Even toward the end of summer, businesses struggle to keep their IT systems cool and running smoothly. Extreme heat can lead to overheating, downtime, and costly damage to critical infrastructure. Fortunately, colocation offers a reliable solution.
In this article, we’ll explore how heat affects IT systems and how colocation helps keep your servers cool, ensuring business continuity even during the hottest months.
The effects of heat on your servers and systems
Inadequate cooling isn’t just inconvenient; it’s a serious threat to your operations and budget. When servers overheat, a series of problems may arise, including:
- Performance degradation: Have you ever noticed your applications slowing down during the hottest days of the year? This is likely due to “thermal throttling,” a self-preservation mechanism in devices that automatically reduces performance to prevent overheating.
- Reduced hardware lifespan: Consistent exposure to high temperatures puts stress on sensitive electronics, accelerating wear and tear on processors, memory modules, and storage drives. As a result, you might have to repair or replace parts more frequently, raising operational costs.
- Downtime and data loss: A complete cooling failure can trigger system shutdowns, causing permanent hardware damage and irreversible data loss. The cost of even one hour of downtime can be catastrophic, often far outweighing the investment in a reliable cooling solution.
The colocation difference: On-premises vs. enterprise-grade cooling
The difference between a typical on-premises server room and a professional colocation facility is significant.
Most businesses house their servers in closets or small rooms, which only have a single AC unit running 24/7 without backup systems or precise climate control. This lack of reliable control over the physical environment can lead to overheating or electrostatic discharge if the air becomes too dry. Additionally, inefficient cooling increases energy costs, especially during the warmer months when the system works harder, drawing more power to maintain the ideal temperature.
In contrast, a colocation data center is a purpose-built facility with multiple, advanced, and redundant cooling systems, backed by a sufficient power infrastructure. Managed by experts, this setup ensures efficient, predictable cooling at a fixed cost.
How colocation centers keep your servers cool
Colocation facilities keep servers at optimal temperatures through environmental control technologies, intelligent layouts, and redundancy strategies that work together to maintain the coolness of your IT assets.
Environmental control systems
A variety of technologies work in concert to regulate all factors crucial for optimal server performance, including heat and humidity. These systems include:
- Precision air conditioning (PAC) units: Unlike standard air conditioners, PAC units are designed to handle the high-density heat output of data centers. They offer precise temperature and humidity control by directing cool air directly to the server racks. Many PAC units also use in-row cooling, wherein the system is positioned between server racks to minimize the distance cool air needs to travel.
- Chilled water systems: Many colocation centers use chilled water cooling systems, which circulate water through large coils in the room (or threaded through the servers) to absorb heat. The water is then cooled by chillers and recirculated, providing efficient cooling.
- Environmental monitoring systems (EMS): Colocation centers use EMS to monitor temperature, humidity, airflow, and power usage throughout the facility. Real-time sensors provide immediate feedback to operators, allowing quick adjustments to the cooling systems if abnormalities are detected.
Hot/cold aisle containment
Temperature control is also about layout. Servers are arranged to discharge heat from the rear along both sides of an aisle — servers face each other in one aisle and face away on the next. This creates dedicated lanes for cool air to enter (cold aisle) and hot air to be exhausted (hot aisle), preventing the mixing of hot and cold air, thus enhancing cooling efficiency.
N+1 redundancy
A key advantage of colocation facilities is the elimination of single points of failure. In an on-premises setup, if the one AC unit fails, servers will overheat. Colocation facilities make sure that for every critical cooling component (N), there is at least one independent backup (+1) ready to take over instantly. As a result, a single equipment failure won’t cause a rise in temperature or service interruptions.
Don’t sweat your servers this summer
A server closet with a struggling AC unit is no match for the demands of modern IT infrastructure, especially during a summer heatwave. Thankfully, colocation services like Liberty Center One offer access to specialized equipment and infrastructure without the need for you to procure or build it yourself.
To learn more about colocation or discuss moving your servers to our facility, contact Liberty Center One today. Our experts are ready to help.