Why Do Data Centers Have Raised Floors?

If you notice the details of physical infrastructure of the data center, you may see that all the infrastructures have raised floors. There really is a reason behind it. Generally, the raised access flooring is intended to provide sufficient place quantity of communications cable and power necessary for the data center to work. The floor is also necessary to convey cool air especially to all the cabinets. Usually, the floor has to be raised several inches according to the rules. Therefore, when a data center is built, it is usually built based on special design.

The most important consideration of data center facility is the cost. With the floors raised several inches, it is actually an excellent way to save the cost. To be précised, it can save the OpEx and CapEx dollars. Although the process to raise the floor does need more money during the construction, but it makes potential investment in the long run. It allows more efficient gains and also reduces the operational cost dramatically.

In the meantime, there are several other advantages. As opposed to the raised floors, higher heat densities can actually be supported for particular racks that mount the server equipment. With this kind of environment, the operational cost can be reduced. It also allows more effective cable management.

Another main advantage is enhanced control and cooling capabilities. To be simply said, it allows the IT staff to control and maintain the servers much easier. With raised floor, it is also much easier in accommodating a variety of cooling solutions as the heat load capacities and efficiency are increased. It makes the need to incorporate redundant cooling much easier with the support from multiple or single cooling strategies.

Other strategies include the flexibility in incorporating the most efficient design in terms of energy, the easy adaptation to client and technological changes over the life cycle of data center at low cost, the best solution to distribute water and more cooling agents based on liquid to all the racks, the ability in separating cable, power and water, the ability in terminating cables anytime necessary, and also the platform to allow future scalability.

Shortly said, raised floor in data center is not only chosen based on one consideration only regarding the design. Instead, it is chosen because it does deliver various advantages that every data center needs for smooth and optimal operation at low cost so it can deliver the best services for all the clients.