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Infinity Paradigm®

Revolutionary Data Center Framework

A paradigm-shift in the data center industry.

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Application EcosystemSM

The Application exists and fulfils its purpose through the support of a holistic and dynamic ecosystem of interdependent logical & physical infrastructure and operational practices.
AE SMis made up of Application, Platform, Compute, Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI), Site Facilities Infrastructure (SFI), Site and Topology abstraction layers bundled into an application ecosystem for the purpose of satisfying Organization Requirements.
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The 7 Layers

Application

Platform

Compute

ITI

SFI

Site

Topology

...Infinity Paradigm's

Application Ecosystem

by IDCA!

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The Seven Efficacies

AVAILABILITY

EFFICIENCY

CAPACITY

OPERATION

SAFETY &
SECURITY

INNOVATION

RESILIENCE

THE SEVEN EFFICACIES

Data Center Benchmarking & Compliance

1st

Ensuring availability by involving redundant infrastructure & avoiding single points of failure in the design as well as the implementation of the data center. This provides essential protection for both active & passive components. However, availability is directly linked to other efficacies such as operation & capacity, which their effective up-keep enhances & directly impacts data center availability.

2nd

Evaluating embedded efficiency mechanisms in order to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO), emission production & carbon footprint, advocating efficiency across the board. This includes maximized energy savings & green initiatives within feasible limits & involves not only designing & implementing efficient technologies, but also efficiency in methods & resources utilization.

3rd

Capacity of Infrastructure components that are scalable & suited for intelligent growth without compromising redundancy or sacrificing redundant components to serve the growing capacity needs. Doing so makes the data center dynamic, capable & competent to accommodate for future changes, while maintaining Grade (G) level classification & the required redundancies.

4th

Establishing safety & security measures throughout the AE’s supporting infrastructure. Protecting operation of both physical & IT aspects under by putting them under explicit control & surveillance. All vulnerabilities towards potential hazards & risks are absolutely minimized, ensuring that the lives of individuals & the wellbeing of computing assets are not at risk & fully protected at all times.

5th

Being in possession of operationally conducive infrastructure as well as skilled & capable human resources, accompanied by precise policies & procedures that are practical, geared for high-availability, render simplified for troubleshooting, promote consistency, efficiency, security & reliable quality control, intuitive to details while simple enough that make it easy to adhere to operational procedures.

6th

Measure of effective creativity & promotion of innovation in selection of technologies, modern in approach, systems & methodologies that make the data center operationally conducive, cost-effective, reliable, safe to the assets, stakeholders & the environment in design, component selection, implementation & operation.

7th

The resilience of the data center as relevant to its ultimate goal which is business continuity & application delivery. This is directly linked to the organization’s recovery point objectives (RPO) & involves measuring availability across layers, redundancies, disaster prevention, protection & recovery systems, methods, resources & possibilities.

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Data Center Grade Level Classifications

EXCELLENCE

The highest level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers.
G0 represents the lowest levels of risk, lowest level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.

Grade Level 0 TM

G0

GRADE LEVEL 1 TM

Above average level of achievement, represents exposure to low levels of risk, low level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.

G1

GRADE LEVEL 2 TM

Average level of achievement, represents an average exposure to risks, insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.

G2

GRADE LEVEL 3 TM

Below average level of achievement, represents a below average levels of risks, insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.

G3

GRADE LEVEL 4 TM

Lowest level of achievement, represents the highest levels of risk, highest acceptable level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.

G4

INFINITY PARADIGM®

“Infinity Paradigm® outlines the models, concepts, frameworks and standards as they pertain to the data center purpose, the data center definition, its components, layouts, topologies, methodologies, designs, plans, documentation, availability, security, safety, resilience, capacity, efficiency, operation, telecommunication, power & electricals, cooling & mechanicals, cabling, civil, structure, architecture, lighting, earthing, signage, connectivity, information technology, software, application, monitoring, network operation center, operations center, servers, storage, backup, recovery, mirroring, archival, and any method, technology, product or service that relates to the hosting, delivery and facilitation of organization and business applications.”
 
 
 
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The Infinity Paradigm® is the paradigm that will cause a paradigm-shift in the data center industry and reshape the face of the data center and information technology delivery industry, as was once known. Infinity Paradigm® effectively renders the data center stakeholder infinite possibilities of effective design, plan, operation, maintenance and compliance to adopt optimum availability, security, efficiency, capacity and resilience metrics. This is achieved through Infinity Paradigm's uniquely comprehensive outlook, encompassing the entire application ecosystem covering Application, Platform, Compute, Application Delivery Infrastructure, IT Infrastructure, Site Facility Infrastructure and Topology.

The Infinity Paradigm® provides both

Macro view of the entire application ecosystemSM

Micro view of each particular layer of the ecosystem

Application Ecosystem (AE)SM

The Application exists and fulfils its purpose through the support of a holistic and dynamic ecosystem of interdependent logical & physical infrastructure and operational practices.

Redefining the Data Center

A Data Center (DC) is the Infrastructure supporting the Application Ecosystem (AE).
A Data Center Node (DCN) is a combination of physical Site, SFI and ITI supporting AE at a specific topology node.
A Data Center Cloud (DCC) is a set of data center nodes arranged in a specific Topology.

AE is made up of Application, Platform, Compute, Information Technology Infrastructure (ITI), Site Facilities Infrastructure (SFI), Site and Topology abstraction layers bundled into an application ecosystem for the purpose of satisfying Organization Requirements.

The 7 Layers

1

Application

A set of software services that fulfill organization requirements.

Examples: ERP Application is composed of accounting, payroll, inventory, asset management etc. software services.

The components involved in the Application layer of the AESM may include:

Application Layer Components
  • Application Architecture
  • Application Availability
  • Application Security
  • Application Integrity
  • Application Efficiency
  • Inputs, Processing and Outputs
  • General Controls
  • Application Reliability and Performance
  • Application Capacity and Maintainability
  • Business Specific Metricsx insertion here.
2

Platform

The methodology by which the application is delivered (Application Delivery Mode).

The Application requirements specification lead to a Platform selection.

Common Delivery Platforms are Business as a Service (BaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Nothing as a Service (NaaS).

The components involved in the Platform layer of the AESM may include:

Platform Layer Components
3

Compute

The logical arrangement of computing resources. Compute is a layer in which processing requirements of the application are defined in an abstract form. The compute cycle cloud would subsequently map to actual virtual or physical cores in the IT Infrastructure layer.

The components involved in the Compute layer of the AESM may include:

Compute Layer Components
4

IT Infrastructure (ITI)

A set of physical components at the information technology level, utilized for the application delivery, housed at the data center node. The ITI specifies the network, the servers, the storage, etc. infrastructure and related services that a given site is outfitted in order to meet the specifications of its supporting layers.

The components involved in the ITI layer of the AESM may include:

ITI Layer Components
5

Site Facility Infrastructure (SFI)

A set of components, at the facility level, utilized for the application delivery, housed at the data center node.

The SFI specifies the power, cooling, etc. infrastructure and related services that a site is outfitted in order to meet the specs of its supporting layers.

The components involved in the SFI layer of the AESM may include:

SFI Layer Components
6

Site

An independently operated space to house data center infrastructure. The requirement specifications of Application, Platform, Compute, ITI, SFI and Topology dictate the qualifications and provisions of the Data Center Node Site.

The components involved in the Site layer of the AESM may include:

Site Layer Components
7

Topology

The connectedness, continuity and boundaries signifying a set of correlations, connections, dependencies, and relations between various data center node sites for the delivery of the organization’s application. Topology specifies the physical location, interconnectivity and interrelation of data center sites (Physical Data Center Sites Map).

Specification of the Application, Platform and Compute as well as the requirements of the to-be-hosted SFI and ITI lead to selection and specification of the underlying Topology.

The components involved in the Topology layer of the AESM may include:

Topology Layer Components
 
 

The Infinity Paradigm® outlines AESM through abstraction layers.
AESM, its abstraction layers, and their relationships are presented through The Core or The Pyramid models.

Application Ecosystem (AE)SM

drag me!

DCN 1
DCN n
DCC
 
 
 
 
 

Infinity Paradigm Features

 
 
 
 

Comprehensive

The Infinity Paradigm® was founded on the basis of bridging existing industry gaps. It enforces a comprehensive view of the logical and physical aspects of information technology, data centers, and Cloud, as well as their investments, designs, infrastructure, personnel, performance metrics, overall operations, and management.
 

Effective

One of the Infinity Paradigm’s core missions is ensuring effectiveness via the notion of practicality. Its framework matrix empowers all stakeholders with a practical, intuitive, detailed and holistic understanding of the entire ecosystem.
 
 

Efficiency-Driven

From the optimization of programming code, to the optimization of precision cooling on the data center floor, to the optimization of operational procedures, the Infinity Paradigm® maintains a consistent focus on efficiency at every layer and in every phase of operations. It also helps to illustrate the efficiency cost of standards and regulatory compliance, and also the efficiency benefits of various design choices.
 

Cloud-Inclusive

Virtualization and Cloud are foundational elements of modern information technology platforms. The Infinity Paradigm® proudly takes the initiative to be the first and foremost cloud-inclusive holistic standards framework, not simply through the inclusion of virtualization and cloud guidance at the compute or platform layer, but rather by including it at every layer and within every efficacy.
 
 

International

The Infinity Paradigm® was designed to bring the world’s best and brightest together, allowing all cloud, application, information technology, facility and data center stakeholders to enjoy the synergy that globalized collaboration can provide. It also factors in the unique operational characteristics and challenges that can occur when topologies span across multiple countries or continents.
 

Localized

Infinity Paradigm® is extensible and adaptable to localized technical, language, environmental, regulatory, political, and industrial requirements and capabilities. This unprecedented level of “reality-centric” adaptability allows for ease of access, enhanced efficiency, safety, compliance and effectiveness.
 
 

Operation Conducive

Operational conduciveness is a foundational element of the Infinity Paradigm®. The industry has favored availability and resilience over operational effectiveness for far too long. IDCA’s philosophy dictates that an infrastructure’s availability, capacity, security, safety, compliance, etc. cannot be measured unless its operational requirements are fully evaluated and met. Only a demonstrable operational competency with each component’s individual function and the interdependencies between components will fulfill Infinity Paradigm’s requirements of compliance.
 

Application-Centric

IDCA is the first organization worldwide to formally recognize, define and promote the Application centric nature of the entire technology stack, by introducing the concept of the Application EcosystemSM and even going so far as to redefine the data center itself as "The infrastructure supporting the Application Ecosystem". The Infinity Paradigm® Standards Framework is entirely based on this application centric approach. This creates a laser sharp focus on the end goal at every layer of the technology stack, and helps to ensure alignment of all systems and technologies toward that one objective.
 
 
 

Data Center Grading and Scoring System

 
 
 

Data Center Classification

Grade Levels (GsSM) – IDCA’s method of data center classification at different application ecosystem (AE)SM layers of Topology, Site, Site Facility Infrastructure, Information Technology Infrastructure, Data Center Node, Compute, Platform and Application is through GsSM. GsSM are stretched from G4SM to G0SM, G4SM possessing the maximum allowable level of vulnerabilities such as chances of failure, security risks, inefficiencies, operational lags, capacity insufficiencies, and lacks of resilience, while G0SM practically mandates total illumination of such and hence possesses the highest Grade Level a data center or organization operating a data center or series of data centers can posses at any layer of the application ecosystem. Important Note: Data Center Grade Levels (GsSM) are not to be confused with data center Tiers as Tiers view, scope and coverage of data center is fundamentally different than that of IDCA Grade Levels.
Achieving G0SM (excellence), at every layer of the AE, though not practical nor advised for all, is projected to be the goal data centers, operators, designers, engineers and architects. The more organizations strive towards G0SM (which is compressive grasp of perfection in not just Availability but also Efficiency, Security, Safety, Efficiency, Capacity and Resilience at the node level as well as the logical infrastructure as well as the entire physical topology of the data center) the more they achieve unraveled possibilities which are practically infinite and thus the organization approaches Infinity (∞) as in infinite availabilities, securities, capacities, efficiencies, and resiliencies. Hence, Infinity is defined as the concept of achieving virtual infinite availability, reliability, security, capacity and resilience as adherent to the organization’s need. As a result, Infinity Paradigm® serves as the cohesive system to enable data center stakeholders achieve Infinity optimal to their actual needs, feasibilities and capacities.
 
 
G0

Grade Level 0SM

Grade Level 0 is the highest level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers. G0 represents the lowest levels of risk, lowest level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.
G1

Grade Level 1SM

Grade Level 1 is the above average level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers. G1 represents the low levels of risk, low level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.
G2

Grade Level 2SM

Grade Level 2 is the average level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers. G1 represents an average exposure to risks, insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.
G3

Grade Level 3SM

Grade Level 3 is the below average level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers. G3 represents a below average exposure to risks, insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.
G4

Grade Level 4SM

Grade Level 4 is the lowest level of achievement when awarded to any application, platform, compute, ITI, SFI, Site or Topology layers. G4 represents the highest levels of risk, highest acceptable level of insecurities, inefficiencies, vulnerabilities and chances of failure.
 
 

Efficacy Score Rating - ESR®

G4
G3
G2
G1
G0
 
Excellence
ESR® - The single most reliable score rating for comparing Data Center delivery abilities and claims!
Efficacy Score Rating is the system and methods for piecewise evaluation of the efficacy of a complex system.
In abstract system and methods for evaluation and comparison of a complex system's efficacy composed of independent or interdependent components is referred to as ESR®. The efficacy of each component is evaluated and scored based on a set of pre-determined criteria. The component-wise efficacy scores are then combined to produce an overall system efficacy score for the purpose of evaluation of the whole and comparison with other systems within the same context or domain. Examples of efficacy score rating applications are Data center rating, business rating, service provider rating, security ratings etc.
ESR® of a Data Center is a measure of the overall efficacy of an organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, application delivery model (ADM), application delivery infrastructure (ADI), as well as the Availability, Security, Safety, Resilience, Efficiency, Capacity and Operation of the AE layers.
A​ERSM

Availability Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of availability of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.
S​ERSM

Security Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of safety and security of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.
E​ERSM

Efficiency Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of efficiency of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.
O​ERSM

Operation Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of operation of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.
CERSM

Capacity Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of capacity of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.
RERSM

Resilience Efficacy Rating

A measure of effectiveness, ability and value of resilience of the organization’s application ecosystem (AE)SM, specific to an AE layer.

Standardize on Infinity Paradigm!

IDCA takes pride in being the first organization worldwide to encourage and lead open communication and collaboration on holistic Application Ecosystem standards development. IDCA promotes collaborative efforts and enables workgroups and organizations to work closely by taking part in IDCA’s global mission to develop highly comprehensive and effective application-centric technology standards that caters to data centers, infrastructures, information technology, cloud, big data, applications and IoT. By taking part in this collaborative standardization, which is first of its kind in the data center industry, one will be amazed at how the wide array of expertise from diverse backgrounds can result in such a comprehensive standard and well informed user community. No matter how great or small your participation may be, it takes three simple steps to become a part of the development and continuous refinement of the greatest standards framework our industry has ever known.
Get Involved!
 
 

Learn

 
AJoin the world’s elite and undergo IDCA certified data center education! Get on top of data center industry & trends, infrastructure & best practices, learn about the Infinity Paradigm and get full grasp of the entire Application Ecosystem (AE) SM.

Collaborate

 
BJoin in. Put your know-how into motion. Push yourself to the limits of thinking outside the box. Collaborate with professionals in the industry, give inputs and take feedbacks and be part of the development of the future shaping, Infinity-based, data center standards.

Share

 
CContribute to the world! Take part of the movement that shares its gains with data center world at large, for a better information world with clean, available and effective data centers, on the path to INFINITY!

April 2017

The all-in-one
Application Ecosystem™ standards framework for data centers, infrastructures, information technology, cloud, big data, applications and IoT…

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