As computers and data processing have become more advanced, data centers have become an essential part of our ecosystem. Whether the data center is a single room in an office building or a purpose-built facility containing acres worth of hardware and servers, these unique facilities operate around the clock to store our information, keep vital systems running and enable businesses to grow.
When data centers go offline, or are reduced to partial capacity, business can come to a grinding halt. Data is lost and companies can lose weeks of revenue while costs continue to rise. One potential cause for data center failure is inadequate data center environmental controls. Redundancy in a heating and cooling solution is critical. In this article, you’ll learn about the three main types of climate control that data centers need. You’ll also learn about what to do in the event of a disruption to your data center’s HVAC system.
- Read more: Redundancy is critical in other types of facilities. Healthcare facility climate control redundancy is vital to the safety and comfort of patients and workers.
Why Is Climate Control Important for Data Centers?
For data centers to run efficiently and avoid damage, the hardware needs certain climate conditions. The equipment within data centers generate immense amounts of heat that must be dissipated quickly. If heat isn’t dispersed evenly or removed quickly, parts can burn out or systems can shut down. Likewise, data center computers and servers are quite sensitive to excessive moisture and dust. Too much humidity or poor indoor air quality can be as detrimental as overheating.
Implementing proper climate control measures and equipment becomes especially important when a data center is in a location prone to extreme weather. Another important variable consider is if there are fluctuations in how much of the data center’s capacity is being utilized. For example, if there is a period of high demand, the servers will generate additional data center heat as they work to give users access to services and information. Similarly, weather events like heat waves and hurricanes can damage data centers and produce a period of high demand if the center supports the communication network for emergency responders.
- Related: Review OSHA standards for heat exposure
To handle spikes in demand or the effects of an unexpected power outage, temporary and backup data center climate control equipment can avoid unnecessary or costly downtime.
3 Types of Climate Control for Data Centers
When it comes to hardware in data centers, the goal is to keep everything cool (not too cold), dry (not too dry) and clean. To simplify, the goal is to avoid extremes. This can mean finding the right balance and implementing supplemental equipment to maintain this balance of temperature, humidity and ventilation.
- Learn More: Resources for Data Centers from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
1. Temperature Control – Avoid Overheating Servers
Data centers that are too hot risk burning out parts or systems going into automatic shutdown. Too cold, and the system loses efficiency, driving up costs. To prevent these problems, it’s important to monitor the overall temperature of the data center as well specific areas within the facility that are potential hotspots.
Because of the damage excessive heat can cause, it’s important data centers operate climate controls at well below max capacity. Operating below max capacity means the data center can handle surprises like parts breaking down or being shut off for maintenance, new computer systems that drastically increase temperature, and changes in weather conditions that make cooling difficult. It may also mean adding cooling technologies, such as portable air conditioning system units. Doing so can mitigate hotspots or temporary HVAC outages.
2. Humidity Control – Avoid Shorting Circuits and Corrosion
Water and electricity don’t mix. It shouldn’t be a surprise that too much humidity can damage electrical components within a data center. Too much moisture in the air can cause electronics to short out. If the humidity is elevated for a long period of time, parts can corrode or rust.
What you may not realize, is that too little humidity can cause just as much damage as too much moisture. Data centers that are too dry risk electrostatic discharges that can destroy equipment and lead to fires.
To mitigate the effects of improper moisture levels, it is important to monitor and control the relative humidity. This may mean you’ll need to add dehumidifiers, especially if there has been a flood or excessively wet weather.
3. Adequate Ventilation – Maintain Consistency and Air Quality
Ventilation and air quality are vitally important when trying to manage the temperature and humidity inside a data center. It is not enough to control the general temperature of the data center. Hotspots and pockets of trapped air can cause as much damage to the equipment as a building that is too warm overall. The solution is to ensure good airflow, often through a fan or blower. Adequate ventilation and air exchanges help prevent isolated areas of the data center from deviating from the overall climate.
Ensuring proper air flow and ventilation can reduce costs as well. When climate control efforts account for more than half of a data center’s costs, increased efficiency provided by adequate air flow can save the company significant money.
Similarly, it’s important to ensure that the air quality is good as well. Too much dust or other particulates can cause delicate electrical connections to short out or equipment to overheat. Adding air scrubbers or negative air machines can help you ensure that the air flows well and remains free of contaminants.
Best Practices for Data Center Climate Control
When making an HVAC or climate control plan for your data center, consider utilizing the following best practices to maintain consistent temperatures, humidity and ventilation.
- Operate Below Capacity: By operating data center servers below capacity, the data center will be better equipped to handle surges in use without overheating.
- Add Redundancy and Backup Systems: Data centers’ HVAC systems are made of parts that will eventually break, wear out or need maintenance. Plan ahead to make sure the facility has adequate temporary solutions in place. Troubleshoot before the main climate control systems are taken offline. This will ensure that the data center keeps running.
- Plan for and Maintain Air Flow: Go beyond managing data center temperature and humidity overall. Implement strategies and equipment to increase ventilation and air quality to avoid creating hotspots while helping to keep costs down.
- Inspect and Maintain Equipment: By performing inspections on equipment and HVAC maintenance regularly, surprise outages can be avoided. Consider renting climate control solutions from a reputable equipment provider as they will handle the regular equipment maintenance for you.
- Monitor and Automate: Whenever possible, choose climate control equipment that allows you to monitor conditions in real time and program the climate system to have automated responses to certain conditions, like a spike in data center temperature. These advanced features can help your data center avoid unexpected problems and downtime.
Rent Data Center Climate Control Solutions from Herc Rentals
Costly climate control problems can bring data center operations to a halt. The equipment experts at Herc Rentals are ready to help you keep everything running in the event of a natural disaster, equipment failure or your next data center construction project.
Herc Rentals’ wide array of climate control equipment rentals can be rapidly deployed in the event of an HVAC emergency or our on-site equipment rental services can be set up at your data center for long-term projects and needs.
Explore our wide range of cooling, heating, and air quality solutions or call 888-777-2700 to discuss options with an expert today.
