University Modular Data Center Construction Project Case Study

—45-Day Rapid Delivery, Empowering Digital Transformation in Higher Education

1. Project Background and Requirements

Client: University (a leading "Double First-Class" Chinese university)
Project Background: To support strategic needs in cutting-edge disciplinary research, smart campus development, and centralized computing resource management, the university planned to rapidly deploy a high-standard, easily scalable data center within its newly built Information Center. Traditional construction methods could not meet the university's strict requirements regarding timeline, noise, and on-site management.

Core Requirements:

1. Ultra-Rapid Deployment: Full completion and commissioning were required within the critical summer holiday window (approximately 2 months) to ensure seamless operation of research and teaching systems for the new semester.

2. Zero-Disruption Construction: The site was located in the core of an active campus, demanding minimal noise, dust, and logistical disruption to teaching and research activities.

3. High Integration & Intelligence: A fully integrated data center solution with intelligent, visual operations management was needed to accommodate the university's limited dedicated IT staff.

4. Energy Efficiency: Alignment with the campus's green building philosophy, requiring high power usage effectiveness (PUE).

5. Flexible Scalability: Provision for future computing capacity expansion over the next 3-5 years.

2. The Solution: Fully Prefabricated "Campus Speed-Build" Modular Data Center

As the prime designer and system integrator, we implemented a "fully factory-prefabricated, on-site Lego-style rapid assembly" modular solution, successfully transforming complex data center construction into an efficient, clean, productized delivery process.

1. Overall Solution Architecture:

• Form: Utilized two parallel, factory-prefabricated all-in-one data center modules (each containing complete subsystems: power, cooling, monitoring, etc.), with integrated IT micro-modules inside.

• Core: A "productized" delivery model, decomposing the data center into standardized "functional modules," with over 95% integration and testing completed in the factory. On-site work was limited to connection, cabling, and commissioning.

• Value: Perfectly met the campus's stringent demands for speed, cleanliness, and quiet operation.

2. Core Integrated System Design:

3. Project Execution: The 45-Day Delivery Milestone

We set an industry benchmark of only 45 days from contract signing to on-site completion and handover, made possible by a disruptive "factory-site" parallel workflow.

1. Phased Execution Breakdown:

• Phase 1: Detailed Design & Factory Prefabrication (Days 1-30, Parallel Operations)

  • Days 1-7: Final site survey, detailed design finalization, and client approval of all details. Concurrently, procurement of major equipment and materials commenced.

  • Days 8-30: Core phase. All modular data center enclosures and internal micro-modules were manufactured, pre-integrated, and pre-tested in parallel at the factory. During this period, on-site work was limited to basic preparation (e.g., floor leveling, utility stub-ins), resulting in zero disruption to campus activities.

• Phase 2: Rapid Transport & On-Site Assembly (Days 31-40)

  • Day 31: Fully prefabricated modules were transported to the campus.

  • Days 32-38: Module placement, inter-module connection, and aisle containment installation. All work involved modular physical connection with minimal welding/cutting, resulting in low noise and no dust.

  • Days 39-40: Final cross-module connections for power cables, fiber optics, and refrigerant piping.

• Phase 3: System Commissioning & Handover Training (Days 41-45)

  • Days 41-43: Full system power-on and integrated commissioning tests to validate all functionalities of power, cooling, monitoring, etc.

  • Days 44-45: Load testing, documentation finalization, and training for the university's IT center staff on system operation and maintenance.

2. Project Outcomes:

• Speed Record: 45-day end-to-end delivery, perfectly utilizing the summer holiday window.

• Green & Quiet: Minimal environmental impact during construction, receiving high praise from campus logistics and the community.

• Performance Met: Measured PUE consistently between 1.32-1.35, far surpassing traditional data centers. All systems operate stably.

• Intelligent Management: The visualization platform allows O&M staff to monitor the entire facility via mobile phones, improving operational efficiency by over 70%.

• Scalability Ready: The modular design provides a clear, cost-effective path for future expansion, whether adding cabinets or entire modules.

4. Client Value and Project Significance

For XX University, this project introduced not just a data center, but a next-generation infrastructure paradigm for the future:

1. Solves Campus Construction Challenges: Perfectly addressed the core矛盾 (contradiction) of building complex infrastructure in a sensitive, active campus environment concerning speed, noise, and disruption.

2. Empowers Teaching & Research: The rapidly delivered, high-quality computing foundation powerfully supports research in frontier disciplines like AI, life sciences, and big data analytics, accelerating research output.

3. Transforms O&M Model: Freed IT staff from mundane infrastructure monitoring, allowing focus on application and service innovation, enabling an intelligent O&M transformation.

4. Lifecycle Economies: Controllable initial investment, significantly reduced timeline lowers time and management costs, low PUE ensures long-term energy savings, resulting in a compelling Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

5. Demonstration Effect: The project has become a benchmark for IT infrastructure construction within the university and the wider regional higher education sector, providing a replicable model for rapid data center deployment in education.

5. Conclusion

The XX University Modular Data Center Project is a successful application of our "productized mindset" to critical infrastructure in the education sector. Through our company's integrated design and turnkey services and the advanced fully factory-prefabricated model, we fulfilled our delivery promise to the client in 45 days, handing over a green, intelligent, efficient, and highly flexible modern data center. This not only validates the significant advantages of the modular approach in terms of timeliness, cleanliness, and quality control but also highlights our core competency as an integrator in deeply understanding client pain points and delivering tailored solutions. The project successfully injected robust, reliable foundational power into the university's digital transformation journey.