Server Closet Design for New Home

[PenguinMaster]

Hi all,

 

My family is having a new house built, we are currently in the framing phase of the build.  I am definitely wiring the home with TrueCABLE CAT6A Shielded (FTP) Cable for full 10GbE throughout the house.  I expect there to be a total of 18 runs.  The Network Cables will connect to a patch panel in the networking closet, which I proposed below.  This is not what the final room will look like, but it is close to it.  (I expect the doors on the room to be smaller).

 

This is what I was thinking:

 

Some Specs about the room:

>The room is 8ft (length) x 4ft (depth) x 9ft (height)

>The Server Rack was an HPE 48U Server Rack, that was cut down to be a 25U Server Rack because that is what fit in my previous home.  It still has the same depth as the original rack though.

>The Green Box in the wall is where I expect to terminate the ethernet cables to.  From the Patch Panel, I will use short CAT6A Patch Cables to go to the switch, which I will have rear mounted here.

>The Orange Box is the outlet for the room.  I am planning for a dedicated 20A 110/120V circuit for the Rack.

>The devices I expect to have in the Rack are an HPE DL380 Gen9, a Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro, a Ubiquiti Switch Pro 24, a Raspberry Pi 4, a Custom PC - only an i3 though for management and some basic server tasks, 2x Apple Time Capsules, and 7x PoE injectors (for WiFi access points & breakout switches around the house).  There will be a battery backup to protect the gear also.

 

My question is how do I sound detonate the room as I expect their to be a seating area around the corner from this closet and I know the HPE server runs loud.  I expect that the Passive cooling from the basement will be enough for the rack, that is all that I had in my old house and I never had a problem.  This is also why there are louver doors on the room (for cooling).  I know that the doors are not very good at blocking sound though which is my concern.  

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[jaslion]

You aren't soundproofing a louver door. What you need to do is either not use that server or replace it's fans with good but quiet ones. Which is going to be a task on it's own. But these are the only 2 ways to get it to be quiet as I can tell you right now trough a closed door a server like that is audible. A slated door like that will basically not lower the noise.

[PenguinMaster]

17 minutes ago, jaslion said:

You aren't soundproofing a louver door. What you need to do is either not use that server or replace it's fans with good but quiet ones. Which is going to be a task on it's own. But these are the only 2 ways to get it to be quiet as I can tell you right now trough a closed door a server like that is audible. A slated door like that will basically not lower the noise.

I would prefer to use that server if I can.  It wont be the worst case if I can't though because I can sell it for almost exactly what I paid for it.  Got any ideas for maybe changing the doors on the room to something different?  I only worry about the thermals of the equipment with different style doors on the room.

[PenguinMaster]

What about something like a soundproof blanket over the door? Or will that totally stop airflow

[Blue4130]

2 hours ago, PenguinMaster said:

What about something like a soundproof blanket over the door? Or will that totally stop airflow

If it stops sound, it sure as heck will stop air. 

[jaslion]

11 hours ago, PenguinMaster said:

I would prefer to use that server if I can.  It wont be the worst case if I can't though because I can sell it for almost exactly what I paid for it.  Got any ideas for maybe changing the doors on the room to something different?  I only worry about the thermals of the equipment with different style doors on the room.

Yeah don't seal those doors you need ventilation and ventilation means noise will leak. I don't see a way to stop the noise without stopping the airflow here.

 

I'm sorry but there really isn't a way to do this without either silencing the server, not using the server or creating a hole in your house somewhere that you have an outside airflow. Or instead of outside airflow a airconditioner (a proper one not a mobile unit) in that room to regulate temperatures.

 

If you seal that room it will become a hotbox. There will be easily 500w of heat generation going on there at times which is more than enough to heat that room up to high temperatures. Especially with noise dampening as well noise dampening is a form of insulation.

 

11 hours ago, PenguinMaster said:

What about something like a soundproof blanket over the door? Or will that totally stop airflow

If it blocks noise it will block heat and airflow.

[PenguinMaster]

@Blue4130 @jaslion

 

Update: this closet is going to be in a separate room that is totally closed off from the seating area.  There is a wall separating the two areas that will be insulated for sound between them.  If it still ends up still being a problem I will sell the server and make a custom 4u rack mount computer.

 

Other than that what do you guys think about the 20A circuit? Is that going to be enough?

[jaslion]

6 hours ago, PenguinMaster said:

@Blue4130 @jaslion

 

Update: this closet is going to be in a separate room that is totally closed off from the seating area.  There is a wall separating the two areas that will be insulated for sound between them.  If it still ends up still being a problem I will sell the server and make a custom 4u rack mount computer.

 

Other than that what do you guys think about the 20A circuit? Is that going to be enough?

Plenty good. I mean everything at 100% load would probably not even reach 1500w and 100% load is not something that is every going to happen.

 

Do get a ups tho for this setup maybe (the servers at least) so they can go into graceful shutdown or suspension when the power goes out. It saves you a ton of effort when something does go wrong because of a unexpected shutdown. Trust me on that I've experienced plenty here :p.

[Cavalry Canuck]

12 hours ago, PenguinMaster said:

@Blue4130 @jaslion

 

Update: this closet is going to be in a separate room that is totally closed off from the seating area.  There is a wall separating the two areas that will be insulated for sound between them.  If it still ends up still being a problem I will sell the server and make a custom 4u rack mount computer.

 

Other than that what do you guys think about the 20A circuit? Is that going to be enough?

Use Rockwool Safe ‘n Sound Insulation and fire-resistant (type X) 5/8” drywall on both sides of the walls and ceiling if you are going that route for sound proofing. This will then give you both sound deadening and a much higher chance* of saving your house in the (unlikely) event you have a server room fire. I know they are exceedingly rare, but you’re doing the same amount of work either way, so why not give yourself that protection?

 

*2 layers of 5/8” Type X Drywall (either on either side of the wall, or doubled-up on the ceiling) & Rockwool Safe ‘n Sound insulation in a 2x4 16” o.c. wood-framed wall can offer the equivalent of a two-hour+ fire rating. A standard hollow wall/fibreglass insulated wall with standard 1/2” drywall sheets is only good for up to 30 minutes, and is considered unrated.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Cavalry Canuck
Elaborated on fire protection offered.

[Jarsky]

Since youre building, if theres room for ducting i'd strongly recommend ducting it directly to outside if possible. If you're installing a heat pump system in the home, then give the closet its own zone as well to get some cooling in there. The more efficiently you can evacuate heat out of that room the quieter the whole rack will run over all.

 

Venting the closet directly means you can use a solid door which you could insulate. As for doors you can also get something like this to help with moving air out through the door https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-High-Airflow-Equipment-Enclosures/dp/B0789123NP