EN 50600

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Fundamentals and significance of European standard EN 50600 for data centers

Appropriate measures must be taken to ensure the physical security and availability of IT infrastructures. In this context, the European standard EN 50600 offers a holistic approach to the planning, construction and operation of data centres.

It provides planners, installers and operators of data centres with comprehensive guidelines in the form of various requirements, particularly with regard to power supply, air conditioning and security infrastructure.

Our experts provide comprehensive services to support you in planning, operating or expanding your data centre in a future-proof manner based on EN 50600 in accordance with the current state of the art.

EN 50600 overview

EN 50600 is a European series of standards for data centres that uses a holistic approach to provide comprehensive specifications for the planning, construction and operation of data centres.

It defines requirements for the planning of trades such as building construction, power supply, air conditioning, cabling and security systems and specifies criteria for the operation of data centres. Created by the European standardisation organisation CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation), EN 50600 offers various degrees of freedom and is, to a certain extent, a modular system. First and foremost, EN 50600 is a standard that applies to new data centre buildings. It defines the need for expert opinions and analyses prior to planning and construction work.

While the ISO management standards, e.g. ISO/IEC 27001, which are equally relevant in the data centre environment, focus on the organisational and procedural level, the requirements of the EN 50600 standards focus on physical security and availability at a technical level. The standard, which is valid throughout Europe, is unique among a large number of guidelines and best practices in that the results were produced in a Europe-wide standardisation and coordination process.

Structure and layout of the EN 50600 series of standards

EN 50600 has been published gradually since 2012 in ten parts and sub-parts. Each part is dedicated to a specific area of data centre infrastructure:

EN 50600-1: General aspects for design and specification
EN 50600-2-1: Building construction
EN 50600-2-2: Power supply
EN 50600-2-3: Control of environmental conditions
EN 50600-2-4: Telecommunications cabling infrastructure
EN 50600-2-5: Security systems
EN 50600-3-1: Information for management and operation
EN 50600-4-1: Overview/general requirements for performance indicators
EN 50600-4-2: Key figure for energy used
EN 50600-4-3: Share of renewable energy

Availability classes according to DIN EN 50600

The availability classes of EN 50600 are applied to the power supply, the cooling supply and the cabling. The classes differ according to EN 50600-1 as follows (the exact differentiation can be found in the TSI.EN50600 test catalogue):

DIN EN 50600

1

Availability class 1

Low availability. Design without redundancies on the basis of a supply path.

2

Availability class 2

Medium availability. Design with partial redundancies based on a supply path.

3

Availability class 3

High availability. Design with redundant components based on multiple supply paths. Solution for maintenance during operation.

4

Availability class 4

Very high availability. Designed with system redundancies based on multiple supply paths. Fault-tolerant, except during maintenance.

Protection classes & granularity levels according to EN 50600

EN 50600 distinguishes between up to 4 protection classes in various subject areas (unauthorised access, burglary protection, fire protection and protection against internal and external environmental hazards). At least 3 protection classes for protection against unauthorised access must be provided.

In addition, the standard differentiates between 3 levels of granularity that relate to the ability to operate energy-efficiently. Classification is based on measurements of the energy supply and ventilation systems - an important aspect for sustainable information technology infrastructure.

The criteria catalog: TSI.EN50600

The TSI.EN50600 criteria catalogue forms the basis for evaluation and certification in accordance with EN 50600. TSI.EN50600 adopts the proven system from TSI.STANDARD and maps all the requirements of EN 50600, parts 1-3, into test criteria. The catalogue of criteria thus makes the standard, which is designed as a guideline, testable and certifiable.

A successful test documents that the data centre

is compliant with EN 50600,
has realised one of 4 availability classes and fulfils its requirements,
has implemented at least protection classes 1-3 with regard to unauthorised access and
has the energy efficiency capability according to one of 3 granularity levels.

The latest version V3.0 of the TSI.EN50600 from 1 August 2025 replaces the previous version V2.1 from 1 August 2023 and will be agreed as the basis for testing in future evaluation and certification projects. This version is only available in English.

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Sample illustration of current criteria catalog

Target groups of EN 50600

Our certification services are aimed at companies and organisations that want to bring their data centres up to the highest security and availability standards.

Our target group

IT service providers and hosting providers
Colocation data centres
Companies with their own data centres (enterprise)
Financial institutions and banks
Healthcare organisations
Government authorities and public institutions
Telecommunications companies
Cloud service providers
Industrial companies with high data volumes

Advantages of EN 50600

Many years of experience and continuous further development by experienced experts
Customised design of safety requirements through specifications based on the operator's own risk analysis
International recognition and comparability
Optional testing of energy efficiency through additional "EFF" option
Test specifications for modular data centres (proof of concept) included
Added value due to high level of awareness, established method and high market acceptance

The test areas of the TSI.EN50600 criteria catalog

The TSI.EN50600 criteria catalogue is divided into nine thematically separated assessment areas. These are as follows:

ENV: Environment
CON: Construction (building construction)
FIR: Fire Protection & Extinguishing Systems (fire detection and extinguishing technology)
SEC: Security Systems & Organisation
CAB: Cabling (cabling)
POW: Power Supply
ACV: Air Conditioning & Ventilation (ventilation systems)
ORG: Organisation
DOC: Documentation

Optionally, there are three further assessment areas that lead to additional test statements and possibly also to further certificates.

EFF: Energy Efficiency
- The EFF assessment area adds an energy efficiency statement to the TSI certificate.
PoC: Proof of Concept (prototype concept planning)
- The PoC assessment area contains requirements for a supplementary procedure to pre-qualify standardised, modular data centre concepts.

Services based on EN 50600

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Workshops for data centers

Interesting facts about the testing, evaluation and certification of data centre infrastructures

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Location evaluation

Ensuring an optimal starting position for the data centre to be planned.

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Planning assessment

Support during the planning and design of your data centre.

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Quality Gates (construction supervision)

Support during the construction phase with regular on-site inspections to ensure compliance with requirements.

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Support during commissioning

Accompanying the commissioning of your data centre & carrying out integration tests for quality assurance.

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Conformity assessment / GAP analysis

Systematic identification of all potential risks and weaknesses of your data centre or IT service provider.

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Certification

Implementation of certification in accordance with Trusted Site Infrastructure (TSI), EN 50600 or ISO/IEC 22237.

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FAQ on EN 50600

The standard is primarily aimed at operators and users of enterprise data centres and colocation sites, but it also serves as an orientation and planning basis for planners and IT service providers.

Reference is often made to EN 50600 in the context of tenders and is therefore mandatory.

The TSI.EN50600 criteria catalogue is available for our customers in projects. You are welcome to request a digital copy here: Request catalogue

Since 2016, conformity with EN 50600 can also be tested and confirmed with the TSI.STANDARD. Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4-2 of EN 50600 have been fully adapted and integrated into the catalogue. With the publication of V3.0 of the TSI.EN50600, an ISO/IEC 22237-specific supplementary test is also possible. Conformity with the five published parts of the standard (ISO/IEC 22237 parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) is confirmed by means of an additional certificate. In this way, the data centre operator can obtain three certificates at once: TSI, EN 50600 and ISO/IEC 22237.

An independent audit or certification increases transparency for customers, facilitates tendering procedures and demonstrates compliance with internationally recognised standards.

Yes, existing data centres can also be tested and certified - often as part of a GAP analysis with subsequent optimisation.

Depending on the scope of the project and the maturity level of the data centre, full certification usually takes between 3 and 6 months.

As a national organisation, the VDE is involved in European standardisation work and publishes DIN EN 50600 in Germany. The VDE also offers training courses and specialist publications on the subject of data centres and information technology infrastructure.

Overview of other standards for data centers

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TSE.STANDARD

The TSE.STANDARD contains requirements for the energy efficiency of data centres according to the maturity model.

TSE.STANDARD

The European data centre standard DIN EN 50600 uses a holistic approach to set comprehensive specifications for the planning, construction and operation of data centres.

EN 50600

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ISO/IEC 22237

As the international equivalent to EN 50600, ISO/IEC 22237 creates the basic prerequisite for ensuring that data centres can be planned, built and operated according to the same principles worldwide.

ISO/IEC 22237