Originally posted to Data Center Frontier by Voices of the Industry,

5 Key Considerations for Airflow Containment DesignData center containment systems can provide great benefits­ over traditional open data center designs. By implementing an effective airflow containment strategy, it is possible to see optimized cooling system efficiency, improved Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and additional equipment capacity, all without having to expand a facility’s footprint.

Like any successful system, airflow containment design must consider many different factors to ensure a solution that achieves the required cooling,while remaining flexible for expansion or changes and integrates well with the current infrastructure. Here are five key considerations to keep in mind when planning a data center containment project.

  1. Hot Aisle or Cold Aisle Containment

Hot air and cold air containment are the two high-level methods of an airflow containment strategy, and there is an ongoing discussion in the industry about whether it makes more sense to isolate the hot aisle or the cold aisle. Different data center experts advocate different theories, but realistically, the approach should be dictated by the existing infrastructure.

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