Power Usage Efficiency: Measures That Could Change The PUE
Data centers are power guzzlers as they require huge amount of energy to cool down the physical servers and wires running across the center.
Online, July 30, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Data centers are power guzzlers as they require huge amount of energy to cool down the physical servers and wires running across the center. Data centers, if managed properly, could save energy and this is called Power Usage Efficiency of a data center. The term is coined to see how effective data centers are in energy consumption.
"Physical hardware connected with internal systems through wires produce immense heat. The hardware needs effective cooling from large HVAC machines. Also the data centers need fresh air from exhaust fans. These electrical equipments play no role in storing or managing data but they are mandatory for smooth functioning of the data center", said a data center advisor.
It is learnt that IT firms take the Power Usage Efficiency of their data centers seriously and often compare their PUE with that of Google. IT measure like Microsoft has access to software and apps that reduce their bulk load from their data centers. Small IT firms have to maintain their centers within their facilities. An ideal data center is one that is spread on a large area, has cool temperature and is equipped with latest hardware. This type of centers could give IT firms better PUE.
"In the rush to make their data centers more energy efficient, IT firms take strong measures without calculating how the measures are going to affect the overall efficiency of the data center. It is good that IT firms are becoming energy efficient but they should firs calculate their energy requirement instead of working on data center. It is a sensitive facility that could break down, if it doesn't get proper power or cooking", the advisor said.
IT firms put pressure on their data center managers to make monthly report on Power Usage Efficiency of the data centers and take measure to improve the PUR. Ideally the PUE should be calculated on yearly basis as measures taken by a firm would take time in giving results. PUE is not something that you could change overnight. It takes time, money and infrastructure in changing the PUE figure.
"Companies worried about the efficiency of their data centers should start with data center audit to determine the useless equipments, overburden parts and dead wires. Cleaning the data center is one measure that could increase its PUE", added the advisor.
It is not possible for an IT firm to improve the efficiency of its data center without buying new hardware and infrastructure but it could keep its Power Usage Efficiency from plunging down by maintaining the center in good condition.For more information visit http://www.datacenterinfoblog.com/