Energy costs continue to be a major area of concern when cooling a data center. With cooling comprising a significant portion of energy, special attention must be placed on capacities and efficiencies of cooling equipment to offset these costs. Find out more from this presentation given by CEO of DP Air Corp, Arnie W. Evdokimo.

1. Cooling a Data Center:
Increasing Efficiency to Cut Data
Center Costs

2. Cooling a Data Center
Cooling a data center requires careful analysis and
proper design techniques. Climate-sensitive
environments such as data centers, computer rooms,
medical facilities and telecommunications hubs,
must be properly cooled to ensure ongoing
operation and equipment maintenance. Without
establishing and maintaining specific temperature
levels, equipment will fail.

3. Cooling a Data Center
To ensure continuous data center availability,
optimization of the right components is necessary.
Cooling a data center is not just about installing an
air conditioning system. The project is much more
involved and must consider things like equipment
options, air flow dynamics, facility structure, floor
construction, hot and cold aisle containment options
and environmental factors.

4. Cooling a Data Center
The appropriate design for cooling a data
center should be based on a thorough
analysis, company objectives and budget
constraints. Numerous options exist for
computer-grade environmental control. The
best fit is dependent on the individual
circumstances of the company and its data
center operations.

5. Cooling a Data Center
Data center cooling systems come in various manufacturer packaged and
non-packaged systems. Typical systems installed include process cooling,
humidity control systems, cooling towers, centralized pump stations,
chillers and system monitoring and controls.
However, cooling a data center doesn’t stop with a system installation.
Just as important is the ongoing maintenance of the cooling equipment.
Preventing failures is the key to systems availability and the costly
consequences of downtime.

6. Cooling a Data Center
How to Increase Cooling Efficiencies
• Industry experts regularly talk about the rising cost of electricity and the increasing
use of power consumption in the data center. For cost containment and green
initiative purposes, company executives and data center managers are placing a
premium on efficiency.
• Data center cooling is a prime target for reducing energy costs. Some industry
estimates place cooling consisting of approximately 37 percent of power usage. If
the data center is not designed properly, that percentage, along with associated
costs, can increase drastically.

7. Cooling a Data Center
Data center operators and designers can adopt certain strategies to help control
energy consumption related to cooling. Some of these strategies include the
following:
• Sealing the environment. Just like in a home, cool air escapes through
vulnerabilities in floors, windows, doors, walls and ceilings. The same challenge
exists in an data center. The facility must be properly sealed and protected from
the outside environment to avoid cooling losses. Doors need to be kept closed as
a starter when cooling a data center.
• Then, data center designers and operators can create a “vapor seal.” This seal is a
covering of materials such as plastic film, paint and vinyl used on walls, floors,
doors and any facility opening. Moisture cannot be allowed to “migrate” to or
from the data center environment.

8. Cooling a Data Center
Promoting Cooler Air Movement. Data center designers and
operators must make sure air flows efficiently throughout the
facility. Optimal air flow will go a long way in cooling a data
center. Where components, such as racks, air conditioners
and cables, are placed is an initial step.
The basic concept in promoting air flow is to move as much
heat as possible away from equipment. The goal is to
accomplish this efficiently using the least amount of energy.

9. Cooling a Data Center
One way data centers reduce energy usage is by using technology called
“economizers.” During colder weather, the underlying concept is to bring
outside air inside for cooling a data center. This saves significant energy
usage and costs.
Another way to improve cooling efforts is to ensure the air conditioning
equipment is operating for maximum efficiency. Technological advances
continue to improve equipment operation. Improvements like variable
capacity and better controls optimize air conditioning equipment
operation.

10. Cooling a Data Center
Installing Supplemental Cooling Systems. To counter the effects of heat
at its source, additional cooling systems can be installed nearby. By
cooling a data center at heat sources, less overall energy is required.
This approach is especially useful for high rack densities. For example,
equipment in the bottom rack consumes more cold air, leaving equipment
at the top sometimes insufficiently cooled. In fact, an Uptime Institute
study found equipment located in the top third of a rack failed two-times
as much.

11. Cooling a Data Center
Energy costs continue to be a major area of concern for data center
designers and operators. And, with cooling a data center comprising a
significant portion of these energy costs, special attention must be placed
on capacities and efficiencies of cooling equipment to offset these costs.
Plus, effective cooling strategies help keep equipment running and
systems available.

12. About the Author
Arnie W. Evdokimo is Chief Executive Officer of
DP Air Corporation, a leading provider of data
center design, build and maintenance services
based in Phoenix, Arizona.
For more information about cooling a data
center, visit http://www.DPAir.com today.