[OIT-Colocation] new OITDC configuration and the possible need to put blanking panels in your racks

schiano at uci.edu schiano at uci.edu
Sat Jan 12 13:28:40 PST 2013


Col-location Partners

With the coming of the new year, the OIT Data Center in Engineering
Gateway has a lot of new features and capabilities.  The major ones that
might affect you soon are the greatly increased amount of space available
to computers and the new HVAC systems in the 'Core' section of the room. 
I will be having some guided tours of the renovations in early February so
sign up if your are interested when the announcement is made.

For now, I want to alert you to some changes that might affect the
operation of your equipment.  You may have noticed that we placed
'confinement curtains' in the racks.  These plastic strips are meant to
keep the cold air from the HVAC units separated from the hot air that your
systems fan release into the DC as they cool your computers.  We've always
operated the DC in this way.  But the curtains make the separation much
tighter.

One way to make this even tigher is to install rack 'blanking panels' in
all the spaces in racks where systems are not currently installed.  These
can be as simple a pieces of card or poster board cut to the proper sizes.

What we have noticed with a few users is that if you have large gaping
openings in racks that you might notice hot air from the back of the
computers filtering into the 'cold aisle' and getting into to air intakes
of your computers.  That's not a good thing.

However there is a simple answer:  install some form of blanking panel. 
Some of you have already done so.  If you haven't you might want to
consider taking this step now.  Of course, if there are no 'blanks' in
your fully filled rack then you won't need this.  If you have a rack
mounted monitor in your rack you might also want to fold it down and place
some material in the unused 'Us' to block the air.

We are purchasing a large amount of blanking panels that we will be
installing in racks throughout the DC.  If you notice some of these
installed please do not remove them.  If you need to remove them to place
more equipment please just contact me or Alex Odyniec (odyniec at uci.edu) to
return them.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Allen Schiano
OIT



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