Uninterrupted Peace of Mind for FPT Fornix’s Data Center

The world today is undeniably digital — a proliferation of smart and computing devices has led to higher levels of uptime, an increased dependence on the Internet, and a greater demand for uninterrupted power. And while there have been great advancements in growing the complexities of power grids to handle these needs, there are still vulnerabilities that can result in outages and fluctuations in flow.

When it comes to mission critical loads such as IT servers, medical equipment, and financial transactions, service providers simply cannot afford any downtime. To maintain key operations and protect their assets, building owners typically count on Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to provide a reliable safeguard.

Designed to provide round the clock computing resources, network, and storage infrastructures, data centers require a reliable defence against power fluctuations and outages. UPS systems can reduce downtime and its cost by providing reliable backup power in an emergency. On its own, the backup power from a UPS can provide the additional time data center operators need to shut down all systems in a controlled manner, in alignment with standard procedures, as opposed to the rapid shutoff of an outage, which could damage equipment.

FPT Fornix: The Road to Uninterruptible Power Supply

As one of Vietnam’s leading telecommunications and Internet service providers, FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company (FPT Telecom) understood the modern consumer’s insatiable demand for uninterrupted Internet access. The management team saw the huge growth potential and consciously invested in equipment and infrastructure upkeep. Established in 1977, the company has four Mega Tier III data centers that provides transmission to other countries in Asia, including Japan, China, and Singapore. 

Mr Hoàng Nam Tiên, Chairman of FPT Telecom, shared, “Digital transformation will continue to advance quickly in Viet Nam and all over the world. The demand to bring IT systems, software applications, and more data up to the Cloud is still growing, so we’ll need more Mega data centers and better standards to ensure system safety, data safety, and security so as to compete with the big players like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon."

In line with the company’s goal to meet the surge in demand for dependable and high-speed internet access, the team at FPT Telecom decided to build two second-generation data centers. FPT Fornix, based in Hanoi, is the company’s first data center built according to the Uptime Institute Tier III Certification of Constructed Facility (TCCF) standards and requirements.

Specifically, choosing equipment that allowed FPT Telecom to gain efficiencies at low costs was a key consideration throughout the design, deployment, and integration processes. FPT Telecom established four rigorous sets of criteria covering the selection of infrastructure and equipment for the data center. These include shortlisting highly efficient, reliable, and durable equipment from well-established manufacturers, and implementing a comprehensive, cost-effective maintenance plan.

Prevention: The Cure to Downtime

Data centers notoriously rack up high energy costs, and this can amount to more than 30 billion (VND) per year, which corresponds to 1000kW loads. For this reason, it was imperative for FPT Telecom to engage an established manufacturer with a proven track record of delivering quality, customised UPS solutions to meet the most stringent requirements. 

To ensure stable operations at optimised operating costs, the Mitsubishi Electric team of experts recommended a tailored 9950A UPS system along with an IT cooling system.

An advanced three-phase online double-conversion system, Mitsubishi Electric's 9950A series delivers exceptional performance and consistent reliability, and is capable of maintaining incredibly high efficiency.  Featuring a capacity of 1500kVA 2N with a 02 group of 03 parallel UPS clusters, the 9950A system installed in the FPT Fornix data center maintains normal operations with no effect on the critical load, regardless of interruptions in any group.

The modular, scalable design of the 9950A system enabled FPT Telecom to maximise capacity while keeping to a small, set footprint, allowing the telecommunications provider to allocate more storage site to server equipment. Furthermore, Mitsubishi Electric’s multi-module UPS system shares the load equally across all inverters and synchronises the output to ensure seamless transfers. The modular system also makes maintenance an easier affair, as the separation eliminates the need for a complete shutdown.

The relatively flat efficiency curve of Mitsubishi Electric’s UPS system delivers power more economically, even at heavy loads, hence reducing operating costs.

FPT Telecom’s pursuit of highly efficient equipment is also supported by Mitsubishi Electric’s team of experienced service technicians who provide extensive after-sales support, through regular monitoring and maintenance of the 9950A system. 

Mr. Phung Manh Ha, Project Director of FPT data center, shared, “Mitsubishi Electric has done an excellent job in the data center sector. The company provides full backup spare parts located on-site, with long-term warranties, a high-quality maintenance process, and a clear and consistent maintenance policy.”

Securing Customer Data 24/7, All Year Round

Computing infrastructure has come a long way from proprietary mainframes to distributed computing. Data centers must be well equipped to provide the ultimate user experience in this multicloud era. Since 1964, Mitsubishi Electric has manufactured precision engineered UPS systems to protect customers’ mission critical equipment against the damage and expenses resulting from power fluctuations and outages.

Mitsubishi Electric achieves some of the highest levels of reliability among backup power electronic suppliers. In addition to maximising uptime, the electrical and electronics equipment manufacturer delivers critical power solutions that provide excellent value in the areas of high efficiency, rapid deployment, total cost of ownership, scalability, premier service, and support.

To learn more about Mitsubishi Electric’s proven range of UPS systems, visit https://www.mitsubishielectric.com.sg/products-solutions/industrial-public-utility/ups.