HOW TO REDUCE DATA CENTER NOISE

If you have been to a data center you might have experienced the high level of noise that is accompanied with it. When the equipment of data center mainly comprises of Servers, UPSes, Cooling equipment, the ­­data center managers have to come up with ways on how to deal with the noisy environment prevailing in it. On an average, most data center have a noise level ranging in between 70DB to 85DB. As a result of this noise range, it is extremely difficult to communicate on the floor and on phone. It is important to note also that most people working in a data center environment experience low-level headaches as a result of the high noise levels.

Here are some ways in which we can reduce the noise levels in our data centers.

v  First identify the source of this excessive noise other than servers. Take a walk around the data center with your colleagues and determine where your conversation is audible and where it is not.

v  Once you have determined the sources, first call the equipment dealer or the manufacturer and see if they have a solution. Sometimes all you need to make a huge difference is to replace or change a part.

v  Many times, deployed cooling solutions are responsible for creating a noisy environment in a data center. This is totally dependent on the types of fans and the number of fans which are inside the racks and the more the count is, the more the noise levels. Once you realize that the fans are making much more noise, they should be replaced with quiet ones.

v  Server fan noise can also be contained by enclosing it within an aisle containment system.  The containment barriers will trap the sounds and prevent them from reverberating around the rest of the data center. 

v  For data centers that do not have a drop ceiling, installing ceilings with acoustic tiles can be very helpful.  Some of these sound deadening panels, tiles and baffles can be suspended or hung from the ceiling and walls to ensure that the sound waves do not reflect off of ceilings and walls back into the data center. It is good to ensure that they are fiber free; properly fire rated and designed to reduce reverberation and prevent noise buildup.

v  Finally it is better to have disposable ear plugs and noise cancelling headphones at the entrance, especially for those who might be visiting the data center or for those who do not visit as often.