Beside the approach Microsoft takes to design Modern or Modular Datacenters which is very advanced and innovative, there exists some de-facto standards from the industry.
BICSI 002 (www.bicsi.org) , updated in 2011, sets forth requirements, recommendations and additional information that should be considered when working with critical systems, like the electrical, mechanical, and telecommunication networks, as well as other significant needs, such as site selection, security, and building needs.
To accomplish the delivery of these diverse subjects within a single volume, BICSI 002 integrated the key concepts and requirements from other documents and standards, from ISO, IEC, TIA, ASHRAE, NFPA and others, while providing reference to specific documents where more considerations or information is available. This feature, unique to BICSI 002, provides a comprehensive document, which covers following areas on datacenter design:
1 Introduction
2 Scope
3 References
4 Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations, And Units Of Measurement
5 Space Planning
6 Site Selection
7 Architectural
8 Structural
9 Electrical Systems
10 Mechanical
11 Fire Protection
12 Security
13 Building Automation Systems
14 Telecommunications
15 Information Technology
16 Commissioning
17 Data Center Maintenance
Annex A: Design Process (Informative)
Annex B: Reliability And Availability (Informative)
Annex C: Referenced Documents (Informative)