Posted by
James Weis on Mon, May 13, 2013 @ 07:04 AM
Aisle containment of data has numerous benefits over traditional methods of data storage. One advantage is that aisle containment eliminates hot spots which can potentially damage stored data, it has been known to add power and heat densities by up to 4 times! Aisle containment is also extremely energy efficient mainly by reducing the waste of chilled air; this translates to cheaper energy costs for your company. Hot and Cold aisle containment are both even and are a big upgrading from traditional methods however it is important to remember that in terms of cost, there is no big difference between cold and hot aisle containment.
Which is best?
For many years now, the debate has been waging as to which method of storing data is better. But a study by White titled “Datacenter 2020: Hot Aisle and Cold Aisle Containment Efficeiencies Reveal No Significant Differences” showed as the title suggests, that neither of the containments have benefits over the other. Both hot and cold Aisle containment improve energy efficiency of data centers by increasing temperatures going into the air conditioners and by doing so increasing their effectiveness. This means that they drastically lower the cost of cooling the air while being energy efficient.
Cold aisle containment works more or less like a refrigerator. For example, if you were to leave the fridge’s door open, the room would warm up. This is because every cool degree requires a vast amount of energy to maintain that cold effect. If the refrigerator door is shut, the items inside will cool and the room will warm only slightly.
Cold aisle containment is like keeping the door shut, which conserves energy. Cold aisle containment has the ability to direct held cold air to specific equipment based on power consumption, this can be done quite easily by adjusting floor vents automatically or manually. Cold aisle containment is easier to install and maintain.
Hot aisle containment encapsulates the data storage equipment and gathers the hot air emitted and cools it, leaving the data centres cool. This containment of the hot aisle, allows the different (cold and hot) air streams to remain separate. This method of containment requires that the racks be organized in a consistent aisle arrangement. Unlike the cold aisle containment system, hot aisle containment does not change or affect the temperature of the rest of the room because all the air is contained in the enclosed aisle. This makes it slightly more energy efficient than the cold aisle containment system. When choosing the hot aisle containment, ensure you purchase support equipment that can handle the heat in the hot aisle.
After you have decided on which type of aisle containment is appropriate for your organization or business, you should remember to seal all openings in between the racks, on the floor and in the panels. Talk to your aisle supplier and ensure that the containment aisle is installed properly.
Posted by
James Weis on Wed, Apr 24, 2013 @ 07:15 AM
Booth #211
Data Center World is a premier educational expo and conference that provides real-world solutions for critical data infrastructure for datacenter management professionals. The event offers opportunities for vendors and attendees to network while providing unsurpassed access to technology service providers. This conference prides itself on offering unmatched opportunities for education, connection and guidance.
Being a prominent producer of datacenter server cabinets, AFCO Systems finds this conference the perfect place to showcase a variety of products they manufacture and an opportunity to connect with influential businesses and industry leaders.
AFCO Systems’ exhibit will include S-Series Chimney Cabinet, T-Series Cabinet,Dual Sliding Aisle Containment Doors, Overhead Vertical Panels and Drop Away Roof Panels. Attendees are encouraged to stop by booth #211 at the event to meet team members from AFCO Systems’ East and West coast offices.
“We are excited to be exhibiting at AFCOM Data Center world this year in Las Vegas. We really look forward to showcasing our outstanding products to the industry,” said Mike Mallia, Chief Executive Officer of AFCO Systems.
Posted by
James Weis on Fri, Feb 15, 2013 @ 07:06 AM
AFCO Systems, a leader in the manufacturing industry of datacenter products, attended the Technology Convergence Conference last week in Santa Clara, CA.
Technology Convergence Conference encourages IT and datacenter professionals to come together for an entire day and communicate about industry related topics. The day is filled with breakout sessions featuring keynote speakers addressing issues and strategies affecting the industry today.
Being a prominent manufacturer of datacenter cabinets, AFCO Systems found the conference a valuable experience and strongly recommends anyone in this industry to attend upcoming events. AFCO Systems also has a full line of datacenter containment products that include Aisle Doors, Roof Panels, Overhead Panels, and Adjustable Gap Panels. The TCC Conference was a great place to bring aisle containment product awareness to the west coast.
AFCO Systems will be expanding its presence on the west coast with an office in the Bay Area for a direct point of contact and presence. The TCC was the perfect opportunity to inform industry professionals of AFCO’s exciting expansion.
“AFCO Systems was proud to be exhibiting at the TCC show this year in Santa Clara. It gave us great opportunity to speak with end users as well as a chance to connect with other vendors. We are very excited to have our Director of Inside Sales, Joe Mallia, heading up our west coast office. Joe will be relocated to the Bay Area in March of this year. This show was a great opportunity to let the industry know that AFCO will have a West Coast location,” said Mike Mallia, Chief Executive Officer of AFCO Systems.
Posted by
James Weis on Fri, Jan 25, 2013 @ 09:34 AM
The new website design is structured to enhance the visibility of AFCO’s cutting edge products which include server cabinets, network cabinets and aisle containment solutions for the data center industry. Known for its ability to respond to customer challenges with custom configurations of standard products, AFCO’s enhanced website portrays the true flexibility of its designs.
“This website marks a pivotal time in AFCO Systems’ history. It has been designed to attract, inform and make obtaining the correct solutions as easy as possible for our customers,” said James Weis, Marketing Associate at AFCO Systems. “We currently have a wide range of products and will be aggressively expanding our line with innovative solutions.”
AFCO’s S-Series Server and Network Cabinets line, T-Series Server Cabinet lines and Aisle Containment products s are among the many products lines available for customers to easily get a quote of on the website.
The S-Series Server and Network cabinet line is constructed from 14 gauge steel, offering a wide range of standard configurations to accommodate any data center’s unique requirements. Also available are AFCO’s S-Series Chimney network and server Cabinets which are a flexible solution to housing network switches in a ducted return data center.
The T-Series Server Cabinet line is an advanced form of cabinet manufacturing utilizing a tubular steel construction with some configurations that have been rated to ensure the integrity of up to 4,000 lbs. of dynamic load. This solution is ideal for applications involving integration services where racks will be fully populated prior to its final destination, long distance shipping and locations in which a seismically compatible cabinet is needed for high rated earthquake zones.
Aisle Containment brings a greater degree of airflow control to the aisle level of the data center. AFCO’S wide line of containment products along with their traditional capability to custom configure brings a wide array of cost effective pragmatic solutions. Capturing cooled air in the data center cold aisle greatly improves the server and switch inlet temperatures while capturing the hot exhaust air will greatly improve room heat dissipation. AFCO’s airflow management heritage guarantees optimal result that will bring energy savings.
“AFCO’s new website was developed to help clients easily navigate through our large span of products that can help clients build a more efficient, cost effective data center,” said Mike Mallia, Chief Executive Officer of AFCO Systems.
Posted by
James Weis on Thu, Oct 18, 2012 @ 07:07 AM
AFCO Systems Aisle Containment solutions can function in two ways depending on the preference of the datacenter: hot aisle or cold aisle. Cold aisle systems generally include end-of-row doors and UL-Listed roof panels that go directly above the server cabinets keeping the cold aisle completely self-contained. Although the roof panels are placed directly above the cabinets, their translucent material allows the lights within the datacenter to not have to be relocated. The drop-away panels also do not require the relocation of fire suppression systems. In the rare case that a fire does occur within the datacenter, the roof panels will shrink and drop to the floor if the event of a fire.
The second system, hot aisle containment includes similar components such as end-of-row doors and generally an aisle chimney configuration. The aisle chimney can integrate directly with the return air plenum or simply exhaust to the room.
Both solutions include aisle-containment doors that allow access to all cabinet rows while maintaining differing temperatures inside and outside the containment system. There are two options: sliding doors or swing doors. Sliding doors allow for an optional self-retracting system that ensures the doors remain closed at all times, maximizing energy efficiency.
Both containment systems allow for a more energy and cost efficient way of operating a datacenter. The sealed systems allow for better control of air temperatures increasing efficiencies.
About AFCO Systems
AFCO Systems is a leading manufacturer of racks, cabinets, enclosures, and air containment systems for the data center and telecommunications industry. Since the company’s founding in 1971, AFCO has been an industry pioneer with numerous patents and cutting edge designs that accommodate cabling, cooling, power, integration services, and on-site end-user usability challenges and requirements. The ability to deliver a wide range of standard products to address end-user specific requirements has led many companies in the Fortune 500 to choose AFCO as their strategic partner with their data center and telecom infrastructure needs. AFCO manufacturers its products in its lean manufacturing plant in Farmingdale, NY with additional manufacturing operations internationally to support its clients in EMEA and APAC markets.
Posted by
James Weis on Thu, Oct 04, 2012 @ 10:58 AM
AFCO Systems, the only manufacturer with enclosure containment products capable of housing high-density data center environments, is pleased to announce the T-Series Passive & Chimney Enclosure Cabinets.
AFCO’s T-Series Server & Network Enclosures are manufactured with a fully welded Tubular steel construction. The T-Series includes models that withstand dynamic loads up to 4,000 lbs. This capability is advantageous for many integration applications (sometimes referred to as Rack and Stack) that require pre-populated racks with heavy and valuable IT assets to be shipped onsite ready for rapid deployment. This is a practice that is becoming more prevalent within the datacenter industry. All the mounting rails are factory set for 19” EIA mounting with two pairs of Metric style mounting rails which are adjustable from front to back.
Also available in AFCO’s design series is the Chimney Enclosure Cabinet. This enclosure has the space needed to exhaust up to 30kW for high-density computing. The enclosure is strategically designed to be airtight while providing proper ventilation and air segregation of supply and exhaust air. This carefully engineered environment yields optimal performance for the IT assets deployed in the chimney system.