Data Centre Rack: Best Management Tool for Data Centres

 

The considerable volume of data produced continuously often exceeds the capacity for efficient storage, administration, and processing through conventional means. Contemporary data centres represent cutting-edge establishments that adeptly oversee data for enterprises, offering a foundation of dependability and security. Organisations adopt proprietary on-site data centres or engage third-party data centre services to address data security, monitoring, and administration.

 

In addition, a data centre serves as a purpose-built facility tailored to accommodate and facilitate the operation of multiple servers and other computational apparatuses responsible for data storage, processing, and management. Such a facility encompasses various components and systems meticulously orchestrated to ensure the uninterrupted availability, dependability, and security of the stored data and the associated equipment.

 

It is advisable that every technology-enabled organisation nowadays must make careful purchases of data centre racks and cabinets. Moreover, with the demand for data generation and consumption boom, the rising prominence of data centre racks and cabinets is evident. In this blog, we will discuss the data centre rack in detail.

 

What is a Data Centre Rack?

 

A data centre rack is a physical structure that organises and stores servers, networking, and storage equipment in a data centre. It is typically a metal frame 42U (42 units) tall and 19 inches wide, a standard size widely used in the industry. The rack is designed to hold several types of equipment, including servers, storage arrays, switches, and routers. It also includes cable management, power distribution, and cooling. The equipment is usually mounted using slide rails or mounting brackets in the rack.

 

Data centre racks are used in enterprise and colocation data centres^[1] to provide a secure and organised environment for mission-critical equipment. One of the main advantages of using data centre racks is the organisation or proper management. The racks provide a logical and orderly way to store equipment, making identifying and accessing specific devices easy. This improves the overall efficiency and maintenance of the data centre as it is easier to identify and troubleshoot issues when equipment is organised correctly.

 

 

In recent years, Kolkata's data centres have not only empowered businesses and organizations with seamless IT operations but also contributed significantly to the city's overall economic growth and development. These advanced facilities have attracted various industries, ranging from startups to multinational corporations, providing them with the necessary tools to thrive in the digital age.

 

Data centre racks also help maximise space use within a data centre. They are designed to be space-efficient, allowing more equipment to be stored in a smaller area. This is especially important in data centres where space is limited or expensive.

 

Racks also include cable management, power distribution, and cooling. Cable management features such as cable trays and routing channels help keep cables organised and reduce clutter, improving the data centre's overall appearance and functionality. Power distribution units (PDUs) and cooling solutions are also included in the racks to ensure that the equipment is adequately cooled and powered.

 

In addition, data centre^[2] racks provide a secure environment for equipment by limiting physical access to authorised personnel only which is in the form of Integration of digital locks or Access control systems. This improves the data centre's overall security and helps protect the equipment and the data stored on it.

 

Overall, data centre racks play an essential role in the organisation and management of a data centre by providing organisation space efficiency, cable management, power and cooling, and security.

 

Why do we need a Data Centre Rack?

 

Data centre racks are used to store servers and networking equipment for organisations securely. The racks provide a standardised way to mount and organise equipment, allowing for efficient use of space and easy access to the equipment for maintenance and upgrades. Other points are mentioned below:

 

1. Provides a standardised way to mount and organise equipment: Beyond their rudimentary function of housing hardware, data centre racks offer a tapestry of advantages that converge to ensure operational integrity. One of their salient virtues is establishing a uniform framework for mounting and organising equipment. This harmonised approach lends an organised aesthetic and streamlines workflows, contributing to better resource allocation and overall productivity.

 

2. Allows for efficient use of space: Space is a premium asset in data centres. The racks' deployment addresses this concern by unlocking the potential for efficient space utilisation. By vertically stacking servers and networking components, these racks exploit every inch of the facility, thwarting any wastage and optimising the data centre's capacity.

 

3. Easy access to equipment for maintenance and upgrades: Seamless access to equipment is a cornerstone of adequate care and advancements, and data centre racks champion this cause. Their design facilitates unobtrusive access to individual components, sparing IT personnel the labyrinthine effort of dismantling entire systems for routine checks or enhancements. This agility in accessing equipment curtails downtime and aids in swiftly adapting to evolving technological requirements.

 

4. Protection for equipment from physical damage and environmental factors: Equally paramount is the safeguarding of equipment against a plethora of threats, be it physical damage or environmental influences. Data centre racks serve as the first line of defence, cocooning sensitive hardware from potential harm. This fortification ensures that the organisation's digital pulse remains uninterrupted, underpinning its operational continuity.

 

5. Includes cable management, power distribution, and cooling to optimise the performance and longevity of equipment: Amplifying their utility, these racks come packed with an arsenal of features tailored to optimise performance and longevity. From meticulous cable management that circumvents clutter-induced hazards to intelligent power distribution mechanisms that foster resource allocation efficiency and sophisticated cooling systems that counteract thermal stress – each feature synergises to extend the lifespan of equipment and elevate its operational prowess.

 

Data centre racks play a crucial role in a data centre's organisation, security, and reliability. They provide a standardised way to mount and connect IT equipment, which helps to improve the overall efficiency and performance of the data centre. Furthermore, they also help to keep the equipment cool and in proper working order.

 

About STT GDC India: ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (India), a leading co-location data centre services provider in India, is a majority-owned subsidiary of ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, Singapore. The company has been at the forefront of the Indian colocation market for more than two decades with an impeccable record in Design, build and operations of datacentres. It currently manages one of the largest white space area, with more than 318MW of critical IT load spread across 28 facilities including facilities under development, across 10 cities in India. The company has a well-diversified portfolio of customers, including many Fortune 500 companies, and holds around 30% market share by revenue. Its mission-critical solutions comprise best-in-class offerings, delivering industry-leading quality of services and uptime to its customers. The company is committed to becoming carbon neutral in terms of operations by 2030 and emphasizes on responsible growth through a focus on ESG, Safety, ethics, integrity and inclusion.

 

To know more, reach out to us here https://www.sttelemediagdc.com/in-en/contact

 

Reference Links:

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/01/12/whats-in-store-for-the-data-center-industry-in-2023/?sh=1a7b0bf377d5

 

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consulting/solutions/cloud-infrastructure-services.html