Dell PowerEdge Energy Smart Containment Rack Enclosure
A common concern in data centers of all sizes today is how to manage airflow effectively and operate the data center efficiently. The most efficient way to use cooling air in a data center is to have all of the air travel through the IT equipment only once. Containment is a growing trend for managing airflow.
Containment separates the air pathways to and from the rack. It is commonly done at the rack or aisle level and can be implemented on the cold or hot side. There are a number of options for implementing containment available, but many of them, such as chimney racks or aisle containment, require on-site customization which may affect the routing of fire-suppression systems or other facilities.
The Dell PowerEdge Energy Smart containment rack enclosure is an easily deployed containment solution that can overcome density limitations and improve cooling efficiency in a raised-floor data center. It is designed to provide even distribution of airflow to all equipment installed in the rack. Air is pulled into the rack using a tight seal over perforated tiles and directed into the front extension, based on the needs of the installed equipment. The integrated containment eliminates hot spots in the rack that might require depopulation of equipment, so that the new rack can easily support higher-density installations, up to 25kW in a single rack. This also allows the computer room air conditioner (CRAC) unit to operate more efficiently, reducing the amount of air being emitted and lowering operating costs.
The Energy Smart rack can be used in any data center that utilizes a raised floor to deliver air. Since the Energy Smart rack provides passive cooling only, requiring no additional power for operation, it can be deployed in new or existing data centers, one at a time or in multiples, and additional Energy Smart racks can be added as needed.
Learn more about the Energy Smart rack
">EnergySmartrackoverview - Go to the dell.com product page for more information.
Energy Smart rack summary - Review the poster summary of Energy Smart rack operation.
Energy Smart Rack Video - Watch the video to see how the Energy Smart rack works in a data center.
Energy Smartrackbenefitswhitepaper">Energy Smart rack benefits white paper - IT equipment can be cooled more efficiently and cost-effectively when it is installed in a containment rack deployed in a data center with raised-floor cooling.
Energy Smart rack deployment guide">EnergySmartrackdeploymentguide - Learn more about how to deploy the containment rack in your data center, including airflow considerations and ventilated grate recommendations.Between a rack and a hot spot: Energy Smart rack article - Read about the rack enclosure with integrated containment.
Back to the rack: Read a blog post about the Energy Smart rack, and link to an article that discusses the evolution of the design.
Related topics / links
PowerEdge Rack Infrastructure - Learn more about Dell's current offerings in rack enclosures, KVM console switches, PDUs, and UPS power management.
Dressedforsuccess
PowerEdgeRackInfrastructureBrochure">PowerEdgeRackInfrastructureBrochure - Overview of the Data Center Infrastructure portfolioinDellPowerSolutionsMagazine2010Issue4, including rack enclosures, console switches, and power products (UPS & PDU).
Data Center Infrastructure White Papers - Check here for the latest updates to white papers and other documents.