Data Centers: Maintaining the Perfect Environment

Jan. 22, 2010 - PRLog -- In today’s technologically advanced world, data storage plays an integral role to business continuity. For the majority of businesses, data centers provide a fundamental support network and function in the housing and storage of crucial data.

Sophisticated data centers have specific infrastructure requirements that are necessary to provide a reliable service. The need to substantially reduce power consumption whilst ensuring efficient cooling 24 hours a day is paramount, especially when you consider almost all the energy supplied by the server, electrical works and UPS battery system generates excessive heat. Data centers, therefore, must retain high standards of environmental control to assure the integrity and functionality of their hosted computer environment.

The environmental control within data floors is typically achieved using close controlled air conditioning systems that maintain tight tolerance on temperature and humidity conditions. ASHRAE’s “Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments” recommends a temperature range of 20-25 ºC (68-75 ºF) and a humidity range of 40-55% with a maximum dew point of 17 ºC as optimal for data center conditions. By maintaining a controlled air temperature, the server components are kept within the manufacturers specified temperature and humidity range. Furthermore, air conditioning systems help control humidity by cooling the return space air below the dew point, as too much humidity and water may begin to condense on internal components.
Companies managing data centers need to measure the temperature accurately and regularly. A rise in temperature can occur suddenly with costly effects, both financially and to a businesses reputation. To minimise the risk of equipment over heating data centers need to have a reliable plan in place to counteract the risk of a system failure.

A comprehensive design coupled with professional expertise is essential when installing a cooling system into a data center. The installation and re-fit is deceivingly complex. Hot air must be removed and conditions ventilated, even air distribution must be achieved, so the layout of the room should be scrutinised and choice of racks must be meticulous.  With this in mind, it is important to consult with an experienced company that can project manage the high demanding services and infrastructure that data centers require.

After 23 years of trading, cfes Air Conditioning, a division of cfes Ltd, has successfully designed and installed cooling equipment for a variety of clients across the UK. The company continues to specify and design highly resilient cooling solutions with an emphasis on minimising capital expenditure and monthly costs, for today’s ever-growing data center world.

A world-class provider of data storage in Milton Keynes requested cfes’ in-house expertise in data center requirements for their 25,000 square foot sophisticated tier 4 data center. cfes’ project management and installation team installed a one-mega watt (1MW) chilled water-cooling system utilizing the Airedale Optichill High Efficiency Plus Air Cooled Chiller plant. With its refined modulated flow of water giving a greater degree of control and accuracy plus low energy and sound cooling designed to minimise environmental impact. Furthermore, cfes drew upon their expertise in the design process by taking into consideration the co-ordination of services between hot and cold isles and ensuring that the cooling system was both efficient and robust.

John Davies, Operations Manager of cfes Ltd comments, “Data centers are crucial for the day to day running of many businesses. cfes’s project management and engineering teams specifically design cooling systems for data centers to meet the demands of today’s advanced data center developments. We provide the data center manager with cooling solutions that enables them to maximise server space whilst delivering a cool environment to minimise the risk of data becoming corrupted from over-heating, humidity and static electricity discharge.”

For more information on cfes’s Ltd Air Conditioning division please contact 01420 22622 or alternatively visit www.cfes.co.uk

 ENDS

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cfes Ltd is a fast growing national multi discipline M&E and construction contractor. The company operates within four distinct divisions:

*cfes Air Conditioning
*cfes Service & Maintenance
*cfes Medical Construction
*cfes Specialist Projects