Data Center asset hierarchy template

A worked example of a data center asset hierarchy: 24 classes in 4 levels, 21 data points and 14 decisions, each linked to the lifecycle stage it supports. It's a starting point built on general industry practice, not on any organization's real data.

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classes: 24
levels: 4
data points: 21
decisions: 14
lifecycle stages: 6

The levels

4 levels, from the whole network down to the part you maintain. Rename them to suit.

Level	What it holds
1. Site	The whole facility. Holds the data points every asset shares.
2. Infrastructure system	Electrical, mechanical, safety or white space: systems designed and run as one.
3. Equipment	Equipment alike enough to share a design life, a maintenance regime and a cost model.
4. Component	A part that is inspected, maintained or replaced on its own schedule.

The full class outline

Every class, with the data points it defines in italics. A class passes its data points to everything beneath it.

Data center siteA facility's power, cooling, safety and white-space infrastructure.the shared data points below
- ElectricalPower from the utility to the rack.Rated capacity, Peak load
  - Utility switchgearReceives utility power.
  - GeneratorStandby power.Run hours
    - Fuel systemTanks and day tanks.Fuel autonomy
    - Automatic transfer switchSwitches load to the generator.
  - UPSUninterruptible power supply.
    - Battery stringStored energy for ride-through.Internal resistance trend
  - Power distribution unitDistributes power to racks.
- MechanicalCooling for white space.Cooling capacity
  - ChillerProduces chilled water.Efficiency
  - Cooling towerRejects heat outdoors.
  - CRAH unitComputer-room air handler.
  - PumpMoves chilled and condenser water.
- Fire and life safetyDetection and suppression.
  - Detection systemSmoke and early-warning detection.
  - Suppression systemClean agent or pre-action sprinklers.Last test date
- White spaceWhere IT equipment sits.
  - Data hallA room of racks.Rack power density
    - RackEquipment cabinet.
    - ContainmentHot or cold aisle containment.
- Building and controlsShell and monitoring.
  - Building management systemMonitors and controls facility systems.
  - Security systemAccess control and CCTV.

The shared data points

12 data points defined once, on Data center site, and inherited by every class. Each one carries a reason: the decisions it feeds.

Data point	Type	Feeds decisions
Install dateStarts the asset's life clock. Age, remaining life and renewal timing are all calculated from it.	date	As-built acceptance, Long-term financial forecast
AgeGroups assets by vintage for inspection planning and replacement forecasting.	number · years	Inspection frequency, Long-term financial forecast, Retire or abandon
Expected useful lifeThe design or industry life for this class. Sets when renewal should be planned.	number · years	Long-term financial forecast, Capital renewal program
Remaining useful lifeHow long the asset can keep serving. The basis for the renewal year and the repair-or-replace call.	number · years	Capital renewal program, Repair, rehabilitate or replace
Condition scoreMeasured physical state, 1 (very good) to 5 (very poor). Drives inspection, maintenance and renewal decisions.	number · 1–5	Inspection frequency, Maintenance strategy, Repair, rehabilitate or replace, Retire or abandon
Likelihood of failureHow likely the asset is to fail, from condition, age and failure history. Half of the risk score.	number · 1–5	Risk ranking
Consequence of failureHow much a failure would cost in safety, service, environment and money. The other half of the risk score.	number · 1–5	Risk ranking, Inspection frequency, Maintenance strategy
Risk scoreLikelihood times consequence. Ranks assets so money goes to the highest risk first.	number · LoF × CoF	Risk ranking, Capital renewal program, Repair, rehabilitate or replace, Retire or abandon
Replacement costWhat it would cost to replace today. Feeds the capital plan and the long-term forecast.	number · $	Capital renewal program, Long-term financial forecast, Repair, rehabilitate or replace
Planned rehab / replace yearThe year renewal is planned. Turns risk and remaining life into a schedule and a budget.	number · year	Capital renewal program, Long-term financial forecast
PM / CM ratioShare of maintenance hours that were planned rather than reactive. Shows whether the maintenance strategy is working.	number · %	Maintenance strategy
Redundancy levelN, N+1 or 2N: how many failures a system can absorb without downtime.	enum	Redundancy verification, Design standards, Capacity planning

The decisions, and the lifecycle stages they sit in

9 decisions are shared by every template and 5 are specific to this one. The lifecycle runs Plan, Create, Operate, Maintain, Renew and Dispose.

Decision	Stages	Kind
Risk ranking	Plan › Needs assessment	Shared
Capital renewal program	Plan › Capital planning, Renew › Replace	Shared
Long-term financial forecast	Plan › Capital planning	Shared
Design standards	Create › Design	Shared
As-built acceptance	Create › Construct	Shared
Inspection frequency	Operate › Inspect	Shared
Maintenance strategy	Maintain › Preventive	Shared
Repair, rehabilitate or replace	Maintain › Corrective, Renew › Rehabilitate, Renew › Replace	Shared
Retire or abandon	Dispose › Decommission	Shared
Capacity planning	Plan › Needs assessment	Industry
Redundancy verification	Operate › Inspect	Industry
Battery replacement	Renew › Replace	Industry
Cooling efficiency tuning	Operate › Monitor	Industry
Generator load testing	Maintain › Preventive	Industry

The Flow map

The same template as a Flow map: lifecycle stages, the decisions made in them and the data points each one needs.

The Data Center template in Strata's Flow map: lifecycle stages, the decisions made in them and the data points each decision needs, linked.

How to make it yours

01
Rename the levels
Open Setup › Levels and call each level what your organization calls it.
02
Add your classes
Add the classes you have that the template does not, or import your own list from Excel. Anything you add inherits the shared data points from its parent.
03
Link your own decisions
Open Setup › Decisions to change which decisions each data point feeds and which lifecycle stages they sit in. Gaps are counted for you.