NEWS
Data centre cooling infrastructure must be compliant ahead of summer
NEWS ata centre operators must ensure cooling infrastructure
D being repaired or replaced is compliant with regulations if extreme heat reaches similar heights to last year ,
according to a temperature control specialist .
Affecting both the UK and EU , the 2020 F-Gas ban is a requirement of EU Regulation 517 / 2014 and means no refrigerants with a high global warming potential ( GWP ) can be used in cooling systems . For European data centres with mechanical cooling systems , this means refurbishment or replacement of ageing infrastructure must be compliant with these regulations .
As COVID-19 may have disrupted maintenance schedules for data centres across Europe , it is imperative that cooling systems are compliant with regulations when being repaired or replaced . Continuing supply chain issues may mean that this process could be prolonged while waiting for equipment to arrive , if mechanical cooling is used .
Though many data centres may opt for a free cooling approach , rising temperatures across Europe caused by climate change may mean permanent cooling infrastructure reaches its limit . With this in mind , Nick Osborne , Data Centre Specialist at Aggreko , is warning operators to plan for temporary cooling ahead of summer heatwaves .
“ The Met Office has predicted we will see even more instances of heatwaves across Europe this summer , so data centre cooling systems are at risk of reaching their limit ,” said Osborne .
“ If cooling demand exceeds capacity or the cooling system is awaiting repair or replacement within regulation parameters , unexpected and costly downtime is likely to ensue during critical periods . Data centre operators must ensure their plans for supplementary cooling for these heatwaves are in place now before the summer begins .”
Panduit launches next-generation CS Connector to optimise data centre fibre to rack density
s bandwidth speeds continue
A to increase apace , high speed optic applications have become
omnipresent in today ’ s high-performance data centre , requiring enhanced capabilities at the rack level . Panduit has launched the CS Connector , its next-generation high-density fibre connector solution that optimises the data centre environment .
Complex applications including AI , Machine Learning ( ML ) and Deep Learning ( DL ) are driving the requirement to push higher data density to the rack and dense compute technologies need close proximity to optimise workflows . Critical assets need to be physically located where space is at an increasing premium or simply not available based on the size of a traditional connector system . Panduit ’ s CS Connector solution provides 50 % greater port density per RU , used in Panduit ’ s HD Flex Cabling system , and double the density in QSFP-
DD and OSFP transceiver compared with LC connector solutions .
Cable management in the rack using unitary cable reduces congestion in pathways and the push-pull insert / withdraw feature allows easy access in high-density applications without disturbing adjacent circuits . As rack density increases using CS Connector-based solutions allow up to 216 connections compared to 144 connections using LC connectors , in the same space . The CS Connector therefore supports the reduction in connectivity footprint within the hyperscale , multi-tenant and large data centre environments .
The CS connector is set to become an increasingly popular choice following its adoption within QSFP and QSFP Multi Source Agreement ’ s ( MSA ) backing by the Consortium for On-Board Optics ( COBO ) and more recent progression as a new TIA connector standard – TIA 604-19 / FOCIS-19 , where CS is reference as the SEN connector .
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