In order to maintain your server and networking equipment, it is very important for you to invest in cooling equipment. Your server is going to run hot and the only real way to keep everything cool is to install a cooling system.
Two of the most used server rack cooling systems include the cool-aisle containment method and a hot-aisle cooling method. You need to know and understand what each format does and how it can safeguard your equipment from running too hot.
Cool-Aisle Containment
With this method of cooling, the rows of server racks are actually placed on an elevated floor. Under the flooring, there is what is known as a plenum. This is where cold air is produced. The rows of server racks are split into two different rows, with the back of each row facing the other. This create and aisle running between the two rows. A makeshift ceiling is placed along the server racks and usually a glass door is positioned at both sides of the aisle. The cold air, which is produced under the makeshift floor is pushed up through the aisle between the two rows.
This creates the cool-aisle containment (also known as cold-aisle containment). The cold air cools down the wire connections of the servers and pushes outward, forcing the hot air out and away from the server racks. As hot air rises, it moves towards the ceiling, where it comes in contact with a vent system that draws in the hot air in order to treat it and recycle the air into the cold treatment air that is pushed up under the flooring.
Hot-Aisle Cooling
The hot-aisle cooling method is a bit different from the cool-aisle version. Hot-aisle containment systems, known as HACS, still uses two rows of rack servers with an aisle created in between the two rows. However, this is the hot aisle. With the HACS, the hot aisle collects the hot air exhaust, allowing the rest of the data center to remain cold and free of this hot air. There are small cooling units positioned between each rack, and while small, each generates the cold air which pushes forward, cooling the side of the racks while it spreads out around the front of the racks and throughout the rest of the server room.
Benefits of Each
In general, the Cool-Aisle Cooling method is designed for larger data centers. While it is possible to implement both in any location, this option is used when a facility is designed and constructed to house a house data center. However, this is also a much more expensive way to go, the HACS method is less expensive for several different reasons. First, it does not require any sort of elevated floor to be installed in the data center. Second, it contains the hot air, so the cooling units do not need to continually treat this hot air. Of course, it all comes down to what sort of configuration you are looking for.
Regardless of which type of cooling you find more effective, it is imperative that you implement a cooling technique for your data center to ensure safeguarding your equipment from overheating.
+Katrina is a computer savvy tech specializing in designing and manufacturing custom server racks with Racksolutions.com
