Data centers are a world of their own, structurally complex and challenging in many areas, from low-level hardware design to facility operation. Rack-mounted systems build on strong standardization and intelligent networks for data and power distribution. And with gigawatts of power consumed, thermal management and heat dissipation are ongoing challenges. The modern data center is precision engineering and craftsmanship in metalworking, the ubiquitous 19" rack and the result of today's brightest minds optimizing every aspect of it. This Micropolis Handbooks publication is mainly written in the form of a technical terms glossary, serving as a quick-start guide to data centers. The text introduces readers to how rack-mounted systems are made, managed, and what infrastructure is needed to support today's power-hungry compute hubs. Structured alphabetically, the book combines short paragraphs and longer insight articles into a volume that invites casual browsing or reading from cover to cover. Several concepts are visualized in black and white illustrations. A reference book and first primer on the fascinating world of data centers that spans everything from bare metal to more abstract problems of computer and data infrastructure.

100% human text: This book is original content and was not written by an AI model.