21 Jun
Staying cool in the summer is at the top of everybody’s list. The same is true for data centers. Data centers have an insatiable appetite for power. They need massive amounts of power for running and cooling their facilities. Think about it, a room full of IT equipment running at optimal levels all the time, needs smart cooling.
According to the Department of Energy (DOE), in 2014, data centers in the U.S. consumed an estimated 70 billion kWh, representing about 1.8% of the total U.S. electricity consumption. Energy use is expected to increase in the future by 4% from 2014-2020, as in the past five years. Based on current trend estimates, U.S. data centers are projected to consume approximately 73 billion kWh in 2020. Powering and cooling IT equipment make up the majority of that energy consumption.
Spurred by new high density servers generating greater levels of heat, the approach to data center cooling has changed drastically from the traditional days. Tackling cooling methodologies to improve performance and cost effectiveness, is an approach many businesses are plunging into.
Most of the legacy cooling systems rely on air flow/ distribution methods, in which Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units pump massive volumes of chilled air that cooled the IT equipment as well as helped push hot server exhaust air towards the facility’s return air ducts.
This old school way of using forced air to cool data centers have many inefficiencies from poor cooling, the inability to scale to meet the IT equipment’s demand and high operational costs.
Also, designing data centers in that traditional manner can create a range of problems. Say, an under-sized or over-sized power and cooling facility can limit operational capacity or increase capital expenses. You have to invest in a huge cooling infrastructure that might not completely fulfill all the data center cooling needs. It will not operate at top efficiency thereby escalating your operating costs.
When you try to retrofit your data center cooling technology into an existing data center lab, poorly located structural elements can force air ducts to bend/ detour in ways that reduce their efficiency, inadequate room dimensions can mess with server rack placement and produce wasted floor space.
A new trend in data center cooling, recognizes the wisdom of designing data centers not from the walls in but from the server rack out.
- Instead of building a room and then filling it with racks, organizations are selecting the ideal racks for their needs and designing the room around them.
- Instead of under or over provisioning their new facility’s power and cooling resources, businesses are installing the optimal infrastructure for a targeted array of hardware and enclosures.
- Instead of reworking solutions to existing structural defects, companies are preventing those defects from happening in the first place.
- The result is a data center that’s not only less costly to cool and maintain, but more reliable and better suited to business requirements. They can also allow for significantly increased intensity usage.
Rahi Systems entire design philosophy echoes the industry trend of targeted cooling. At Rahi Systems we make cooling an integral part of the data center design, rather than an afterthought.
Our entire range of FlexIT solutions have customized, integrated server cabinets, with built in power, sophisticated cooling and smart power distribution unit, backup UPS power, plus physical and IT security – all built into one intelligent cabinet.
Rahi’s FlexIT solutions are perfect for a range of businesses, be it a small retail outlet where space is a premium, or expanding as you grow with a modular data center. Rahi understands that an organization’s efficiency at deploying IT, correlates directly to its profitability. Hence it approaches its data center build holistically, rather than piece-by-piece.
Ken has been with Rahi Systems for four years, serving as Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts. Before joining Rahi he was with Emerson Network Power for a little over 10 years, helping co-location providers select cooling and power systems and physical data center infrastructure. Prior to that he worked for UUNET, one of the early Tier 1 networks that helped build the Internet backbone. He gained his engineering background in the U.S. navy and maritime industry, earning an engineering degree from the Merchant Marine Academy.
Ken has been with Rahi Systems for four years, serving as Director of Sales and Strategic Accounts. Before joining Rahi he was with Emerson Network Power for a little over 10 years, helping co-location providers select cooling and power systems and physical data center infrastructure. Prior to that he worked for UUNET, one of the early Tier 1 networks that helped build the Internet backbone. He gained his engineering background in the U.S. navy and maritime industry, earning an engineering degree from the Merchant Marine Academy.
About Rahi
Rahi is a subsidiary of Wesco Distribution, a Fortune 200 Company with operations in 50+ countries and annual revenues over USD 19B. Rahi delivers comprehensive data centre solutions for global enterprises, hyperscalers, and multi-tenant data centres. Rahi provides IOR, local currency billing, and RMA services, enabling businesses to operate efficiently anywhere.
Since being acquired in Nov. 2022, Rahi’s global presence and analytical expertise help clients achieve their business and IT requirements.
Ken Kiernan