In an ever-changing environment like the data center, it’s most beneficial to have as many intelligent systems working together as possible. It’s amazing to think of how far technology has come from the old supercomputers the size of four filing cabinets to the present data centers that are pushing 1,000,000 Sq. Ft.
Managing a Data Center’s Needs
Historically, managing a data center was fairly straightforward. In all the growth, one finds digging into the nuisances of every little thing data center cooling, power, and rack space, among hundreds of other minute aspects. This is all way too much for a Data Center Manager to be able to manage and comprehend by themselves, so implementing systems that can talk to each other has become a must.
When evaluating the cooling side of the infrastructure, there are real challenges that may make one want to consider hiring a team of engineers to monitor the space constantly.
- Most sensible room capacities vary constantly during the first year or two years of build-out.
- This creates a moving target for CRAC/CRAH systems to hit within precise setpoints, and this can create a lot of concern by data center managers about hot spots, consistent temperatures, and CRAC usage.
- Just when one thinks the build-out is done, someone in the team decides to start changing hardware and one is headed down the path of continuous server swap outs and capacity changes.
It really can turn into a game of chasing the own tail, but it doesn’t have to.
Reducing Stress Level
Data Aire has created the Zone Control controller to address the undue stress imposed on data center managers. Zone Control allows CRAC and CRAH units to communicate with each other and deduce the most efficient way possible to cool the room to precise set-points.
No longer will one need to continually adjust set-points. And as previously mentioned, it’s incredibly beneficial to have as many intelligent systems working together as possible. Zone Control is the creation of open communication and dialogue between all units on the team.
CRAC & CRAH Units Should Work Together
Just like in sports, all players on the team must know their own personal role and how all players doing their part creates the most efficient team. The 2018 winter Olympics makes one think about the similarities between a four-man bobsled team and how CRAC/CRAH units communicate through Zone Control.
The bobsled team starts off very strong to give as much of a jump out of the box as possible. Then each member starts hopping into the bobsled in a specific order. Once they assume maximum speed, all members are in the bobsled and most are on cruise control — while the leader of the team steers them to the finish line. That’s Zone Control; the leader of the team.
Personal Precision Cooling Consultant
Getting back to data center cooling. When the units first start ramping up – they do so to ensure enough cooling immediately. Then as our controls/logic gets the readings of the room back, these units start to drop offline in standby mode to vary down to the needed capacity of the room. They are able to talk to each other to sense where the hotter parts of the room are to ensure the units closest to the load are running. Once they have gone through this process of checks and balances to prove the right cooling capacities, they go into cruise control as Zone Control continues to steer.
This creates the most efficient and most reliable setup of cooling in each individual data center possible. Data center managers don’t need to worry about trying to find hot spots or worry about varying loads in the room. Zone Control is an intelligent communication control that works with CRAC/CRAH data room systems to identify the needs of the space and relay that message to the team. Think of it as the personal precision cooling consultant that always has the right system setup based on real-time capacities.
Add V3 Technology to the Zone Control Team
One can go even a step further in the quest to have the most efficient environmental control system safeguarding the data center. Pair Zone Control with gForce Ultra. The Ultra was designed with V3 Technology. It is the only system on the market to include a technology trifecta of Danfoss variable speed compressors accompanied by an EEV and variable speed EC fans.
gForce Ultra can vary down to the precise capacity assignments in the data room. Combine the Ultra with Zone Control and one has the smartest and most efficient CRAC system in the industry. The Zone Control even has the logic to drop all Ultra units in a room down to a 40% capacity and run as a team in cruise control, versus running half the units at 80% because of the efficiency written in the logic.
