Data centers are a major source of power consumption and heat production in the world. They also consume many resources to run, including water, cooling equipment and electricity. Data center eco-friendly solutions help data center operators reduce their environmental impact while lowering operational costs.
The data center has become the backbone of all the big organizations and agencies. Once the data center is destroyed, the user will lose all his business data. It would result in losses of business data and clients’ data.
That’s why data centers play a significant role in protecting and securing all your data, which all happens with the latest IT technologies. Apart from this, the data center also relieves our everyday life as you can easily access your user data from massive internet companies with a single click.
Digital Internet technologies convert physical data storage into cloud services. Only a few companies know about understanding the data center requirements. For better understanding, we clear the confusion that the management of data centers requires three layers.
The first one is to monitor and visualize the details and activities across all systems and locations. The purpose of data center management is to manage the ongoing task, basically called the collection of functions.
To make the data center eco-friendly, the companies will have to follow the following pointers to make the data efficient and remove the negativity which affects the data centers.
Move to Eco-Mode
The first way to make data centers eco-friendly is simple and easy. Uninterruptible power supplies (USPs) reduce the considerable amount of wasted electricity in various data centers. The purpose of the eco-mode data center is to reduce the energy consumption of the data center server, like the computer-saving mode minimizes the computer’s energy consumption. The modern and latest USPs come with the alternating current mode of operation.
However, it facilitates the eco-mode. A Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) solution integrates the network of IoT sensors to capture relevant information. Increase the energy consumption effects of the server rooms. The majority of the USPs possess power efficiency. Because of this, the companies included Eco mode specifications for USPs.
One of the main benefits of ECO mode activation is to increase the efficiency level of the bypass line because it is typically runs at 98-99% compared to standard online UPS efficiency of 93-97%.
That difference clearly shows that 2-6% has the potential to deliver significant savings. I am considering the facility of a large-scale 1% improvement in efficiency equivalent to tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds a year in lower energy costs.
Adjustment of Temperature
The other way of making the data center eco-friendly is by adjusting the air conditioning temperature. However, the cost of air-conditioning can easily be less by increasing the temperature.
The air conditioner becomes more efficient in the summer at 78 degrees. They do not require more cooling for their data center centers for better efficiency. They turn on the AC in the server room; all energy consumption eliminate from the air conditioner.
Installing Air-Side Economizers
We can never deny the fact that the server rooms always keep calm. When the winter season came, the CEO of several companies and agencies took advantage of this cold evening and natural winter weather. Not only this, but they also install air-side economizers in rooms to house the IT equipment.
The functionality of air side economizers is to bring cool air from the outdoors into the building and give it to the servers. The economizers include warm exhaust air if the outer temperature is cold. Because of this, the humidity and temperature fall the same.
One fantastic thing about the air side economizers is that they save the maximum amount of energy as their purpose is to keep the data center cool. Hence, it is proved from the discussion that installing air-side economizers also keeps the data center eco-friendly.
Power Saving Features in Computer CPUs
Everyone knows that a computer without a CPU is useless. The whole digital work depends on Central Processing Unit. The CPU also plays a fantastic role in making the data center eco-friendly. One most significant advantage of CPUs is that they consume half of the total power consumed by the dedicated server.
However, the CPU inside it will allow you to save energy. They allow CPU built-in switches between numerous performance modes for power saving. No doubt, the CPU is the brain of the server. Its purpose is to execute an instruction, run a database and process the data.
Upgradation of Air Compressor
The upgradation is also an essential factor for data center eco-friendly. Million people sacrifice their massive amount in the cooling system, but it remains ineffective. This is the only reason for investing a decent amount n making necessary upgrades.
The only way to improve an existing cooling system in server rooms is to convert the old load/unload air compressor configuration to the modern ones. The latest upgraded cooling system will save energy up to 35%.
Bypass Air-Flow
For data centers to be eco-friendly, Bypass airflow plays an essential role. The data center cooling counts for half of the total data center energy consumption. Because of this, it becomes mandatory to optimize the airflow to improve energy efficiency. The majority of people have no idea of bypassing knowledge.
Therefore, we first discuss what Bypass airflow is. Bypass airflow is the same as air but returns to a cooling unit without removing any heat. This process results in losing cooling capacity and higher cooling costs. Hence, bypassing airflow decreases the cooling system’s energy efficiency, requiring additional cooling to remove heat from the IT equipment.
The majority of people are confused about how to manage the bypass airflow. It’s not difficult at all. We have an excellent solution for this. One can manage the airflow by using blanking panels.
It not only improves airflow but also decreases server inlet temperatures. Also, increase the Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) return air temperature. This solution will prove helpful as they reduce wasted energy and therefore cuts energy costs down by 1-2%.
Usage of Server Virtualization
The server virtualization works as a physical server. It is a pool of logical computing capacity. All of the servers are divided into multiple virtual machines. The best way to increase server virtualization is to consolidate space, upgrade the new equipment, and consume energy.
This works as a decrement in the number of physical servers needed within the data center. If we utilize fewer servers, then energy consumption will significantly decrease. The data center only works efficiently if we reduce energy consumption and ineffective cooling.
Benefits of Server Virtualization
Server virtualization has many technological benefits. Some of them have listed below.
- Scalability
- Flexibility
- Several Physical systems to purchase, install, configure, and maintain
Recycle and Reuse Equipment
Recycling and reusing also play a significant role in making data centers eco-friendly. As for the long-lasting working of the data center, we require excellent efficiency. But apart from this, recycling reused equipment is also a part.
Read more: Five trends in green data centers technologies to watch by the CEO
The function of this equipment is to reduce the unnecessary emissions released into the atmosphere from equipment manufacturing. For example, Google has reused the data center types of equipment since 2007.
The excellent efficiency is because they transform the outdated server to avoid 300,000 new machines. If Google fails to find obsolete machines, they resell that equipment.
Hence this outdated equipment will be reused for other purposes. We can also say that reusing the equipment will reduce carbon footprints.
Conclusion
From the discussion mentioned earlier, it is proved that to manage the data center eco-friendly, we have to take care of its efficiency and sustainability. Undoubtedly, the data center is an important institution in society; it totally relies on the internet and technology. It is the moral duty of the data center managers to encourage an eco-friendly environment.
Hopefully, you are satisfied with the out discussion mentioned above. Some agencies and organizations feel confused about investing in high amounts because they fear the pros and cons of investing in them. At the same time, some of them are confident. We recommend that the data center managers follow these above points to clear their doubts.
They continuously make efforts for better efficiency and regulation. However, hope took place in their minds on the regulation fronts and certification. Every organization must select the data center as it is helpful for thousands of enterprises and agencies. The new data center hotspots are emerging.
Cloud services are also very demanding in data centers. To get details about the management of the data center, feel free to contact us. We try our best to sort out the queries that appear in your mind. The above discussion proved that the data center would only protect by efficient energy and a friendly environment.
Refferences:
- https://www.sunbirddcim.com/blog/8-ways-ensure-greener-data-center
- https://www.energystar.gov/products/use_air_side_economizer
- https://www.hitachivantara.com/uk/go/didyouknow/assets/green/five-cost-effective-steps-to-building-a-more-eco-friendly-data-center.pdf
- https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2011/07/05/the-3-layers-of-data-center-management#:~:text=Data%20center%20management%20requires%20three,the%20utilization%20of%20existing%20equipment.
- https://www.temok.com/blog/8-ways-to-make-data-centers-and-server-rooms-eco-friendly/
- https://www.constantpowerservices.com/questions/15-what-is-eco-mode-on-a-ups-system