A data center hot spot is a localized temperature change caused by data center equipment that is not adequately cooled. These occurrences are some of the most dreaded in data centers. They can damage valuable equipment, generate system failures, and waste a lot of energy.
Although data center hot spot remediation solutions differ, there are several measures you may take to address the problem permanently or temporarily. Below, you’ll find four tips for dealing with hot spots in data centers.
1. Monitor for Hot Spots
To help identify potential hot spots, carefully observe your banks and servers. You always want to know their temperatures. With automated temperature monitoring, you can keep track of their conditions. Since heat naturally rises, you should position sensors for the systems near the tops of the racks.
Additionally, it would be best to mount them near equipment intakes where hot spots frequently occur. It’s equally critical to have personnel who can act if an alarm gets sent out.
2. Examine the Placement of Elevated Floor Tiles
Make sure the elevated floor tiles are in their proper locations. Install perforated tiles in areas with high density cabinets and solid tiles in less dense areas. This will direct cool air to the areas that demand it the most.
You should also look beneath the tiles. Additional cooler air may be made accessible to servers by monitoring air distribution underneath the tiles and removing obstructions in the air supply.
3. Employ Blanking Panels
If you employ a hot-aisle and cold-aisle setup to filter heated air out of the cabinets, use blanking panels to cover vacant gaps in open RU spaces in the racks. These will help eliminate hot spots and boost cooling capacity.
4. Properly Position Racks
Make sure you’re correctly positioning racks and CRAC units. Hot spots frequently occur because the CRAC unit and the racks are too close together. The high air velocity from a CRAC bypasses cooler air from the first rack, resulting in the formation of a hot spot.
Using these four tips for dealing with hot spots in data centers, you can protect your equipment from getting damaged and risking system failures. In addition, AMCO Enclosures provides a comprehensive selection of data rack accessories to give you everything you need for efficient server rooms. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about our products.