"Introduction PURPOSE / OBJECTIVE The purpose of this book is to discuss datacom (data center and telecommunication) power trends at the equipment level as well as to describe how to use those trends in making critical decisions on infrastructure (e.g.@ cooling system) requirements and the overall facility. It is important to consider the fundamental definition of ""trend@"" which for this book will be defined as the general direction in which something tends to move. The trends referenced or presented in this book should not be taken literally but rather considered as a general indication of both the direction and magnitude of the subject matter. The intended audience for this document is: ? Planners and managers planning a datacom facility ? Datacom facility design teams planning and designing a datacom facility ? Datacom facility architects and engineers who require insight on datacom equipment energy density and installation planning trends There is an information gap that needs to be bridged between the information technology (IT) industry (where IT is used in this book@ it is interchangeable with the term information services or IS) and the facility design / construction / operation industry. Today's datacom facilities require a holistic approach@ balancing the tradeoffs between datacom equipment and facility cooling infrastructure. It is important for both industries to have a general understanding of areas that are NOT DIRECTLY their responsibility but DO DIRECTLY impact their budgets@ operation@ or performance. This same general understanding is important for equipment manufacturers@ design architects/engineers@ contractors@ and service technicians."