Data Center

Cabinet Dynamics
Understanding Server Cabinet
Thermal, Power and Cable
Management
By
Brian Mordick, RCDD
Senior Product Manager
Hoffman

Management
strategies for:
Thermal
Management

CABLE
Management

POWER
Management

Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

Summary:
Todays IT professionals face many challenges in running an efficient data center, whether it is
maintaining current installations or planning for future applications. They must protect the productivity
of their companys network end-to-end and research the latest technologies as networking
requirements evolve. To ensure the proper IT systems environment, it is essential to consider
thermal, power and cable management in todays server cabinets.
IT professionals put significant emphasis on protecting communications equipment from potential
outside threats. Meanwhile, increasing thermal densities, power shortages and fluctuations, and
poor cable management may be compromising system operations or destroying the equipment from
the inside.
In a recent survey, data center managers indicated they are concerned about the following issues.

Top Concerns of Data Center Managers

Chart 1
Reference: Data Center Users Group Conference, The Adaptive Data Center: Managing Dynamic Technologies
Used with permission

Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

Securing Your Network Against the Dangers
of Overheating

(1.8-2.2m tall

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Tape S

System

Heat load per product footprint - watts/m

Heat load per product footprint - watts/ft 2

IT professionals take all the necessary

precautions to ensure that computer networks
and communications equipment are secure
and protected. Locks, firewalls, passwords and
other protection protocols are in placebut an
invisible enemy lurks within and could wreak
havoc on the carefully configured and guarded
systems.

Advances in technology allow equipment

to become faster and more compact, but
there are consequences: increased thermal
densities. Some industry executives predict
that at the current growth rate, thermal heat
densities could reach nuclear proportions
within a decade if unchecked. Understanding
how to temper those densities is becoming
increasingly critical to ensure system reliability
and availability.

Year of First Product Announcement Year of First Product Shipment

2000-2006 The Uptime Insititute, Inc. Version 1.2

As equipment heats up, performance slows

and productivity drops. It can happen at any
time and can be directly attributed to heat
buildup in and around electronic equipment.
Many companies dont realize that excessive
heat shortens the life of electronic equipment
and can even shut it down permanently. Heat
may be invisible, but its effects are devastating
and costly. According to the Uptime Institute,
for every 18 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees
Celsius) that internal cabinet temperatures
rise above normal room temperature, the life
expectancy of the enclosed electronics drops
by 50 percent.


Blade Servers Impact

Blade servers are the latest in high-density
network equipment. They use a common
chassis and provide slots for blades to
be installed. These new levels of power
density dramatically increase thermal
loads. A single blade server with all slots
filled and running at capacity can produce
more than 3 kilowatts of heat. Theoretically,
a cabinet filled with blade servers (seven
or eight chassis) can produce 21 to 24
kilowatts of heat.
Although blade servers represent less than
10 percent of overall server sales, they are
growing rapidly and likely to become the
industry norm within the next few years.
This represents significant challenges to
thermal and power management. How
am I going to get that much power to my
servers, and how will I get rid of all the
heat? is a common sentiment expressed
by most data center managers.

Understanding Server Cabinet

Thermal, Power, and Cable Management
Current Practices May Not Be Working
When it comes to protecting data center
servers, IT professionals should think inside
the box and select data cabinets that are
not only well built but also help manage heat
buildup. Thermal management is a growing
concern, because many existing data centers
werent built to handle the thermal densities of
next-generation blade servers and networking
equipment.

For every 18 degrees Fahrenheit

(10 degrees Celsius) that internal
cabinet temperatures rise above
normal room temperature, the
life expectancy of the enclosed
electronics drops by 50 percent.
Uptime Institute
Many organizations believe the answer is
simple: Cool the ambient air to lower the inside
cabinet temperature. While this approach
seems logical, it is problematic. Issues still
present are:
Continued hot spots and overheating.
Massive increases in energy costs.
Recirculation
addressed.

air

flows

are

not

Using very cold air flows can cause

condensation, leading to corrosion,
equipment failure, poor or intermittent
contacts,
thermal
expansion
or
contraction failures, etc.

The best way to measure the amount of

heat produced in a cabinet is to measure the

Figure 1
This computer- generated image
illustrates heat buildup in the upper
portions of this data cabinet.

power being consumed. Every watt of power

consumed nearly equals every watt of heat
produced. The key to keeping equipment
cool is channeling or ducting cool air into the
equipment and providing a path for the heated
air to escape out of the cabinet.
Power Consumption Considerations Are
Significant
Power management is equally as important
as thermal management. As power density
requirements continue to climb, data center
managers are increasingly asking, How
do I get the power to and distributed within
the cabinet? In addition, there is a direct
relationship between power used and heat
generated.
Power, defined as voltage x current, is expressed
in terms of watts (w) or kilowatts (kW) (1,000
watts). Watts cooling is also the expression
used when discussing cooling capacity.
The connection is simple: Power in = heat out.


Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

The amount of power required provides a direct
relationship to the amount of heat generated
and the cooling capacity required. For example,
power in = voltage x current (amps) e.g. 208
vac x 30A (amps) = 6,240 watts or 6.24 kW.
In the design stage, before the cabinet is
put into place and power is measured, the
amount of power required and the amount of
heat generated can be estimated by taking a

power and the resulting increase in heat impact

a data centers capacity to service customers.
This level of power demand changes the way
power is distributed inside the cabinet. Where a
basic 15A power strip with multiple outlets was
required, a three-phase 208 vac capable of
more than 16.6 kilowatts of power provided by
a PDU (Power Distribution Unit) is now needed
to handle greater power demands.

Power in = heat out

power in = voltage x current (amps)
Example: 208 vac x 30A (amps) = 6,240 watts or 6.24 kW.
percentage of the Name Plate power that is
stated on the equipment. Network equipment
is required by UL and other agencies to list the
equipments power requirements. Since this
rating accounts for the maximum power that
can be consumed by the power supply, only a
percentage of this should be used. Typically,
power supplies are designed to provide many
times the power output than the network
equipment actually needs. Using 50 to 75
percent of the Name Plate power provides
a good estimate for calculating the amount of
heat the cabinet will produce.
It should be noted that it takes more power to
cool than to heat. While network equipment
readily converts its power usage to heat, e.g.
5,000 watts of power in produces 5,000 watts
of heat, cooling systems do not. Five thousand
watts of cooling could require 10,000 watts or
more of power.
What causes the rapid increase in power
and thermal loads?
When a cabinet is filled with blade servers, the
average power consumption of that cabinet
can increase from 1,500 watts to more than
20,000 watts (20 kilowatts). This increase in


The solution seems simple: ensure that the

data center is capable of providing 20 kilowatts
or more of redundant power and cooling
to every enclosure. While that may seem
easy, its not always economical, practical
or even technically possible because of upfront infrastructure capital cost and ongoing
operational costs for the life of the data center.
The capital cost to provide this level of thermal
and power service is typically beyond the reach
of many companies, because even though they
are dependent on their data centers and the
services they provide, companies are forced to
make compromises due to budget realities.
A Brief Look at Thermal Basics
Network equipment requires a stream of cool
air to continually run via convection. There
are only two components that a data center
manager can manipulate to dissipate the heat
generated inside the cabinet: the amount of
air and the data center temperatures. The
very best designed data center typically can
provide air temperatures around 55 degrees
Fahrenheit, thus a T (in F) of about 45
degrees Fahrenheit.

Understanding Server Cabinet

Thermal, Power, and Cable Management
As cooling strategies become more complex, the
resulting increase in the number of components
and their potential failure can result in rapid
temperature rise in the cabinet in as little as
5 to 10 minutes. Choosing the best thermal
and power management solution is essential
to help facilitate optimal component speed and
processing power in your data center without
sacrificing reliability and performance.
Cabinet Designs Role in Heat Dispensation
Cabinets can be designed with features that
facilitate heat dispensation and be placed in
a data center to define specific thermal zones
for air intake and exhaust to create maximum
cooling efficiencies.

Hoffman
has
tested
several
cabinet
configurations to determine how cabinet design
and data center placement can maximize heat
dispensation and established best practices
for keeping electronic equipment cool and
reliable.
Passive Cooling versus Active Cooling
Passive cooling uses louvers, vents and
perforated panels, along with the equipments
fans, to exchange ambient air. Active cooling
uses cabinet venting fans to exhaust hot air
and can be used in conjunction with piped-in
chilled air.

Critical Formulas For Thermal Management

Watts (power) = voltage x current (amperes) = Watts (heat load)
Watts (thermal convection cooling) = .316 x CFM x T (in F)
or
CFM = Watts (cooling) / .316 x T (in F)
or
T (in F) = Watts (cooling) /(.316 x CFM)
This equation can be manipulated to solve any of the three variables: Watts (cooling),
CFM or T (in F), and is invaluable in the design and operation of a data center.
CFM = cubic feet per minute (quantity of air and its velocity)
T (in F) = Delta T (the difference between the coolest air (55F) and the maximum
allowable temperature (95F).
Example:
10 kW of heat load in a typical data center with a (30 T) will need 1,055 CFM
BTUs (British thermal units) = Watts cooling x 3.413
Example: 10 kW cooling = 34,130 BTUs


Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Data Center Layout
A hot aisle/cold aisle data center layout has
specific hot and cold areas. Computer room air
conditioners (CRAC) are placed strategically to
create cold aisles. The cabinets on both sides
of those aisles have network equipment installed
that draws the cold air through the cabinet fronts
and into its intakes. The equipment exhaust

exits through the cabinet rear, creating hot aisles

that alternate with the cold aisles. The hot air is
then re-circulated to the CRAC unit. This airflow
management strategy addresses adverse
equipment airflow, preventing equipment
exhaust from being drawn into other equipment
intakes. This type of data center layout has
been universally accepted and is being actively
deployed in most data centers.

Three types of hot aisle/cold aisle cabinet designs are:

Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Configuration, Passive Cooling

When hot aisle/cold aisle data center cabinet positioning is
implemented and heat buildup is 1,500 to 2,000 watts, passive
cooling can be utilized. In this configuration, cold air is pulled
from the floor to cool equipment as it moves from the front to the
back of the cabinet. The resulting warm air is then exhausted
out the cabinet top and back.

Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Configuration, Active Cooling

Hot aisle/cold aisle cabinet configurations in conjunction with
active cooling are the most efficient cooling solutions for
components with heat dispensation levels ranging from
4,000 to 6,000 watts. Cabinets that have a perforated front and
a rear fan door are the most efficient for this type of application.

Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Configuration, Active Cooling with

Floor Ducting
Hot aisle/cold aisle cabinet configurations in conjunction with
active cooling plus floor ducting will help manage heat buildup
when heat dispensation levels reach 6,000 to 10,000 watts.
The most effective cabinets for these applications have a front
window door, a rear fan door and a floor-ducted base with plenum front.


Understanding Server Cabinet

Thermal, Power, and Cable Management
Random Data Center Layout

Layout Summary

The random data center layout is typically

associated with older or legacy data centers,
where the entire room is cooled with no specific
hot or cold area strategies. In many cases,
data center managers do not have the capital
to upgrade the data centers to more efficient
designs, but they still need to increase the
cabinets thermal density.

Air-cooling continues to be the most economical

means of dissipating heat. All commercially
available servers continue to use airflow to
dissipate heat out of the equipment (cold intake
air from the front while exhausting hot air out the
back). Careful consideration should be taken
to determine the best cabinet configuration for
your data center.

Two types of legacy systems are:

Random Configuration, Passive Cooling

When a data center has random cabinet positioning and a
relatively low heat dispensation volume of 1,000 to 2,000 watts,
passive cooling will manage heat buildup. Cabinets that have a
perforated front, rear and top perform the most efficiently in this
type of application.

Random Configuration, Active Cooling

As heat loads increase to a range of 2,000 to 3,000 watts in
random cabinet positioning data centers, active cooling can be
employed. The cabinets used in this type of application have a
perforated front, a louvered lower-one-third rear door and a top
fan. Legacy data centers typically use this type of configuration to increase thermal densities without incurring costly facility
reconstruction.

Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

Data Center Design Considerations

The Borrowed Cooling Option

When determining the placement of highdensity cabinets into a data center, there are
several practical and effective strategies.

When borrowed cooling is utilized, cabinets

containing low heat producing equipment are
strategically placed throughout the data center
next to cabinets containing high heat generating
equipment. This enables the higher heat
load cabinets to use, or borrow, the adjacent
cabinets unused cooling capacity. This cooling
option can reliably and predictably enable
cabinets to be cooled to more than twice their
average design value.

Utilization of Load Spreading

The most popular solution for incorporating

high-density equipment into many of todays
data centers is load spreading. When the
power required and heat
generated by the equipment
inside a cabinet exceeds the
...it may be less costly to
Cabinet
heat
capacity
cabinets cooling capacity,
enlarge or expand a data
rules can be established
installing the equipment
center than to add complex
with compliance verified
in multiple cabinets, or
supplemental
cooling
through power consumption
spreading the load, more
systems. A careful analysis
monitoring. However, many
evenly distributes the power
needs to be conducted to
IT professionals find that
and
cooling
demands
make proper decisions.
this cooling method requires
between cabinets. Within
them to enforce complex
the data center many 1U
rules, occupy more floor
servers and blade servers do not need to be
space and limits them to about twice the design
installed in the same cabinet and can be spread
power density.
out across multiple cabinets. Load spreading
can be a good option, because it may be less
Implications of Liquid Cooling
costly to enlarge or expand a data center than
Another solution for removing excessive heat
to add complex supplemental cooling systems.
loads from data center cabinets is liquid cooling.
A careful analysis of real estate, power,
Liquid cooling solutions are either water or
technical labor force, connectivity and other
refrigerant based. Many IT professionals are
costs needs to be conducted in order to make
hesitant to use water in data centers because
proper decisions.
of leakage. Also, moving cooling pipes, tubes
or hoses requires time and money, thus
It should be noted that spreading equipment
making moves, adds and changes (MACs) a
among multiple cabinets can result in a sizable
challenge.
amount of unused vertical space within each
cabinet. The unused space must be filled with
Liquid cooling systems operate similar to
blanking panels to prevent hot air recirculation,
a heat exchanger, but supply chilled liquid
which reduces cooling performance. Load
instead of cold air, to the system. The cabinet
spreading can also cause data cabling issues.
heat transfers to the liquid, which is then piped
Proper cable management techniques will be
out to be reconditioned (chilled back down).
discussed later in this paper.
The systems must be leakproof, reliable,


Understanding Server Cabinet

Thermal, Power, and Cable Management
expandable and flexible enough to allow easy
reconfiguration in a data center space.
The following should be considered before
installing a liquid cooling solution:
Liquid supply lines and warm water
return lines need to be installed.
Pipe runs must not interfere with
already installed connectivity or
power cables.
Future flexibility can be limited.
Every threaded or welded fitting
presents a potential leak; pipe
runs need to be reviewed for
condensation.
Additional
required.

electrical

circuits

are

Multiple independent systems will

be needed to provide redundancy or
backup systems, which are required in
most data centers.
Future MACs can be more costly.
In applications of extreme heat, when spreading
the load and increasing the size of the data
center arent possible, liquid cooling solutions
can be an alternative. However, facility design
considerations must be fully understood.
Challenges of a Dedicated High-Density Area
When power density exceeds 10 kilowatts per
cabinet, unpredictable airflow is a problem. To
remedy this, the airflow path between the cooling
system and the cabinet must be shortened.
Creating a special high-density row or zone in
a section of the data center, cooled with the
centers CRAC, is a solution. This approach
is likely temporary though, due to data center

Thermal Management Best Practices:

Avoid restricted,
circuited airflows.

cascading

and

short

Install blanking panels in all unused rack

spaces.
Neatly rout cables to prevent air restrictions.
Take a holistic approach to the data center
(raised floor, CRAC units, cabinets, etc.).
Avoid the use of cable support arms and
slide outs that may restrict airflows.
Spread the load to the available spaces
(cabinets).
Strategically locate low and high heat loaded
cabinets within the data center.
Create special high heat zones within the
data center.
Consider the addition of a supplemental
(liquid) cooling system.
Increase the size of the data center (new
addition or building).
Adopt hot aisle / cold aisle cabinet layout.
Avoid large temperature swings thermal
expansion and condensation issues.
Avoid temperatures below the dew point
(condensation).
Strategically place CRAC units to provide
airflow to aisles.
Position perforated tiles to uniformly provide
cold air to equipment aisle.

Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

growth and change. Cabinet density must also
be predictable or known in order to determine
power and cooling requirements.
Design Wrap-up
It is important to remember that a cabinet, no
matter what the design, cannot make up for
insufficient total cooling within the data center.
A cabinet using fans, deflectors, blocking plates
or any other similar devices can never cool itself
below the surrounding ambient air temperature,
however, it can improve the efficiency of heat
movement in the data center by controlling
intake and exhaust airflows. Increased heat
dissipation requires greater complexity and
integration of the entire data center such as
raised floor, CRAC, cabinets, etc.
Importance of Proper Cable Management
Deploying thermal and power management
solutions should not be viewed as the only ways
to maintain an efficient data center. Checking
for cable performance is as important as
tending to overheated equipment or increased

...effective cable management is

not just about appearances.
power loads. To maintain the quality of vital
information exchanged in todays data rooms,
IT professionals must properly manage cables
and cords.
As unsettling as it may be for IT professionals
to see a cluttered mass of cable spaghetti,
effective cable management is not just about
appearances.
Improper cable management can lead to
serious consequences:

10

Nicks, stretching and twisting cable can

affect the signal quality and also the network
speed.
Employ Cable Management Best Practices
As the number of IT components continues to
increase inside a cabinet, so does the number of
power and data cables. The care and attention
given to cables during installation and ongoing
changes are the main factors in maintaining
high-quality network performance.
Consider the following checklist to ensure
proper cable management:
Run cables overhead or below whenever
possible to provide easy access.
Install proper cable management supports.
(Most manufacturers have several cable
management offerings.)
Consolidate cable bundles with Velcro
straps, using low to moderate pressure. This
can prevent cable damage associated with
traditional metal rings.
Keep copper and fiber-optic cables on
separate runs so the weight of the copper
does not impact the fiber.
Avoid kinks and sharp bends in cables by
using waterfall and cable spool devices.
Spools can be especially effective with fiber
for maintaining proper bend requirements
and controlling slack.
Make sure that when cables run through metal
openings there are protective grommets and
edging.
Separate power, Data(copper) and Data(fiber) from
each other.

Understanding Server Cabinet

Thermal, Power, and Cable Management
Cables in the rear of a cabinet can block
airflow and increase the temperature inside a
cabinet.

Sharp changes in direction can change the

electrical properties of the cable by changing
the cable size and twist rate.

Cable Fill Rates

Cross
Sectional
Area

Cable Fill Rate

40%

Cable Fill Rate

60%

Cable Fill Rate

80%

Cable Type (CAT)

5e

6a

5e

6a

5e

6a

Diameter Inches

0.22

0.28

0.35

0.22

0.28

0.35

0.22

0.28

0.35

PROLINE PVCM
50mm

6.220

65

40

26

98

61

39

131

81

52

100mm

12.920

136

84

54

204

126

81

272

168

107

X50mm

10.870

114

71

45

172

106

68

229

141

90

X100mm

22.960

242

149

95

363

224

143

483

298

191

12.000

126

78

50

189

117

75

253

156

100

50mm (1.91 x 4.00)

7.640

80

50

32

121

74

48

161

99

64

100mm (3.88 x 4.00)

15.520

163

101

65

245

151

97

327

202

129

PROLINE PVCMTD
3.00 x 4.00

PROLINE PRBTD*

PROLINE PRBF
50mm (1.60 x 5.25)

8.400

88

55

35

133

82

52

177

109

70

100mm (3.57 x 5.25)

18.700

197

121

78

295

182

117

394

243

156

Tie Wrap 8

2.400

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

51

31

20

Tie Wrap 12

6.000

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

126

78

50

Large

9.440

99

61

39

149

92

59

199

123

79

Small

3.500

37

23

15

55

34

22

74

45

29

Tie Wraps

D-Ring

11

Thermal

CABLE

POWER

Data Center Cabinet Dynamics

Cable issues can increase the time required
to trace a cable during a MAC in the cabinet
or rack.
Finding the Best Thermal, Power and Cable
Solution for Your Data Center
As new technologies arise and the demand for
more performance from computer equipment
in data centers increases, IT professionals
must constantly research best practices for
maintaining power consumption, high levels of
heat and an abundance of cables.

There is a full range of cabinet features and

designs that can be combined with your facilitys
data center layout to effectively mitigate heat
generated by network equipment, power
consumption and effective cable management.
Thinking inside the box and finding the solutions
for these areas can help facilitate optimal
component speed and processing power
without sacrificing reliability and performance.
For
more
information
on
thermal,
power
and
cable
management,
visit
www.hoffmanonline.com.

About the Author

Brian L. Mordick, RCDD, Senior Product Manager, Hoffman
Brian Mordick is a Senior Product Manager at Hoffman, with special expertise in
datacom, thermal and seismic issues. While developing various types of enclosures
during the last 17 years, hes incorporated innovation into new enclosure designs
and holds several patents. His engineering background and knowledge of the
Information Technology industry made him an integral part of the development of
the Data and Communication product platforms at Hoffman. Mordick is a
graduate of the University of Wisconsin Stout, a member of the BICSI,
and Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD). He has
frequently contributed to articles regarding enclosure trends and electronics
and is active in the industry as a public speaker. Recent presentations
include: Thermal Management, BICSI, July 2006; EMC, BICSI, May 2004;
Seismic Compatibility of Network Racks & Cabinets, BICSI, May 2002;
Thermal management of Network equipment, BICSI, Jan 2002; Data
Communications Racks and Cabinets, BICSI, Sept. 2001
12

13

Hoffman

Canada

Mexico

2100 Hoffman Way

Anoka, Minnesota 55303-1745 U.S.A.
Phone: 763-421-2240

Hoffman
111 Grangeway Avenue, Suite 504
Scarborough, Ontario MIH 3E9

Pentair Enclosures, S. de R. L. de C. V.
Federico T. de la Chica, No. 8 Piso-4A
Cd. Satelite, Naucalpan, Mexico C.P. 53100

Fax: 763-422-2178
Customer Service: 763-422-2661
http://www.ehoffman.com

Phone: 416-289-2770
Fax: 416-289-2883
1-800-668-2500 (Canada only)

Tel: (55) 5393-9005 ext. 222

Fax: (55) 5393-8827

For additional international locations see www.hoffmanonline.com/international

WP-00001

Rev. A

09/06