An Expanded Role of the Rack in the Future-Proofing of a Data Center

Cyclical nature of the Datacenter industry

Server Capacities increase (Compute Density)

Power Demands increase (Power Density)

Cooling Capacity depleted (Cooling Capacity)

Each trend has an impact on the needs of the enclosure.

Overview The traditional role of the enclosure:

Simple Protection for Mounted Equipment Security / Restricted Access to Equipment Internal Cable Management Flood Cooling or Hot / Cold Aisle Deployment

Overview
Todays role of the Data Center enclosure:
Intelligent security systems Power & real time monitoring Cable Management internal & external of Enclosure Cooling considerations / designs Integral part of the building infrastructure

Future-Proofing = Planning
A unique best practice is to select a single enclosure platform which will allow you to utilize a number of accessories and techniques when and where needed throughout the lifespan of your data center. From a traditional low density deployment in a traditional hot aisle/cold aisle to the use of a closed loop water cooled system, this approach will allow your data center to grow, as needed without removing any equipment (or enclosures) from service during data center upgrades. The right platform can outlive the data center itself allowing you to future-proof your enclosure requirements. The enclosure must be an integral part of the Data Center design. It must not be thought of as an accessory to be purchased after the Data Center is designed or constructed.

Future-Proofing = Planning
Advanced cooling techniques: Ducted Cooling, Containment, Enclosure Heat Exchangers, Economized Cooling, all need special considerations. Flood cooling or Open Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle are costly & inefficient. ASHRAE new IT equipment intake Temp. Range
2004 Version Low End Temp. High End Temp. Low end Moisture High End Moisture 68 F (20 C) 77 F (25 C) 40% RH 55% RH 2008 Version 64.4 F (18 C) 80.6 F (27 C) 41.9 F D.P. (5.5 C) 60% RH & 59 F D.P. (15 C)

Allows you to raise your Temp. set point = cost reductions only when measures are taken to eliminate recirculation / bypass air flow

Future-Proofing
A unique best practice is to select a single enclosure platform which will allow you to utilize a number of accessories and techniques when and where needed throughout the lifespan of your data center.

Enclosure Size Considerations

Applications that are server only the 24 wide enclosure is recommended 48 Deep enclosures becoming a trend for high density applications with 4 or more PDUs

Power Considerations:
Type of PDU
Unmonitored Monitored
IP addressable Remote shutdown Event notification

Type of power
110 or 220 VAC 3 phase Most cost effective

Mounting options
Mounting bracket
Button mount Snap-fit mount

Physical Space Requirements

Qty of PDUs
Up 4 or more in one rear corner

Unmonitored PDU Monitored PDU

Universal Mounting Brackets

Power Considerations:

Grounding protection for your equipment:

Isolated vertical copper bus bars to fully ground the equipment Fully ground the enclosure to a common ground

Electrically Isolated Mounting

Enclosure Doors & Panels to be Electrically connected to common ground

Grounding the cabinet does not ground the equipment

Cable Management Considerations:

Outside the Enclosure:

The enclosure can eliminate the need for suspended cable troughs

Cable Management Considerations:

Outside the Enclosure:

The enclosure can eliminate the need for suspended cable troughs

Overhead Cable Management

Enclosures Can Provide Mounting Surfaces :

Ladder Rack Adapter Brackets Overhead Cable Troughs

Cable Management Considerations:

Inside the Enclosure

Vertical Cable Troughs

Cable Management Considerations:

Inside the Enclosure

Cooling Considerations

Cooling Considerations
Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle

Preventing Bypass
Seal the Gaps, for Conditioned Air

Raised Floor Cable Access Grommets

Tool less Filler Panels

Sealing access-holes in raised floor

Maintains static pressure in raised floor and reduces amount of particulate build-up under raised floor

Filler / Blanking Panels

prevents re-circulation and by-pass air within the enclosure above & below the equipment

Brush Grommet Kits

Prevents by-pass airflow around the equipment within the enclosure by sealing the rails to the side panels & still have cable access.

Brush Grommet Kit

Side to Side airflow

30 wide enclosure with internal side panels
Provides cable management along outside of rails Creates a side intake for equipment Exhausts hot air toward the hot-aisle

Side Airflow Plenum Kit Kit assembly

Air dam installed along exhaust rail (top to bottom) Air dam installed along front and rear intake side (with a channel in front air intake)

Air dam
constructed of brush grommet provides cable management Kit is fully customizable Supports multiple side-to-side airflow equipment in the same enclosure.
Cisco 9500 MDS @ 80o F

intake side

exhaust side

Cooling Considerations
Standard Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle
Front & Rear Vented Doors (Optional fan assisted.) 63 - 68 F in Cold Aisle 65 - 72 F at server intake 90 - 95 F at server exhaust Approx: 4 6 Kw. load / enclosure

Recirculation from exhaust back to the intake causing the CRAC units to be less efficient as they have to cool all of the white space first.

Cooling Considerations
Standard Cold Aisle / Ducted Exhaust
Front Vented Door / Solid Rear Door (Optional fan assisted) 63 - 68 F in Cold Aisle 65 - 72 F at server intake 90 - 95 F at server exhaust Approx: 5 -7 Kw. load / enclosure The return air temp is increased which increases the CRAC unit efficiency. The white space of the room does not get heated from the Hot aisle recirculation. Therefore the CRAC unit can run at a lower setting (cost savings) and still achieve the same Cold Aisle temps.

Cooling Considerations
Plenum Air manager / Ducted Exhaust Front Vented Door / Solid Rear Door (Optional fan assisted) 68 - 72 F in white space 60 - 65 F at server intake 90 - 95 F at server exhaust Approx: 8-12 Kw. load / enclosure
The return air temp is increased which increases the CRAC unit efficiency. The white space of the room does not get heated from the Hot aisle recirculation. Therefore the CRAC unit can run at a lower setting (cost savings) & achieve Less perf tiles are required to cool the white space only. The intake air is forced through an adjustable Air diverter directly from the CRAC. Having an adjustable opening allows the raised floor pressure to be maintained throughout the Data Center.

Heat Load Dissapation of the Enclosure within a Data Center is directly Dependant upon the Cooling Capacity of the CRAC units and Method of the Delivery & Return Airflow. Cooling Efficiency is related to the separation of the Conditioned Air from the Hot Exhaust by various methods based upon the specific Data Center Environment. Also the elimination of Bypass Airflow of the Conditioned air will increase Cooling Efficiency.

kW ratings are dependant upon the Data Center CRAC units in a Passive System Localized Optional Rack Fans can be installed for a Active System

Cooling Considerations
Ducted Intake / Ducted Exhaust Solid Front Door / Solid Rear Door 68 - 72 F in white space 60 F at server intake 90 - 95 F at server exhaust Approx: 15 plus Kw. load / enclosure
The return air temp is increased which increases the CRAC unit efficiency. The white space of the room does not get heated from the Hot aisle recirculation. Therefore the CRAC unit can run at a lower setting (cost savings) & achieve Even less perf tiles are required to cool the white space only. The intake air is completely contained and is able to be adjusted at the CRAC unit level. This concept can be done on slab floor as well. Less CapEX for building.

Cooling Considerations
A Rear Door Heat Exchanger
Aftermarket Accessory Can be passive or active (with fans) REMOVES HEAT ONLY! DOES NOT COOL EQUIPMENT! This specialty solution only deals with the heat which builds up behind the servers in the rear of the enclosure.
These doors are made by a number of cooling companies and they act as a heat sink dispersing heat passing from the rear of the enclosure across the heat exchanger. A quantity of cold water passes through the door. The heat in the rear of the enclosure is transferred to the water and the closed loop removes that heat from the enclosure.

Cooling Considerations
A Rear Door Heat Exchanger
This concept requires significant cost and infrastructure improvements, to include a source for chilled water, a coolant distribution unit and all the costs associated with plumbing connections and installation.

Cooling Considerations
A Closed Loop Water Cooled Enclosure
Manufactured by a number of companies as a specialty enclosure or an aftermarket accessory designed for installation in standard product.
Offers a complete closed loop solution where heat is extracted from the rear of the enclosure via fans and channeled via a plenum to a heart exchanger mounted in the bottom of the enclosure. Cold water not only serves as a heat sink but as the fans drive the air across the heat exchanger, it becomes cooled and is then forced up a plenum chamber in the front of the enclosure to deliver conditioned air to the front of the servers and equipment mounted in the enclosure.. As is the case with the rear door product, this concept requires significant cost and infrastructure improvements, to include a source for chilled water, a coolant distribution unit and all the costs associated with plumbing connections and installation.

Cooling Considerations
A Closed Loop Water Cooled Enclosure

Cooling Considerations
A Closed Loop Water Cooled Enclosure

Cooling Considerations
Containment
Many times cooling challenges can not be met by simply expanding infrastructure or adding additional CRAC units. The strategy behind containment is to either capture as much conditioned air as possible or to Isolate & exhaust as much hot air as possible within the data center space. In this concept, the goal is to create a contained pool of conditioned air in the cold aisle. The air will fall to the lowest point in this contained space, focusing it where it is most needed; in front of the mounted equipment.

Cooling Considerations
Containment
In addition to end of aisle doors, there are also a number of products which offer containment across aisles, panels which mount to the top of the enclosures and containment curtains which hang from the ceiling. It is important to be familiar with the particular building and fire code standards before completely closing off a grouping of enclosures, either for hot or cold aisle containment

Future-Proofing
From a traditional low density deployment in a traditional hot aisle/cold aisle to the use of air management accessories and chimneys to maximize ambient conditions, to a closed loop water cooled system, this approach will allow your data center to grow, as needed without removing any equipment (or enclosures) from service during data center upgrades.

Future-Proofing
The right platform, able to accept a variety of accessories in both passive and active configurations, can outlive the data center itself allowing you to future-proof your operations.

Protect
Primary Use Severs or Patching, or both determines size. Deeper & wider enclosures accommodate larger servers (84H X 30W X 48D.) RMU Vertical space requirements. Platform considerations Ease of Use; rail adjustability, Door & side panel access/removal.

Power
Enclosure Density as it relates to demand, available power and ready access Estimated Power usage; PDU mounting requirements, size. Grounding Locations.

Cable
Allow for a growing variety of Cable Management options/techniques.

Cool
Develop Airflow paths internal & external. Achieve Hot & Cold Air separation within the enclosure. Utilize Aisle Containment Options to maximize ambient conditions. Allow for unique applications like Side-to-Side Air Flow equipment.