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Staff reports loud, hot Cisco UCS network equipment; city and vendor to troubleshoot
Summary
City staff and ASM Global reported excessive noise and heat from recently installed Cisco UCS devices in server rooms; Cisco is expected to propose remediation steps and the city may pursue a mini-split if needed.
City staff and ASM Global reported that recently installed Cisco UCS network equipment in the facility’s MDF/IDF rooms has produced excessive noise and heat, prompting vendor troubleshooting and potential short-term physical cooling solutions.
Matt, staff member, said the new Cisco gear produced levels of heat and noise that exceeded expectations in one of the smaller IDF rooms. "These new pieces of equipment... they get really hot and they get really loud," he said, adding that Cisco had acknowledged the noise and that staff had requested a remediation plan.
ASM Global’s IT manager took temperature and decibel readings before and after powering the equipment to document the change. Staff said Cisco proposed a software-based mitigation using an earlier firmware version, but the new equipment will not accept the older firmware, so Cisco is developing an alternative plan. "We are expected to have an update on Cisco's plan," Matt said.
Staff also told the commission they are considering installing a mini-split air-conditioning unit for the smaller server room as a stopgap if vendor fixes are delayed. No formal procurement or contract award was requested at the meeting; staff said they would escalate to Cisco as a major customer if the vendor did not provide a timely remedy.
