INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE POWERED BY THE DCA
According to a recent survey by the Uptime Institute , approximately 30 % of global data centre servers are either underutilised or completely idle . Idle servers are troublesome for the simple fact that they are inefficient and in large numbers can be highly expensive .
Locating and correcting an idle server is made easier when you combine a
DCIM solution with your intelligent rack PDUs , which will give you real-time insights into your data centre ’ s assets . From owners to location , application information to power utilisation trends , the DCIM software allows you to analyse all of your intelligent PDU data through a single pane of glass . By using the DCIM , you can easily identify where you have an idle server .
3 . Deploy environmental sensors to your racks
With the IT industry ’ s increased focus on remote operations , more rack PDU manufacturers have begun offering
environmental sensors . These include sensors to measure rack air temperature at the server inlets , as well as the humidity , airflow , vibration , smoke , water and air pressure . Some PDUs may have pre-installed sensors ; while others provide for optional , plug-in external sensors . Another approach is to deploy a completely independent
intelligent sensor management solution , which provides an all-in-one intelligent device , with the minimum change required to the configuration of existing power distribution or IT infrastructure .
Sensors are an easy-to-install , costeffective way to reduce energy costs , improve reliability and increase capacity for future data centre growth . By using environmental sensors , you can optimise your data centre ecosystem to ensure that you are meeting equipment guidelines , reducing operational costs , deferring capital investments and improving your power usage effectiveness ( PUE ).
Additionally , Asset Management Tags ( AMTs ) and
Asset Management Sensors ( AMSs ) provide data centre operators an accurate , automated , real-time inventory of all IT assets and their locations , down to the 1U level . Integrated with DCIM software , you can easily track assets , determine capacity in several areas and manage adds , moves , or changes .
4 . Implement remote power control
You wouldn ’ t leave the lights on at home all day while you went to work , so why
leave IT equipment on during nights and weekends that isn ’ t mission critical and won ’ t be used ? Test and other nonproduction servers can often be powered off to conserve power during non-peak hours . To begin a remote power cycling programme within your organisation , start by metering your current servers to determine the most common times during which they are not in use .
An intelligent PDU with the right capabilities will : A ) only perform a graceful shutdown of equipment to eliminate the risk of data loss or corruption , and B ) allow you to power cycle equipment with one or more power feeds on or off in a set order to minimise the risk of setting off a breaker due to an excessive inrush current .
5 . Optimise airflow management in server cabinets
The cooling setup in a server cabinet has a big influence on the PUE : a lower PUE results in lower total energy consumption of the data centre . It is therefore extremely important that air leakage and recirculation is minimised so that the cool air is guided exclusively through the IT equipment . To do this , the space between the frame of the cabinet and the steel profiles must be perfectly sealed .
Coupling environmental sensors with intelligent PDUs answers the call for efficiency . Here ’ s why :
• Ensure uptime by monitoring racks for potential hot spots
• Save on cooling by confidently raising data centre temperatures
• Maintain cabinet security with contact closure sensors
• Improve data centre availability by receiving environment alerts
• Make strategic decisions on cooling design and containment
• Set thresholds and alerts to monitor onsite or remote facilities
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