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Performance is a critical aspect on which businesses base their decision to purchase a system. However, with the increasing complexity of IT, there are several other factors that now need to be considered with equal importance. This is particularly important in data centers, where many disparate systems work closely together. There are many important factors that can guarantee reliable and error-free operation to a large extent. This is true even for office environments where users increasingly pay attention to how infrastructure solution they choose would impact network delivery. Of all aspects, those that matter the most are operational cost, maintenance, downtime, documentation, mechanical issues and space, and Intelligent infrastructure systems.

Managing DC Heat
One of the top three major issues that are of concern in data centers is thermal or heat.

Today, data center owners face a new challenge in the form of airflow and cooling issues. To overcome this problem a high density cable and next generation platform for cable routing/managing/organizing & managing is recommended. Cable routing and design can strongly influence and affect airflow design efficiency. This applies to the individual racks as well as pathways covering the overall data center design. A particular area of concern is racks that house active devices. In this scenario any movement of cables can have an impact on the operation of the active equipment. Depending on the equipment, the cooling design can disrupt and even result in equipment failure. Airflow and cooling dynamics are a crucial requirement for active equipment and essential to ensure reliable operation.

Data Centers follow the rules of redundancy when it comes to power management. In this scenario two power sources come to each cabinet and then to each equipment through power strips. Power management includes current monitoring, circuit breakers, and IP based control system that are installed vertically in the cabinets. With virtualization, more and more servers are being installed in a single cabinet more often than not, as many as more than fifty plus patch cables and fifty plus power cables need to be dressed in the same area at the rear of the cabinet; this is where heat from the equipment exhausts.

Managing the Cables
Managing both the power cables/patch cables is critical to solve the problems related to heat. Cable originating point can also pose challenges, especially if the cables are coming from the top or if the numbers are very high at the top of the cabinet because this raises the need to move hot air from the top of the cabinet.

Structured cabling issues are a major concern because each server needs to be connected through copper or fiber patch cables based on the customer requirement. Being large in density, managing these cables is critical, so as to ensure that they do not block the heat escape. Right cable management solutions play a key role in making sure that the cables are managed properly. It should help maintain the proper bend radius of both copper/fiber cables. This is especially true for crucial fiber cables. We need to ensure that the cables are away from the designed airflow path and should also support easy MAC's as and when required.

Cables always tend to fan out once they are laid inside the cabinet. It's always important to keep the cables close to the side of the cabinets when at the entry point. Proper management of these cables as they enter and exit the raised floor and cabinet or cable ladder on top of the cabinets has a great impact on the cooling of equipments.

The cable management system has to provide an airflow friendly design to support the operation of active equipment. The current generation of switching equipment on the market has either a front-to-back, or a side-to-side ventilation concept. Unlike traditional cable management systems, the new system must support both cooling methods and increase the reliability and airflow efficiency of the equipment by keeping the cables away from ventilation pathways.

The best way to improve the cable management is to have more number of cable management rings/tie-off points in the vertical cable manager which is mounted on the sides of the cabinet, which also helps during MAC's. It also helps remove cables from the airflow path.

NextGen Infrastructure
The next generation of infrastructure hardware products have been developed by leading structured cabling vendors like Tyco Electronics to improve cabling performance, maintenance and daily operational functions to manage electrical and mechanical requirements as well as operational and maintenance that are crucial factors in the modern infrastructure design. These systems provide overall solution to all of these concerns. Designed as a cabling platform, the solutions consist of different product sets for data transmission and cable management that complement each other. These include angled panels, horizontal and vertical cable management, side management corner brackets, fiber optic tray system and automatic bend control. These provide excellent cable access and protection.

In case of moves, adds and changes (MACs) work orders for connections can be handled effectively and reliably which is essential for reducing downtime and completing successful work orders. Fibers and also new generation copper systems are sensitive to maintaining minimum bend radius. The side management bracket is a reusable corner bracket, which automatically applies the correct bend radius. The brackets are designed for both copper and fiber. Apart from providing consistent airflow, it lends fine aesthetic appeal to the data center. The zero U cable management for copper or fiber enables customers to achieve significant space saving. This allows the combination of high density electronics and patch panels even in environments where space is limited. Leading structured cabling vendors now offer high density cable management platform that bring unique bend radius control for copper/fiber, improved rack density up to 35%, protection of patch cable assemblies which are under MAC's, allowing further for higher density for connecting hardware while still being manageable.

This well organized use of space, combined with competent management of airflow in the data centre environment makes, it more energy efficient, placing less burden on air-conditioning making the environment more eco-friendly.

Mylaraiah JN
country technical manger, AMP Netconnect, Tyco Electronics
vadmail@cybermedia.co.in

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