There's no way to avoid it: The total cost of ownership (TCO) for data centers gives every owner a case of sticker shock. Not only is the capital expense (CAPEX) -- or the cost to design, build, test and commission -- increasing, but the inevitable operating expense (OPEX) increases on the horizon are daunting. Knowledgeable users have forecasted that the OPEX will exceed the CAPEX. Syska believes the following are the basic principles of reducing TCO and constitute best practices: 1. Spread redundancy across multiple, lower-tier data centers Consider whether upgrading the IT network can reduce the facility availability required. For example, can three less costly Tier 2 facilities serve your needs better than two more costly Tier 4 facilities? (Tier rankings are based on The Uptime Institute's tier whitepaper). The cost centers in higher availability design are: * Redundant systems with redundant components in each system * The increased operating cost that results from reduced efficiency due to a redundant system and components.