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Data center cooling solutions are vital to keeping facilities, businesses, and governments operating. It’s no secret that data centers are important, but keeping them running is a massive challenge and cooling efficiency is what does it. Without properly cooled and managed data centers, the servers inside can easily overheat or stop working, stopping everything in it’s tracks.
\n\n\n\nWith seven different colocation data centers across the globe under our belt, we at ServerMania know exactly how important cooling systems can be. From coast to coast, London, or Europe, we have been connecting businesses with customers for over 20 years.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll show you just how important data center cooling actually is, the different types of data center cooling, and some of the factors that make up effective data center cooling.
\n\n\n\nData centers are an essential part of modern businesses. While they’re vital for storing, processing, and sending important data all across the globe, they also generate a significant amount of heat (thanks to the high-density computing power needed to manage these loads).
\n\n\n\nEach server can emit anywhere from 400 to 700 watts of heat per hour, and in larger data centers, this can add up to an incredible amount of heat generated. If a cooling system fails to perform, this can lead to increased inefficiencies, possible hardware failures, and system downtime; all of which can severely impact a business.
\n\n\n\nCooling efficiency is more than just keeping hardware operational, it’s also a big factor in energy consumption. On average, about 40% of a data center’s total energy usage is purely for cooling alone. And considering that about 2% of the US’ energy consumption is taken by data centers, the impact can be massive. That can result in millions of dollars annually between different data center tiers. Without optimized cooling solutions, businesses could see a drastic rise in operational expenses, especially if energy prices are raised.
\n\n\n\nAdditionally, the increasing pressure to meet environmental standards makes efficient cooling even more essential. Poor cooling performance impacts energy usage and also contributes to a larger carbon footprint, making it harder for data centers to comply with sustainability goals and government regulations.
\n\n\nWith modern data centers being such a crucial part of most business operations in today’s world, ensuring they’re using optimal cooling systems is a critical priority. There are multiple different data center cooling solutions, each that meet different operational needs, climates, and scales. Let’s break down some of the most commonly used data center cooling solutions, how they work, and the pros and cons for each.
\n\n\n\nAir cooling is the most traditional and widespread method used for data centers. it uses air cooling units to circulate cool air through server racks, usually with the help of fans and air conditioning systems. It’s a simple and cost-effective option for smaller data centers, or those with low to medium server density.
\n\n\n\nHow it works: Air is cooled via traditional HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) and distributed throughout the data center. Fans (or blowers) direct the cold air through the servers, absorbing the heat generated, which is then expelled, either back into the facility or out into the atmosphere.
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\n\n\n\nLiquid cooling is an advanced method that’s becoming more prevalent, especially as data centers start hosting more high-performance computing systems. This method uses a liquid, such as water or a special coolant, to absorb heat directly from the servers, offering significantly higher efficiency than air cooling.
\n\n\n\nHow it works: Liquid is circulated through cold plates or heat exchangers that are attached directly to the server components that generate the most heat. This liquid cooling absorbs the heat and then moves it away from the servers, cooling the hardware more efficiently than air cooling.
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\n\n\n\nChilled water cooling is commonly used for large scale data center cooling systems. This technology uses chillers to cool water, which is then circulated through heat exchangers to absorb and remove heat from the data center. Unlike traditional liquid cooling, the addition of colder water leads to a more efficient method, and isn’t pumped directly to components.
\n\n\n\nHow it works: Chillers reduce the temperature of water, which is then pumped through a network of pipes to cooling coils or other heat exchanger devices. As warm air from the data center passes over the coils, heat is transferred to the water, which then flows back into the chiller to be cooled again.
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\n\n\n\nOffering a more environmentally friendly cooling method than others, evaporative cooling uses the natural process of evaporation to cool the air before it’s circulated through the data center. This becomes even more effective in areas with low humidity and dry climates.
\n\n\n\nHow it works: Hot air from the data center passes over water-saturated pads (or surfaces), causing the water to evaporate and, in the process, cooling the air. This cooler air is then used to lower the temperature of the server environment.
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\n\n\n\nHot and cold aisle containment is an airflow management technique that’s used to optimize the cooling process by separating hot and cold air within the data center. This helps ensure that cold air is directed to the server’s intake side while hot air is exhausted efficiently. ServerMania’s Montreal Data Center utilizes this design to provide high-density cooling to servers inside.
\n\n\n\nHow it works: Server racks are placed in alternating rows, with cold air intakes facing one aisle (the cold aisles) and hot air exhausts facing the other direction (making hot aisles). Containment systems or barriers are often used to prevent the mixing of hot and cold air, maximizing cooling efficiency.
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\n\n\n\nCreating an efficient data center cooling system is important, but how do you do it effectively? Let’s check out three important factors that should be considered.
\n\n\n\nProper capacity planning ensures that your data center cooling systems are capable of handling the heat load generated by the servers. As server density increases, the cooling system must scale to prevent overheating without wasting energy. Ideally, plans for future growth should also be considered to prevent overloading the system, which could result in equipment failures or inefficiencies.
\n\n\n\nTo maintain uptime, cooling systems need redundancy. In the event of a failure, backup systems like additional chillers or redundant air paths ensure uninterrupted cooling. This protects hardware and data while still minimizing the risk of costly downtime caused by cooling issues.
\n\n\n\nEnergy efficient cooling helps reduce operational costs, but it also helps meet environmental goals. Optimizing goals, using variable speed fans, and adopting free cooling systems and renewable energy sources (like our New York Colocation Center) can drastically reduce energy consumption. This cuts costs but also supports sustainability efforts and helps reduce carbon footprints, both important for keeping our earth healthy.
\n\n\n\nEffective airflow management is critical for maintaining efficiency, regardless of what data center cooling technologies you use. Techniques like hot and cold aisle containment, proper rack placement, and preventing air recirculation ensure that cold air reaches the servers efficiently, while hot air is pushed out. By reducing air mixing (and checking for hot and cold spots), you can improve cooling performance and reduce the energy needed to maintain temperatures.
\n\n\n\nIntricately designed cooling systems aren’t just for tech YouTubers and massive corporations. Whether you’re designing your own data center, or your business is expanding beyond a few dedicated servers, keeping them running at maximum efficiency is key.
\n\n\n\nAnd with an average data center size being about 100,000 square meters, keeping them cool isn’t as simple as flipping on the air conditioning. With different data center cooling options available, finding the right balance between cost, energy efficiency, and effectiveness can be tough.
\n\n\n\nSo why do the hard work yourself? Contact us today and see how we can get your business servers up and running in one of our state of the art data centers. Whether you’re working small-scale or enterprise, ServerMania can get you online and production-ready.
\n"],"excerpt":[0,"Data center cooling solutions are vital to keeping facilities, businesses, and governments operating. It’s no secret that data centers are important, but keeping them running is a massive challenge and cooling efficiency is what does it. Without properly cooled and managed data centers, the servers inside can easily overheat or stop working, stopping everything in […]
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