Data Centre Efficiency

Let us find out what a data center is and how it functions. As the word data center tells you it is the centralized storage area of either the physical or a fundamental storage of data, management and information for a particular business.

Logical Reason to use a Data Center

The main logical reason data centers are widely used by many organizations is because they need the servers to run twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and throughout the year without any interruption. The data centers can be made as public or as private as needed depending on the organization. A data center can also be called a server room. A data center is set up in 4 tiers and each tier has its own requirements. A Tier1 data center is easy to set up and small organizations tend to stick with Tier1. Companies, especially IT companies, grow and they need a source backup for users to be online constantly, conducting business to improve their company standards. That’s how data centers came into play.

Requirements to Setup a Data Center

Now, let us see what the requirements are to set up data centers. Firstly we need a good infrastructure to support the data centers. For business continuity, the information systems are really essential and they need to be secured well. The information servers are arranged in racks on a raised floor. Stringer less raised floors have a collection of pedestals that configures the necessary height for the routing cables. A stringed raised floor has a vertical arrangement of steel pedestals so that the overall height can be adjusted with the help of a nut at the pedestal head. A data center will occupy the amount of space necessary for your organization, perhaps a room or a floor depending on the amount of data to be preserved.

Vital Factors of a Data Center

Infrastructure, cooling, power backup and security are the vital factors for a good data center. Data Centers have to work constantly, so the heat produced by data centers is high and it can cause serious damage. In order to avoid crashes or damage, the system needs to be cooled with equipment such as air conditioners, fans, or even exhaust fans. There should be enough space between the racks and the cabling wires so that there is correct air flow into these systems. It should be monitored by someone so that any change in temperature can be adjusted to the product’s recommended temperature. High security is needed inside and outside the data center, including a fire alarm.

The power for these data centers is provided by the regional electricity system, and if it fails the backup power generator kick starts thus providing continuity of business for the organization.

Data Center efficiency can be found out by calculating how much energy is being saved in a data center. The power usage or the energy efficiency tells about data center efficiency. The formula to find out energy efficiency is:

PUE = Total facility power/IT equipment power

where “PUE” is “Power Usage Effectiveness”.

Data Center Energy Consumption

Data Centers have thousands of servers with information stored and they are ready to transmit it when the user needs it, so everyone asks questions about the energy usage by the data centers or data center energy consumption. Data Center energy consumption has driven many IT organizations to find better computing capability. The size of the data center along with the energy consumed in a year will determine the data center efficiency of that organization. Energy use can be categorized into demand and supply. “Demand” generally includes the servers, processors and storage whereas “supply” includes UPS, distribution of power, cooling and lighting. Power management software should be considered for energy saving.

Efficient Power Distribution of Data Center

You can use higher AC voltages for power distribution in order to reduce the energy consumed. Data Center energy consumption should be minimal, so that the company’s growth and Data center efficiency are of a high standard. Modular data centers are being used to meet data center efficiency and energy saving. These can be transported from one place to another. Best practices in the design of data centers can achieve less energy consumption and energy can be saved by shutting down servers which are not in use. It has been estimated that the power consumed by a server for a year is $250. If there are idle servers which are consuming power then it is a loss for the organization, so data center efficiency drops to below average. It is better to shut down the idle servers and give the power to the ones which are functioning. Data Center energy consumption can also be reduced by maintaining the air flow and the pressure inside the system.

1. Many data centers fall short in maintaining the air flow and the pressure to the servers which obviously makes for a drop in efficiency. The following guidelines will let you to know more about data center efficiency.
2. A physical examination of the server room can help you to detect any obstruction in the pathways of the airflow. If there’s any obstruction, then it has to be cleared to achieve effective data center efficiency.
3.  Place the rack of servers on a raised floor with thin fabric rings around cables where they connect to the servers, so that there won’t be any openings for the cool air to escape and it will be tightly packed.
4. Unnecessary spaces in front of the server racks can lead to a drop in efficiency. The air pressure has to be maintained throughout in such a way that the systems are properly cooled.

Data Center Energy Consumption Reduction

Data Center energy consumption can be reduced by a certain amount if these precautions are maintained. The most important thing is to have the best server you can afford for an efficient data center. The processor companies like Intel and AMD have improved their processors for better energy efficiency. Monitoring is one of the key factors for better energy efficiency in a company with high standards.

Wireless sensors are used in order to maintain the correct temperature so that there won’t be any damage to the system and data center energy consumption will be less than expected. Setting up a data center is not an easy task until you have the perfect plan or the experience which can bring you data center efficiency as well as less data center energy consumption. The techniques described here should give you a better idea of data center energy consumption and data center efficiency.

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.