Criteria for Evaluating and Implementing a Green Data Center

Data centers of technology giants like Microsoft, Apple, and Hewlett-Packard are increasingly becoming green – usage of green technology with renewable resources. No matter how efficient or green, the energy usage of data centers is a major concern for all – politicians, social entrepreneurs, and businesses themselves.

According to a study released by American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, data centers use 40 times more energy than an office building. Dave O’Hara is a consultant with technology giants like Microsoft and HP for implementing green initiatives, and affirms that wastage is rampant with server utilization as low as 10-15% for most businesses! He refers to the above study and asks companies to follow the guidelines set below to understand their current practices, and to evaluate it against best practices for a green data center.

• Using meters, Data center energy usage can be broken down into components like, a 2U server, a 4U server, a UPS, a SAN and a switch. Determine which business units bear the expense of power used by these components.
• Continuously monitor the data center energy usage to keep track of low and peak energy demands.
• Monitor the energy capacities from the data center level to the circuits’ level to ensure that everything is within acceptable limits.
• Document and reward the energy savings plan.
• Review the plan constantly to make necessary corrections for any failure encountered.
• Servers are enabled with CPU throttling. Use performance labs to measure the entire gamut of power consumed under varieties of loads.
• Identify hot spots and overcooling in datacenters with thermal profiling.
• Conduct energy efficiency measurements through improved IT performance engineering.

Businesses embracing these factors have discovered the financial and “green” benefits of constantly monitoring their energy usage and efficiency. Are you ready to do the same?

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.