Server Room Temperatures
There are lots of debates and forums on the ideal temperature in a server room. Searching on line produces many results, most agreeing, but some are conflicting.
To promote reliable operation and long life on components, then it is vital to ensure a narrow temperature range. Too hot, components start to fail: too cold and they operate slowly, or just freeze up. The cost of a failure can be considerable, the hours lost because of slow operation and the frustration of users cannot be calculated.
What is the ideal temperature? When you consider that computers are a vital part of equipment in offices that are designed to be used by humans, then it would be logical to assume that the ideal temperatures are those that would be ideal for humans. This is in the range from 10°C to 28°C, with between 35% and 50% relative humidity. Ideally the range should be perfect working temperature and humidity which is 21°C o 23°C at 45% relative humidity.
Temperature is important, but air flow is critical. It would be silly to have the world’s best air conditioner in your server room and then place the server into a sealed cabinet! The air flow around the server and through the fan must occur to prevent “Hot Spots” occurring as Computers and Servers give off heat as they operate.
Server Room: These are specifically built to house the servers; to protect them from fire; to limit access for security. Air conditioning is essential for these rooms, as is a good air flow. As most servers run 24 hours a day, the air conditioner must be appropriate to be able to run 24 hours a day. The sensors regulating the temperature and humidity must be place in the right locations within the room to ensure uniform temperatures are maintained.
How to ensure the best locations of the air conditioning temperature sensors is to use temperature data loggers in the room when the shelving and servers are in place but not operational. Place the temperature loggers, such as Thermochron TC (this instrument measures temperature only), around the room, on shelving, behind servers, on servers and on the wall and run the air conditioning for 48 hours. Collect the data using eTemperature and then analyse the results. Place the sensors in appropriate areas and then run the air conditioner again to double check the calculations. Once satisfied that the sensors are in the right locations, start the servers, and again use the temperature loggers, around the room, check that you have chosen the right locations.
An existing Server Room can also be temperature mapped in this way by using the Thermochron TC. Once the temperatures are mapped, then you can be satisfied that the air conditioner is working well, or you will need to either move, or incorporate more sensors
Once it is all set up, then ensure that the air conditioner runs, that you regularly check to see if it is either accidentally turned off, or the door is left open.
Temperature loggers should be used to log the temperatures and to see if there are times when you could save power by turning the air conditioner to night modes. This would be done when the servers are less used, such as weekends.
Monitor of Temperature and Humidity
Ongoing monitoring of the temperatures around the servers and in the room, must continue, to ensure that you are achieving the best performance form your servers. There are systems available. We invite you to take a look at our range of data loggers.
