4.5" Fans for small rack?

[kenw232]

Hi, I got a small 6U colo. I got one server and a switch in there. The switch is hot. The server power supplies are hot. I need to move some air through my 6U cage.

Any ideas? I seen someone tied a couple fans to the front of they're cage like these:
http://cableorganizer.com/middle-atl....html#features

But they managed to power them with CAT5. Anyone know of something like this that I can buy?

[raid]

Originally Posted by kenw232

Hi, I got a small 6U colo. I got one server and a switch in there. The switch is hot. The server power supplies are hot. I need to move some air through my 6U cage.

Any ideas? I seen someone tied a couple fans to the front of they're cage like these:
http://cableorganizer.com/middle-atl....html#features

But they managed to power them with CAT5. Anyone know of something like this that I can buy?

The answer to your cooling problem depends on how the existing equipment is installed and the type of compartment used (a few photo’s may help).

There is no need to worry about the equipment exhaust temperature, it will be hot, you only need to consider the equipment air inlet temperature. I assume (as this is colo) that the rack has its own front and rear mesh doors. You first need to check and see if cause of overheating is the air circulating (front to back) within your compartment.

While cooling servers is easy, they all have front to rear cooling fans, switches are a different matter. There are a number of switch providers who have their own unique cooling methods that are challenging to be polite.

If you have the air re-circulating within the compartment and a switch that is not designed for rack cooling then I have only seen one possible solution:

The compartment had to be modified so that it formed to air compartments, one for the server and the other for the switch.

If you want to use the fan approach you will need to mount them on the back door, so that they force the hot air out of the rear of the rack. You will also need to dimension the capacity (CFM) of your fans to ensure that they can cope with the full fan capacity of the server, if you don’t you will still get hot air re-circulation.

If both the switch and the server are designed for rack cooling, front to rear internal fans, then all you have to do is install blanking plates in the unused RU positions.

Hope this helps

[kenw232]

I tried to upload a pic. This terrible forum keeps saying "This is not a valid image file" when it is. Its just a standard 19" rack - octal unit (about 6U high).

Can you recommend a switch designed for a rack? A very high quality one? Does not need to be managed.

[raid]

Originally Posted by kenw232

I tried to upload a pic. This terrible forum keeps saying "This is not a valid image file" when it is. Its just a standard 19" rack - octal unit (about 6U high).

Can you recommend a switch designed for a rack? A very high quality one? Does not need to be managed.

I assume that what you are after is a 1RU Rack mounted Gbps switch with 8 UTP ports? It will take me a few days to see what’s available so I will get back to you when I can.

1RU switches from companies like Cisco are designed to take in cooling air from the Front (UTP connection end), sides and exhaust it from the rear (power cord end). Their switches (and many other companies) are designed to work up to 45oC (110oF) which means that the switch could be mounted such that it received no cooling air from the front of the rack. I have measured the temperature at the rear of equipment as high as 36oC (97oF). This means that you could mount the switch behind the front blanking panels and it would still be within its operating range. In my opinion, I would not like to run any critical IT equipment this hot, many others would disagree and routinely mount switches this way.

Brocade’s 1RU Fiber channel switches are designed to solve the cooling problem. They do the same as others by taking in cooling air from the Front (SFP connection end), sides and exhaust it from the rear (power cord end). The difference being that there is an option to have a “reverse” air flow fan. This means that you would mount the rear of the switch at the front of the rack (air inlet) and the exhaust air now comes from the sides and front (SFP end). This also makes the SFP connections to servers easy because all of the connections are at the rear of the rack.

Now you are probably wondering, how do you get the power cords to the back of the rack where the power strips are? Easy, I use plastic blanking panels so cutting two small groves in the edge of the panel, just big enough for the power cords was simple.

Will get back to you when I have checked what’s on the market today.

[raid]

Sorry to take so long to get back to you.

It’s about 5 years since I did this exercise last and as you can expect things have changed.

Brocade – They still have a reverse air flow option on their FC switches but as far as I can determine its not available for their IP range.
Juniper – They have a reverse option for some of their IP range. As Juniper is the best you can get, I don’t think they will be cheap.

I have done a quick check on the following brands but have not been able to find a reverse option:

Dell
Quidway
Netgear
Dlink
3Com/HP
Cisco

If I have made any errors or if anybody knows of 1RU switches with a reverse air-flow option please post them here.

Hope this helps

[kenw232]

Thanks for the response. I'll look into Juniper.

[raid]

Update

The Cisco Nexus 5000 Series 1RU switches are also designed for the correct rack mount air flow.

[eilert]

There is the description of a Fan 4.5(10" round fan with 550cfm air movement with 115V and 4 cords.) with the good exhausting speed for air passing so this may help u.
For further information check this link: rackmountsolutions.net/Rackmount_Fans_Filters.asp

[jackson]

I don’t know which fan model you are using. I think you can use 120mm AC Cooling Fan model to provide excellent air circulation, because fan model with this server are optional.

[eilert]

Originally Posted by kenw232

I tried to upload a pic. This terrible forum keeps saying "This is not a valid image file" when it is. Its just a standard 19" rack - octal unit (about 6U high).

Can you recommend a switch designed for a rack? A very high quality one? Does not need to be managed.

Upload in free image hosting site.

You should try using good ventilators and ample space for physical server. Atlast, do provide pics to better know of situation.