Cover Story

B1_3/2008

Trust and
Technology
Power distribution and building technology for
modular data centers in the Netherlands

Power distribution systems and grid expertise from

Siemens provide the perfect solutions for telco giant KPNs
groundbreaking concept of modular data centers.

K P N I S T H E N E T H E R L A N D S leading

services that are secure and available 99.98 percent

telecommunications provider and the major in-

of the time. That means a downtime of less than two

formation and communication technology (ICT)

hours a year.

services provider in the Netherlands, Belgium, and

A data center that was built ve years ago has

Germany. A key element of KPNs business is Cyber-

already reached its limits and is therefore unable to

Center (data center) services. Typically, clients are

keep up with technology demands. The recom-

high-prole blue-chip companies; 80 percent of

mended operational conditions for a data center are

temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius
and air humidity between 40 and 60 percent. In
maintaining these conditions, the power consumption of the ICT equipment really is the challenge:
what goes in as power must come out as heat. Where
ve years ago average power consumption was below 2 kilowatts per rack, now 7 kilowatts per rack is
no exception. Future expectations are even higher.
In our new CyberCenters we can handle 25 kilowatts
per rack and more, which is something most of our
competitors dont think is feasible, says Max Alias,

All pictures: R. Oberhuser

Data Centers

program manager CyberCenter Services at KPN.

The constant need for air-conditioning is expensive
and not eco-friendly.
Another aspect is initial investment. Alias adds:
In the past you built a huge data center and lled it
up as customers came along. We wanted to improve

The KPN CyberCenter

in Oude Meer

our return on investment, so the fundamental questhem are listed among the top 600 Dutch compa-

tion for KPN was how to build a data center that

nies. As more and more companies outsource ICT

would grow with the market. Could we build a data

services, this is a rapidly growing but highly com-

center in steps, and could it grow with our custom-

petitive market. KPN guarantees its customers ICT

ers demands in cooling and power as well?

 How do we build a CyberCenter

that will grow with the market?
Max Alias, KPN

Cover Story

Data Centers

8
B1_3/2008

KPN CyberCenters
 Modular design
 Separate units with KyotoCooling,
UPS, power equipment, and racks

 Can be built relatively easily and

with minimal planning

 Can be stacked on top of each other

 Units can be added next to existing units

 Capable of handling 25 kW and more per
rack with air cooling

 Just-in-time investment in capacity

 OxyReduct technology
 Redundancy level is Tier 3 plus

Certainly, with demand for data center space in-

22 degrees Celsius. This is the maximum tempera-

creasing by as much as 50 to 60 percent each year,

ture for the make-up air needed to cool the Cyber-

the modular approach makes business sense. With

Center. So on average, in the Netherlands it is pos-

Siemens on the team, KPN developed an innovative

sible to cool the CyberCenter for 354 days a year

modular data center design that allows for just-in-

with KyotoCooling, without needing any additional

time investment in capacity.

air-conditioning. That provides enormous energy

Eco challenge
KPN wanted to reduce both power consumption and

Siemens has
the knowledge
and expertise.
Every CyberCenter is built
with Siemens!

carbon dioxide emissions. ICT is a major source of

carbon dioxide. For an ICT provider, being green is
very important. Companies want to improve their eco
ratings. To address this customer requirement and
to improve our own eco rating, KPN has been working
with a small company called UpTime Technology to
develop a concept called KyotoCooling, Alias explains.
The use of KyotoCooling technology in a CyberCenter is quite different from traditional cooling
methods. Traditionally a stream of cold air is blown
under a raised oor and then into the room via
vents in the oor. This cold air is then taken into the
ICT equipment through ventilators. Warm air is extracted from the top of the room by a recirculation
air handler and cooled again. The constant need for
air-conditioning is energy intensive, and as energy
costs continue to spiral, the knock-on effect is higher operational costs.
KyotoCooling uses a modified heat-exchange

savings. Overall power consumption in the CyberCenter is reduced by 20 to 30 percent. The power

wheel technology. Warm air is fed through the heat-

consumption for cooling is reduced by more than

exchange wheel, cooled, and led back to the cool

70 percent. So its not only green, its also saving

area of the room. Its an environmentally friendly

money, Alias says. Of course, not all data centers

system that dramatically reduces carbon dioxide

can use KyotoCooling as efciently as we can here

emissions and also delivers signicant power and

in the Netherlands, but imagine that all the data

cost savings.

centers worldwide were operated with KyotoCooling. This would signicantly reduce the worlds en-

Cost and energy savings

ergy consumption and carbon emission.

The partnership with Siemens is a very important

The Netherlands has a relatively cool climate. About

one for KPN, Alias says. The modular design and

97 percent of the time, the air temperature is below

just-in-time approach are new to this business. Z

Siemens technology
 Geafol transformers ranging from 1,600 kVA

 Sivacon 8PS LRC busbar trunking systems

up to 2,500 kVA (10 kV/400 V)

 NXPlus medium-voltage distribution boards (2,500 A)
 Sivacon 8PV low-voltage switchgear
(ranging from 2,500 A to 4,000 A)
 Sivacon 8PS LD busbar trunking systems ranging
from 1,100 A up to 4,000 A
 Sivacon 8PS BD2 busbar trunking systems (250 A)

ranging from 2,500 A up to 5,000 A

 Sivacon 8PS BD01 busbar trunking systems (160 A)
 Desigo building management system
 Siemens power monitoring system
 Overall detailed engineering of complete power
distribution system
 Installation and commissioning

Cover Story

Data Centers

10
B1_3/2008

Z Siemens offers a set of power distribution systems

improve, a process Alias says makes them one team,

that can be expanded modularly and matches our

working together. In addition, one Siemens employ-

requirements. We are partnering with Siemens on

ee is contracted to KPN as a dedicated full-time con-

both the building and planning side of our Cyber-

sultant and is part of the developer team. Working

Centers and on implementing the generation and

with one partner has the added benet of an im-

electrical systems. Basically, CyberCenters arent

proved learning curve on both sides. It is a win-win

utilities anymore; they are industrial structures

situation, he says.

with substantial requirements, and as Siemens

Continuous improvement is the credo. This type

comes from an industrial background, it has the

of long-term continuity in a partnership is unique,

and it speeds up projects considerably. Plus, Siemens
knows what to deliver and has the equipment ready,

Customers want security and

availability. Their core business
is running on ICT.
MAX ALIAS, Program Manager CyberCenter Services, KPN

so this greatly improves planning accuracy. And on

the technical side, Siemens offers an integrated approach to power supply and distribution, both highand medium-voltage, as well as building technology.
A frame agreement between KPN and Siemens also
speeds up tenders, Alias says.
To provide an example of how successful the partnership between KPN and Siemens is, Alias talks
about rebuilding the browneld CyberCenter at
Aalsmeer. The rebuilding work commenced in Au-

knowledge and expertise to deliver all the equip-

gust 2006. The rst room was completely rebuilt

ment. Thats why we build every CyberCenter with

and ready to go live on November 1, 2006. Two more

Siemens, Alias says. Another important aspect of

rooms were added two months later. Six months

our collaboration with Siemens is the support

down the track, a further two rooms were also ready

Siemens provides in talks with power grid opera-

and live. All work was carried out under operational

tors. CyberCenters are huge load centers and need

conditions, so customer applications were running

a suitable grid connection, and Siemens helps here

and being moved to the new systems while the Cy-

as well. The Siemens consultants know the whole

berCenter was being rebuilt. We could not have

power transmission and distribution business and

managed this without Siemens. For us this is a good

also know how to talk to grid operators. Larger data

partnership and one that has a great green future,

centers, with the corresponding power consump-

Alias says.

B1

tion, place a considerable load on the grid; this is

something that can be a problem, he adds.

Unique partnership

edge with Siemens, so there is a lot at stake. ConseDesign study of the

modular CyberCenter
concept

quently, every three months KPN and Siemens meet

to discuss and assess the projects and how best to

info

www.siemens.com/buildingtechnologies
www.siemens.com/tip

contact

remco.sloothaak@siemens.com

Bikt Mulder Architecten B.V.

Alias says trust is vital: We share a lot of our knowl-

The CyberCenter
Haarlem during
nal installation of
the systems

KyotoCooling: the concept

Rotary heat exchangers (wheels) provide either
sensible or total energy exchange between two
airstreams. Normally designed for counterow applications, they operate on the principle of sensible
heat transfer and latent energy transfer using
desiccant material. The rotor is like a honeycomb,
with passages through which air ows, either gaining energy from or losing energy to the mass of
the matrix. In the KyotoCooling system, the heat

wheel is plumbed in the wrong way so it works

as a cooling machine. Heat from the IT room is still
removed via the heat wheel, but there is minimal
air transfer between the ambient environment and
the computer room. This system has all the benets
of airside economizing without the exposures, such
as contamination and humidity control.
www.kyotocooling.com