Computer Shelves (RF EMI/EMC issue)

Jim Lux James.P.Lux at jpl.nasa.gov
Tue Feb 20 09:37:57 PST 2001


I doubt that metal shelving would have any beneficial EM properties, and, in
fact, might actually make things worse by being a capacitively coupled
radiator.  Trust in your FCC Class B cases...

Actually, does anyone have any evidence of Electromagnetic Compatibility
problems in a cluster?  Lots and lots of computers, all with switching power
supplies, running off fairly long extension cords all strewn about (neatly,
of course), and the conditions are certainly ripe for EMC/EMI problems.
Fortunately, the computers themselves are probably fairly immune, but what
about other devices (i.e. does your cell phone still work standing next to
your cluster?).


-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Eriksson <hpe at pdc.kth.se>
To: Leonardo Magallon <leo.magallon at grantgeo.com>
Cc: beowulf at beowulf.org <beowulf at beowulf.org>
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: Computer Shelves


>Hi!
>Welll metal often have the quality of shielding some of those
electromagnetic
>fields commonly buzzing about a computing lab. Depending on your hardware
you
>might not be too concerned with those but i reccon most admin personell
think
>it is better to be safe than sorry.
>
>I don't have much experience with exactly what kind of hardware that might
be
>but DA and AD might very well be sensitive. I do think that I read
somewhere
>that AMDs new chipset, the 760 was rather sensitive to electromagnetic
noise.
>
>hope this answer helps you in some way.
>/Peter
>
>
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