"Conserving power is a major concern in today's data centers," said Roland Acra, Arch Rock CEO. "In the past, data center managers often overprovisioned CRACs, CRAHs and chillers to give themselves a 'safety zone.' Now they are being encouraged to raise set points to save energy. But they lack the data to answer key questions: How high can they raise temperatures without creating hot spots that will lead to server shutdowns? Are there plenum leaks or missing blanking panels that waste energy? Are air-conditioning units fighting each other, one humidifying and the other dehumidifying? What is the best new topology for server consolidation using the existing cooling and power-distribution system?
"These questions can only be answered by understanding the relationship between power consumption and the cooling infrastructure. For that you need continuous, precise measurements of both electricity usage and cooling-equipment performance - especially supply air temperature into the server racks. While many systems can give a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) figure, only AREO-DC provides the data to improve that PUE while conforming to ASHRAE recommendations. And because it's wireless, it's practical to deploy and redeploy tens or hundreds of sensors where needed."
AREO-DC can help data center managers, for example:
* pinpoint improper mixing of hot and cold air: e.g., missing "blanking panels" in racks, open or misplaced floor tiles, under-floor obstructions - conditions that may lead to insufficient cold air pressure at rack inlets, top-of-rack hot spots, or cooling-plant overcompensation;
* verify the existence of short-cycling or conditions that cause sub-optimal CRAC/CRAH operation; users can then decide whether to add hot- or cold-aisle containment to maintain efficient server operation;
* obtain an accurate PUE figure in mixed-use environments by measuring the cooling load of the data center relative to that of the entire facility, and combining this with measurement of the central cooling plant's electrical consumption;
* use continuous rack supply air temperature data to determine how high HVAC set points can be raised without creating hot spots;
* measure outside air temperature and humidity to identify air or water free-cooling opportunities through the use of HVAC economizers or cooling towers rather than costly use of compressors and refrigerants.
Components of Energy Optimizer-Data Center Edition
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