Data center testing equipment vendor Mafi Mushkila has launched kit it claims will make the testing of servers and heat loads less laborious and expensive.

Announcing the availability of a new 3.75kW heat load bank, or server emulator, it claimed to have improved the form and function of testing electrical and cooling systems in a controlled environment.

With 3.75Kw units coming in a standard size of three racks units (3U), engineers will be able to pack more into a smaller space when testing the power loading of any section of the data center.

A spokesperson for the company said: “In a 42u rack using 2kw units we can generate 28kw of load, so using the 3.75kw gets us much closer to 60kw.”

A small and powerful server emulator is an invaluable tool in the data center or IT equipment room, according to Dave Wolfenden, managing director of Mafi Mushkila.

“IT infrastructure consumes a great deal of power and generates heat, so it’s vital that demands are fully understood before the data center or IT room goes live. Our server-emulator provides accurate results in a compact and simple to manage package,” Mushikila said.

The cost of pre-testing a data center has proved too prohibitive in the past, according to Wolfenden, due to the potential for equipment damage and the amount of time it takes to reset servers after each test.

The new equipment should allow data center builders to run their testing programmes with the full fixed, predictable loads, by enabling them to use server emulators that actually fit in the space provided.

By creating the correct electrical and heat loads, data center engineers will be able to accurately gauge the performance of the electrical and cooling systems in a controlled, secure environment, claimed the vendor.

All units can be rented or come as part of a fully managed service package which offers installation, management of the load banks for the duration of the testing period and an uninstall at the end.

Temporary blanking plates can also be installed.