More space, security and comfort in the data center - but how?

As in the real estate market, every square meter is valuable in a data center. Space is the most precious resource and IT space is only available in limited quantities. The goal of every data center operator is therefore to realize as much performance as possible in as little space as possible. By optimizing the use of available space, reducing energy consumption and improving operability, companies can save costs while maintaining an efficient and powerful IT infrastructure. But what are the concrete starting points here?

• Optimization of space requirements
• Improved usability
• Reduction of energy consumption
• Better resource utilization and improved profitability

Optimizing space utilization in the data center

The energy required for cooling is one of the main drivers of data center costs. This high energy requirement also repeatedly provides a target for attack when it comes to sustainability in and of data centers. Therefore, it is extremely important to use the cooled and thus expensive space for the active components and to banish everything that does not need to be cooled from the cold aisle.

Space-saving cabling racks are the answer here, as they maximize the available space. With conventional racks, valuable space is taken up with patch panels. Space saving solutions free up this space for servers, optimizing space utilization. Data center operators can thus significantly increase the server capacity they can accommodate in limited space without compromising on performance or accessibility.

Central systems also need to be redundant, which means they require additional space. Port density should therefore be as high as possible. This can be achieved with the help of high-density concepts. This allows the space in a 19-inch rack to be utilized much better than with conventional approaches. Instead of bulky 19" cabling racks, adapted, comfortable patch location racks in compact ODF-style format come into play here.

The use of space-saving racks also allows data centers to implement security measures more efficiently. The compact design of the racks enables better control of access to the equipment. The use of lockable doors and other security devices, for example, prevents unauthorized persons from accessing or manipulating the hardware.

Efficient data center cabling for greater convenience and ease of maintenance

The cabling concept plays a decisive role in data centers, as it contributes significantly to the efficiency, scalability and flexibility of the infrastructure. Another key factor is ease of use, for example, to ensure time and cost efficiency during upgrades and maintenance. Compact cable ducts, modular cabling racks and careful cable routing enable efficient use of IT space while facilitating access. This facilitates troubleshooting, maintenance and replacement. Innovative anti-stress cable routing can eliminate unnecessary threading or pulling. Good accessibility to all connections and cables is also an essential factor in this context.

The cabling concept also offers some starting points here - for example, ToR (top-of-rack) cabling is considered particularly maintenance-friendly. This top-of-rack cabling enables particularly simple installation, maintenance and scalability, but has the disadvantage that at least one height unit is lost in the cooled area of the data center. A solution that can often be retrofitted is to place the ToR distribution above the rack, removing it from the cold aisle. In the central patch location, which should also not be actively cooled as a rule, space-saving cabling racks are also suitable for patching network connections easily, securely and conveniently.

Improved energy efficiency for more sustainable data centers

A spine-leaf architecture can also reduce not only the number of hops, but also the power consumption per DC-internal connection. Overall, the measures described serve to improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, and at the same time provide the opportunity to increase revenue through additional servers and the services offered via them. The measures thus contribute to sustainability and environmental friendliness by reducing relative energy consumption and thus CO2 emissions.

Conclusion

In data centers, available space is often limited and valuable. Optimizing space requirements is therefore an important challenge. Space-saving and user-friendly racks along with efficient cabling offer a solution to this problem. By optimizing the use of available space, reducing energy consumption and improving operability, companies can save costs while maintaining an efficient and powerful IT infrastructure. This enables better resource utilization and thus improved data center profitability.