The data centre industry is rightly under fire for draining power and failing to properly monitor energy consumption – so this month’s Data Centre World exhibition will provide the perfect platform from which many data centre managers can debate this contentious issue.
Energy bills have soared by 140 per cent in eight years, combine this with mounting pressure on data centre managers to reduce energy used by their IT facilities, and the sector is clearly reaching a critical crossroads.
Yes, those responsible for data centre operations are exposed to a lot of information and yes, it can be complex, but that doesn’t mean they can ignore it. I am shocked that managers are failing to take the lead and not using the advice available to them on how to solve this energy problem.
Basic changes, such as increasing the temperature inside the data centre by a single degree, as advised by
the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), can make huge savings, both green and cost. So there is absolutely no excuse for industry professionals to bury their heads in the sand.
Change is coming and the industry must be ready for it. I do not underestimate the complexities involved in raising your temperature by just one degree, however there are marginal gains that managers should not be by-passing to be had even at the PDU level that could be small but vital to datacentres energy costs. PDUs enable managers to monitor where the power is going and when it’s being wasted on idle servers or hotspots, so they can determine where savings can be made.
I hope those managers who attend Data Centre World will use the event as an opportunity to educate themselves on energy consumption, and then start to take responsibility for how much energy they’re using in the data centre before we have a crisis on our hands.
This post was written by Eddie Desouza, Global Marketing Director, UK office, Enlogic, http://www.enlogic.com/
Simples, use the EU Code of Conduct for Data Centres best practice guide for guidance, become a participant to the code, and then apply for a BCS CEEDA Award. Job Done.