What is Hot Aisle/Cold Aisle Containment?

The equipment within a server cabinet can include servers, switches, routers and rack mount UPS systems. These devices tend to draw air ‘front-to-rear’ as a result of their design and fan operation. A hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment is an arrangement of server cabinets so that the front of the cabinets face each other (cold-aisle). Air conditioned (cool) air is drawn in from the front of the cabinets and exits the server cabinets into a hot-aisle. From the ‘hot-aisle’ the warm air is drawn back into the cooling system for cooling and re-circulation back through the cold-aisle.