.

Best Regards,
Scott
ATS, CDCE

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, and no simpler."