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Achieving energy efficiency is a goal that many companies have looked to in recent years. Not only are businesses becoming more aware of their impact on the environment, but they are also beginning to realise how much money can be saved.
Yet while many businesses are aware of the advantages, many are nevertheless daunted by the prospect of making their systems greener, viewing the upgrade process as something that requires a significant infrastructural overhaul.
However, when it comes to the data centre, there are a number of steps that can help to make the process as painless and as simple as possible.
One of the most significant areas of wasted energy comes into the overall temperature of the data centre. For instance, if the existing operating temperature of your computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit is in the low 20s (Celsius), then it is likely to be too cool in order to run the technology effectively.
It is therefore easier to set your CRAC towards 24 degrees C or, if your infrastructure is quite new, even higher.
Every increased degree in operating temperature for you CRAC will mean that your centre uses less cooling and, subsequently, less energy.
Keeping things cool
The efficiency of cooling products themselves has also been brought under the spotlight recently, with several new technologies coming to the forefront of the market.
Evaporative cooling is one of the newest methods available, with the technology using low-pressure fans and water pumps instead of higher-pressure pumps.
The technology works by pumping water for a reservoir at the bottom of the unit, which then soaks a series of filters, allowing an air fan to pull in the warm air hanging in the surrounding environment.
Once the air passes through the filters, it is stripped of particulates and then cooled through the evaporation of the water. This cooled air is then ducted through to the data centre.
Size matters
Examining the size of your data centre is also a hugely important part of ensuring it is more energy efficient. If your existing data centre is large, think about whether it is possible to directly generate your own power.
Excess electricity and heat can potentially be sold on to members of the local community, which could then help to offset the costs of energy generation.
The overall efficiency of your data centre could rise from around 40 to 80 per cent when compared to centralised fossil fuel generators
Size is also a consideration for the future. Think about what levels of growth your data centre will need in the future and you should get a decent idea as to its energy requirements.
