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Business
onto IT equipment is 24 ° C . The high supply air temperatures onto IT equipment are made possible by deploying containment ( hot or cold ) on the IT equipment that prevent short-cycling of hot air around the IT racks . It is further important to maintain constant and stable temperature control with temperature gradients not more than 5 – 10 ° C per hour .
“ Also , the once stringent requirements of maintaining 50 % relative humidity with a narrow tolerance , have relaxed over the years . Supply air – once chilled to extremely low temperatures – is now warmer , reflecting a shift in understanding and application .” Bester attributes this change to both evolving equipment capabilities – there are servers on the market that can stand 40 ° C – and a refined understanding of conditions within data centres .
One of the major challenges is proper air management . Bester cites examples of legacy data centres where equipment deployment lacked strategic planning . Even among some legacy data centres still functioning , servers were placed haphazardly without considering the importance of containment strategies and proper deployment to avoid hotspots . This results in one server blowing hot air towards a neighbouring server which actually wants cool air . Bester describes this as the primary reason for data centres initially being extremely cold without directly addressing the problem ( over-cooling to compensate for rack orientation and configuration mistakes ). Bester provides training on data centres as well as performing audits of them ( gap analysis and integrated services testing [ IST ]). “ One common issue encountered during a data centre audit is the widespread use of poorly designed cabinets leading to overheating issues . The open sides of these cabinets allow the cooling air to bypass the server , rendering cooling
solutions less effective . The consequences are all too familiar — overcompensation with added split units and increased energy consumption .” Modern data centres are designed for proper containment with cold and / or hot aisles .
CONTAINERISED SOLUTIONS : A TREND IN AFRICA Bester notes that the entire data centre colocation capacity of the entire sub-Saharan Africa is about 50 % of just London .
While acknowledging the burgeoning potential of the African data centre market , Bester emphasises challenges in poor workforce skill and material availability , meaning project timelines present formidable obstacles . Time-tomarket emerges as a crucial criterion , with clients seeking swift deployment . The delicate balance between having infrastructure ready and securing clients adds a layer of complexity to the decision-making process .
“ Time to market is highly important in the data centre market , and in Africa it just takes too long , primarily because the local skills do not exist – so we are only seeing small data centres being developed there . The ones Spoormaker has been involved in are smaller ones built of quick-to-erect prefabricated containerised solutions . They are built to specification elsewhere and shipped to site and run for many hours on diesel generators due to the power-grid instability .
Driven by challenges in skill acquisition , material procurement and corruption , clients opt for performance-based specifications . Various suppliers ’ containerised solutions align with these specifications . Despite challenges with unstable power sources and reliance on diesel generators , containerised solutions offer a manageable alternative for data centres in Africa .
Bester emphasises the importance of data centre certification in Africa , particularly the Uptime Institute ' s tier classification system . He stresses the importance of international clients seeking a level of assurance when deploying in Africa . “ The Uptime certification acts as a quality benchmark , providing clients with confidence in the reliability and efficiency of the data centre and local skills .”
Other difficulties abound : Bester mentions the stark contrast in raising funds for data centre development between Africa and more developed regions like London . While acquiring funds for a 10MW or 20MW facility in London is likely a swift process due to established trust , the scenario is drastically different for a 1MW or 2MW facility in Africa , with potential investors wary of risks , corruption and uncertainties surrounding deployment .
SERVICE CONTRACTS : A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD There is a significant difference in workforce and skill levels between European and African data centre markets . Designs
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RACA Journal I March 2024 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za