Datacenter: Electricity
Even the most advanced and powerful network without power is merely a stack of metal scrap. No matter how sophisticated your setup is, you could be missing out if it doesn't get and use power efficiently. Here are some basic terms to learn about the power of the data center.
- AC and DC Power: when it comes to powering your data center, you have two options— or any other device that uses electricity. AC power is the power you think of when you plug in a device, appliance, or tool. 120 or 240 volt power currents on demand — just plug your product into the nearest outlet and you're good to go. The "alternating" part of this type of power comes from how it is delivered; to optimize performance and efficiency, it can change direction multiple times in a single minute.
- DC or Direct Current power is based on batteries; your laptop, phone, and other devices that can be connected to an AC outlet for charging and then running off the battery. A direct current travels in just one direction, making it more efficient than Alternating current, making it a perfect way to stop it. While most colocation data centers rely on alternating power current, increasing numbers of companies are integrating DC power and a mixture of the two types to increase energy efficiency and minimize downtime.
- Power Usage Effectiveness, or PUE, is a metric reflecting the power ratio available to a data center versus the power consumed by IT equipment. PUE is an expression of efficiency; this number can reveal how much power your servers use for non-server / non-IT tasks and how much is being used.
Determine the center's PUE by dividing the entire facility's total energy generated by the energy the IT equipment absorbs. The consequence is your PUE, which is hopefully going to be as close as possible to 1. Why is it so low? Higher ratios mean you're using most of your resources to get the job done –not to fuel the office, lamps, and other pieces of help.
Data Center Efficiency Metrics Energy is clearly measured; each is outlined below and will help you understand what your organization needs to achieve its energy and energy efficiency objectives.
Amperes: also referred to as "amps," this is the actual moving electricity that runs through your wires and to your servers and devices. Each of your devices runs a specific amount of amps, from your workstations to your laptops and servers.
Volts: The energy that "pushes" the electricity from the source to your outlets and devices; the actual voltage depends on the location, the choices made during the design and installation, and even the supplier of the item that you use. Both batteries and outlets provide power that can be measured in volts— from a small battery of just 1.5 volts to 110 or 220 in a typical office or home outlet.
Watts: The computer or system uses the real amount of power expressed in watts. That statistic increases the more you use your equipment; it also rises when multi-tasks or complex problems are solved by your equipment. An ASIC or GPU device that uses cryptocurrency mining or performs complex tasks will use more of your data center server or one of your workstations because of the work they do. The resources your data center has at its fingertips, the way energy is used, and even the amount of electricity your parts use all have an effect on your cost, efficiency and productivity.
Power at the core of information: All those watts and volts need to go somewhere, and there are a number of needs in the traditional data center; some are more apparent than others. While each organization is different, the following needs to be run efficiently by a data center: servers: the actual units doing the work, storing data and supporting your brand, racks and other related items.
- Cooling: servers and related devices generate heat; power equipment is needed to keep your hardware cool to prevent damage and extend its life.
- Inverters: Until you need them, you will not notice them. Inverters store and start power when disturbing the AC power source. This avoids downtime, loss of data, and service interruption.
- Support: Someone needs to take care of the servers, ensure that the location is physically secure and respond to problems. Any on-site support staff needs an office's typical power and power support. Account for your on-site staff on cameras, workstations, HVAC and more.
- Security: alarms, physical security that prevents access to your center or equipment by others.
Understanding Power Use Effectiveness (PUE)
Understanding how energy is measured and deployed in the typical data center can help you make changes that increase efficiency and decrease costs. From a basic understanding of how electricity is measured to the impact on your bottom line of non-IT energy consumption. Effectiveness of Data Center Power Usage, or PUE, is a calculation showing the power ratio available to a data center vs. the power consumed by IT equipment. PUE is an indicator of efficiency; this number will show how much energy the servers use for non-server / non-IT activities and how much is being used.
- A high PUE means you can run more efficiently than you are, and you use too much power for your data center.
- A low PUE means you're running optimally and you're having little waste.
Determine the center's PUE by dividing the entire facility's total energy generated by the energy the IT equipment absorbs. The consequence is your PUE, which is hopefully going to be as close as possible to 1. Why is it so low? Lower ratios means you're using most of your energy to get the job done–not powering the office, lights, and other items that support you.
An ideal target value for an existing data center is 1.5 or less (new centers should target 1.4 or less depending on the targets and benchmarks. A PUE of 2.0 or higher indicates a need for review. There are likely areas of inefficiency that add to costs and are not beneficial.