A data center is one of the most, if not the most critical facility in organizations. It usually consumes a significant amount of energy and any mistake can cause you to spend a lot more than expected for utility costs.
So thinking of ways on how to improve airflow without compromising the condition of your equipment and data assets is necessary. Containment is one solution businesses are using.
Data center containment increases the efficiency of cooling and power infrastructure. You can reduce your energy bill while ensuring that temperature is kept at optimal levels, both for the equipment and people working in the vicinity.
With proper containment, you can reduce the number of needed cooling units, maintain chilled water temperatures, and benefit from several hours of free cooling. One common type of containment being deployed by several organizations is cool aisle containment (CAC).
Cold aisle containment involves the use of ceiling panels as barriers from adjoining racks. This keeps the cold air leaking in tiles to be delivered back to the air inlets in servers.
The flow of cold air isn’t obstructed and it also doesn’t mix with warm air, which then ensures focused cooling. Here are some of the benefits of cold air containment:
1.) Increased energy efficiency
Cold aisle containment helps increase energy use efficiency in data centers. Airflow and cooling processes are both improved, which translates to significant energy savings. This is a huge help especially since the data center is known as one of the leading energy users in organizations. If you’re able to reduce your utility costs by deploying cold aisle containment, you can keep your overall IT-related costs lower too.
2.) Easy to install
Like other systems that you’re implementing for the first time, there’s also preparation involved in installing cold aisle systems. Partnering with a controlled environment specialist will help you ensure that everything is properly set up. The advantage of a cold aisle is that it’s easier to integrate into an existing data center. You don’t necessarily have to overhaul your old data center. The overall process is also cheaper, and you continue to save once the system is already up and running.
3.) Reduced risks of failure
Data centers run continuously because businesses also rely on them heavily to ensure smooth operations. This is also why failures or issues are normal once in a while. But to keep these issues from causing extreme inconveniences or extended downtime, data centers are also equipped with backups. Using cold aisle containment also helps make these issues more predictable as cold and hot air are separated at all times.
4.) Enhanced workplace conditions
Since the data center is kept cooler, working in the area also becomes more comfortable. You can keep peace of mind knowing that your team members aren’t exposed to conditions that can threaten their health and safety. Overall, as workplace conditions are improved and IT-related issues are reduced, you also help everyone focus and deliver better output.
The benefits of cold aisle containment systems go beyond improved airflow and cooling efficiency. You also produce a better environment for your employees and make significant savings, which you can then use for other important business endeavors.