| In recent years, energy costs have skyrocketed with | | | | be used to keep necessary temperatures in server |
| the nation's power grid operating at or near capacity. | | | | rooms and with the addition of air economizers, the |
| Today's networks have considerable power | | | | HVAC unit itself can operate more efficiently within |
| demands, but those demands can be reduced. Most | | | | the server room and throughout your business site. |
| businesses can save a bundle of money by | | | | Be sure that airflow is good to the server room so |
| implementing simple strategies to create more power | | | | as much of this "free" air cooling is used as possible. |
| efficiency within their network and transform their | | | | That way, internal server cooling systems are not |
| business into a "green" one. | | | | working so hard - and consuming energy - to keep |
| Many businesses have networks that have grown | | | | systems cool. Air economizers operate by reducing |
| exponentially along with the growth of the business | | | | the need to turn on air compressors to meet cooling |
| without putting much thought into how the power | | | | requirements by bringing in cooler outside air to |
| requirements of the expanding network can be | | | | reduce the air temperature inside the facility. |
| scaled down to reduce the growing costs associated | | | | To deal with the problems associated with the higher |
| with power generation. Following these simple | | | | humidity levels in the cooler air, additional controls |
| strategies enables you to leverage some emerging | | | | that monitor humidity of the outside air are installed in |
| technologies to reduce power consumption and | | | | the system. The HVAC system can take humidity |
| ultimately save your business money moving forward. | | | | out of the air to meet the standards required within |
| Why Electricity Costs are Rising The nation's power | | | | the server room and the building as a whole. |
| grid is currently at a crossroads where either more | | | | These additional functions added to the HVAC |
| power plants are going to be built or energy | | | | system reduce the power consumption of the whole |
| consumers will be asked to consume power more | | | | air conditioning system. Particularly during the colder |
| efficiently. Inevitably, this will result in additional costs | | | | times of the year when the outside temperature is |
| for consumers in the foreseeable future. | | | | cooler than the inside, economizers and humidity |
| Businesses Can Reduce Power Consumption | | | | controls can save your business a lot of money on |
| However, your business can operate more efficiently | | | | the electric bill. These devices can be retrofitted to |
| by reducing its power requirements. Simple steps can | | | | pre-existing HVAC systems. Many commercial |
| be taken with your existing equipment that can be | | | | rooftop HVAC systems have an optional economizer |
| applied to your network as it continues to grow with | | | | package that can easily be added on to the existing |
| your business. Considering these following strategies | | | | units. |
| will result in a reduced energy bill. | | | | Automated Lighting Server rooms only need lighting |
| Virtualization Virtualizing your servers will result in a | | | | during times when staff must physically interact with |
| significant reduction of power consumption. | | | | them. At all other times the lights can be out. |
| Virtualization consolidates the functions of separate | | | | Automating this process so that the lights only turn |
| servers, often dedicated to one purpose or function, | | | | on when personnel enters the server room eliminates |
| into one machine that carries out all the functions of | | | | those power consumption costs. Keeping the lights |
| the separate machines without losing any operating | | | | off also eliminates the heat generated by those lights |
| efficiency. With increased bandwidth availability and | | | | thereby reducing the strain on the HVAC system and |
| multi-core processors on servers and workstations, | | | | internal server cooling mechanisms that keep the |
| virtualization software is poised to revolutionize what | | | | machines cool. |
| computers can actually accomplish to reduce overall | | | | To further reduce the need for human interaction in |
| operational costs. | | | | the server room, the use of KVM (keyboard, video |
| Today's servers have a lot of processing power left | | | | and mouse) switches allows the servers to be |
| unused. Consolidating multiple servers into one | | | | administered from another location. KVM switches |
| machine utilizes that processing power and reduces | | | | and terminals provide an additional security benefit by |
| the power-consuming footprint of the entire data | | | | allowing the server room to remain locked most of |
| center. Multiple machines all require cooling in addition | | | | the time. |
| to the energy required to power them. Consolidating | | | | Proper Server Room Configuration How air flows |
| these requirements to one machine reduces the | | | | through your server room can be controlled simply |
| power consumption to that of one machine's | | | | by how the machines are placed in the room. |
| requirements instead of for the previous multiple | | | | Creating a hot aisle/cold aisle server layout in your |
| machines. It's easy to see how server virtualization | | | | server room utilizes how servers are constructed to |
| significantly impacts power consumption. | | | | promote better airflow in the room. |
| Use Efficient Power Supplies Data centers run all the | | | | Server racks are built where air flows from the front |
| time out of necessity; they are the lifeline of today's | | | | to the back of the system with cooler air coming in |
| business environment. Oftentimes, desktop PCs are | | | | through the front and the warmer air forced out the |
| built without the most efficient power supply. You | | | | back. By placing server cabinets and racks in a |
| can, however, swap out inefficient power supplies | | | | front-to-front and back-to-back layout, a hot aisle |
| for those that are much more efficient. Desktops | | | | cold aisle is created to allow for cool air to flow to |
| power supplies exist that are 80 PLUS certified, | | | | server air intakes and promote the flow of heated air |
| which adheres to the Energy Star 4.0 standard | | | | away from the server rear exhaust. |
| released in the summer of 2007. | | | | To further promote this airflow, the installation of |
| The 80 PLUS certification requires that a compliant | | | | blanking panels within all rack spaces keeps hot air |
| power supply operate at 80% efficiency at 20%, | | | | from collecting in the unused space and circulating |
| 50% and 100% of load rating. Standard power | | | | again to the server air intake. Within the cold aisle, |
| supplies only operate between 50% and 60% | | | | where two server racks are facing each other, the |
| efficiency. Desktop machines equipped with an 80 | | | | flooring should be perforated to allow cold air to flow |
| PLUS certified power supply require 16 watts less | | | | from the floor. The hot aisle, where the exhaust |
| power, which translates into 85 kilowatts per year | | | | systems of two server racks are facing, should not |
| per desktop. | | | | have this grating to keep the cold air and hot air |
| Desktop servers (that work a little harder) stand to | | | | from mixing. |
| use 34 watts less power, which translates into 300 | | | | High-density servers, such as blade systems, should |
| kilowatts per year. In 2006, the average price per | | | | not be located within a close proximity. These |
| kilowatt hour was $.089 USD. Depending on where | | | | generate the most heat and should be placed where |
| you are geographically located, the average price | | | | the cool airflow rising from the floor is found to be |
| ranged from $.0492 USD in Idaho at the low end up | | | | highest. Equipment that cannot be laid out in the |
| to $.2072 USD in Hawaii. | | | | front-to-front, back-to-back layout should be located |
| Applying the nationwide average rate to the average | | | | away from the servers that are able to be set up in |
| power reduction per machine results in a $7.56 USD | | | | this manner. Still, all exhaust from these machines |
| annual cost reduction per desktop machine and a | | | | should be directed toward a hot aisle for the highest |
| $26.70 USD annual cost reduction per desktop server. | | | | airflow efficiency possible. |
| That can translate to considerable savings at | | | | Setting up your server room in such a manner |
| companies using hundreds or thousands of desktop | | | | reduces the power consumption of both the HVAC |
| machines. Premium efficiency motors can be used at | | | | unit cooling the room and the internal server cooling |
| the data center level, too. | | | | systems tasked with keeping the machines cool. The |
| Today's rack-mounted servers often require an | | | | cost savings realized from moving the servers into a |
| external power source to run in order to reduce the | | | | hot aisle/cold aisle configuration will be instantly |
| space requirements of the machine. Blade servers | | | | observable on your monthly electric bill. |
| deliver high-efficiency processing and reduce space | | | | Questions to ask staff members: 1. Have you |
| requirements but can result in higher power | | | | conducted electrical load flow analysis into and out of |
| consumption per square foot. | | | | your data center? |
| The Climate Savers Computing Organization exists to | | | | 2. Are servers using virtualization technology to |
| promote more efficient power supplies for both | | | | optimize performance and reduce overall power |
| desktops and servers. There are several companies | | | | consumption? |
| complying to the server power efficiency standards | | | | 3. Are your computers using efficient power supplies? |
| developed by this organization that call for 85% | | | | 4. Do you have air economizers and humidity controls |
| minimum efficiency at 50% of output load with the | | | | on your HVAC system? |
| standard growing more efficient in June of 2008 | | | | 5. Is the server room properly configured to give you |
| through June of 2010. Using servers in your data | | | | the best ROI on the technology currently installed? |
| center that comply with these standards will greatly | | | | The answers to these questions will tell you what |
| reduce the power consumption footprint of the unit. | | | | steps you need to take to optimize energy |
| Use Site HVAC for Cooling Needs Your building | | | | efficiency within your network. Taking these steps |
| already uses air conditioning to cool the premises, so | | | | reduces the cost of electric bills at your organization |
| why not take advantage of the internal HVAC to | | | | and reduces the pressures forced by rising energy |
| cool servers as much as possible? HVAC controls can | | | | costs on the company budget. |