The ISO 14644-1 is generally considered the data centre cleaning standard worldwide. Organizations refer to this standard to demonstrate the cleanliness level of their data centres and server rooms to meet the customer and regulatory requirements.
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) defines the airborne particulate cleanliness under the subclasses ISO 14644-1 through ISO 14644-12. Cleaning Standard subclass “ISO 14644-8: Classification of airborne molecular contamination” ensures the level of quality and attainment in cleaning a controlled environment such as a cleanroom, data centre, or server room. Achieving and maintaining of subclass Part 8 standard means keeping and continuing the cleaning degree and lowering the airborne molecular contamination to the lowest level defined in the clause.
Read Further about the Data Centre Cleaning Best Practices
Subclass 8: Classification of airborne molecular contamination
This part of ISO 14644 covers the classification of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) in cleanrooms and associated controlled environments, in terms of airborne concentrations of specific chemical substances (individual, group or category) and provides a protocol to include test methods, analysis and time-weighted factors within the specification for classification. This document became a Standard in 2006. It was developed by the Secretariat of ISO Technical Committee 209, IEST.
ISO 14644
The international ISO 14644-1 standard is defined under the technical guideline of IEST (Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology). ISO 14644-1 is one part of a series of documents, being developed as International Standards for cleanroom and associated controlled environments.
Part 1 (document)
Part 1 of the document defines standards and classification for air cleanliness, and ISO 14644 for cleanrooms and associated controlled environments i.e. Data Centre Cleaning.
Part 2 (document)
Part 2 of the document defines standards and specifications for testing and monitoring to prove continued compliance with ISO 14644-1.
Read More about the Complete list of ISO 14644 Cleaning Standards
UKDCC Data Center Cleaning Standards ISO 14644-1 | Youtube Video
History
Before global cleanroom classifications and standards were adopted by the International Standards Organization (ISO), the U.S. General Service Administration’s standards (known as FS209E) were applied virtually worldwide for Data Center and Comms Room Cleaning. However, as the need for international standards grew, the ISO established a technical committee and several working groups to delineate its own set of standards. The Data Center Cleaning Standards are inherited from ISO 14644-1.
FS209E contains six classes, while the ISO 14644-1 classification system adds two cleaner standards and one dirtier standard. The “cleanest” cleanroom in FS209E is referred to as Class 1; the “dirtiest” cleanroom is a class 100,000. ISO cleanroom classifications are rated according to how much particulate of specific sizes exists per cubic meter. The “cleanest” cleanroom is a class 1 and the “dirtiest” a class 9. ISO class 3 is approximately equal to FS209E class 1, while ISO class 8 approximately equals FS209E class 100,000.
The Law for Standardisation
By law, Federal Standard 209E can be superseded by new international standards for Data Center Cleaning Standards. It is expected that 209E will be used in some industries over the next five years, but that eventually it will be replaced internationally by ISO 14644-1.
ISO 14644 Data Centre Cleaning Standards were first formed from the US Federal Standard 209E Airborne Particulate Cleanliness Classes in Cleanrooms and Clean Zones. The need for a single standard for cleanroom classification and testing was long felt. After ANSI and IEST petitioned to ISO for new standards, the first document of ISO 14644 was published in 1999, ISO 14644-1.
In 2000, ISO 14644-2 was published, which began the process of FED-STD-209E being canceled. On November 29, 2001, the document was canceled and superseded by ISO 14644-1 and ISO 14644-2.
Subclasses of ISO Standard Composition
- ISO 14644-1: Classification of air cleanliness PDF
- ISO 14644-2: Testing & Monitoring PDF
- ISO/DIS 14644-1.2(2014): Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration
- ISO 14644-2: Specifications for testing and monitoring to prove continued compliance with ISO 14644-1
- ISO/DIS 14644-2.2(2014): Monitoring to provide evidence of cleanroom performance related to air cleanliness by particle concentration
- ISO 14644-3: Test Methods PDF
- ISO 14644-4: Design, Construction, and Start-up PDF
- ISO 14644-5: Operations PDF
- ISO 14644-6: Vocabulary PDF
- ISO 14644-7: Separative devices PDF (clean air hoods, glove boxes, isolators, and mini-environments)
- ISO 14644-8: Classification of airborne molecular contamination PDF
- ISO 14644-9: Classification of surface particle cleanliness PDF
- ISO 14644-10: Classification of Surface Cleanliness by Chemical Concentration
- ISO 14644-12: Classification of Air Cleanliness by Nanoscale Particle Concentration
How a Standard approach improves the cleaning quality?
Whether supporting customers with data hosting or cloud requirements, computer rooms or server cabinets we understand the key issues you’re facing, so that we can ensure the highest quality and appearance, inspiring trust and confidence. With dust reduction becoming increasingly important, our daily cleaning at UKDCC to ISO 14644-1 standard (cleanrooms and controlled environments) ensures a bespoke solution, that includes full cleaning, intensive treatments, control systems for entering/exiting the data rooms, and air particulate testing. This approach supports a dust-free environment aiding efficient temperature control and reducing your energy costs, as well as helping prevent costly downtime. So whether you’re operating a large data hall or a single server cabinet, we ensure you receive the highest Data Center cleaning standards in cleanliness.
Audit and Controlling the Data Center Cleanliness
Audits must be performed on a routine basis to ensure cleaning is effective. A list of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant to the SOW forms the basis of an audit checklist.
Air quality testing equipment
Six channels and a particle size range of 0.3 μm to 10 μm
Channels: 0.3 µm, 0.5 m, 1.0 m, 2.0 m, 5.0 m, 10.0 µm
A particle counter is an essential tool in the facility maintenance, HVAC and IAQ (indoor air quality) professional’s toolbox. From filter testing to indoor air quality investigations, the particle counter equips the user with valuable data concerning the concentration and source of particulates in the tested environment. The new Fluke 985 Particle Counter is ideal for troubleshooting and monitoring indoor air quality issues and verifying HVAC filter performance and critical locations for ISO Class 5–9 certification. With the ultra-lightweight ergonomic design, easy to view colour screen with intuitive icons, on-screen trend graphs for easy and quick analysis, the Fluke 985 is a must for any maintenance, HVAC and IAQ professionals.
Further Reading…
Data Centre Health Check & full Checklist (PDF)
What is Data Centre Footprint (emissions, carbon footprint, carbon accounting, etc.)
What is Data Centre “Datacentre” Definition & Meaning