Power and Cooling
White papers, Best practice and insights into data center power and data center cooling technologies and solutions.
While vital power systems such as UPSs and generators stand at the ready to mitigate power glitches, they act in a reactive mode and only provide power after there has been a power event. What if there was a way to know before impending power faults of key systems? What if there was a crystal ball inside the walls of the facility that show exactly what is going on with the power infrastructure?
In the Westin's Boardroom in September, Strategic Path hosted a group of infrastructure directors from some of Australia's leading companies for a Peer session on data centre power and cooling efficiency. Key discussion points were: asset management, power monitoring and consumption efficiency, air management, hot aisle containment, DCiE, lifecycle management and modular system builds.
In September 2009, The Strategic Path ran an executive peer-group roundtable on power and cooling efficiency in the data centre. The round table was comprised of nine leading data centre managers, 3 data centre experts, and facilitated by well known IT infrastructure analyst Dr Kevin McIsaac of Intelligent Business Research Services (IBRS).
Most Recent Power and Cooling
Green Technology for High Density IT computing
Canberra Data Centres (CDC) have been able to shift the Data Centre paradigm to the next generation today. The Data Centre can address power and cooling densities of up to 30kW per rack by using the APC by Schneider Electric Closed Coupled Cooling and Hot Aisle Containment methodology. The Data Centre can provide energy efficiency savings of 65% when compared with a traditional facility.
Canberra Data Centres (CDC) have been able to shift the Data Centre paradigm to the next generation today. The Data Centre can address power and cooling densities of up to 30kW per rack by using the APC by Schneider Electric Closed Coupled Cooling and Hot Aisle Containment methodology. The Data Centre can provide energy efficiency savings of 65% when compared with a traditional facility.
The Journey to Power Efficiency - Part 4: A Modular Approach Managing Lifecycle Mis-Matches
Data Centres have been traditionally designed with a 10-20 year lifecycle to 'grow into', now this can be done on a modular basis so your data centre is flexible and enables scalability to grow as you do. So there's no need to initially oversize and introduce inefficiencies. Modular UPS technology matches critical load, IT load and protective load to ensure efficient systems. (2 min 47 secs)
Data Centres have been traditionally designed with a 10-20 year lifecycle to 'grow into', now this can be done on a modular basis so your data centre is flexible and enables scalability to grow as you do. So there's no need to initially oversize and introduce inefficiencies. Modular UPS technology matches critical load, IT load and protective load to ensure efficient systems. (2 min 47 secs)
The Journey to Power Efficiency - Part 3: Government Carbon Reduction Policy
Energy consumption and efficiency and the need for monitoring in face of expected new regulations and disproportionate power usage. (1 min 38 secs)
Energy consumption and efficiency and the need for monitoring in face of expected new regulations and disproportionate power usage. (1 min 38 secs)
The Journey to Power Efficiency - Part 2: Power Monitoring
IBRS analyst Kevin McIsaac speaks with Rittal's Mark Roberts about how power monitoring allows for a better understanding of where power is being used and how to improve efficiency. (4 min 59 secs)
IBRS analyst Kevin McIsaac speaks with Rittal's Mark Roberts about how power monitoring allows for a better understanding of where power is being used and how to improve efficiency. (4 min 59 secs)
The Journey to Power Efficiency - Part 1: Data Centre Asset Management
An overview of Asset management – what are the appropriate systems, software and processes you need for accurate reading and planning? IBRS analyst Kevin McIsaac speaks with Mark Roberts from Rittal about challenges in data centre efficiency and the remote Management of equipment through RFID tagging or rails and a wireless communication system. (3 min 18 secs)
An overview of Asset management – what are the appropriate systems, software and processes you need for accurate reading and planning? IBRS analyst Kevin McIsaac speaks with Mark Roberts from Rittal about challenges in data centre efficiency and the remote Management of equipment through RFID tagging or rails and a wireless communication system. (3 min 18 secs)
This video shows you the set up and the solution comparison between Hot and Cold Aisle containment systems.
Data centers form the backbone of all network operations in a most challenging business environment such as having access on continuous basis to the right service delivery, flexibility, security, reliability as well as reducing costs to support exchange of critical information.
3 campuses, 2,000 staff, 25,000 students, of which, 75% study via distance or online, require 200kw of IT protected power. Who does the University of Southern Queensland turn to for a modular and scalable Data Centre solution?
Executive summary
As heat densities continue to escalate, data center managers are seeking solutions for handling these extreme heat loads to protect their equipment and their facilities. This paper provides a brief history of data center cooling and explains the planning and steps necessary to implement liquid cooling with enclosure-based cabinet heat exchanger systems.
As heat densities continue to escalate, data center managers are seeking solutions for handling these extreme heat loads to protect their equipment and their facilities. This paper provides a brief history of data center cooling and explains the planning and steps necessary to implement liquid cooling with enclosure-based cabinet heat exchanger systems.
Strategic Path talks to Mark Roberts, Business Development Manager at Rittal, about data center cooling
SP: Companies are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprints in order to enhance their reputations, but what underlying benefits could this have in terms of energy cost savings?
SP: Companies are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprints in order to enhance their reputations, but what underlying benefits could this have in terms of energy cost savings?
Executive Summary
Climate control of IT systems is crucial to their availability and safety, and thus for the business operation – it is relevant to the whole company! Continuously increasing integration and packing density of processors and computer/server systems cause waste heat quantities which were inconceivable for such restricted space a few years ago. A server rack with 30 most up-to-date Intel processors delivers such waste heat that would be sufficient for operating a sauna!
Climate control of IT systems is crucial to their availability and safety, and thus for the business operation – it is relevant to the whole company! Continuously increasing integration and packing density of processors and computer/server systems cause waste heat quantities which were inconceivable for such restricted space a few years ago. A server rack with 30 most up-to-date Intel processors delivers such waste heat that would be sufficient for operating a sauna!
With this thought provoking article Sam Higgins (Research Director for Longhaus) invites us to think outside the box when it comes to data center design and placement. He builds a strong case for the fact that data centers should ideally be placed in areas where land is relatively cheap, where electricity is inexpensive, where there is plenty of water and where sufficient bandwidth is available. Following the lead of these factors will perhaps lead away from major urban centers but it could at the same time also lead to significantly reduced operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint.
Operating data centers at optimal temperatures can present a significant challenge to companies. IT managers often respond to this challenge by implementing overzealous cooling strategies. This can lead to a significant jump in operating costs as well as an increased environmental footprint. In this timely article The Green Grid (a global consortium dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems) proposes ways in which the waste of money and resources in data centers can be minimized.
Data center energy usage has risen dramatically over the past decade and will continue to grow in-step with the processor-intensive applications that support business in the modern world. The growth of technology has driven the data center into a new phase of expansion, and while data centers themselves may vary over different industry segments, there are common factors including a need to do more with the same resources, or in some cases, even less.
Why cool is now 'hot' for IT planners:
Architecture solutions for your data centre
Rising electricity prices are highlighting the power consumption of IT kit. With lifetime energy costs for some hardware approaching the purchase price, smart firms will favour coolrunning models and cheaper locations.
Architecture solutions for your data centre
Rising electricity prices are highlighting the power consumption of IT kit. With lifetime energy costs for some hardware approaching the purchase price, smart firms will favour coolrunning models and cheaper locations.
Key points
- Striving for energy efficiency in high density data centers
- How to distribute clean grade computer power through each rack
- Powerblade UPS, cost of ownership and competitive advantages.
Canberra Data Centres (CDC) is a wholly Australian owned, hosted data centre company that was established in 2007 to meet the national capital's current and future data hosting needs.
Business Challenge
• IT staff were spending too much time managing individual data centres
• No solution for environmental monitoring placed the organisation's systems at risk
• The data centre environments lacked scalability to accommodate growth or change
• IT staff were spending too much time managing individual data centres
• No solution for environmental monitoring placed the organisation's systems at risk
• The data centre environments lacked scalability to accommodate growth or change
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