Networking in unexpected places key to data center efficiency
Networking investments are on the horizon to improve sustainability in the data center.
By Donna DonnawitzJanuary 10, 2012
Running a sustainable data center is about configuring every aspect of the environment for energy efficiency. This is especially valid in an era when sustainability is measured in power usage efficiency, a metric that identifies how much electricity is required to run core IT functions and challenges operators to use as little power as possible for anything else. In such a system, everything that draws electricity needs to be optimized. This makes lighting a key area of emphasis in the data center, and connecting the lamps to the network can streamline operating environments, according to a recent Data Center Journal report.
The news source explained that embracing green initiatives - a process that is almost always good for a brand's reputation - requires analyzing every aspect of the data center and streamlining efficiency. This often means initiating intelligent building processes that connect lighting, cooling, ventilation and other facility-based systems to the network. This allows data center managers to more carefully control how systems are operating at any time. Using network-connected lighting can be especially effective.
The report said connecting LED lighting infrastructure to the network may not seem like that big of a deal at first glance. When it comes to a data centers overall power consumption, lights typically only take up approximately 3 to 5 percent of power. However, lights are still a major contributor to a poor PUE score, as the improving the system's efficiency can improve a facility's rating by approximately 25 percent.
According to the news source, using LED bulbs in the first place provides a major boost to data center efficiency. When those lights are attached to the facility's network infrastructure, sustainability is improved because operators are given more control over the system. For example, managers can use a central management platform accompanied with monitoring systems to identify when individuals are in different parts of the data center and turn the lights on and off accordingly. Automated protocols can also be set up to respond to motion and turn lights off automatically if there is not any movement in a part of the facility for an extended period.
All of these advances are furthered through console server infrastructure. A console server setup not only makes a central management platform possible, but creates a setup that allows data center operators to access the management console remotely, gaining even more control of the facility.
Perle’s wide range of 1 to 48 port Perle Console Servers provide data center managers and network administrators with secure remote management of any device with a serial console port. Plus, they are the only truly fault tolerant Console Servers on the market with the advanced security functionality needed to easily perform secure remote data center management and out-of-band management of IT assets from anywhere in the world.
The news source explained that embracing green initiatives - a process that is almost always good for a brand's reputation - requires analyzing every aspect of the data center and streamlining efficiency. This often means initiating intelligent building processes that connect lighting, cooling, ventilation and other facility-based systems to the network. This allows data center managers to more carefully control how systems are operating at any time. Using network-connected lighting can be especially effective.
The report said connecting LED lighting infrastructure to the network may not seem like that big of a deal at first glance. When it comes to a data centers overall power consumption, lights typically only take up approximately 3 to 5 percent of power. However, lights are still a major contributor to a poor PUE score, as the improving the system's efficiency can improve a facility's rating by approximately 25 percent.
According to the news source, using LED bulbs in the first place provides a major boost to data center efficiency. When those lights are attached to the facility's network infrastructure, sustainability is improved because operators are given more control over the system. For example, managers can use a central management platform accompanied with monitoring systems to identify when individuals are in different parts of the data center and turn the lights on and off accordingly. Automated protocols can also be set up to respond to motion and turn lights off automatically if there is not any movement in a part of the facility for an extended period.
All of these advances are furthered through console server infrastructure. A console server setup not only makes a central management platform possible, but creates a setup that allows data center operators to access the management console remotely, gaining even more control of the facility.
Perle’s wide range of 1 to 48 port Perle Console Servers provide data center managers and network administrators with secure remote management of any device with a serial console port. Plus, they are the only truly fault tolerant Console Servers on the market with the advanced security functionality needed to easily perform secure remote data center management and out-of-band management of IT assets from anywhere in the world.
