Good data center design is a combination of high-level conceptual thinking and strategic planning, plus close attention to detail. Obviously, things like the cooling system and support infrastructure are critical to maintaining an always-available data center, but smaller things like well organized server cabinets can also contribute to the overall efficiency of a data center or computer room. That being said, I thought I’d share a few of our guidelines and best practices for organizing your cabinets.
In no particular order:
1. Place heavier equipment on the bottom, lighter equipment towards the top
2. Use blanking plates to fill equipment gaps to prevent hot air from re-circulating back to the front
3. Use a cabinet deep enough to accommodate cable organization and airflow in the rear of the cabinet
4. Use perforated front and rear doors when using the room for air distribution
5. Make sure doors can be locked for security
6. PTS prefers using a patch panel in each cabinet for data distribution. We typically install it in the top rear U’s, but are experimenting with vertical rear channel patch cable distribution
7. PTS prefers using vertical power strips in a rear channel of the cabinet with short power cords for server-to-power-strip distribution
8. While they are convenient, do not use cable management arms that fold the cables on the back of the server as they impede outlet airflow of the server
9. Don’t use roof fans without front-to-rear baffling. They suck as much cold air from the front as they do hot air from the rear.
10. Monitor air inlet temperature ¾ of the way up the front of the cabinet
11. Use U-numbered vertical rails to make mounting equipment easier
12. Have a cabinet numbering convention and floor layout map
13. Use color-coded cabling for different services
14. Separate power and network cabling distribution on opposite sides of the cabinet
15. PTS often uses the tops of the cabinet to facilitate cabinet-to-cabinet power and data cable distribution
As you can see, the little things do make a difference. And by instituting some or all of these, you’ll be one step closer to 24-7 availability.
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