Strategies for Evaluating Data Center Aisle Containment · Data Center Aisle Containment has emerged as an effective strategy for increasing an existing data cen - ter’s capacity

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Strategies for Evaluating Data Center Aisle Containment


Vendor-Neutral Considerations for Adding Containment to Your Existing Environment

IntroductionA challenge for data center customers is finding a way to leverage existing cooling infrastructure to support ongoing technology upgrades. As technol-ogy is refreshed, consolidated, and virtualized, per rack density (in kilowatt, or kW per rack) increases and the capacity of legacy cooling infrastructure is often reached or exceeded. For example, a legacy data center is typically configured with a raised floor and perimeter Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) units. The CRAC units are downflow – supplying cool air down into the raised floor plenum – with an open return (see image on page 3). In general, this design could effectively support an average of 3kW per rack of IT load1. In today’s data center, technol-ogy requirements are driving per rack densities far beyond 3kW per rack and customers are seeking an effective way to support their technology upgrades without a major data center renovation. (Figure 1).

Data Center Aisle Containment has emerged as an effective strategy for increasing an existing data cen-ter’s capacity to support higher density rack loads. The issue for many customers is determining how to implement aisle containment in their data cen-ter and what product, strategy, and project plan are right for them. Vendors of aisle containment sys-tems can offer advice, but customers are concerned that this is limited to the product set that the vendor can provide. The purpose of this whitepaper is to provide vendor-neutral recommendations for evalu-ating aisle containment in your existing data center2. It is not intended to make specific aisle containment strategy recommendations but rather to assist data center operators in determining the best solution for their facility.

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Keeping Cables Happyin a Hostile Environment

By Paul Newman, RCDD, RITP, WD

but the IT equipment installed in that facility changes every two to three years. A data center designed as little as five years ago might be designed to support average rack densities of 2 to 3 kilowatts (kW) per rack, whereas virtualized environ-ments can average 7 to 10 kW per rack and beyond. For a typical legacy data center design with a raised floor, perimeter downflow computer room air conditioner (CRAC) units and underfloor power and telecommu-nications distribution, this density change presents several challenges (see Figure 1). Figures 2 and 3 illustrate what happens to server inlet temperatures in a legacy data center facility when rack densities are increased from 3 kW per rack to 6 kW per rack. By performing this analysis using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, we can determine how the incremental difference of 3 kW in

IT load will impact the data center’s conformance with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommended range of 18 degrees Celsius (°C [64 degrees Fahrenheit (°F)]) to 27°C (81°F) for server inlet temperatures.1

By reviewing the screenshots of the CFD analysis, we see that a rack density of 3 kW per rack produces server inlet temperatures within the recommended ASHRAE ranges. How-ever, when the load is increased to 6 kW per rack, there is a notable de-viation in server inlet temperatures through the data center, resulting in numerous sever inlet conditions that are outside of the recommended ASHRAE range. This condition would likely cause on-board environmental monitoring of the server equipment to alarm. A typical owner response to increased server inlet temperatures

shown in Figure 3 has been to add cooling capacity. Over time, this practice has left many data centers with excess cooling capacity compared to IT loads and significant inefficiencies in energy consumption. In a recent independent survey of data center operators, the average power usage effectiveness (PUE) for the facilities surveyed was 2.8.2 This indicates that for every kilowatt of power consumed by IT equipment, 2.8 kW are used for supporting infrastructures like cooling and power (see Figure 4). The good news for owners is that this inefficiency presents an opportunity to regain data center capacity through a modernization effort. The most successful modern-ization projects balance the reclama-tion of existing data center capacity with the addition to or upgrade of existing systems.

FIGURE 2: Server inlet temperature at a rack density of 3 kW per rack

a recommended strategy for optimizing the use of existing crac units is to implement air containment systems.

The Journal of Information Technology Systems t 9

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It is important to begin any data center modernization effort with two critical activities:1. Create a master plan for

IT equipment, technology and services. The IT plan will identify the growth requirements of IT operations and the associated technologies required to support the long- term goals of the organization.

2. Complete an assessment of the existing data center infrastructure. The physical infrastructure assessment should include a detailed review of what you currently operate in your facility, including systems like uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), cooling infrastructure, emergency power, fire protec-tion, telecommunications and power distribution.

By reviewing these detailed assessments, a gap analysis can be created that identifies how your existing infrastructure needs to be augmented to support the organization’s ongoing IT operations in both the short and long term.

More importantly, a thorough gap analysis will become the baseline for your data center modernization project plan. A successful renovation project requires careful collaboration between the owner, design team

FIGURE 3: Server inlet temperature at a rack density of 6 kW per rack

a recommended strategy for optimizing the use of existing crac units is to implement air containment systems.

the gap analysis

FIGURE 4: Power Usage Effectiveness. Source: Green Grid

Power Usage effectiveness (PUe) = total Facility Power it equipment Power

total Facility Power Poweru switchgearu UPsu Battery Backup coolingu chillersu cracs

Utility company

it equipmentPower u serversu storageu telco equipment

Power in Power in

Server inlet temperature at a rack density of 3kW per rack

FIGURE 1

Server inlet temperature at a rack density of 6kW per rack


In other words, you can only expect to get 30 tons of usable capacity at specific design conditions. Exam-ining the capacity data for a chilled water CRAC unit illustrates this reduction:

Sample CRAC Unit Capacity Data (Based on 45°F Entering Water)

As you can see, the full capacity of the sample CRAC unit (149kW) is achieved when 80°F return air is returned to the CRAC unit. However, if that return air temperature is reduced by 5°F, the output of the CRAC unit decreases by 15%. If the return air temperature is decreased by 8°F, the capacity of the CRAC unit decreases by 24%.

By implementing aisle containment, we can increase the return air temperature to data center CRAC units, thus increasing the usable cooling capacity in the data center space. Before evaluating aisle con-tainment, it is important for data center operators to measure their existing return temperature condi-tions; it will provide a perspective on the operation of their current cooling system and provide a critical benchmark to improve upon through an aisle con-tainment implementation.

Overview

A persistent discussion in the data center industry is arguing the benefits of hot aisle containment sys-tems (HACS) versus cold aisle containment systems (CACS). The reality is that both containment strate-gies are effective. Customers need to first understand the characteristics of their existing facility and then use that profile to determine the right aisle contain-ment strategy for their environment.

Understand the Importance of Return Air Temperature The primary function of aisle containment is to physically separate the air streams in the data center, ensuring that cool supply air is delivered to the IT equipment inlet (cold aisle) without mixing with the hot IT equipment exhaust air (hot aisle)3. Creating this separation will help eliminate hot spots and im-prove the consistency of supply temperature across the vertical face of the IT enclosure.

More importantly, separating data center air streams with aisle containment systems can increase the us-able capacity of your CRAC units. A common mis-take data center operators make is assuming that a 30-ton CRAC unit is providing 30 tons of usable ca-pacity in the data center. In most existing data centers, the usable capacity of a CRAC unit (actual cooling capacity being delivered) is reduced due to the return air temperature being returned to the CRAC unit.

Steps for Evaluating Aisle Containment Solutions

The Journal of Information Technology Systems t 7

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With the rapid proliferation in public cloud services, many organizations have engaged in a “build vs. buy” comparison for their data center facilities where they evaluate the benefits of building their own data center against outsourcing through colocation providers, public cloud services, or a combination of both. This effort is a complex evaluation that is unique to each customer and involves considerations for the financial, security, risk and customer service implications of the decision, among many others.

In data center deployments, a greenfield facility is one that did not exist before and is purpose-built from the ground up. In contrast, a brownfield deployment is an upgrade or addition to an existing data center that likely uses some legacy components. These terms come from the building industry, where undeveloped, unpolluted land is described as “greenfield,” and previously developed (often polluted and abandoned) land is described as “brownfield.” While building a greenfield facility and outsourcing are possible options, most legacy data centers can benefit signifi-cantly from modernization efforts that

increase capacity and energy efficiency to extend the lifecycle of the existing space. Every project includes an element of risk, and modernizing an existing data center is no exception. However, remaining in your existing facility eliminates the risk and cost of the major technology migration effort that would be required to move into a new space. Many organizations find this factor alone to be a major substantiation of a renovation initiative. Each data center has its own unique needs, and the motivation to renovate an

existing facility will vary based on adding capacity, extending lifecycle, improving efficiency and increasing redundancy. With careful planning, a data center modern-ization effort can achieve all of the above. capacity challenges As IT organizations continue to lever-age technologies such as virtualization, the profile of their data center changes. The challenge is that legacy data center infra-structures were not designed to respond dynamically to IT equipment refresh cycles. This presents the dichotomy of a data cen-ter—the facility is designed to last 20 years,

every data center will require an individualized project plan and strategy for its renovation.

FIGURE 1: A typical legacy data center with raised floor, perimeter CRAC units and underfloor power and telecommunications distribution.

By todd Boucher, rcdd, dceP

80°F DB, 50% RH (baseline)

Sensible Capacity (kW) 149.0

75°F DB, 50% RH


72°F DB, 50% RH


Legacy Data Center


Evaluate your Rack/Row Orientation and ProfileThe existing rack/row orientation in your data cen-ter and its symmetry will dictate the complexity of implementing aisle containment. For example, if you have a homogenous data center with a standard-ized rack profile, you will have a number of options for aisle containment systems. The likelihood that these solutions will be “out-of-the-box” from aisle containment vendors is high. However, if you have a more heterogeneous data center with varying rack heights, depths, and widths, (see image right) it is important to understand that more customization will be required. This is especially true if your data center rack footprint is fixed (i.e. – rack locations cannot be adjusted for greater symmetry).

Data center owners should understand which rack/row profile their data center falls into prior to be-ginning the aisle containment evaluation process. If your data center has a heterogeneous rack profile, it is important to determine how much (if any) foot-print reconfiguration you are willing to undertake to support a containment project. Providing this infor-mation to prospective vendors will ensure that you receive system proposals that are accurate and able to be implemented in your current data center en-vironment. (add pictures of homogenous racks and heterogeneous racks as examples)

Review Peripheral Project CostsFor most retrofit projects, there are typically re-quired costs outside of the aisle containment system itself that will impact your overall implementation budget. It is important to review your existing data center to determine how these peripheral items will add to your project budget.

1. Fire Protection Creating a fully encapsulated cold or hot aisle con-tainment system may require modifications to your fire protection system, which could include ad-ditional detection and suppression inside of your containment area. Even if you are only implement-ing partial containment (like a vertical wall from the

top of your racks to the ceiling) the quantity place-ment of your fire suppression nozzles may need to be augmented. This is a cost that impacts most aisle containment implementations and should be con-sidered when creating a budget for the project.

2. Real-Time Data Collection There are several energy efficiency gains that can be realized through the implementation of aisle con-tainment systems. Most notably, the supply air tem-perature being delivered from your CRAC units to the server inlet can often be increased. Energy Star states that data centers can save 4%-5% in energy costs for every 1°F increase in server inlet tempera-ture4. However, prior to making server inlet temper-ature adjustments, it is important that you have the ability to capture relevant data from your data center to understand the real-time environmental impacts of a temperature increase.

Temperature (or combination temperature/relative humidity) sensors should be installed in the cold aisle at the server inlet location (front of the IT equip-ment racks) to collect real-time server inlet temper-ature information. These should be installed prior to aisle containment so a baseline and/or trend can be


created for your cold aisle. After implementing aisle containment, most data centers will see a decrease in the server inlet temperature due to the reduced air mixing between supply and exhaust air. Once your environment has stabilized, it is recommended that you increase supply temperature incrementally (1°F or 2°F at a time) while actively monitoring the server inlet temperature through your sensors.

Sensors can be installed cost effectively either through your Data Center Infrastructure Manage-ment (DCIM) system or through an independent monitoring system.

3. CRAC Unit Controls

In most legacy data centers with multiple Com-puter Room Air Conditioners (CRACs), the units operate independently, controlling temperature and humidity based on their individual setpoints. This leads to a common data center cooling problem of ‘dueling’ CRAC units, where one CRAC unit is in re-heat mode while another adjacent unit is in cooling mode. When implementing aisle containment to an existing data center with perimeter CRAC units, it is important to understand the manner in which the CRAC units are controlled. If the units operate in-dependently, a centralized control system should be considered. This will enable the CRAC units to work together as a group and help prevent the inefficiency created by ‘dueling’ units.

Because this strategy and cost are not typically in-cluded in aisle containment proposals, it is impor-tant that data center operators understand the con-figuration of their existing CRAC units and integrate the review of the controls system into their evalua-tion of an aisle containment solution.

4. Blanking Panels and Sealed Openings

The effectiveness of aisle containment systems is significantly reduced if blanking panels are not in-stalled in IT enclosures and raised floor openings are not sealed. Any open spaces in the IT racks or open-ings for cable cutouts in the raised floor increase air mixing and prohibits a proper segregation of

cool supply air from hot exhaust air. Implementing blanking panels and sealing raised floor openings is a simple, cost effective initiative that should be com-pleted prior to implementing any aisle containment solution5.

5. Lighting

Most containment systems utilize a transparent ma-terial that allows light through, but in some cases lighting adjustments are required to ensure ad-equate light levels are achieved in both the hot and cold aisles. It is recommended that data center op-erators review the proposed containment layout in their existing data center to determine what, if any, impacts the implementation will have on their light-ing system.

Conclusion

Aisle containment implementations offer significant benefits to data center operators looking to support higher density IT equipment, regain capacity from their cooling system, and extend the lifecycle of their existing facility. Hot Aisle Containment Sys-tems (HACS) and Cold Aisle Containment Systems (CACS) are both effective strategies; the correct aisle containment solution for a customer’s data center should be developed through a detailed review of the customer’s requirements and existing data cen-ter conditions.

Completing a thorough review of your own data center, determining what modifications you are will-ing to make (if any) as part of a containment proj-ect, and understanding what peripheral costs may impact your project budget will enable you to com-plete a vendor-neutral review of aisle containment solutions and effectively determine which is best for your unique data center environment.

1. Actual capacity varies depending on site conditions.2. The recommendations in this whitepaper are for reference.

An evaluation of containment strategies should be completed on a site-by-site basis.

3. Proper use of rack blanking panels are required for effective separation of air streams.

4. https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.datacenter _efficiency_inlet_temp

5. This is a recommended strategy whether containment is utilized or not.


AboutLeading Edge Design Group is a critical infrastructure specialist with vendor-neutral solutions for Data Center, LED Lighting, and Information and Communications Technology projects. Founded in 2007, Leading Edge Design Group helps organizations design, build, and maintain systems that are reliable, scalable, and energy efficient. For more information, please visit www.ledesigngroup.com or follow us on twitter @ledesigngroup.

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Strategies for Evaluating Data Center Aisle Containment · Data Center Aisle Containment has emerged as an effective strategy for increasing an existing data cen - ter’s capacity