BRUNS-PAK – a classical Data Center design consultancy

I had great fun talking to Mark Evanko – principal engineer of BRUNS-PAK – a short while ago. I’ve spent a lot of time in the last year evaluating the technical consulting activities of a number of larger vendors (see the Figure for some stats on the largest IT services companies) as well as writing a paper on migration/relocation, so it is very interesting to see what this specialist vendor is doing. Mark is amused about me being an Oxford Classicist – so let me rise to the challenge and give some appropriate analysis!

Who is BRUNS-PAK?

BRUNS-PAK is a technical consultancy. It has 36 years experience of designing and constructing advanced computing facilities and has undertaken 5.5k data center projects across multiple vertical markets including higher education, public sector, healthcare, banking/financial and industrial. It has an impressive 98% ”repeat customer base”. Its business partners include Dell, Accenture, IBM, OnX, Bechtel, Verizon Business, Data Span, Mark Levin & Partners, Deloitte (Collaborations), SBC Consulting, Cloudify and Sirius Computer Solutions. It has approximately 80 full-service staff, which includes engineers (licensed civil, electrical and mechanical), architects, construction project managers, IT and systems specialists, CADD technicians, and commissioning professionals.

A 16-element methodology

Its experience has led to the development of a comprehensive 16-elements model, which covers all the topics you need to address when building data center solutions. In particular:

1. Facility Infrastructure
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Computer Hardware
4. Cloud (Internal/External)
5. Disaster Recovery
6. Co-Location
7. Migration/Relocation
8. Computer Software
9. Modularity/Scalability/Reliability
10. Communications/Network
11. Service Level Agreements
12. Personnel
13. Cap Ex vs. Lease/Op Ex
14. Containers
15. Government/Corporate/University/Non-Profit
16. Legal Repercussions

The go-to-market approach

Its business is a 3-phase model. In particular:

1. Consulting – including TCO studies, facility audits, evaluations, requirements analysis, thermal air flow analysis, space and computer equipment planning, single point of failure analysis, etc. that compare the multiple “hybrid” data center options/solutions available.
2. Design/Engineering Services – including architectural design, mechanical and electrical engineering, DCIM modelling, and outlines for cloud and co-location among others.
3. Construction Services – including project management, planning and scheduling, financing, commissioning, cloud and co-location deployment services

All 3 phases are available in the USA and Canada, while it offers phase 1 and 2 only in the rest of the world.

A classicist’s appraisal

Having looked at many larger companies I know of none that offer this laser focus on data center design and I’m not surprised that Dell, Accenture, IBM, Deloitte and others use its services. Mark gives a great account of good business and a full order-book today, but as a specialist company there are clear opportunities for international expansion in future if it wishes.
As a Classicist what should I say? Plato tells us Socrates believed in defining subjects and investigating them thoroughly through ‘elenkus’, rather than relying on the lists and euphemisms of sophists. So what about BRUNS-PAK’s approach? This isn’t just a tick list – more a comprehensive set of subject areas that need to be addressed. It reminds me that, as a Classicist, I was taught to break subjects down into a number of smaller issues in order to understand them. I’m always using lists to explain things myself – but then again I’ve spent 3 decades as an IT researcher and am much happier talking to Mark than my old Oxford tutors!