[ale] Linux Cluster Server Room

[kaboom at gatech.edu (Chris Ricker)]

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004, Dow Hurst wrote:

> Thanks Jonathon!  That is exactly the kind of ballpark I needed!  I don't need
> the vendors right now as we are still kicking around ideas.  If anyone would
> throw some specs or ideas out there, I'd appreciate it.  Here is a quick
> question?  Is planning for double your planned load a good rule?  I would
> think that would be a good idea.  How about backup cooling if the main unit
> dies?  The firesafe is one I had not thought of.
> Dow

Just to give you another price point to compare, we just spec'ed out getting
an additional 30 tons A/C (360,000 BTUs), and it's coming in at ~$100,000.  
That's just for adding two more 15-ton units, as most of the other
infrastructure needed for that's already there....

As for how much backup you need, the way I'm guesstimating that is by
assuming a worst-case repair time and a maximum temperature I'm comfortable
with the room reaching. If you know your thermal load, you can figure out 
from that how much backup you need to have around....

later,
chris