An integrated approach to assessing data center efficiency: The Ukrainian context

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Type of the article: Research Article

This study aims to develop and test an integrated approach to assessing data center (DC) efficiency using multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and to substantiate priority areas of state policy for developing DC infrastructure in Ukraine. The methodological approach is based on reliability, energy efficiency, and market position criteria. Reliability is assessed using the Uptime Institute’s international classification system, with logarithmic normalization of downtime on a fixed-point scale. Energy efficiency is measured by the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric. Market position is based on market share measured by financial revenue. The methodology was tested on a sample of 14 Ukrainian DCs. The findings demonstrate substantial variation in the efficiency levels of Ukrainian DCs, with integral scores ranging from 29.60 to 72.50 on a 100-point scale. Based on the proposed classification, two DCs were assigned to the high-efficiency group, one to the medium-efficiency group, and eleven to the basic-efficiency group. Reliability emerged as the dominant determinant of DC efficiency, exerting the strongest influence on final assessment outcomes, while energy efficiency provided an additional but significant contribution to overall performance differentiation. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness and stability of the proposed framework under alternative weighting scenarios. The study identifies key challenges facing the Ukrainian DC sector and proposes a roadmap for 2026–2030 to improve reliability, energy efficiency, and compliance with international standards. The proposed approach can support evidence-based decision-making by public authorities, investors, and infrastructure planners when forming investment budgets and justifying decisions on infrastructure scaling and peripheral network deployment.

Acknowledgment
This article presents the results of a study conducted as part of the scientific project “Formation of structure-forming pillars of Ukraine’s military and post-war economic development” (Phase II). State registration number 0126U001546.

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    • Table 1. Key dimensions and indicators of data center performance assessment
    • Table 2. Comparison of data center reliability levels (Tiers) by SLA
    • Table 3. Efficiency assessment of Ukrainian data centers in 2025
    • Table 4. Sensitivity analysis for alternative estimation ranges
    • Table 5. Distribution of data centers by efficiency groups
    • Table 6. Key solutions for improving energy efficiency when scaling data center services
    • Table 7. State policy directions for the development of data centers
    • Table 8. Action plan for the roadmap for developing DCs in Ukraine for 2026–2030
    • Conceptualization
      Volodymyr Mishchenko, Svitlana Naumenkova, Svitlana Mishchenko, Ievgen Tishchenko
    • Investigation
      Volodymyr Mishchenko, Svitlana Naumenkova, Svitlana Mishchenko
    • Methodology
      Volodymyr Mishchenko, Svitlana Naumenkova, Svitlana Mishchenko, Ievgen Tishchenko
    • Resources
      Volodymyr Mishchenko, Svitlana Naumenkova
    • Supervision
      Volodymyr Mishchenko
    • Writing – original draft
      Volodymyr Mishchenko, Svitlana Naumenkova, Ievgen Tishchenko
    • Formal Analysis
      Svitlana Naumenkova, Svitlana Mishchenko, Ievgen Tishchenko
    • Project administration
      Svitlana Naumenkova
    • Visualization
      Svitlana Naumenkova, Ievgen Tishchenko
    • Writing – review & editing
      Svitlana Naumenkova, Svitlana Mishchenko