The use of a central patching location in a cross-connect scenario provides a logical and easy-to-manage infrastructure, whereby all network elements have permanent equipment cable connections that once terminated, are never handled again. In this scenario, all modifications, rerouting, upgrades, and maintenance activities are accomplished using semi-permanent patch cord connections on the front of the cross-connect systems.

Deploying common rack frames with ample vertical and horizontal cable management simplifies rack assembly, organizes cable, facilitates cable routing, and keeps equipment cool by removing obstacles to air movement. Cable management at the rack also protects the bend radius and manages cable slack efficiently. Connectors must also be easily defined and accessed for maintenance or reconfiguration with minimal disruption to adjacent connections.

Cooling
Servers and equipment are getting smaller, but more powerful to accommodate the need for high-density data center installations. However, this concentrates an enormous amount of heat into a smaller area.

Adequate cooling equipment is a must, as well as the use of hot aisle/cold aisle configuration where equipment racks are arranged in alternating rows of hot and cold aisles. This practice, which has met wide industry acceptance, allows cold air from the cold aisle to wash over the equipment where it is then expelled out the back into the hot aisle.

Power Requirements
Electricity is the lifeblood of a data center. A power interruption for even a fraction of a second is enough to cause a server failure. Therefore, the measures you deploy to prevent disruptions should be based on the level of reliability required.

Some of the common practices include two or more power feeds from the utility company; uninterrupted power supplies; multiple circuits to systems and equipment; and on-site generators.

It's important to properly estimate your power requirements based on the devices currently in use in the data center, as well as the number of devices you anticipate are needed in the future to accommodate growth. Power requirements for support equipment should also be included.

Prepare for Future
Businesses can optimize their data centers by selecting data center infrastructure solutions that work together. By recognizing the value of the data center infrastructure and its components, you can ensure that the employees and customers have access to the servers, storage systems, and networking devices they need to carry out daily business transactions and remain productive.

Avoiding costly downtime, preparing for the future, and lowering total cost of ownership with space savings, reliable performance, and effective manageability are the ultimate means to a thriving data center and overall successful business.

Dileep Kumar
product manager, Enterprise Networks, ADC Krone.
vadmail@cybermedia.co.in

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