The Uptime Institute today announced it has incorporated the Owners Advisory Committee’s (OAC) first recommended modification into the data center Tier Classification System. The OAC is composed of 29 data center owners who provide oversight and guidance to ensure the Uptime Institute’s Tier Standards continue to be useful to data center owners and operators. The Tier Classification System is the international standard for objectively evaluating a data center’s performance capability in respect to its business requirements.

The Uptime Institute has agreed to incorporate the results of the OAC vote - a new minimum requirement - into Tier Standard: Topology, the authoritative documentation of the Tier requirements. This new requirement calls for a minimum of 12 hours of fuel storage for the engine-generator plant at “N” capacity. Although the OAC pinpointed this new specification during deliberations on the definition and requirements of Tier I, it affects all four Tiers since each data center Tier incorporates the criteria of those beneath it.

“We appreciate the efforts and input we’re receiving from OAC members who deliver enhanced value to the Tiers based on varied end-user perspectives and experiences,” said Vince Renaud, PE, OAC Facilitator and Tier Certification Authority, Uptime Institute Professional Services. “The OAC determined that its first agenda item was to revisit the definition and requirements of a Tier I data center. We’re pleased that their deliberations and votes represented refinements of the Tier requirements, which shows that the Tiers continue to serve as a meaningful and useful standard to data center owners worldwide.”

In reviewing the Tier I standard, the OAC also voted on other issues that do not warrant changes to the Tier Standard: Topology, such as not mandating an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) ride-through time.

The OAC is composed of 29 data center owners from a cross-section of industries, including banking/finance, technology, insurance, petrochemical, manufacturing, retail, health care, and airlines. It was formed in 2009 in response to the marketplace’s request for end-users to play a role in the ongoing review and enhancing of the Tier Program. The OAC is currently reviewing Issues for Consideration to be deliberated on in 2010 and voted on in 2011.