Any informational technology, or IT, professional will tell you the importance of a clean and well organized IT room. If you can imagine the mess of wires and cables behind your home or office computer desk, multiply it into an entire building?s worth of supplies and mess. It would be very difficult to locate, identify problems, and upgrade the IT equipment. It can also be helpful to use organization tools that are also effective in keeping the equipment running properly.
Switch racks
Most types of network switch racks allow you to combine all of your switch racks into a neat and tidy space. When you combine all of the technology that is needed for an entire building, you are left with hundreds, if not thousands, of switch racks. The switch racks alone could take up an entire room, if they are not organized properly. Different types of switch racks allow you to customize the way they are organized and the way that you reach them.
Server racks
Server racks are similar to the different types of network switch racks, but servers need to be easier to reach. The server is the main control of the technology and it is likely that a large scaled building has multiple servers. Server rooms also have to be temperature controlled, as they can overheat. With multiple server racks in one room, cooling properties are important. The AC costs of an average server room with 30 KW of air conditioning operating a t70% capacity with an average cost of 12.7 C KWH will be $23,000pa and 243 tonnes of greenhouse gas will be produced.
Hot aisle compartments
Although the servers are the most commonly overheated IT product, there are many other IT equipment items that can also overheat. When the IT room is not properly organized, it can be easy to lose track of the items that need to be regularly temperature controlled. One missed server that overheats could cause problems for the entire IT room. However, storing all of the temperature sensitive items in one area or compartment can be helpful. You can store them all in a single data rack or electronics rack, and then focus on cooling that specific rack.
Cooling for the entire room
It can also be beneficial to cool the entire room. Even standalone IT products that do not need to be cooled may quickly become overheated in a room full of electronics. Electronic packaging cabinets can also reduce temperatures for single important items, such as the servers, or the different types of network switch racks. While approximately 80% of data centers employ or are looking into installing hot or cold aisle containment systems to keep servers at the correct temperatures and reduce energy use, many are currently failing. High percentages of electronic problems are due to poor temperature controls.
Green friendly rooms
Simply controlling the temperature of the IT room is not enough. Technology utilizes a lot of energy, so when you combine all the IT uses in one technological room, you are using up a lot of the Earth?s energy. Many technological firms are attempting to reduce energy usage, while also increasing productivity. This often requires the regular upgrading of current electronic items. Data centers more than 7 years old are considered out of date per Green Computing norms. However, in practical the average life of a data center is considered to be 9 years.
Informational technology rooms require more than IT capabilities. The proper upkeep of an IT rooms also means temperature control, frequent upgrades, and conversion into a Green Computing room. Proper organization and storage is also necessary when it comes to high cost and high functioning electronics. A single business that houses multiple computers and mobile devices requires numerous servers. Different types of network switch racks and cooling devices should be used when properly storing these items.
