INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE hardware , the containment solution will not be effective unless the gaps are closed with blanking panels .
When properly designed and installed , containment systems can deliver huge operational and energy benefits to the data centre . Set alongside other measures , such as an optimised data centre configuration , increased use of free cooling where possible and / or increased operating temperatures – as allowed for in the ASHRAE standards – containment systems can improve legacy data centre performance dramatically .
Finally , comes the ongoing monitoring and maintenance requirement . Data centres are dynamic environments . The contents of racks and cabinets , hence the power supply required , will change over time . People will go in and out of the aisles , carrying out various tasks and inadvertently or otherwise , impact the space . The performance of the IT hardware may also change over time , likely generating more heat .
The climate outside the data centre will impact the environment inside . In short , there are many ongoing variables in terms of data centre performance , and , at the most basic level , the IT load could vary dramatically on a daily basis .
Making modernisation work
Measure , contain and monitor is the mantra for an effective legacy data centre modernisation programme . Whatever the size of your data centre , understanding its current operational performance gives you a baseline from which to plan any improvements . Any such improvements will need at their core a commitment to a comprehensive containment solution . Ongoing monitoring and maintenance will ensure that the newly upgraded and optimised legacy data centre continues to run as energy efficiently as possible .
The cooling solution deployed in many data centres is having to work for much longer and harder than it would need to in an optimised environment .
Optimising performance from an energy efficiency standpoint brings with it much-needed financial savings at a time of energy price volatility . Further , by using less energy , not only does a data centre cost less to run but also enhances its sustainability credentials . Modernised and optimised legacy data centres can continue to support the ongoing digital revolution and be seen as part of a sustainable , green future and will no longer be seen as the industry ’ s environmental Achilles ' heel . � www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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