Cooling recommendations for the room

The following illustration does not represent any particular server machine type, and is intended only to show hot and cold airflow and the arrangement of server aisles on the raised floor.

A typical 9176 uses chilled air, provided from under the raised floor, to cool the system. As shown below, rows of servers must face front-to front. Chilled air is usually provided through perforated floor panels placed in rows between the fronts of servers (the cold aisles shown in the figure). Perforated tiles generally are not be placed in the hot aisles. (If your particular computer room causes the temperature in the hot aisles to exceed limits of comfort for activities like system service, you may add as many perforated tiles as necessary to create a satisfactory comfort level.) Heated exhaust air exits the computer room above the computing equipment.

The cooling requirements that are listed in ASHRAE declaration provide airflow requirements for a minimally and maximally configured system, and may not represent the cooling requirements for your specific system configuration.

The IBM Systems Environment Estimator tool includes airflow requirements for your particular system configuration. For more information, see IBM Systems Environment Estimator.

Refer to Environmental specifications for specific data regarding temperature, humidity, and gaseous and particulate contamination.