boss and datacenters

Data center air-conditioning solutions are increasing complex, as they need to integrate different technologies while ensuring service continuity and low energy consumption. Together with the electrical power supply, air-conditioning represents critical infrastructure to ensure continuous operation of ICT equipment.
The increasing need to monitor different devices, receive alarm notifications and be able to set parameters centrally means monitoring solutions are now essential. boss is the ideal product for both small data centers, often not equipped with supervisory systems, and for larger data centers, being able to integrate the cooling and power systems into a higher-level BMS (DCIM).

 

 

1. Connectivity  

boss features RS485 serial communication to integrate different types of devices, including third party devices, using the Modbus® and BACnet™ protocols on the RS485 and Ethernet ports. Two independent Ethernet ports in fact allow devices to be connected via internet to one and data to be shared via a network adapter on the other, as a web server, and hence achieve separation of OT (Operational Technologies) from IT (Information Technologies). The built-in Wi-Fi can be used to create a local network, guaranteeing access from the device to the supervisory system even when no other network infrastructure is available, or without needing to access it.
 

 2. Secure data and browsing

boss uses the HTTPS protocol for private data transfer over the web to external devices. It also adopts new encryption criteria, passing from the SSL standard to the more evolved TLS, and implements all the new security standards of the customised on-board operating system. The product thus provides the highest protection against IT attacks, an essential aspect in data centers
 

3. Customised graphics

The c.web tool can be used to graphically represent the status of the data center’s air-conditioning and electrical systems, displaying and monitoring PUE or average temperature and humidity. The main variables from each controller can be displayed graphically, customised according to the type of information and how it is needed by different users: for example, images can be added that represent the data center layout, making the display of significant data particularly intuitive. c.web features many possibilities regarding the graphics, such as vectorial graphics that adapt to the connected desktop or mobile device screen size, without losing resolution, the possibility to create custom animated widgets in just a few clicks, and reusability of the graphic libraries developed for one project in another.

4. Ambient monitoring (serial and wireless probes)

boss is the perfect solution for monitoring temperature and humidity server rooms, as together with supervision of air-conditioning units fitted with their own probes, boss can be connected directly to sensors via RS485 or, when installing an Access Point, to the rTM series wireless sensors using ZigBee protocol. The latter in particular are ideal for recording temperature and humidity data inside the server rooms, measuring the exact conditions of the air at the rack inlet, or alternatively identifying areas in which inefficient air distribution creates hot spots. All done wirelessly, without extra wiring inside the data center and with maximum flexibility in terms of reconfiguration and repositioning, making this solution ideal for retrofits. boss also permits implementation of basic optimisation and compensation logic to further minimise energy consumption.
 

5. Power consumption monitoring

Together with the HVAC aspects, the core of Carel’s four decades of experience in this market, solutions relating to electrical power are increasingly important: boss can in fact also monitor the power consumption of single-phase and three-phase loads using the rTM series and/or Emeter3 plug-ins, which measure numerous electrical parameters even for high power loads, via an external CT. 
Seamless integration into boss of third party devices using standard protocols, finally, means equipment such as UPS and PDU units can be monitored, offering a complete overview of all the loads, displaying graphs and calculating indicators such as PUE or the power consumption of groups of units. Advanced alarm management (notifications, log,…) on boss simplifies troubleshooting and prompt problem solving by maintenance personnel on these devices too.