Data Center

The United States Department of Energy estimates that power requirements for data centers could double by 2012. Power accounts for almost 50 percent of a data center's expense. Power consumption, heat and carbon output have increased side-by-side with processor performance increases.

Almost 90 percent of data centers were built before 2001 and not designed to handle the increased power requirements to run the newest IT hardware. Blade servers, virtualization and other innovative technologies help reduce the amount of floor space a data center needs, but disrupt the efficient use of power.

These dynamics are forcing organizations to balance performance and energy costs within the data center. Some regions of the United Sates are impacted more by the cost of power than others. Streamlining one's IT architecture can provide significant cost reductions as well as provide environmental benefits.

MSI's Data Center, IT Consulting teams, and LEED-certified professionals provide a wealth of experience in assisting organizations streamline their data center environment to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Please contact our Data Center team at 800-916-0137 for more information.

Going Green:

• Why it is important
• How much you can save
• Ways to begin turning green
• Green solutions from MSI
• Simple changes all organizations can make

Why it is important

IT energy costs are expected to increase by 54 percent over the next four years. With power consumption already accounting for 50 percent of a data center's overall cost, level or shrinking IT budgets and a potentially overtaxed IT staff, an easy way to reduce costs is by optimizing power consumption.

Even if carbon emissions are not your priority or you are not sure what to think about global warming, good business always dictates reducing overall costs. The positive aspect about streamlining your IT infrastructure is that, if done correctly, a reduction in environmental impact automatically comes with it.

Michelle Bailey, an analyst with IDC, quoted in an October 2006 Infoworld article that companies in the United States spent "approximately $5.8 billion" powering servers in 2005 and another "$3.5 billion or more" keeping them cool.

How much you can save

According to APC, companies can see significant savings by taking these simple steps:

• Right-sizing your critical physical infrastructure: 10 - 30%
• Virtualizing servers: 10 - 40%
• Adjusting air conditioner architecture: 7 -15%
• Using economizer modes for air conditioners: 4 - 15%
• More efficient floor layout: 5 - 12%
• More efficient power equipment: 4 - 10%
• Coordinating air conditioners: 0 - 10%
• Locating vented floor tiles correctly: 1 - 6%
• Installing energy efficient lighting: 1 - 3%
• Installing blanking panels: 1 - 2%

Ways to begin turning green

The task of streamlining your data center can be a daunting task depending on the size of your IT infrastructure. The process can be simplified by breaking the process into three key areas.

Review your current infrastructure - take an inventory of your current IT assets and understand their capacity, utilization rate and power draw. Once you understand where you are, you can begin formulating a plan for where you want to go.

Consolidate - develop a virtualization, consolidation and provisioning strategy. Eliminating underutilized and outdated hardware helps shrink the overall data center footprint and reduces power inefficiencies.

Right-size your Critical Physical Infrastructure - update your critical physical infrastructure to support the new configuration. Technologies such as in-row cooling, modifying perforated floor tile layout, and upgrading UPS systems all help reduce costs associated with power and cooling. Remember, while newer technologies help shrink overall data center footprints, they generate more heat. If not appropriately controlled, this could eliminate any cost savings.

Learn more about Critical Physical Infrastructures .

Green solutions from MSI

MSI offers several assessments and technologies to help organizations save costs by streamlining their environment while helping everyone's environment at the same time.

Consulting Engagements

• Data center site survey
• Data center power savings assessment
• Virtualization and consolidation study
• Network convergence (voice, video and data) study
• IT facilities assessment and roadmap

Technologies and Services

• Virtualization (servers and storage)
• Technology refreshes
• Automated provisioning tools
• IP voice and video
• Structured cabling designs
• Modular/scalable data centers
• Close-coupled cooling
• Power and environmental monitoring/management
• Data center design and relocation

Simple changes all organizations can make

Below are ways that every employee can contribute to the health of the environment as well as the company's bottom line. Tips include:

• Ninety-five percent of all material printed by employees is thrown away without recycling.
  • Print only what you need
  • Print on both sides of the paper
  • Print in color only when absolutely necessary
  • Recycle old copies
• Turn off the lights
  • Save up to 80% or energy costs associated with lighting by
    • Turning off lights in rooms not being used
    • Installing motion sensor lighting with automatic on and off capabilities
    • Use compact fluorescent light bulbs rather than standard bulbs
  • Replace 75-watt CRT monitors with 25-watt LCD monitors
  • Turn off your computer and monitor when you leave the office
  • Recycle old equipment
    • Almost half of all PCs that will be replaced in the next five years will be dumped into landfills, leaking toxic chemicals into the soil
      • Refurbish and sell your old computers
      • Re-allocate old PCs to employees who do not need the latest and greatest technology
      • Donate computers to local schools or charitable organizations
      • Recycle based on environmental standards