HVAC – Meaning and Importance for Web Servers

HVAC or we specifically call it to be- Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System, ensures a good and decent air quality within a closed area through significant ventilation and extended thermal support. Now, this seems to be pretty much difficult to understand, right? 

In simple terms, HVAC is a system that works by using outside air to convert the indoor air. The term V in HVAC suggests ventilation, and it is basically this system that absorbs outside air and replaces the poor-quality indoor air, in a way maintaining the overall air within the closed buildings. 

How Does This Work? 

The entire definition of the HVAC system sounds appealing but how do this works be a crucial point of discussion. As a matter of fact, the HVAC system comprises three major functions that club together to filter the dust particles from the inside air and then replace it with healthy outside air. 

The entire functioning of the HVAC system is done by a total of nine different parts that sum up it forms the HVAC system. 

  1. Air Return: It is regarded as the starting point of the ventilation system and is responsible for sucking the outside air, filtering it and then passing it to the core system. 
  2. Filter: As the second part of the return system, the filter is responsible for funnelling the dust particles and rendering better quality air. 
  3. Exhaust Outlets: This is the system that flushes out all the dust particles created by the heating system. 
  4. Ducts: The channel that allows cooled or heated air to pass. 
  5. Electrical Elements: Comprises of the battery or the Thermostat pieces of equipment. 
  6. Outdoor Unit: The place where the HVAC sucks air. 
  7. Compressor: This is basically the part of the outdoor unit and has the task of converting the gaseous refrigerant into liquid form. 
  8. Coils: This aids the cooling of the air using the refrigerant. 
  9. Blows: Part of the indoor and responsible for drawing in warm air. 

Importance of HVAC System in Web Servers/Data Centers 

Data Centers are closed areas or buildings that encompass multiple Web servers working under the same head. Companies that are private web server space providers or Cloud Hosting providers invest huge amounts in web servers to enable businesses to map their needs without actually involving a data centre. 

Now, irrespective of whether it is a data server or an environment with multiple Web servers, it is important that the temperature and air quality of the ecosystem is maintained. Changes in temperature or air quality affect the efficiency of the servers drastically. Consider a situation when the air inside the environment has dust particles. This can enter the server and lead to equipment malfunctioning. Of course, this would fatal considering the servers are working for web hosting providers.

How Does the HVAC Optimises Server Performance?

Having said the above, it is clear that the temperature and quality of air are very important when it comes to the functioning of the webserver. Web servers are nothing but an array of machines working in an environment 24/7. Now, these produce an enormous amount of heat. If due to whatsoever reason, the temperature increases or reduces, it affects the performance of the server, and it might also put the system to stop.

Along with temperature, the quality of air is also important as debris-filled air has the capability to create havoc and further, degrade the performance of the server.

Conclusion

Air, temperature and humidity of the environment where servers work might seem just variables, but these have a compounding effect on the performance of the VPS web server or Cloud hosting servers. Make sure that your web server ecosystem is free from dust as the shutdown of a single server would dramatically cause thousands of websites to cease.