Factors to Consider For Your Data Center’s Layout

Effective planning of your data center layout is key to the optimization of your hardware. You should consider all data center functions, the sizes of the equipment and PDUs going into the data center, and even future expansion if you are planning to do so in the next few years. Here are a few important factors that you should iron out before building your data center.

Capacity and Density

A data center’s capacity is defined as its compute space and its density is measured as peak kilowatt load. You can opt for a dense server strategy in which you purchase servers that come with higher computing power but, with this strategy, the cost of maintenance increases due to the need for more powerful cooling solutions. Ultimately, this strategy can cost more on a per watt basis.

In order to strike the right balance between power demands and wattage requirements, you need to use a combination of high- and low-density rack configurations. This can help you reduce the wattage per foot while giving you the ability to expand and add more capacity.

Resources

Every data center is unique in its own way. Therefore, the best practice would be to understand your capacity and cooling requirements before even choosing the location of your data center. For example, if you are located near seawater, it can help you better with your cooling needs. In fact, Google’s datacenter in Finland is all set to operate using seawater as a natural coolant for the chillers.

You can bring in representatives from the various departments in your organization and map out your exact requirements before bringing in a qualified professional who can help you with the best data center layout for your needs.

Cooling

Storage and cooling are possibly the two most important factors to consider while designing the layout of your data center. Cooling solutions can become a significant driver of price as well as server efficiency. To make cooling an inherent part of your data center, you can choose to purchase advanced servers and storage devices which release very little heat for the same power.

You can also choose perforated racks to ensure that the airflow within your data center is maintained at a comfortable level. You can also arrange your server racks in the hot aisle – cold aisle arrangement when the temperature is managed more efficiently. These are a few steps you can take to reduce the temperature in your data center before investing in cooling solutions.

Tying all of these factors together and coming out with the best design for your data center can be daunting. At Hardy Racks, we can help you come out with the right rack solutions for your servers and other data center equipment. Our racks even come with 86% perforation, one of the highest in the industry, to ensure optimum airflow in your data center. To know more about our products and consultation services, get in touch with us now.