Ten months ago, when I started this project of producing a series on algorithms for managing or planning a data center’s mechanical infrastructure, my thinking was that I could demystify the mechanical plant by breaking it down into discrete elements and making the...

I want to start with a really obvious statement: not all data centers are built the same. So why do I still see people deploying workloads that either their own data center or a partner’s simply can’t support? Some of it revolves around use-case definition, and some...

Sealing the open gaps in server racks is a well-known best practice when implementing airflow management improvements in a data center. After all, sealing these gaps (both within and along the sides of cabinets) often provides the greatest return on investment of any...

A set of Excel tools will not make us a certified PE or replace the need for a PE or architectural engineer to design our data center. Or, obviate the need for a mechanical facilities engineer to oversee ongoing operation; however, such tools can provide us with a...

Last summer I thought it might be interesting to explore the different elements that contribute to the cost of cooling our data centers and explore the feasibility of developing some easy-to-use Excel tools to help in comparing costs of different design options and...