Do you go for overhead installation or raised floor or would it be advisable to go for both? Do you know of data centers that don't have raised floor but functions just as effectively?
__________________ There are three kinds of death in this world. There's heart death, there's brain death, and there's being off the network. ~Guy Almes
My opinion is that more options are better: having overhead and subfloor pathways for networks of data cabling, power wiring, air supply and return, piping and whatever else, is better than having only one of them -- especially when it comes to changes and upgrades. So, if you have a choice, my suggestion is to use both and don't limit your options.
I agree with Ken completely. Picking out just one of those two options might lead to certain cooling issues which would cost you more than going in for both these options right now.
The raised floor was developed and implemented as a system intended to provide the following functions:
• A cold air distribution system for cooling air
• Tracks, conduits, or supports for data cabling
• Conduits for power cabling
• A copper ground grid for grounding of equipment
• A location to run chilled water or other utility piping
I think that both have value and do designs of both types.
You should evaluate your needs and determine best for you. The cost with Raised floor is more in my opinion.
I think if you're going to have an raised floor environment then overhead cabling makes a better compliment because you won't have horizontal cabling constricting airflow. But I also think that plenums and duct work is vital as well for even distribution.
Leaving options open is a good thing as well. Most data centers I'm seeing nowadays is going with the overhead system because it's cheaper, but then at the same time they're deploying overhead horizontal cabling.
The raised floor was developed and implemented as a system intended to provide the following functions:
• A cold air distribution system for cooling air
• Tracks, conduits, or supports for data cabling
• Conduits for power cabling
• A copper ground grid for grounding of equipment
• A location to run chilled water or other utility piping
We design both based on customer needs (budget, How they plan on addressing High Density, weight, and geographic location)
I think in this case and any other if you have more options then you should consider using the options available to you. I would use both options and have, as it provides for easier access to cables and more air flow.
Choose both designs as each of them have their own advantage and disadvantages and use those strong points of both options to help lessen their weak points.
I cannot speak directly to which design is better, but I would like to engage this group in a discussion about raised floor since it's what I do for a living. We are trying to look internally to what we can do in the raised floor field to make data centers that use raised floors more effecient. One option that we have recently come out with is getting rid of the high pressure laminate surface from the panel all together. We would use an exposed concrete surface floor panel and apply an ESD sealer to the panel. This would also give you the option of screwing down the panels in all four corners so that it walks better, has verifiable positive metal contact for grounding, and pushes down the panel to the gasketed understructure to reduce air-leakage. It would also give you the ablity to engrave panels to mark equipment underneath the raised floor. The concrete panel has a flat metal underside so you can actually create plenum barriers under the raised floor to direct the cold air to areas where you really need it. The best part of this solution is that it will actually reduce the construction costs as well. A down side to this solution is that you would have to remove the screws in order to remove the panel. Any feedback you can give me would be appreciated.