Australian firm adopts green cooling system

TechAxcess writes.

Considering how densely packed server racks are becoming in many modern data centres, it stands to reason that the traditional method of keeping servers cool is somewhat inadequate.

As a result, a number of techniques have been developed that are both more environmentally sound and ultimately more effective than server fans. It's one of these techniques that has been adopted by Metronode, which is looking to build a small empire of energy-efficient, green data centres across the world.

Known as “free-cooling”, the method involves pulling filtered air from outside and running it over server racks. It's far more power-efficient than having every single server on the rack chugging away with a fan, and could potentially save operators millions of dollars in operating costs.

Metronode's head of commercial operations, Michael Juniper, said his company was building a "next-generation" data centre in Deer Park, in Melbourne, with the free air-cooling system, The Australian reports.

Describing it as "one of the most energy-efficient data centres in Australia", Juniper said it was being built using a modular, prefabricated technique, which would allow expansion to match growth in customer demand.

The traditional approach was to build the full facility and then populate with clients.