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7X24 MAGAZINE SPRING 2015
There is a global epidemic of excess
cooling capacity in data centers. The
average computer room today has
cooling capacity that is nearly four
times the IT heat load. To reduce
energy use and save money, it is
important to know your utilization of
computer room cooling capacity. By
calculating your data center’s Cooling
Capacity Factor (CCF), you can
determine how well you’re utilizing
your cooling infrastructure and begin
to identify potential gains that can
result by making airflow management
(AFM) corrections and controls
adjustments. Surprisingly, while a great
deal of focus is placed on improving
computer room cooling efficiency, the
average data center could still reduce
their operating expense by $32,000
1
annually simply by improving airflow
management and making adjustment
to controls.
AFM improvements increase cooling
effectiveness, efficiency and capacity,
which results in greater IT equipment
reliability and opportunity for
operating cost savings. As cooling
represents approximately half of data
center power consumption, Power
Usage Effectiveness (PUE) improves as
well. With a reduction in energy
usage, everyone benefits, as carbon
emissions are also reduced.
The same AFM improvements also
release stranded cooling capacity,
which enables companies to increase
server density without the capital cost
of additional cooling equipment.
Improved cooling utilization may also
extend the life of a site, deferring
capital expenditure required to add
capacity to an existing site or even
delay the need to build a new data
center.
Numerous solutions are designed to
improve cooling efficiency, ranging
from something as simple and
important as installing blanking panels
to making an investment in a complete
containment system. When your site
eventually settles on a new cooling
product or method, the question
always remains: “What is the potential
to truly make a difference?” After
implementation, can more IT
equipment be deployed? Will hot-
spots be eliminated and/or reduce the
PUE for your data center? How much
of a difference will improved AFM
make at the site? Or simply, are there
too many cooling units running? To
make informed decisions about
investing in additional cooling capacity
or AFM initiatives, you should first
determine how well your current
resources are being utilized.
by
Lars Strong