AIR FLOW GUIDELINES
To ensure adequate air flow through the telco-style equipment rack, it is recommended that you maintain a clearance of at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) in the front and the back of the rack at all times.
If airflow through the telco-style equipment rack and the shelves that occupy it is blocked or restricted, or if the ambient air being drawn into the rack is too warm, an over temperature condition within the rack and the shelves that occupy it can occur.
The site should also be as dust-free as possible. Dust tends to clog the shelves, reducing the flow of cooling air through the telco-style equipment rack and the shelves that occupy it and increasing the risk of an over temperature condition.
Additional rack-mounting guidelines are:
•Install the shelf in an enclosed rack only if the rack has adequate air flow (see Chapter 2: “Installation” on page 2-1); install the shelf in an open rack whenever possible.
•The proper use of heat (air) baffles inside an enclosed rack can help ensure adequate shelf cooling.