Rethinking Data Center Design to Maximize Efficiency
Most legacy computer rooms and data centers are equipped with raised floors where
underfloor cold supply air distribution is provided to the IT equipment via perforated tiles.
Additionally, the raised floor has also been used as a space for data cables and power
wiring. This design has been around for decades, and no doubt will continue to be
deployed in data center construction projects.
However, data centers continue to evolve, and recently more and more data centers are
being designed with slab floors and overhead cabling. Rather than install expensive and
non-flexible ducting to supply cooling from overhead diffuser vents, engineers are seeing
high efficiency and sustainability by flooding the room with cold supply air from either
perimeter cooling units, CRAC/CRAH galleries, or other cooling methods (rooftop cooling
units, fan walls, etc.). Hot aisle containment (HAC) separates the cold supply air from the
hot exhaust air and a plenum ceiling returns the exhaust air back to the cooling units. This
design is also gaining popularity due to its simplicity and flexibility.
Why are both large hyperscale and smaller data centers moving toward this layout? What makes
this design simpler and more versatile? How does design effect airflow and cooling optimization?
What makes it energy efficient and sustainable? What about equipment reliability?
INTRODUCTION
This paper will answer these and many more questions in the following topics:
• Raised Floor Versus Slab Floor
• When To Use Raised Floors
• When To Use Slab Floors
• Slab Floors Simplify Cooling IT Equipment
• Containment Options
• Plenum Ceiling Options (Contributed by Bill Frantz)
• Maximizing Energy Efficiency & Sustainability
