Airflow arresting apparatus and method for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack of a data center

A data center comprising:

• at least one electronics rack, each electronics rack comprising:
• an air inlet side and an air outlet side, the air inlet and air outlet sides respectively enabling ingress and egress of external air;
• at least one electronics subsystem requiring cooling;
• at least one air-moving device, the at least one air-moving device being capable of causing external air to flow from the air inlet side of the electronics rack, across the at least one electronics subsystem, to the air outlet side of the electronics rack;
• and
• at least one airflow arresting apparatus, each airflow arresting apparatus comprising:
• an airflow arrester, the airflow arrester comprising a panel sized and configured to reside above a respective electronics rack of the at least one electronics rack, and when operatively positioned above the electronics rack, to extend vertically above the electronics rack and at least partially block airflow from passing over the electronics rack between an air outlet side and an air inlet side thereof;
• and
• a track mechanism sized and configured to reside above the electronics rack, the airflow arrester slidably engaging the track mechanism, wherein the track mechanism facilitates positioning of the airflow arrester at a desired location above the electronics rack between the air inlet side and the air outlet side thereof.

A method of facilitating cooling of an electronics rack, the method comprising:

• providing an electronics rack comprising an air inlet side and an air outlet side, the air inlet and air outlet sides respectively enabling ingress and egress of external air;
• providing an airflow arresting apparatus comprising:
• an airflow arrester, the airflow arrester comprising a panel sized and configured to reside above the electronics rack, wherein when operatively positioned above the electronics rack, the airflow arrester at least partially blocks airflow from passing over the electronics rack between the air outlet side and the air inlet side thereof, thereby facilitating cooling of the electronics rack;
• and
• a track mechanism sized and configured to reside above the electronics rack, the airflow arrester slidably engaging the track mechanism;
• mounting the track mechanism above the electronics rack with the airflow arrester slidably engaged therewith;
• and
• securing the airflow arrester in a collapsed position above the electronics rack to facilitate shipment of the electronics rack with the airflow arresting apparatus secured thereto.