How to Reduce Data Center Hot Spots

Data center hot spots are one of the most feared things because they can damage data center equipment, increase system outages and lead to massive energy waste. For those who don’t know what data center hot spots are, a hot spot is a local temperature variation occurring due to improper cooling of the data center equipment. Data center hot spot remediation strategies vary across the board, but there are certain budget-friendly steps data centers can take to help the business combat the issue permanently or temporarily.

Adding cooling units to increase capacity is one of the most employed remedies for eliminating hot spots in the data center. According to Chris Wade from Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, before installing cooling equipment, confirm that the current cooling and airflow within the data center is perfect (airflow being a major issue).

Here are some basic steps for hot spot remediation in the data center:

Check the positioning of raised floor tiles.

Ensure that the raised floor tiles are positioned in the right places. Arrange perforated tiles at hot spots and solid tiles in places with no loads. This will help in directing cool air to the places, wherever it is required.

Use blanking panels.

If the data center has a hot-aisle and cold-aisle arrangement, use blanking panels to cover unused spaces over the racks to avoid hot air from entering into the cold aisle. It will help in eliminating hot spots and improving the cooling capacity. Up to 25% racks possess hot spots due to inefficient cooling.

Check under the floor tiles.

Many times, floor tile checks are not performed due to laziness, but it can be beneficial suggests Jason Clemente from Integrated Design Group. By checking air distribution beneath the tiles and eliminating obstacles in the air supply plenum, more cooler air can be made available to servers.

Position racks properly.

Ensure the racks and CRAC units are properly positioned. Many times, hot spots may result due to close positioning of the CRAC unit and racks. The high air velocity from CRAC bypasses cool air from the first rack, therefore building a hot spot.

Share the cooling load by spreading high-density servers.

Share the cooling load by spreading high density servers around. This will help to minimize data center hot spots and ensure efficient cooling without adding to additional costs.

We are always making sure that our data center is up to par and taking steps to avoid these issues. To learn more about Lifeline, schedule a tour with us today.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.