JP2006032842A - Rack cooling device, rack and computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To cool a sever device, a disk device, and a network device by sufficiently taking in and exausting air to and from each device without enlarging a rack installation area when these devices are mounted. <P>SOLUTION: The rack cooling device has a rack body 4 for an EIA standard 19 inch-rack directed for the sever device and the disk device, the server 3 is mounted to the rack through a first rail 5. The server 3 is cooled by taking in air from the front side and exausting the air from the backside, the rack cooling device has second rails 6, 6 supporting the network device 2 in the rack body 4 in a state that the width direction is parallel or almost parallel with the longitudinal direction of the rack body 4 and a lower partition 7 and an upper partition 8 disposed spaced out at a predetermined distance between the side in the width direction of the network device 2 and the rack cooling device, the network device 2 is cooled by taking in and exausting the air though an space between both partitions 7, 8 and the side of the network device 2, and the exhausted air from the server 3 is blocked by both partitions 7, 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a rack cooling device, a rack, and a computer system. In particular, an EIA standard 19-inch rack for server devices and disk devices includes network equipment that requires an airflow structure different from that of the server devices and disk devices. The present invention relates to a device for cooling a rack and a device for mounting together.

  Conventionally, EIA (Electronic Industries Alliance: US Electronic Industries) is a rack for mounting devices such as server devices and disk devices of computer systems (hereinafter collectively referred to as “server disk devices” as needed) and network devices. Association) Standard 19-inch racks (hereinafter referred to as “EIA standard 19-inch racks”) are often used. This EIA standard 19-inch rack is a multiple of 19 inches (about 482.6 mm) in width and 1.75 inches (about 44.45 mm: referred to as “1U”). 1U, 2U,..., NU: n is a positive integer). In the EIA standard 19-inch rack, a cooling structure corresponding to the mounting device is required.

  For example, in a server disk device, since the power consumption of the device is large, in order to suppress the heat generation associated therewith, the front intake and the rear exhaust design that intake from the front side of the device and exhaust from the rear (rear) side should be used. I must. Due to these design constraints, the EIA standard 19-inch rack for server disk devices has a structure in which the front and rear surfaces of the rack body are opened. In addition, because of front intake and rear exhaust, there is no particular effect on intake and exhaust even if a large space area is not ensured between the mounting device installed in the rack body and the side surface of the rack body. For this reason, the width of the rack body is narrow.

  On the other hand, in network devices such as routers and hubs, the power consumption of the device is smaller than that of the server / disk device, and because the front and back sides of the device are used for network connection, intake and exhaust are performed from the side of the device. There are many. Thus, in an apparatus that performs intake and exhaust from the side of the apparatus, intake and exhaust cannot be performed efficiently unless a large space is secured between the mounting device installed in the rack body and the side of the rack body. In addition, if it is arranged near a device that exhausts air from the rear surface side, it may become impossible to cool by sucking warm exhaust air from the device. For this reason, a rack in which network equipment is mounted has a design restriction that a space between the mounted network equipment and the side of the rack must be secured. Due to this restriction, the EIA standard 19-inch rack for network equipment has a wider rack body than the EIA standard 19-inch rack for server disk devices.

As prior art documents related to the present invention, there are the following.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-159895 JP 2001-352188 A JP 2003-152372 A JP 09-298379 A

  In the above-mentioned EIA standard 19-inch rack, the server / disk unit and the network device have different required air flow structures for intake / exhaust air. Therefore, the air flow between the rack for the network unit and the rack for the server / disk unit is different. The structure is also different.

  In other words, if the network device is not mounted on the network device rack and the server / disk device is not mounted on the server / disk device rack, there is a possibility that sufficient intake / exhaust will not occur and cooling will not be possible. For example, when a network device is mounted on an EIA standard 19-inch rack for server / disk devices, a space necessary for intake / exhaust of the device cannot be secured between the rack side surfaces.

  For this reason, the server disk device and the network device cannot be mounted together in one EIA standard 19-inch rack, and it is necessary to prepare the racks separately. As a result, there is a problem that the installation area of the EIA standard 19-inch rack becomes large and it becomes difficult to install in a narrow machine room.

  On the other hand, Patent Documents 1 to 4 all relate to the structure of a rack for a network device, that is, a rack when a network device is mounted on a rack that is underfloor intake / ceiling exhaust or natural convection. As such, it is not particularly conscious of the case where the network device is mounted on the rack for the server / disk device.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such a conventional situation. When a server / disk device and a network device are mounted, each device is sufficiently absorbed without increasing the rack installation area. The purpose is to exhaust and cool.

  To achieve the above object, a rack cooling apparatus according to the present invention has a rack body, and is a rack cooling apparatus in which at least one of a server device and a disk device is mounted on the rack body. In the rack cooling apparatus configured to cool at least one of the server apparatus and the disk apparatus by sucking air from the front side and exhausting air from the back side, the network device is placed in the rack body in the width direction of the rack body. A partition member disposed at a predetermined distance between a support member that is supported in a state of being parallel or substantially parallel to the vertical direction and a side surface in the width direction of the network device, and the partition plate and the network device The network device is cooled by sucking and exhausting air through a space between the server device and the server. Wherein the blocking through the partition plate of the exhaust from at least one of the disk device.

  The rack cooling apparatus according to the present invention may further include an intake fan disposed on the front side of the rack body and an exhaust fan disposed on the back side of the rack body. The partition plates may be provided at positions facing each other across the network device in the vertical direction of the rack body. The support member may be a mount rail having a mounting hole. Further, the rack may be an EIA (Electronic Industries Alliance) standard 19-inch rack.

  A rack according to the present invention includes the rack cooling device according to any one of the above.

  Furthermore, a computer system according to the present invention includes the rack described above, at least one of a server device and a disk device mounted on the rack, and a network device mounted on the rack.

  According to the present invention, when a server disk device and network equipment are mounted, each device can be sufficiently sucked and exhausted and cooled without increasing the rack installation area. In other words, since the network device is mounted vertically in the rack for the server disk device in which the server disk device is mounted in the horizontal direction, the network device can be mounted in the rack for the server disk device. Since it is not necessary to prepare them separately, the installation area can be reduced. In addition, by installing network equipment in an EIA standard 19-inch rack for server disk devices, it is not necessary to prepare a separate rack, and it can be installed in a narrow machine room.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out a rack cooling device, a rack, and a computer system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a computer system having an EIA standard 19-inch rack equipped with a cooling device for a rack according to the present embodiment as viewed from the rear surface (rear) side, and FIG. 2 is viewed from the left side surface thereof. A schematic side view is shown respectively. In the illustrated example, for convenience, the horizontal direction (width direction), depth direction, and vertical direction (height direction) of an EIA standard 19-inch rack are defined as X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. The defined planes are called an XY plane, a YZ plane, and a ZX plane, respectively.

  The EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 for server / disk apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a rack body having an upper and lower bottom surface (XY surface), left and right side surfaces (YZ surface), and open front and rear side surfaces (ZY surface). (Box body) 4 and four mounting rails (hereinafter referred to as “first rails” for convenience) 5... 5 disposed in the rack body 4.

  Each of the first rails 5... 5 is a support member (mount member) for mounting the server 3 in the lateral direction, and is installed along four sides formed by the four side surfaces in the rack body 4. The installation interval in the X direction of each rail 5... 5 is set to the EIA standard width dimension W, that is, 19 inches. Each of the rails 5 ... 5 has mounting holes 5a such as screw holes or the like based on a predetermined height dimension of the EIA standard and a predetermined pitch (for example, pitch widths of 15.875 mm, 15.875 mm, and 12.7 mm are repeated). Universal pitch or a wide pitch consisting of repetitions of 31.75 mm and 12.7 mm), and this mounting hole 5a and a mounting hole (not shown) of a dedicated bracket attached to the server 3 are aligned with each other. By fixing with fixing means such as screws, the server 3 can be installed in the Z direction of the rack body 4 in the horizontal direction (sideways).

  The EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 is provided with two mount rails (hereinafter referred to as “second rails” for convenience) 6 and 6 on the rear side of the rack body 4.

  Each of the second rails 6 and 6 is a support member (mounting member) for mounting the network device 2 such as a router or a hub in the vertical direction, and between the first rails 5 and 5 located on the rear surface side of the rack body 4. Installed in the X direction. The installation interval in the Z direction between the rails 6 and 6 is set to the EIA standard width dimension W, that is, 19 inches. Both rails 6 and 6 have mounting holes 6a such as screw holes on the basis of a predetermined height dimension of the EIA standard, and a universal pitch having a predetermined pitch (for example, a pitch width of 15.875 mm, 15.875 mm, 12.7 mm). The mounting holes 6a and the mounting holes (not shown) of the dedicated metal fittings attached to the network device 2 are aligned with each other. By fixing with a fixing means such as a screw, the network device 2 is in the vertical direction (vertically placed) while the width direction of the network device 2 is parallel or substantially parallel to the Z direction in the rack body 4. (2a in the figure indicates a connection cable connected to the back side of the network device).

  Further, in the EIA standard 19-inch rack 1, the storage position of the network device 2 and the storage position of the server 3 in the rack body 4 are spatially partitioned in the Z direction so as to be above and below the storage position of the network device 2. Two partition plates forming a cooling air duct, that is, a lower partition plate 7 and an upper partition plate 8 are provided.

  The second rails 6, 6, the lower partition plate 7, the upper partition plate 8, the intake fan 9, and the exhaust fan 10 constitute the main part of the rack cooling device according to the present embodiment. Yes.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the network device 2 is vertically mounted in the rack body 4 of the EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 by attaching the network device 2 to the second rails 6 and 6 by fixing means such as screws. . Since the network device 2 performs intake and exhaust from the side, an airflow AF1 due to the intake and exhaust is formed along the Z direction in the rack body 4 (see FIG. 1).

  In the rack body 4, the lower partition plate 7 and the upper partition plate 8 are installed at a sufficient distance from the network device 2 (see H <b> 1 and H <b> 2 in FIG. 2). Thereby, a space according to the distances H1 and H2 is secured between the network device 2 and the lower partition plate 7 and the upper partition plate 8, and intake and exhaust of the network device 2 are normally performed through the space. . In addition, a space for intake and exhaust of the network device 2 is secured in this way, and at the same time, an air flow AF4 (see FIG. 2) of the warmed exhaust from the server 3 mounted immediately below the network device 2 These are blocked by the lower partition plate 7 and the upper partition plate 8 and are not sucked into the network device 2.

  Further, since the EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 has a structure in which the front and rear surfaces are opened, when the power consumption of the mounting device is large, that is, when the heat generation amount is large, the lower partition plate 7 can be installed as necessary. An intake fan 9 is provided on the front side, and an exhaust fan 10 is provided on the rear side of the upper partition plate 8. As a result, intake air by the intake fan 9 and exhaust by the exhaust fan 10 are performed, so that the air flow AF2 by the front intake and the air flow AF3 by the rear exhaust are surrounded by the lower partition plate 7 and the upper partition plate 8. Respectively (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

  As described above, the second rails 6 and 6 for mounting the network device 2 in the vertical direction are installed in the EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 for the server / disk device, thereby the network device mounted in the vertical direction. 2, an air duct is formed by the lower partition plate 7 and the upper partition plate 8, the intake fan 9 and the exhaust fan 10, and the intake fan 9 is placed on the front side of the lower partition plate 7. Since the exhaust fan 10 is installed on the rear surface side of the upper partition plate 8 so as to be the front intake and the rear exhaust, the space on the side surface of the network device 2 can be secured and mounted together. The warmed exhaust from the server 3 can be shut off, whereby the network device 2 can be normally sucked and exhausted to prevent a high temperature state.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the rails 6 and 6 for mounting the network device 2 in the EIA standard 19-inch rack 1 in the vertical direction and the air ducts above and below the network device 2 mounted in the vertical direction are formed. When the power consumption of the mounting device is large, that is, when the amount of heat generated is large, the fans 9 and 10 are provided as necessary. Therefore, the EIA standard for server / disk devices is used. The network device 2 can be mounted on the 19-inch rack 1 so that it can be cooled by sucking and exhausting from the side without changing its width. As a result, it is not necessary to separately prepare an EIA standard 19-inch rack for server disk devices and an EIA standard 19-inch rack for network equipment, so that the installation area of the rack can be reduced. This effect is particularly effective when the apparatus is installed in a narrow machine room.

  In the above embodiment, the network device is provided in the middle and two partition plates are provided above and below it. However, when the network device is installed at the lowest level, one partition plate may be provided on the upper side. In addition, when the network device is installed at the top, one partition plate may be provided on the lower side.

1 is a schematic perspective view showing an overall configuration of a computer system having an EIA standard 19-inch rack on which a rack cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. It is a schematic side view of an EIA standard 19 inch rack.

Explanation of symbols

1 EIA standard 19-inch rack 2 Network device 2a Connection cable 3 Server 4 Rack body 5 First rail 5a Mounting hole (first rail)
6 Second rail 6a Mounting hole (second rail)
7 Lower partition plate 8 Upper partition plate 9 Intake fan 10 Exhaust fan

Claims (7)

A rack cooling device having a rack body and mounting at least one of a server device and a disk device on the rack body, wherein the server device is configured to intake air from the front side of the rack body and exhaust air from the back side thereof. And a rack cooling device structured to cool at least one of the disk devices,
A support member for supporting the network device in the rack body in a state in which the width direction thereof is parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rack body;
A partition plate disposed at a predetermined distance from the side surface in the width direction of the network device;
The network device is cooled by sucking and exhausting air through a space between the partition plate and the side surface of the network device, and exhaust from at least one of the server device and the disk device is passed through the partition plate. A rack cooling device characterized in that it is shut off. An intake fan disposed on the front side of the rack body;
The rack cooling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust fan disposed on a back side of the rack body.   The rack cooling apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the partition plates are provided at positions facing each other across the network device in the vertical direction of the rack body.   4. The rack cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a mount rail having a mounting hole. 5.   The rack cooling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rack is an EIA (Electronic Industries Alliance) standard 19-inch rack.   A rack comprising the rack cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A rack according to claim 6;
At least one of a server device and a disk device mounted in the rack;
A computer system comprising: a network device mounted on the rack.

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