nanog mailing list archives
Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating
From: Glenn McGurrin via NANOG <nanog () nanog org>
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:07:42 -0500
Free air cooling loops maybe? (Not direct free air cooling with air exchange, the version with something much like an air handler outside with a coil and an fan running cold outside air over the coil with the water/glycol that would normally be the loop off of the chiller) the primary use of them is cost savings by using less energy to cool when it's fairly cold out, but it can also prevent low temperature issues on compressors by not running them when it's cold. I'd expect it would not require the same sort of facade changes as it could be on the roof and depending only need water/glycol lines into the space, depending on cooling tower vs air cooled and chiller location it could also potentially use the same piping (which I think is the traditional use).
I'm also fairly curious to see the root cause analysis, also hoping someone is at least looking at some mechanism to allow transferring chiller capacity between floors if they had multiple floors and only had the failure on one floor. This sort of mass failure seems to point towards either design issues (like equipment selection/configuration vs temperature range for the location), systemic maintenance issues, or some sort of single failure point that could take all the chillers out, none of which I'd be happy to see in a data center.
Anyone have any idea what the total cost of this incident is likely to reach (dead equipment, etc.)
On 1/16/2024 4:08 PM, Sean Donelan wrote:
350 Cermak Chicago is a "historic" building which means you can't change the visible outside. Someone had long discussions about the benefits of outside air economizers, but can't change the windows. Need to hide HVAC plant (as much as possible).I would design all colos to look like 375 Pearl St (formerly Verizon, formerly AT&T) New York. Vents and concrete.Almost all the windows visible on the outside of 350 Cermak Chicago are "fake." They are enclosed on the inside (with fake indoor decor) because of 1912 glass panes aren't very weatherproof. But they preserve the look and feel of the neighborhood :-)350 Cermak rebuilt as a colo is over 20-years old. It will be interesting to read the final root cause analysis.Of course, as always, networks and data centers should not depend on a single POP. Diversify the redudancy, because something will always fail.There are multiple POP/IXP in major cities. And multiple cities with POPs and IXPs.
Current thread:
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating, (continued)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Mel Beckman (Jan 15)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating William Herrin (Jan 15)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Lamar Owen (Jan 15)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Izaac (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Shane Ronan (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Lamar Owen (Jan 18)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Karl Auer (Jan 15)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Mike Hammett (Jan 15)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Ray Bellis (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Sean Donelan (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Glenn McGurrin via NANOG (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Lamar Owen (Jan 17)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Tom Beecher (Jan 17)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Lamar Owen (Jan 18)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Jay R. Ashworth (Jan 20)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Tom Beecher (Jan 21)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Jay R. Ashworth (Jan 21)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Glenn McGurrin via NANOG (Jan 16)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Izaac (Jan 17)
- Re: "Hypothetical" Datacenter Overheating Glenn McGurrin via NANOG (Jan 18)