Right now, I’m on a quest to create a silent data center in my apartment. I’ve been reaching out to various experts and companies to gather insights and recommendations. While I’m still piecing together the best overall solution, one immediate challenge has been quieting my server rack. Every new device I buy, I am always in a battle with how to cool the device and how I can reduce the noise so that I cannot hear it. Building a quiet data center takes time, but I need to find a better solution while I am in the process of building it.
I popped into the local store to see what solutions might exist for noise reduction. The topic of sound dampening turned out to be quite complex. Typically, the materials used to reduce noise are designed for enhancing audio quality in spaces like music studios, movie rooms, living rooms, not necessarily for the high-pitched hum of server racks. I am pretty skeptical about whether traditional acoustic panels and solutions could meet the unique needs of dampening server noise. Additionally, each room must be treated individually; much depends on how the walls, floor, and ceiling of the house are built. Also, on the market, there are a lot of products that do not have any effect. Therefore, you never know.
Then, an idea struck me—why not try something unconventional like washing machine rubber mats?
Initially, I wasn’t too hopeful but decided to give it a shot. I bought two rubber mats. At home, I slipped a rubber mat under a server rack. To my surprise, there was a noticeable drop in noise. This improvement is primarily due to the mat’s ability to dampen the vibrations transmitted from the servers through the rack to the floor, which prevents these vibrations from amplifying into audible noise.
Intrigued, I also tried placing rubber directly beneath the servers. The difference was less noticeable, but the mechanical vibrations caused by fans while direct damping beneath the servers impacts noise levels, the structural transmission of vibrations plays a larger role in the overall noise output.
This trial reminded me of the common household issue with washing machines—they vibrate and create a lot of noise if not cushioned. Placing rubber mats under the server rack proved to help dampen the noise significantly. The rubber mats worked by preventing the vibrations from spreading to the rack and further into the floor and walls, thus altering the sound transmission dynamics of the room.
Inspired by the results, I dashed back to the store and stocked up on rubber mats before closing time. I decided to layer these mats both on and underneath each server rack shelf. The server shelves are made from lightweight wood. I might have gone a bit overboard with this, and of course, here’s the thing. You never know where the limit is and where it has no effect anymore. It is very easy to overspend money, but my final result was more impressive than I’d imagined. Not only did the rubber mats reduce the noise considerably, but they also slightly altered the sound quality, making the room much more bearable.
With everything set up, the difference was like night and day. With all devices turned off, the noise level is around 22.9 dB. Previously, the room would range between 50-70 dB when all devices were active. Now, with the servers running, it’s a much more manageable 43.6 dB.
