What is the lowest tier of datacenter redundancy, according to the Uptime Institute?

The lowest tier of datacenter redundancy, as defined by the Uptime Institute, is Tier 1. This tier provides basic infrastructure for a data center without any redundancy measures. It includes a single, non-redundant distribution path for power and cooling, which means that if any component fails, it can result in downtime. Tier 1 facilities are suitable for small businesses or non-critical operations where uptime is not a primary concern.

Higher tiers, such as Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4, introduce increasingly advanced redundancy and fault-tolerance features, allowing for greater reliability and availability of services. Tier 2 facilities have some redundancy, Tier 3 incorporates multiple distribution paths and can operate without a single point of failure, while Tier 4 offers the highest level of redundancy with multiple active distribution paths.

Thus, Tier 1 represents the starting point of datacenter design regarding redundancy and uptime capabilities.