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• IT equipment , such as servers often has thermal protection systems that trigger a shutdown if the temperature rises too high .
• Overtaxing the comfort HVAC system by requiring it to continually operate above its rated cooling capacity will drive up operating costs over the long term , and probably also cause its early failure , as it is typically not engineered for continuous operation .
Another issue with typical office buildings is humidity . With doors and potentially windows opening and closing all the time , humidity levels can change constantly , depending on conditions outside . This is not ideal for IT equipment . Similarly , dust does not facilitate the optimal functioning of IT equipment , which is why purpose-built data centres have air filtration systems that remove dust and other particulates from the air .
As well as office environments , many companies need to install edge data centres on factory floors , in manufacturing facilities , and in warehouses that have widely differing environmental characteristics . These are typically large spaces of 200 square metres and upwards .
Any warehouse faces challenges in maintaining a constant temperature , as they aren ’ t usually wellinsulated or sealed . This can lead to excessive heat or cold inside the facility , as well as wide fluctuations in terms of seasonal temperatures .
Again , humidity can become an issue , especially in facilities with no ambient air control system in place . Uncontrolled environments are also likely to be even dustier than offices , and less likely to have a particulate filtration system in place . Dust combined with high humidity can be particularly harmful to IT equipment .
Cooling options
Theoretically , the same cooling systems that apply in an office environment can also be used in uncontrolled locations , but most customers favour an approach that involves a sealed rack or row , which means dedicated rack- or row-based cooling .
The reason is simple : these self-contained systems essentially seal off the IT equipment from the outside air , thus protecting it from dust and humidity , while enabling the company to tightly control the temperature of the racks .
The key is to look for a system with a high Ingress Protection , IP rating as defined in the International Electrotechnical Commission , IEC 60529 specification , which covers mechanical and electrical enclosures intended to protect against intrusion , dust and water .
Jonathan Duncan , Technical Director Africa , Vertiv
An IP 54 rating , for example , means an enclosure offers strong protection against dirt , dust , oil , and splashing water – all enemies of IT equipment . With such an enclosure , the IT equipment is isolated from the environment in which it ’ s installed .
Combined with a rack- or row-based cooling system , companies can tightly control the temperature for IT equipment while also protecting it from its potentially harsh surroundings . Such a setup can also be highly efficient since IT equipment can withstand far higher temperatures than is comfortable for humans .
Operating the IT cooling system at higher allowable temperature envelopes would save significant sums on cooling costs versus using temperatures closer to the comfort levels set for humans .
As companies continue on their digital transformation journeys , they will be producing more data , which in turn will demand more edge data centres for processing . These facilities will need to be in close proximity to the data origination source , be it an office facility , warehouse , or manufacturing floor . Companies therefore also need racking and cooling strategies that can cover edge data centres located anywhere . p
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