The Tier classification system was developed by the Uptime Institute, the reference for certification and standards for data centers. Essentially, a data center's classification system is based on the availability and reliability of the services it provides. The Tier classification divides data centers into four levels: Tier I (basic capacity), Tier II (important components are redundant or duplicated), Tier III (concurrently maintainable) and Tier IV (fault-tolerant). In general, the higher the Tier classification, the better the availability and reliability of the data center.
Most of LCL's data centers belong to the Tier 3 classification, which means that our data center services offer a minimum availability of 99.98%. This is achieved through redundant infrastructure: all our systems are duplicated and equipped with backup installations. This ensures that our data centers continue to operate at full capacity, even during maintenance or power outages. This ensures your business continuity at all times. This Tier 3 certification was awarded by IBM and confirms our commitment to reliability and quality.
In November 2019, LCL Data Centers obtained the Tier III Design certificate from Uptime Institute for its second data center in Aalst, LCL Brussels-West 2. In August 2021, LCL Brussels-West 2 even received the Tier III Constructed Facility certificate, confirming that the construction of the data center meets all standards and is in accordance with the certified design plans. With this achievement, LCL Data Centers became the first and only Belgian company to have obtained both certificates from Uptime Institute.
Read all about Tier 3 certification by IBM and Tier-III certification by Uptime Institute here.