For most businesses, the simplest methods for eliminating a problem often go unnoticed. With emerging technologies taxing IT infrastructures and deployment, older technologies are often not taken into account when pursuing a solution. Power consumption can fall into this category as a simple, yet overlooked area of improvement.
The fact is, "energy conservation" has become an industry phrase and there are some very simple, easy-to-implement strategies that can result in instant savings for any business. None of these methods relies on any new technology introductions. Here are five simple strategies for reducing power consumption in the data center.
1. Hot aisle/Cold aisle If your computer equipment in the data center is not properly configured in a hot aisle/cold aisle layout, it should be. This layout of the machinery promotes proper flow of hot and cold air resulting in less work required by the HVAC cooling system and the computer equipment. In virtually all layouts, server racks are set up facing each other in pairs, with the back of one server facing the back of another server in the next pair of server racks in the data center. Data center computer equipment is constructed to bring in cool air at the front of the machine and expel the heated air out the back of the machine. Setting up the racks facing each other in pairs promotes the flow of cooler air at the front of both server racks and the flow of warmer air between the rear of two server racks, resulting in alternating "cold" aisles and "hot" aisles. Note: All data centers use similar principles in rack layout, yet some vary in degrees of exactly where computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units are located. To maximize the flow of heated air to HVAC return ducts, the servers should be placed at 90-degree angles to the CRAC units. Placing the machinery in this manner allows the warmer air to flow unobstructed to the return ducts. Be sure to not force warm air from the hot aisle to travel over cold aisles, as this will result in heating the cold aisles. Also, note there is technology available to simulate airflow into and out of data centers that can be used prior to actually installing your equipment. The hot aisle/cold aisle layout takes advantage of the properties of the cooler and warmer air to reduce work required by other mechanisms that rely on power consumption to get the job done. Any time warm and cold air is allowed to intermingle, more work is required by power-consuming CRAC units and internal computer cooling mechanisms. Computer equipment not designed to take in cool air from the front and expel it at the rear should be placed away from racks that do promote the airflow inherent in a hot aisle/cold aisle layout. These noncompliant devices should be set up in a way that directs warm air exhaust toward a hot aisle, or they should be placed in cabinets capable of redirecting top or side-ventilated exhaust to the rear of the rack.
2. Proper temperature and humidity Setting the correct temperature and humidity levels in the data center is essential to proper airflow in the room. Too often there is a misconception that server rooms should be cold and little monitoring is done to maintain optimum temperature and humidity levels. Many times the only sensor device in the room is the one located on the thermostat. Server rooms should be kept cool, but actually do not need to be cooler than average room temperature throughout the site. The recommended temperature range for data center rooms has always been between 67 and 72 degrees. Too often, businesses cool their data centers down to 65 degrees. It's okay to keep the room a few degrees warmer; the computer equipment will still be operating within recommended and optimal temperature ranges.
Know this: A reduction of 4% in data center power consumption can be expected for each degree warmer the temperature is kept. Of course, equipment must be kept within acceptable temperature ranges and never over 75 degrees, even though hardware specifications may rate the equipment to operate at temperatures of up to 95 degrees. Machinery operating outside of the acceptable temperature range wears down more quickly and poses a risk of overheating resulting in possible downtime. An additional problem is created when keeping a server room cooler than surrounding rooms: increased humidity levels.
The recommended humidity levels for the data center are between 45% and 55%. Cooling air too much can increase humidity over acceptable levels. Once this happens, condensation can gather within sensitive, essential computer equipment and result in a hardware failure. Without the proper sensors in place to detect the temperature and humidity throughout the data center, none of these air properties can be monitored. These should be placed throughout the room to ensure all equipment is operating within acceptable temperature and humidity ranges. Also, know there is a significant difference between conventional air conditioners and CRAC units. Expect reduced power consumption and more longevity with a CRAC unit installed.
3. Proper floor tiles The cold aisle should contain perforated tiles or grates to promote the flow of cooler air from the floor up to the server air intake. Placing these perforations, thus raising the floor within the cold aisle, takes advantage of the inherent properties of cooler air that will reduce the work required by the HVAC system and computer cooling mechanisms. Hot aisles should not contain these floor perforations so that the flow of warmer air to the air conditioning return ducts remains unobstructed. Any time machinery is moved around in the data center, the alternating grates in the cold aisles must also be moved to keep the free flow of warmer and cooler air at a maximum.
4. Bypass air Bypass air is any conditioned air in the data center that is not used by the computer equipment air intakes. This results in airflow inefficiencies within the layout of the data center. Cooler air is promoted to rise from the floor through the use of perforated floor tiles or grates in the cold aisle. Air should be prevented from rising from the floor for any other purpose. Bypass air often results from anomalies in the floor within the data center. These can be holes cut in the floor to permit electrical or network cables leaving the room or broken floor tiles. Look for these areas on the server floor and if possible, seal them to keep bypass air to a minimum. Anytime computer equipment is relocated in the room, be sure to check for any defects on the newly exposed floor and repair it. Also look for bypass air at the cutouts on the rear of server cabinets. Anytime cabling exits the rear of the server, the cutout must be properly sealed to prevent bypass air. Another area where bypass air can occur is around the door to the data center. Ensure that this entryway is properly sealed.
5. Blanking panels Finally, within the hot aisle/cold aisle configuration, blanking panels should be placed in server racks where there is no machinery. If blank spaces are left in the server racks, these gaps will allow hot air from the exhaust to re-enter the cold aisle, reducing the efficiency of the whole configuration. These panels simply cover up the holes at the front of the racks to block the mixing of hot and cold air. This simple fix maximizes the energy-saving potential of your hot aisle/cold aisle data center layout.
Five key questions to ask yourself:
1. Has reduction of power consumption in the data center been overlooked as a way to cut costs? Too often a data center has grown with the business and so has its power requirements. Power consumption in the data center needs to be optimized.
2. Is the data center laid out in the proper hot aisle/cold aisle configuration? Computer equipment in many facilities is placed in rows with the front of one rack facing the rear of another. This is an inefficient layout that increases the power-consuming work of both the HVAC system and the internal computer cooling mechanisms.
3. Is the temperature in the data center at the low end of the acceptable operating range of data center equipment? A common misconception is that server rooms should be cold. The truth is that data centers should be slightly warm and humid, but not too humid.
4. Is there any air entering the room prohibiting the natural airflow of the hot aisle/cold aisle configuration? Any holes around electrical conduits or cabling on the racks themselves need to be sealed to ensure free, maximized airflow.
5. Are enough blanking panels in place that prevent warmer air from mixing with cooler air? Blanking panels are simple, inexpensive devices that prevent warm and cool air from mixing. Implementing these simple power-consumption deterrents in the data center will result in an immediate cost savings. This savings is considerable for any business and these solutions are attainable at very low costs. The only equipment that requires purchasing is the air monitoring sensors and blanking panels, and both of these devices are very inexpensive.
Energy costs are slated to continue rising for the foreseeable future. Power grids are operating at maximum capacity and environmental concerns are preventing the future construction of power plants. Attaining optimized power efficiency within your business is essential to cutting unnecessary costs associated with data center power consumption. Optimization is key throughout your data center, so don't lose out by overlooking the obvious.
About the Author: Michael G. Perry is a Las Vegas based Systems Integration Specialist more than 20 years' experience in management and IT consulting.
Need help? To learn more visit http://sisnv.net/
Disclaimer/Release of Liability Statement: Regarding knowledge shared in this article, Michael G. Perry will not be held responsible for any consequential damages resulting from the application of content or recommendations.
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Michael Perry mikeperry@sisnv.net
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