[nmglug] noise reduction

[Nick Frost]

Aaron wrote:

> Does anybody have any advice for reducing noise from this box?
> We moved it to a walk-in closet type room.  It is still
> very loud.  Are there some noise-reducing curtains or similar
> lower-cost measures we can take to damp the noise?

Hopefully the closet is cooled with a exhaust fan, or preferably AC, 
unless the ambient temp is staying < 75F or so.  If the ambient 
temperature in the rack area exceeds 110 or 115 Fahrenheit, there is a 
strong possibility of hardware damage.  If the servers are Linux, you 
could load I2C support/module and run sensors to get fan rpm and/or 
temperature data, presuming the servers have a Winbond or some other 
environment monitoring chipset, or you can get a Temptrax;

http://www.weathershop.com/temptrax.htm

plug it into a computer with a serial port, and write a script to send 
you SMS if the temp in the rack room exceeds a designated value. Cheaper 
audible alarms are available,

110 Alert
http://www.pcpower.com/products/viewproduct.php?show=V110

but, they require a Molex power source and might/might not fit well in a 
1U chassis.

Crate Foam on the back of the walk-in closet door ought to make some 
difference in noise reduction.  There are many sources of acoustic foam;

http://www.auralex.com/

Whatever you do, you'll want to make sure you don't reduce ventilation, 
I would not suggest putting insulation around the rack, better to punch 
a hole in a wall and make a small, acoustically isolated, server room or 
repurpose an existing space such that it's quieter (soundproofing).

-Nick
----------------------------
        _      _     __
  _ __ (_) ___| | __/ _|
| '_ \| |/ __| |/ / |_
| | | | | (__|   <|  _|
|_| |_|_|\___|_|\_\_|
Nicholas S. Frost
7 Avenida Vista Grande #325
Santa Fe, NM  87508
----------------------------