Data centres act as the beating heart of the technological world. Without the presence of data centres, the hardware and software we utilise day in, day out simply wouldn’t be able to operate. That’s why organisations with in-house data centres work hard to keep them running at their best. The design and layout of a data centre plays an essential part in its operation, yet to function at its optimum level, a data centre must run within a certain temperature range.
As leading suppliers of data centre cooling solutions, we work with businesses across the UK to ensure their data centres run at an ideal temperature. Thanks to our climate control options, cooling products and containment strategies, we have been able to unlock a variety of advantages for those trying to improve the efficiency, performance and reliability of their IT infrastructure.
The ideal temperature for data centres
According to the latest findings, temperatures in a server room or data centre should not fall below 10°C or exceed 27.7°C. The research further revealed that the optimal temperature range was between 20 and 21.6°C, leaving very little room for movement for those looking to find the perfect temperature for data centre performance.
What happens if my data centre is too cold or too hot?
If data centre conditions become too cold or too hot, (should they fall below or above the optimal 10°C to 27.7°C range), a number of issues can arise. Server failures are commonplace in cases where temperatures become unstable, leading some businesses to take drastic action, particularly those based in cooler climates.
Some organisations have resorted to moving their data centres to cold climates to avoid the problems associated with high levels of heat and humidity. Facebook is just one of the companies to relocate their data centre. Their newly constructed hub in Lulea, Sweden, utilise a special modular design to thrive in temperatures as low as -35°C. Hot spots and redundancy are two more issues that go hand-in-hand with data centres running at incorrect temperatures, which makes proper air management and correct cooling even more essential.
How to get the temperature just right
Ensuring the correct temperature and humidity is integral to performance. In addition to enlisting assistance from a facilities maintenance specialist like us, taking steps to appropriately and successfully manage airflow throughout your data centre is important. The layout of your data centre may be the key to improving airflow and operating within the optimal temperature range, as Data Center Journal describes:
Data center layout is the first thing to be examined. The most efficient layout will have racks in a Hot Aisle / Cold Aisle configuration and CRACs able to draw hot exhaust easily down the hot aisles to their returns. This usually means that CRACs should be perpendicular to the rows. However, if a ducted ceiling return plenum is used with egg crate grilles placed in the hot aisles, the placement of CRACs is not as critical.
Whether you need our help with data centre maintenance or require the installation of the best cooling equipment, we’ve got you covered. Contact our team directly for further information about our computer cooling services.
