What is Data Center Environmental Control?

Data center environmental control is a set of standard guidelines for maintaining temperature, humidity, and other physical qualities of air within a data center for the housed computing infrastructure to function optimally.

Air flow management addresses the need to improve data center computer cooling efficiency by preventing the recirculation of hot air exhausted from IT equipment and reducing bypass airflow.

There are several methods of separating hot and cold airstreams, such as hot/cold aisle containment and in-row cooling units. Overheating of data center equipment can result in reduced server performance or equipment damage due to hot exhaust air finding its way into an air inlet. Atmospheric stratification can require setting cooling equipment temperatures lower than recommended. Mixing the cooled air and exhausted air increases refrigeration costs.