Data centers have experienced explosive growth in the last decade. For many, the amount and type of equipment that must now be supported by the data center power and cooling infrastructure is approaching or exceeding its capabilities. Additionally, there is rapidly increasing focus on reducing energy costs and maximizing efficiency within data centers due to the economy, green initiatives and regulatory oversight.

Aisle containment is an innovative solution that can help address these challenges. However, data center managers and executives have little information available to help identify the proper use and configuration of various aisle containment concepts and systems, or to accurately project the long term financial impact of such implementations. Additionally, there is no universally accepted best practice for implementing aisle containment systems, and unbiased information related to them is rare.

This report will provide greater clarity and understanding of the concepts of aisle containment, as well as providing clear, unbiased guidelines for designing an appropriate aisle containment system for a given environment. Additionally it will explore the financial benefits of aisle containment from both an ROI and Green Initiative perspective.