If you're a data center operator, you may prioritize reliability, energy efficiency, and optimal layout of your data center servers, but you may also overlook another server-related consideration: data center noise emissions.
In fact, while the noise generated by servers may not seem to be a major problem, it can become a major problem if employees are working close to server racks.
Let's look at why server noise can be a problem in data centers and what data center operators can do to keep servers quiet.
What causes a noisy server?
Noise levels in servers and server rooms can vary greatly depending on a number of factors:
What type of cooling device to rely on: For example, a server cooled by multiple fans typically emits more noise than a server that uses liquid cooling.
Server density: The more servers you fit in a small space, the louder it gets.
Server rack design: Racks built with insulation and/or thick materials often reduce noise, resulting in quieter server rooms.
Ancillary Equipment: Network switches, HVAC systems, and other equipment installed with servers can affect the overall noise level of the server room.
Because of these variables, all the conclusions that say that server rooms are always noisy are wrong. Overall, however, server rooms tend to be very noisy, with an average noise level of 92 dB(A) in a data center server room, according to Sensear's research, which is slightly quieter than the subway and slightly higher than the safe noise level that workers are exposed to for a long time as defined by OSHA.
Is server room noise a problem?
Now, if your data center is largely automated and few people work near the servers, a noisy server room might not be a problem, and there's no reason to invest in measures that will keep the servers quiet.
But it's not uncommon for people to be in many server rooms. Data centers that frequently need to be updated or need to maintain servers on a regular basis tend to have more technicians working long hours in the server room. In addition, in some cases, server rooms are located in facilities that also have office space, exposing workers in nearby offices to the noise emitted by the servers for long periods of time.
In this case, it makes sense to look for ways to reduce server noise, which will improve the employee experience while also helping to ensure compliance with workplace regulations that require employers to maintain reasonable noise levels.
Strategies to reduce noise in the data center
In most cases, keeping servers quiet isn't that difficult or costly, and here are some possible steps data center operators can take to dampen noise in server rooms.
Replace the fan
The fans installed by the manufacturer on the server may not be the quietest. Using a quieter fan is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to reduce server noise.
Adjust the fan settings
The server can also be configured by default to run fans at a higher level than necessary. Ideally, the fan should be configured so that the speed only increases when the server's heat output increases. This way, the fan won't make noise unnecessarily.
Some server manufacturers offer useful programs to control fan settings, as well as third-party fan control software for most hardware.
Update the radiator
Replacing less efficient heat sinks (which are used to transfer excess heat from server components such as CPUs) can also reduce noise levels. The more efficient the radiator, the less work the fan or other cooling system will have.
Replace the fan with a quieter cooling system
Replacing fan cooling with a liquid cooling system is a highly effective way to reduce server noise where feasible, but the disadvantage is that liquid cooling is more costly, so it may only make economic sense if quieter servers are the top priority.
Isolate the noise of the server rack
Adding insulation and air sealant to server racks is another relatively inexpensive and easy way to reduce noise, and it also helps to prevent cold air pumped into the server rack from leaking before cooling the equipment, improving the efficiency of the cooling system.
The walls of the server room are soundproofed
If the priority is to reduce the amount of sound leaking from the server room to adjacent spaces, rather than making the server room itself quieter, then installing soundproofing materials inside or on the surface of the server room walls can reduce the transmission of noise.
In addition, installing sound-absorbing materials on the walls of the server room can reduce the echo effect of the noise emitted by the server, thereby reducing the noise level inside the server room.
Conclusion: Quieter servers mean better data centers
For most data center operators, reducing server noise emissions may not be the number one priority. But once you've optimized other aspects of your operations, such as energy consumption, investing in reducing server noise (which isn't particularly difficult or expensive in most cases) is an effective way to improve the quality of life for your employees. And there are a lot of things you can do to reduce server noise with the added benefit of improving server efficiency.