Within data centres, computer or server rooms, how they are laid out has a direct effect on its overall environmental performance. It can be easy, for convenience, departmental management or logistics (power, location, space, etc.) be “put it where you can”, but that is not always the best place for it - for the room, the kit itself, or uptime.
With decades of experience in measuring environmental conditions in such controlled areas, Assurity Consulting considers room layouts in the context of the wider needs/performance.
Our approach is to assess the room from a thermal, airflow, pressure and cleanliness perspective and relate that back to the location, distribution and conditioning needed. For example, equipment with high cooling demand needs to have ready access to conditioned air. But how does this affect the other racks and equipment around it?
- Is there adequate supply to the equipment and is it in the right place to aid cooling (i.e. front to back, bottom to top, left to right or vice versa)?
- What is the temperature of the extracted air and what could this be influencing (other racked equipment in proximity, room measuring devices)?
- Are the air supply routes – floor, ceiling, room – allowing good air circulation or are they obstructed?
So, as part of a wider computer room assessment covering air quality, room inspections, pressure testing and maintenance standards, how could such detailed testing, inspection and reporting help you?