Data centers are the foundation of the modern digital economy. 

They house the infrastructure that drives the everyday internet services, apps, and platforms we depend on. 

With so many types of data centers available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. One way to evaluate data centers is through the tier classification system, which ranks them based on their reliability, uptime, and infrastructure capabilities.

What is a Data Center Tier Classification?

A data center tier is a classification system developed by the Uptime Institute to help organizations evaluate data centers' capabilities and reliability. 

This tier system consists of four levels, each representing a higher standard of performance, redundancy, and uptime: Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4, which is the highest level of classification. 

In Jakarta, Tier 3 data centers are becoming the minimum standard for enterprises and growing businesses to place their servers, while Tier 4 data centers were just introduced a few years back. 

This shows that as Indonesia’s economy thrives, the need for higher tier standards data centers is relevant for companies, especially growing ones. 

Importance of Using the Tier System for Data Centers

The tier system is critical for organizations as it helps them choose reliable data centers that meet their requirements. 

For example, a business that needs continuous uptime with minimal interruptions may opt for a Tier 3 or Tier 4 data center, as they have minimum yearly downtime records. Smaller businesses with fewer operations time might find a Tier 2 data center sufficient. Understanding these classifications allows companies to balance cost and reliability based on their operational needs.

Understanding Tier 4 Data Centers

A few years back, the Tier 4 certificate was just introduced in Indonesia. Data centers such as Bersama Digital Data Centres managed to obtain such certificates. 

But even so, what does this mean for customers when these providers receive such certification? 

What is Tier 4?

Tier 4 data centers are the highest-rated facilities in the tier classification system. 

They are designed to offer the maximum uptime, fault tolerance, and redundancy. These data centers are engineered with fully redundant subsystems, including power, cooling, and networking, ensuring that the data center remains operational even in the case of component failure.

Why Tier 4 is the Top of the Line

Tier 4 data centers are built for organizations that simply cannot afford any downtime. 

Whether it's a financial institution processing millions of transactions per second or a healthcare provider storing critical patient data, Tier 4 data centers guarantee 99.995% uptime, equating to just 26 minutes of downtime per year. This level of reliability makes them essential for businesses where any disruption could lead to significant financial loss or risk to reputation.

In some cases, some data centers such as Bersama Digital Data Centres (BDDC) have Tier 4 Data centers with a guarantee of 99.999% uptime, higher than its usual standard. This means that these data centers have decreased the risk of downtime per year to its usual standard despite being Tier 4. 

Key Features of Tier 4 Data Centers

Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

The main feature of a Tier 4 data center is its redundant infrastructure. 

This standard is designed with N 1 redundancy or higher, meaning that for every critical system such as power, cooling, and network connections, there is at least one additional backup component. This feature ensures that if one system fails, the backup system immediately takes over without any interruption in service. 

Another feature that tier 4 data centers have is fault tolerance. With this feature, it allows the data center to continue operating even during component failures. This goes beyond just redundancy, and it is designed to ensure that there is no single point of failure. 

Multiple Power Sources

Tier 4 data centers are equipped with diverse, independent power systems, including backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). These ensure peace of mind by providing continuous operation, as alternative power sources are always on standby to maintain uptime and reliability, meeting the high standards of a Tier 4 facility.

Advanced Cooling Systems

Efficient cooling is crucial for maintaining the performance and longevity of data center hardware. Tier 4 facilities use advanced cooling systems that operate with redundancy, ensuring that even if one cooling unit fails, others will continue to keep the environment stable.

24/7 Monitoring and Security

Tier 4 data centers offer 24/7 monitoring, ensuring that any issues are detected and resolved immediately. Additionally, these facilities feature top-level physical and digital security, including biometric access controls, and surveillance cameras.

Benefits of Tier 4 Data Centers

Unparalleled Uptime

As stated before, the main advantage of a Tier 4 data center is its unmatched uptime. With 99.995% availability (or in some cases, with 99.999% availability such as BDDC), businesses can confidently run mission-critical operations without worrying about system outages.

Maximum Security

Tier 4 data centers are equipped with cutting-edge security measures to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access. From encryption to 24/7 physical security, they ensure data is protected at all times.

Standards and Certifications for Tier 4 Data Centers

Uptime Institute Certification

The Uptime Institute is a global organization known for creating Tier standards and a comprehensive framework for testing and certifying the redundancy and resiliency of data centers. 

They offer a rigorous certification process for data centers. To achieve Tier 4 certification, a facility must meet specific design, construction, and operational criteria. This certification is an industry-recognized validation of a data center's reliability and capabilities.

Who Uses Tier 4 Data Centers?

Financial Institutions

Banks and other financial institutions cannot afford downtime as transactions happen everyday. 

Tier 4 data centers offer the security, speed, and reliability needed to handle millions of financial transactions without the risk of system failure.

Large Enterprises

Large enterprises, such as multinational corporations, rely on Tier 4 data centers for their global operations. With continuous uptime and strong disaster recovery plans, these data centers ensure that business activities remain uninterrupted, no matter what.

Government Agencies

Government institutions that manage critical data and national infrastructure often choose Tier 4 data centers for their fault tolerance and high-level security capabilities, ensuring that public services remain operational during emergencies.

Tier 4 vs. Tier 3: Key Differences

Comparison of Uptime

While both Tier 3 and Tier 4 data centers offer high levels of uptime, there are several differences that can be pointed out of these two certificates.

As mentioned before, Tier 4 certificates are the top classified certificates for now. This designation ensures that data centers deliver the most advanced and reliable services.

For example, Tier 4’s uptime is 99.995%, compared to Tier 3’s 99.982%. While this difference might seem small, it translates to significantly less downtime in practice — less than 30 minutes per year for Tier 4, versus 1.5 hours for Tier 3. 

As you can see, the designs of Tier 4 data centers ensure that businesses will always keep running. 

Final Thoughts

All this boils down to whether one should consider colocating in a Tier 4 data center or not. 

This is entirely up to the enterprise or companies. In Indonesia, most growing businesses or big companies are required to take Tier 3 data centers as it is now their standard requirement. However, if the operations require the data center to still be operating 24/7 will very minimum downtime, then perhaps the Tier 4 data center would be a better choice to keep business running.