Keeping Server Rooms Cool
Keeping servers, switches, routers, UPS's, monitors, SAN's and other networking devices cool and in good working order was once only the concern of really high tech businesses, and with such a vested interest they often had in-house teams of experts or external consultants on call. Today, almost every business has to face up to the challenges associated with cooling servers and other computing equipment.
Whilst some businesses may be lucky enough to be based in modern offices with dedicated server rooms, most organisations find themselves making-do with disused cupboards or storage space never intended for such high tech equipment. Even the so called 'dedicated rooms' can be seriously stretched to capacity as the requirement for extra functionality and rack space increases.
Technology is literally the lifeblood of many businesses and when it is not properly maintained the consequences are crippling. Not only does the hardware need repairing or replacing but there are the associated costs of carrying out this work, as well as the knock-on effect to the actual business itself with man hours lost too.
It has never been acceptable to be 'offline' or have services unavailable late in the evenings or at weekends but now clients, consumers, contacts and suppliers often expect service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If a server is down then turnover is likely to be down too. In addition, staff are often allowed to work flexibly and denying access to servers at weekends can result in reduced productivity.
Even if a business does not experience a complete technology failure, heat can seriously impact the reliability of servers causing them to be less efficient, constantly reboot or just behave strangely. When temperatures reach 71 degrees or above, the reliability of electronics starts to reduce. However, maintaining a temperature of around 70 can be a struggle - particularly in our temperate climate with some exceptionally hot and cold days. Whichever cooling solution you choose it needs to be adjustable and modified to cater for a hot July working day or a cooler January weekend.
Here are the most common reasons organisations hire portable air conditioning units for server or IT rooms:
Where no air conditioning/cooling solution exists at all To improve the cooling capacity - where there is not sufficient capacity built in For rented office space where the user has little control over the premises' heating and cooling Where a building's air conditioning is turned off at night For emergencies when existing air conditioning fails When additional servers or hardware are added to a room When a heatwave hits and temperatures increase across the entire building To offer the ability to spot cool individual servers For occasions when building maintenance is planned
Today, servers not only run greater loads but also for longer periods, so it is vital to have a plan in place to keep temperatures down on an everyday basis but also a plan for when emergency strikes. Portable air conditioning units tend to be ideal for both situations as they are so versatile and can provide or supplement existing cooling costs effectively.
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