Data Center Optimization Strategies

Data centers have become integral in our society today. We rely on these facilities for all our online activities. Data centers are the most crucial aspect of today’s computing infrastructures. These facilities process, store, and deliver data across all virtual platforms. For this reason, data centers are sophisticated facilities that need thorough management.

Optimization is an essential aspect of operating and managing data centers. Datacenter optimization refers to the strategies employed in the facility. To increase efficiency in its operations. It includes redesigning the facility to decrease power consumption, while improving the performance of data center systems.

Optimization means data centers need to use strategic plans to increase efficiency. Operators may reduce extra servers and other IT equipment. Use smart managing systems across all data center systems. Monitoring the performance of each system to see how much resources they consume.

Datacenter optimization is no easy task. There is no ‘one size fits all solution when it comes to efficiency. Expert knowledge combined with superb technology can help you achieve your optimization goals. In this article, we will discuss the importance, strategies, and tips of data center optimization.

Why Data Center Optimization Is Essential

There are many reasons why data center optimization is essential. Firstly, optimizing facilities will decrease power consumption. It is also important to increase efficiency and reduced downtime. Downtime leads to lost revenue for data center.

Here are some more thoughts on why optimization is vital for data centers.

Increasing Mechanical Capacity

Optimization will increase your facility’s mechanical capacity. Maximizing efficiency will cut down power consumption in the systems. In turn, it improves your facility’s redundancy. For colocation data centers, this will help to increase revenue. Optimizing current capacity usage may allow you to bring more customers.

Increasing Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)

Power efficiency strategies will decrease power consumption. Thereby increasing your facility’s PUE.

Investing In Optimization Strategies Will Go A Long Way

Retrofitting your facility can be pricey upfront. But by doing this, you will save much more in the long run. Optimizing your data center will save you power and maintenance costs. Optimized systems will decrease power consumption. It will also prolong the lifespan of your servers and other IT equipment. Helping you save money for unplanned maintenance expenses.

Reducing Power Consumption To Help The Environment

In 2014, the US Department of Energy reported that data centers consumed 70 billion kWh of energy. It equates to 1.8% of the country’s total power consumption. It also amounts to vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. As if 1,078,870 passenger vehicles were driven. No doubt that data centers must decrease their harmful effects on the environment.

Upholding Businesses’ Social Responsibility

Environmental problems around the world are only getting worse. Since data centers contribute massive greenhouse emissions by consuming vast amounts of fossil fuels, companies carry the responsibility to do their best to lessen their environmental impacts. Optimizing data centers is a valuable step towards a more sustainable future for everyone.

Key Elements Of Data Center Optimization

Here are some key factors to focus on in data center optimization.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has been the alternative for businesses. Most especially smaller companies that rely on third-party cloud services. This has been helpful in decreasing the need for more infrastructures. Internal cloud storage is an efficient option for businesses.

Cooling Systems

Review and update cooling systems to decrease power consumption. Employing the latest cooling technologies is beneficial for new data centers.

Network And Storage

Data centers should maximize their network systems and storage. This can be done by updating networking protocols to maximize bandwidth and capacity. By doing this, data center systems will also be more organized.

Physical Space

This can be done by consolidating your data center. Organize the facility to become more centralized and unified. This will greatly reduce costs and filter out inefficiencies. It will also become easier for operators to manage the facility.

Virtualization

This maximizes server efficiency. Virtualization improves the usage ratio for storage systems and central servers. It also hastens the provisioning of applications and projects. Virtual systems increase the reliability and continuity of data center operations.

Ways To Cut Down Power Consumption In The Data Center

Power consumption is the biggest concern in data center optimization. Hence, Energy Star suggested ways to cut down power usage in data centers. These power efficiency strategies focus on IT equipment and power infrastructure. As well as HVAC systems and airflow management.

IT equipment
Consolidate unnecessary and lightly used servers.
Employ efficient data storage measures.
Use built-in server power management features.
Power infrastructure
Decrease power losses from power distribution units (PDU). Use smart PDU with power monitoring systems.
Decrease power losses from uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. Load UPS systems properly.
HVAC systems
You may use a water-side economizer.
Install in a rack or in-row cooling.
Do some humidification adjustments.
Utilize an air-side economizer.
Use sensors and controls to match cooling capacity and airflow with IT loads.
Airflow management
Manage airflow for cooling efficiency.
Use a hot aisle and cold aisle layout.
Use containment or enclosures strategy.
Other areas
Benchmark your data center’s power efficiency.
Choose a sustainable colocation facility.
Provide energy-efficiency awareness training for staff and operators.

Few More Tips For Data Center Optimization

Incorporate proper cooling and ventilation in the facility. Use proper insulation to help maintain the right temperatures in the rooms. Streamlined airflow design will greatly improve your cooling system.

Consolidate virtual systems and virtualize more workloads. Clean up your systems and remove unnecessary equipment. Replacing outdated equipment with the latest technology is also beneficial. It is a good investment to replace old equipment that is more than ten years old.

Remove zombie servers. These servers are the systems that are not used but are still powered on. Thereby still consuming power despite not being functional. Incorporate monitoring sensors across the facility. This is the most important part of data center operations.

Monitoring allows you to track the power consumption of systems in your facility. Through monitoring systems, you can manage your facility anytime and anywhere. It also provides insights into your system’s performance, which may help in providing forecasts on your systems based on current data.

Trust AKCP To Optimize Data Centers

Nothing beats expert knowledge combined with superb monitoring technology. AKCP is here to help you achieve your optimization goals. AKCP has more than 30-years of experience in professional sensor solutions. AKCP R&D centers specialize in SNMP-based networking and embedded device technology. We created and still define the market for network-based environmental and security monitoring solutions. We set the industry standards for technical achievement and innovation.

Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is a popular metric that measures how efficient your data center operation is. It’s a ratio of the amount of energy spent on cooling vs the amount of energy spent on the IT load. A PUE of 1.0 means your data center runs on totally free cooling. A PUE of 2.0 means you spend an equal amount of energy on cooling as you do on IT load.

A well-designed and run data center can obtain a PUE of 1.2 – 1.3. However, most smaller edge data centers and in-house computer rooms have PUE numbers of 2.0 and above.

AKCPro Server is an ideal DCIM solution. Perfect for those people who don’t have the budget or need for complex DCIM software, but require a capable monitoring system for their data center. With many advanced features such as Cabinet Thermal Mapping, Drill Down Mapping, Graphing, VPN connections to remote sites, AKCPro Server is the ideal choice. AKCPro Server is capable of live PUE calculations, so you can see real-time the effect of the changes you make on your PUE.

Try out our FREE online PUE Calculation Tool here

Monitoring With AKCP Solutions

Obstructions Within The Cabinet

Cabling or other obstructions can impede the flow of air causing high-temperature differentials between the inlet and outlet temperatures. The cabinet analysis sensor with pressure differential can also help analyze airflow issues.

Server And Cooling Fan Failures

As fans age, or fail, the airflow over the IT equipment will lessen. This leads to higher temperature differentials between the front and rear.

Insufficient Pressure Differential To Pull Air Through The Cabinet

When there is an insufficient pressure differential between the front and rear of the cabinet, airflow will be less. The less cold air flowing through the cabinet, the higher the temperature differential front to rear will become.

Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)

When the data is combined with the power consumption from the in-line power meter you can safely make adjustments in the data center cooling systems, without compromising your equipment, while instantly seeing the changes in your PUE numbers.

Conclusion

Data centers consume vast amounts of energy. They also rely on other sources, such as water which is typically used for cooling, to operate. As environmental issues like global warming. As well as depletion of natural resources become increasingly alarming. There have been greater calls to optimize data centers. To optimize data centers is to decrease natural resources consumption. As well as decrease waste production that harms the environment.

Furthermore, data center optimization is also essential in preventing downtime. Downtime is bad for the business. Hence, it is imperative for operators to invest in quality optimization strategies. AKCP offers the best professional monitoring solutions for all data centers. Visit akcp.com for more details.

Reference Links

https://blog.fairbanksenergy.com/6-reasons-for-data-center-optimization

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/29877/data-center-optimization

https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2019/03/f60/femp-data-center-energy-efficiency.pdf

https://biztechmagazine.com/article/2012/01/6-key-elements-data-center-optimization-strategy

https://www.energystar.gov/products/16_more_ways_cut_energy_waste_data_center

https://www.vxchnge.com/blog/growing-energy-demands-of-data-centers