As IT workloads and rack densities continue to grow, effective airflow containment has become essential for ensuring thermal efficiency and system reliability. Traditional open-air cooling often struggles to separate supply (cold) and return (hot) air, resulting in wasted energy, higher cooling costs, and increased risk of thermal hotspots.

Hot and cold aisle containment offers a proven design approach, but the choice between cold aisle containment (CAC) and hot aisle containment (HAC) depends on facility layout, cooling system design, and density requirements. At Aeons Technologies, we deliver engineered containment solutions that help data centers maximize cooling efficiency, minimize energy use, and protect mission-critical IT assets.

Containment Challenges & Aeons Solutions

1. Air Mixing Between Hot and Cold Streams

Uncontained aisles allow recirculation and bypass airflow, reducing cooling effectiveness.
Aeons Solution: Cabinets with full-seal air management features — including brush grommets, blanking panels, and side sealing kits — paired with modular containment systems that ensure strict airflow separation.

2. Selecting Cold vs. Hot Aisle Containment

• Cold Aisle Containment (CAC): Encloses the cold aisle, ensuring supply air reaches IT equipment efficiently. Best for data centers with overhead cooling delivery.
• Hot Aisle Containment (HAC): Encloses the hot aisle, directing return air to the CRAC/CRAH or cooling plant. Best for facilities with raised-floor supply and overhead return systems.
  Aeons Solution: Flexible modular designs for both CAC and HAC configurations, enabling operators to choose the optimal containment strategy or migrate from one to the other as needs evolve.

3. Increasing Rack Density and Heat Loads

High-density deployments generate more heat than traditional air cooling can handle without containment.
Aeons Solution: High-load capacity racks with perforated or mesh doors, integrated cable management, and options for rear-door heat exchangers to support higher-density environments.

4. Retrofit and Space Constraints

Many facilities cannot justify a full containment retrofit due to space or cost limitations.
Aeons Solution: Scalable containment kits and modular aisle enclosures that can be deployed incrementally without interrupting existing operations.

5. Long-Term Efficiency & Future Cooling Integration

Containment must not only lower today’s cooling costs but also support hybrid air/liquid cooling transitions.
Aeons Solution: Containment-ready racks with provisions for liquid cooling manifolds and hybrid configurations, bridging today’s air-cooled operations with tomorrow’s liquid-cooled demands.

Aeons Containment Design Features

• Modular Aisle Enclosures — Sliding or hinged roof panels and end-of-aisle doors for adaptable CAC or HAC design.
• Seamless Rack Integration — Cabinets designed with built-in airflow sealing to eliminate leakage points.
• Hybrid-Ready Architecture — Support for rear-door heat exchangers and liquid manifolds.
• Scalable Deployment — Retrofit-friendly designs that allow step-by-step adoption.
• Energy Optimization — Reduce bypass airflow and maximize CRAC/CRAH efficiency, lowering operating costs.

Why Aeons for Containment?

By combining precision-engineered racks with modular containment systems, Aeons provides businesses with the flexibility to implement the right airflow strategy for their environment. Whether deploying cold aisle containment for targeted efficiency or hot aisle containment for higher density and scalability, Aeons ensures:

• Lower Energy Costs through improved cooling efficiency
• Optimized Uptime by reducing hotspots and temperature fluctuations
• Future-Ready Designs compatible with hybrid cooling adoption
• Sustainable Infrastructure that reduces PUE and extends equipment lifespan

With Aeons containment solutions, your data center is positioned for high performance, energy efficiency, and scalable growth.