Energy Efficiency in the Data Center Exploring the Inherent compatibility of Green Initiatives

Energy efficiency in the data centerExploring the inherent compatibility of green initiatives andcorporate profitabilityTable of contentsExecutive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3The problem with data centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4How much is all of this going to cost? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6What can be done? Plenty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6A tremendous opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7How should we measure effectiveness? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Returns for typical customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8The path to energy efficiency begins with services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9HP Energy Efficiency Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Facility and Technology Assessment Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Energy Efficiency Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Assessment Service for Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11For more information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Executive summary: Today's IT executives are not only usage. Unused allowances can be redeemed at year'sexpected to create and maintain high-availability IT end, which is an incentive to reduce energy1environments, but they are also expected to implement consumption.green initiatives to satisfy customers, analysts, andgovernment agencies that are worried about the In the following pages we will explore the driversimpact of modern, energy-thirsty data centers on the behind the exploding power demands of modern dataenvironment. centers, the current crop of solutions available tomanage those demands, and the tremendousIs such a dual mandate reasonable? Can companies benefits-both economical and environmental-ofbe expected to maintain service levels and reduce their taking steps to reduce those demands permanently.carbon footprints at the same time? This question isquickly becoming a moot point as events unfold beforethe industry. In July 2008 the UK government wrote to10,000 businesses to warn them that they could beaffected by the Carbon Reduction Commitment-a 1 www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/business/crc/index.htmscheme that requires large businesses purchase yearly"carbon allowances" for their anticipated energy
Introduction However, it can be argued that over the past decade,reliability has been prioritized almost to the exclusionThere was a time, not long ago, when the primary of any other issue, including energy efficiency. Theresponsibility of the IT infrastructure and those who ran general thinking seems to have been that because ofit was to provide continuous availability. Perpetual the vital nature of data centers and other criticaluptime. Unrelenting reliability. Whatever it took to environments, energy efficiency not only was not akeep commerce humming along without interruption. priority, but in fact seemed to be in opposition toAnd with good reason. Loss of processing capability reliability. This opposition was exacerbated by theor access to information spells trouble for businesses failure of IT departments to take fiscal responsibility forthat rely heavily on electronic data. An outage can the data center-a facility that "belongs" to the ITmean disaster in the form of lost revenue, dissatisfied department, ... [download for more]