Energy Efficiency Tips for Data Centers

Author: starchaser

Back then, energy efficiency in data centers was not a priority. It was the trend at the time. If your data center felt uncomfortably cold, people would commend you. It was a sign that you were doing a very good job of preventing your servers from over heating. The cooler the room where you store your data center, the better. Back then, rack densities were lower, electricity was lower – nobody was really paying attention to the electric bill.

As technology progresses, more opportunities are open for businesses to improve – this means more data for businesses to acquire which then leads to more data infrastructures.

Today, data center managers to keep a close eye on energy costs. Data centers uses up to 70 percent of their energy for cooling and air handling. Increasing cooling efficiency is vital to reducing costs. A good start for increasing energy efficiency is by following these simple steps:


1.)    Implement Hot-Aisle/Cold Aisle

You don't have to keep your data center in a freezer; you can focus instead on removing hot air before it circulates the room. Separating hot air from cold air is the key to energy efficiency. Arrange racks in rows in such a way that the fronts face each other in the cold aisles and the backs face other in the hot aisles. This prevents the servers from drawing in hot air from the adjacent servers.

2.)    Organize Cables

Tangled cables may block airflow. They can prevent efficient air circulation under raised floors and can cause heat to build up inside enclosures.

3.)    Replace Inefficient UPS Systems

Removing unnecessary heat sources helps cool the room. Replace old models of UPS systems with energy-saving models to increase efficiency and decrease the heat output.

4.)    Install Blanking Panels

Blocking off unused rack spaces isn't just for design; it forces cold air through your servers and prevents hot air from circulating through the enclosure.

5.)Optimise energy distribution systems.

For every voltage transformation involved in a distribution system, there is a loss of energy. Therefore, maintain a "flat" distribution system. The trick is to move substation AC voltages through data centre AC and DC voltages as fast as possible and route from there. Although only small percentages are involved here, saving even 1% of a large data centre's energy bill can be worthwhile.
For expert data center management services and solutions in the Philippines you can visit the following website: www.ics.com.ph/datacenter.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/databases-articles/energy-efficiency-tips-for-data-centers-6782560.html
About the Author
The Author works for ICS Philippines. For more information regarding data centers in the Philippines, you can visit the following website: www.ics.com.ph/datacenter.