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Airflow considerations

Air flow is critical for ensuring the operating air temperature stays within permissible limits.

  • Each BladeCenter S system requires a maximum of 450 cubic feet per minute (CFM) and a minimum of 200 CFM of air circulation.
  • Each BladeCenter S system has four fan modules, each containing two fans, for a total of eight fans.
  • Each power supply contains fans that are used to cool the disk storage modules.
  • Airflow direction is from front to back.
  • All BladeCenter S chassis bays must be populated, either with a module, a blade server, or a filler in place of the component.
  • All equipment installed in a rack with a BladeCenter S system must use front-to-back airflow to prevent warm-air-recirculation problems. Devices that use back-to-front air flow cause warm air to enter the front of the BladeCenter S chassis. This can cause reduced reliability, component failure, data loss, or blade server shutdown.
  • In racks with multiple BladeCenter S systems, populate the BladeCenter S chassis starting with the bottom chassis in the rack and working up towards the top of the rack.
  • Any unused rack space must be covered with a blank rack filler panel to ensure proper air circulation.