| For most businesses, the simplest methods for | | | | properties can be monitored. These should be placed |
| eliminating a problem often go unnoticed. With | | | | throughout the room to ensure all equipment is |
| emerging technologies taxing IT infrastructures and | | | | operating within acceptable temperature and humidity |
| deployment, older technologies are often not taken | | | | ranges. Also, know there is a significant difference |
| into account when pursuing a solution. Power | | | | between conventional air conditioners and CRAC |
| consumption can fall into this category as a simple, | | | | units. Expect reduced power consumption and more |
| yet overlooked area of improvement. | | | | longevity with a CRAC unit installed. |
| The fact is, "energy conservation" has become an | | | | 3. Proper floor tiles The cold aisle should contain |
| industry phrase and there are some very simple, | | | | perforated tiles or grates to promote the flow of |
| easy-to-implement strategies that can result in instant | | | | cooler air from the floor up to the server air intake. |
| savings for any business. None of these methods | | | | Placing these perforations, thus raising the floor within |
| relies on any new technology introductions. Here are | | | | the cold aisle, takes advantage of the inherent |
| five simple strategies for reducing power | | | | properties of cooler air that will reduce the work |
| consumption in the data center. | | | | required by the HVAC system and computer cooling |
| 1. Hot aisle/Cold aisle If your computer equipment in | | | | mechanisms. Hot aisles should not contain these floor |
| the data center is not properly configured in a hot | | | | perforations so that the flow of warmer air to the air |
| aisle/cold aisle layout, it should be. This layout of the | | | | conditioning return ducts remains unobstructed. Any |
| machinery promotes proper flow of hot and cold air | | | | time machinery is moved around in the data center, |
| resulting in less work required by the HVAC cooling | | | | the alternating grates in the cold aisles must also be |
| system and the computer equipment. In virtually all | | | | moved to keep the free flow of warmer and cooler |
| layouts, server racks are set up facing each other in | | | | air at a maximum. |
| pairs, with the back of one server facing the back of | | | | 4. Bypass air Bypass air is any conditioned air in the |
| another server in the next pair of server racks in the | | | | data center that is not used by the computer |
| data center. Data center computer equipment is | | | | equipment air intakes. This results in airflow |
| constructed to bring in cool air at the front of the | | | | inefficiencies within the layout of the data center. |
| machine and expel the heated air out the back of | | | | Cooler air is promoted to rise from the floor through |
| the machine. Setting up the racks facing each other | | | | the use of perforated floor tiles or grates in the cold |
| in pairs promotes the flow of cooler air at the front | | | | aisle. Air should be prevented from rising from the |
| of both server racks and the flow of warmer air | | | | floor for any other purpose. Bypass air often results |
| between the rear of two server racks, resulting in | | | | from anomalies in the floor within the data center. |
| alternating "cold" aisles and "hot" aisles. Note: All data | | | | These can be holes cut in the floor to permit |
| centers use similar principles in rack layout, yet some | | | | electrical or network cables leaving the room or |
| vary in degrees of exactly where computer room air | | | | broken floor tiles. Look for these areas on the server |
| conditioning (CRAC) units are located. To maximize | | | | floor and if possible, seal them to keep bypass air to |
| the flow of heated air to HVAC return ducts, the | | | | a minimum. Anytime computer equipment is relocated |
| servers should be placed at 90-degree angles to the | | | | in the room, be sure to check for any defects on |
| CRAC units. Placing the machinery in this manner | | | | the newly exposed floor and repair it. Also look for |
| allows the warmer air to flow unobstructed to the | | | | bypass air at the cutouts on the rear of server |
| return ducts. Be sure to not force warm air from the | | | | cabinets. Anytime cabling exits the rear of the |
| hot aisle to travel over cold aisles, as this will result in | | | | server, the cutout must be properly sealed to |
| heating the cold aisles. Also, note there is technology | | | | prevent bypass air. Another area where bypass air |
| available to simulate airflow into and out of data | | | | can occur is around the door to the data center. |
| centers that can be used prior to actually installing | | | | Ensure that this entryway is properly sealed. |
| your equipment. The hot aisle/cold aisle layout takes | | | | 5. Blanking panels Finally, within the hot aisle/cold aisle |
| advantage of the properties of the cooler and | | | | configuration, blanking panels should be placed in |
| warmer air to reduce work required by other | | | | server racks where there is no machinery. If blank |
| mechanisms that rely on power consumption to get | | | | spaces are left in the server racks, these gaps will |
| the job done. Any time warm and cold air is allowed | | | | allow hot air from the exhaust to re-enter the cold |
| to intermingle, more work is required by | | | | aisle, reducing the efficiency of the whole |
| power-consuming CRAC units and internal computer | | | | configuration. These panels simply cover up the holes |
| cooling mechanisms. Computer equipment not | | | | at the front of the racks to block the mixing of hot |
| designed to take in cool air from the front and expel | | | | and cold air. This simple fix maximizes the |
| it at the rear should be placed away from racks that | | | | energy-saving potential of your hot aisle/cold aisle |
| do promote the airflow inherent in a hot aisle/cold | | | | data center layout. |
| aisle layout. These noncompliant devices should be | | | | Five key questions to ask yourself: |
| set up in a way that directs warm air exhaust | | | | 1. Has reduction of power consumption in the data |
| toward a hot aisle, or they should be placed in | | | | center been overlooked as a way to cut costs? Too |
| cabinets capable of redirecting top or side-ventilated | | | | often a data center has grown with the business and |
| exhaust to the rear of the rack. | | | | so has its power requirements. Power consumption in |
| 2. Proper temperature and humidity Setting the | | | | the data center needs to be optimized. |
| correct temperature and humidity levels in the data | | | | 2. Is the data center laid out in the proper hot aisle |
| center is essential to proper airflow in the room. Too | | | | cold aisle configuration? Computer equipment in many |
| often there is a misconception that server rooms | | | | facilities is placed in rows with the front of one rack |
| should be cold and little monitoring is done to maintain | | | | facing the rear of another. This is an inefficient layout |
| optimum temperature and humidity levels. Many times | | | | that increases the power-consuming work of both |
| the only sensor device in the room is the one located | | | | the HVAC system and the internal computer cooling |
| on the thermostat. Server rooms should be kept | | | | mechanisms. |
| cool, but actually do not need to be cooler than | | | | 3. Is the temperature in the data center at the low |
| average room temperature throughout the site. The | | | | end of the acceptable operating range of data center |
| recommended temperature range for data center | | | | equipment? A common misconception is that server |
| rooms has always been between 67 and 72 degrees. | | | | rooms should be cold. The truth is that data centers |
| Too often, businesses cool their data centers down | | | | should be slightly warm and humid, but not too humid. |
| to 65 degrees. It's okay to keep the room a few | | | | 4. Is there any air entering the room prohibiting the |
| degrees warmer; the computer equipment will still be | | | | natural airflow of the hot aisle/cold aisle configuration? |
| operating within recommended and optimal | | | | Any holes around electrical conduits or cabling on the |
| temperature ranges. | | | | racks themselves need to be sealed to ensure free, |
| Know this: A reduction of 4% in data center power | | | | maximized airflow. |
| consumption can be expected for each degree | | | | 5. Are enough blanking panels in place that prevent |
| warmer the temperature is kept. Of course, | | | | warmer air from mixing with cooler air? Blanking |
| equipment must be kept within acceptable | | | | panels are simple, inexpensive devices that prevent |
| temperature ranges and never over 75 degrees, | | | | warm and cool air from mixing. Implementing these |
| even though hardware specifications may rate the | | | | simple power-consumption deterrents in the data |
| equipment to operate at temperatures of up to 95 | | | | center will result in an immediate cost savings. This |
| degrees. Machinery operating outside of the | | | | savings is considerable for any business and these |
| acceptable temperature range wears down more | | | | solutions are attainable at very low costs. The only |
| quickly and poses a risk of overheating resulting in | | | | equipment that requires purchasing is the air |
| possible downtime. An additional problem is created | | | | monitoring sensors and blanking panels, and both of |
| when keeping a server room cooler than surrounding | | | | these devices are very inexpensive. |
| rooms: increased humidity levels. | | | | Energy costs are slated to continue rising for the |
| The recommended humidity levels for the data | | | | foreseeable future. Power grids are operating at |
| center are between 45% and 55%. Cooling air too | | | | maximum capacity and environmental concerns are |
| much can increase humidity over acceptable levels. | | | | preventing the future construction of power plants. |
| Once this happens, condensation can gather within | | | | Attaining optimized power efficiency within your |
| sensitive, essential computer equipment and result in | | | | business is essential to cutting unnecessary costs |
| a hardware failure. Without the proper sensors in | | | | associated with data center power consumption. |
| place to detect the temperature and humidity | | | | Optimization is key throughout your data center, so |
| throughout the data center, none of these air | | | | don't lose out by overlooking the obvious. |