Your Server Room & Air Conditioning

November 18th, 2021 by Airedale Cooling

Crucial to your business, your servers need to be operational at all times of the day and night to avoid downtime and disruption to your operations and those of your clients. Technology has worked wonders for many businesses, but ensuring that the equipment doesn’t overheat is a fairly basic requirement that you have to think about.

This month at Airedale Cooling Services, we’re going to be taking a closer look at your server room and the need for air conditioning – including what the ideal temperature is, the different approaches you can take and the different types of units available.

Firstly, though, a quick note to say that every server room and data centre is slightly different. Different equipment, rack sizes, room dimensions and buildings will mean that you need to consider cooling requirements carefully for your individual situation – always consult your server equipment supplier for the exact requirements.

 

What is the ideal server room temperature?

As we mentioned above, the ideal temperature for your server room is unique to your business, so always use caution when reading recommended temperatures online. Roughly speaking, however, you want to aim for around 20℃ as this keeps an ambient working temperature. This way your equipment won’t overheat, but you also don’t risk it being so cold that moisture and condensation can occur.

 

Whole room air conditioning vs specific area cooling

There are two common ways to keep your server racks cool, and depending on the variables involved, you might find one more suited to your set-up than the other.

Whole room air conditioning – This is the most common way to keep a server room cool, since server rooms are often small enough spaces to make cooling the whole room economically viable. You’ll have full control over the climate in that room, giving you peace of mind that damage caused by overheating is guarded against.

Contained cooling – Isolating and targeting a specific area for cooling is ideal if you have a larger room or other people and apparatus in the room that you want to avoid cooling. This technique is designed to keep specific server racks cool and may also be more desirable if you have specific environmental concerns.

 

Different air conditioning units for server rooms

There are different types of air conditioning units you can deploy for your business, with portable air conditioning units sometimes used to cool server rooms. However, portable units are better in temporary situations, as otherwise they can get in the way. This means they may not be suitable and may need checking regularly if they aren’t specifically designed for cooling server rooms.

Permanent cooling solutions can usually be divided into the following types of units:

Wall-mounted air conditioners – These are one of the most popular types of air conditioner, since they can be used to direct the cooler air at your server racks where it’s needed most. 

Under-ceiling air conditioners – Considered to be less intrusive to the look of a room, this type of unit is great for cooling an entire room but may offer less directional flexibility.

Floor-mounted air conditioners – Fixed into your floor, the cool air can be easily distributed, but with an increased risk of the vents on the floor becoming blocked.

 

The pitfalls of cheap air conditioning for server rooms

It’s worth noting that if you go for a cheaper air conditioning unit in your server room, it is more likely to break down or underperform than if you opt for quality air conditioning. You wouldn’t compromise on the quality of your server equipment, so don’t let yourself and your clients down by underestimating the importance of air conditioning – it will probably cost you more in the long run.

 

Overheating equipment can cause costly damage and a significant loss of business for your company – even if it’s only for a few hours. Don’t leave it up to chance for your server room; contact Airedale Cooling Services today to find out more about the range of options we have for server room air conditioning. Our expert team will match the right system to your requirements with units from some of the leading manufacturers. Plus, we can also maintain your air conditioning system to ensure it’s always at optimal functionality, saving you money and avoiding that dreaded downtime.

Call today to find out more about our air con services in Bradford, Wakefield, York and the surrounding areas.