Open rack or closed cabinet? The decision of whether to go for an open rack or a closed cabinet for your servers depends largely on the cooling setup of your data centre – the environment itself from which the data centre operates.
There are a number of best practices data centre operators employ to make sure that their heat-generating equipment are constantly cooled and operate at their peak. A few of the well-researched documents we found can be accessed from Search Data Center and Uptime Institute.
Contrary to popular beliefs, the decision on whether to choose an open rack or a closed cabinet is more than just a physical security issue. Access to servers most often default to data room instead of “cabinet” security that comes with access codes and alarms. The choice of a “structure” to hold servers must take into consideration the data centre’s physical design as well as its cooling setup. The last factor – cooling – is of utmost importance.
Most data centres spread-out their heat-generating equipment to maximise air flow. The cool temperature of the entire room is controlled and maintained. Data centre operators in such a setup most often default to open racks for their servers. On the other hand, data centres with raised-floor facilities where all heat-producing equipment are grouped and where all cooling systems are concentrated most often go for closed cabinets
But these are just default choices. Other factors, other needs, are further considered and play a large role in the final selection. For some, how the equipment looks play an important part in the selection process. Companies who constantly showcase their data rooms would opt for “premium looking cabinets.” Those that operate smaller offices or those tight on budget will go for the cheaper choices
It is important therefore that the equipment provides enough “room” for customisation not only to perfectly integrate it into the current setup but to adopt it the user’s current needs and the company’s future growth. Our expert team at DataWorld can help you make the right choices. Call us on 1300 441 395 to speak with one of the Sales Consultants now
