INTELLIGENT GREEN TECHNOLOGY
efficiency and enables the introduction
of further energy saving measures.
Network convergence essentially relies
on creation of virtualised server, storage
and networking capacity, which is shared
across multiple applications. This allows
companies to reduce the footprint
of all elements in the datacentre.
Virtualisation requires less hardware to
achieve the same levels of performance
and manage the same workload and
supports the latest generation of energy
efficient datacentre equipment.
In addition to energy efficiency
enhancements described above,
convergence can also make it easier to
implement critical functions and can
improve the responsiveness of the IT
department.
Enterprises planning to invest in
converged infrastructure offerings can
look forward to another benefit. Cutting
down the sprawl of cables in the facility
also reduces obstacles inside the raised
floor air path. Users do not need to store
as many cables inside raised floors.
This saves on materials and resources,
improves air circulation and saves
energy.
In addition, servers and switches need
less transmission and signal processing
power when links are short and signal
transmission is undisturbed. They do not
heat up as much, so less cooling power is
required and therefore less energy.
The introduction of next-generation
technologies also allows the use of
thinner cabling. This means you can
take the cabling out of the raised floor
and place it up above, so the ventilation
in the computer room functions with
greater efficiency and less energy.
Valuable space can also be saved
with this type of cable management.
The computer room can be smaller,
which ultimately improves energy
consumption.
The latest generation of cabling
also has an improved noise ratio, and
therefore requires less power for noise
cancelling.
Virtualisation requires
less hardware to
achieve same levels
of performance and
same workloads
and supports latest
generation of energy
efficient datacentre
equipment
Monitoring network ports, cables,
connectors and components in real
time with an intelligent infrastructure
management system will also pay off.
If you have a full overview and total
control of the physical infrastructure,
you will automatically use it more
efficiently. You only keep operating the
capacities you really need. This means
energy and material consumption can be
further optimised.
A survey by Frost & Sullivan found
that as many as 40% of the switch ports
are forgotten in the ongoing operation
of a large data network. They remain
unused because the operator does not
have a full and current overview of the
infrastructure. Intelligent, automatic
infrastructure management can
substantially improve efficiency and
thereby lower operating costs.
An important feature of convergence is
the fact that it enables the introduction
of energy efficient Ethernet, according
to the IEEE 802.3az standard. When
a link is idle, the power consumption
of physical layer devices is reduced by
placing part of the transmission circuit
into low power mode, without impacting
data transmission.
An IEEE-defined protocol enables
Ethernet devices in low power mode, to
keep operational parameters updated.
This preserves link stability and avoids
disconnections. When the link is
required once again, it is simply woken
up after a predetermined delay. Power
losses caused by idle circuitry are a
major concern, with millions of new
switches being added to the already
substantial installed base each year.
However, the use of Power over
Ethernet or PoE, is also facilitated with
network convergence. This combines
power and data transmission in a single
cable, allowing for extensive use of
powering devices using data cabling.
The original PoE standard was
introduced a decade ago and supported
up to 12.95 Watts, but with the
introduction of PoE+ in 2009, up to 25.5
Watts is supported. PoE can now power
devices over long lengths of data cable.
In the converged environment,
Ethernet is no longer used for
transporting data, but networks an
ever-growing number of devices
and allows users to make the most
of system intelligence. Convergence
centralises management of IT resources,
consolidates systems, boosts resource
utilisation rates and lowers costs.
This has its repercussions on
datacentre design as well as a significant
effect on power requirements and
distribution efficiency.
Alfred Tharwat is Head of Training and
Datacentre Consultancy at R&M Middle East,
Turkey and Africa
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