Energy Implications of Data

Centers

Topics covered
¾ What is a data center
¾ Characteristics of data centers
¾ Energy consumption of data centers
¾ Conservation opportunities

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 What is a Data Center?
¾ Data center or server farm is a generic
label for facilities that house:
ƒ Hardware
ƒ Servers (computers)
ƒ Storage Devices
ƒ Power backup Devices (PDC, and UPS)
ƒ Communication devices (Routers, Switches, etc)

And of course the Software to control

Types of Data Centers

¾ Hidden Data centers
ƒ Server closets, rooms
ƒ Enterprise data centers
ƒ Co-Located Server Hosting facilities
¾ Custom Data centers
ƒ Yahoo
ƒ Google

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 Typically Data centers are not design for humans

Very Large Custom data centers build in NW have

only 30-40 employees
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But they have large energy footprint

3
 Electricity Flows in Data Centers
HVAC system

local distribution lines

lights, office space, etc.

uninterr
uptible
Load D
C

to the building, 480 V

computer
Uninterrupted Power computer racks equipment
Power Supply Distribution AC to DC
AC to DC Unit DC to AC

backup diesel
generators

Jonathan Koomey, Ph.D.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory7

Breakdown of Electricity
consumption In a typical Data Center

Network 10%
Server
75%

and about 50%

Storage of servers
energy
15%
requiremnt is
to remove
heat
generated by
the servers

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Estimates of Data Center Load in the
Northwest
¾ Hidden Data Centers ~300 MW
¾ About 1.5% of regional Load
ƒ Concentrated in information tech firms
ƒ Law and accounting firms
ƒ Northwest share slightly higher than national average.

In addition Northwest has attracted

¾ Custom Data Centers ~ 300 MW

¾ Connected load
ƒ Will be phased in over the next few years.

ƒ Data center have flat hourly load profiles.

Future Load Growth at Data Centers

¾ In 2006, Data center loads were projected to
double by 2011, however limiting factors and
efficiency improvements is expected to keep
slowdown pace of growth:

ƒ Local power supply constraints

ƒ water/water treatment constraints
ƒ Low power prices availability
ƒ Space constraints
ƒ Demographics of high-tech information firms
ƒ Improved efficiency of existing and new installations

ƒ Data center loads can increase by 50% by 2011.

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5
 Large Efficiency Opportunities
Server use optimization.
A recent survey found
ƒ 32% of servers were practically dead (
utilization rates below 3%)
ƒ 63% of servers have peak and average
utilization below 10%
Better Cooling and power load management
Better storage management
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Energy Efficiency Tactics

¾ Optimize power deliver system

¾ Use higher temperature settings in the cold
and hot aisles.
¾ Reducing cooling load
ƒ Right sizing the equipment
ƒ Integrate cooling delivery with demand
ƒ Use Water cooling
ƒ Separating hot and cold aisles
ƒ Using outside air more often (economizers)
¾ Use Virtualization to reduce number of
servers
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6
 Possible Range of Efficiency
Opportunities

Low Hanging Fruit: Data Center Thermal

Assessments
– 5-15% Savings Available
Server Consolidation Projects
– Large Opportunity: 20-80%
Depending on Hardware and Workloads

Source: Data Centers and Servers Track ©

2006 IBM Corporation

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Past , Present and Future

1970s Current

Cloud
Computing
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7
Treatment of Data centers in the
forecast

ƒ Exogenous for the Custom data centers?

ƒ Endogenous for the hidden data centers?

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