I remember installing first-generation routers back in the 1980s. It struck me funny that the front panel of the routers would stick in place without screws because of the vacuum produced by the fans--even then, cooling issues were a fact of life. In the 40 years that our industry has been building data centers and laying out equipment, there have been a lot of lessons learned. Here's an abridged list:
1) Watch for equipment with side-to-side or top-to-bottom airflow requirements. Devices that require loads of back-panel connections sometimes use side-to-side airflow for cooling. These devices will have special rackspace requirements.
2) Deploy rack rows in "hot aisle" and "cool aisle" configurations. That means equipment exhaust sides should face each other, as should equipment front panels in adjacent rows. This prevents equipment from pulling in air already warmed by other gear.
3) Unless the rack is equipped with its own air-handling equipment, don't use racks with solid doors. Air must be allowed to enter to cool the equipment. Glass doors look cool, but they turn racks into ovens.
4) Use racks with plenty of room for cable runs. Cables can obstruct airflow, so keep them neat and bundled to the side.
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